Towing

[Snookster]

Long time, no post. Hope everyone is doing well. I am about to be starting up my own inshore fishing charter and will be getting a boat. Wondering what everyone would suggest for maximum weight to be comfortably towed behind my 99 S/C 4x4 w/ locking rear diff. I know it says max of 5000lbs witch I would not be going near, i don't think. I will be getting a boat between 20 and 24 feet, loaded up most likely not more than 3500lbs. I would most likely be getting a tandem axel trailer with brakes. I would do the tundra brake upgrade on the runner and add the tranny cooler, which I could use either way with the s/c and FL's heat. anyone's two cents would be a great help.

 

[greyghost4x4]

I think you covered all the basics, how far will you be traveling and what boat are you looking at?

Evan

 

[p nut]

Definitely do the Tundra brake upgrade. Also, make sure you have a weight distributing hitch. You might also want to think about getting heavy-duty rear springs or air bags. Towing on a regular basis will wear your stock springs out fairly quickly. Check out OME springs.

Also, add in some synthetic fluids in the diff.

 

[CO_FlyFisher]

Air bags would be quite benficial, and a weight distributing hitch would help (esp. if you're traveling long distance on the highway), but I don't think it would be required. I towed the largest enclosed U-haul trailer (I think it is 6'x12') from Fort Worth to Denver last year with my '99 ltd. It was also a tandem axle trailer, and I had it very loaded (the total weight was ~2 tons), but I had no trouble.

I was very surprised how well the 'runner towed this big brick, and maintaining 65 MPH the whole way was a breeze. Of course, my milage dropped to about 12-13mpg during the trip, but the truck had no trouble. That was with the factory standard tow package.

I thought the limited with tow package already had a tranny cooler?

 

[gapboi210]

Nothing special as far as the towing package. They all have the standard tranny cooler built into the radiator.

 

[p nut]

Air bags would be quite benficial, and a weight distributing hitch would help (esp. if you're traveling long distance on the highway), but I don't think it would be required. I towed the largest enclosed U-haul trailer (I think it is 6'x12') from Fort Worth to Denver last year with my '99 ltd. It was also a tandem axle trailer, and I had it very loaded (the total weight was ~2 tons), but I had no trouble.

I was very surprised how well the 'runner towed this big brick, and maintaining 65 MPH the whole way was a breeze. Of course, my milage dropped to about 12-13mpg during the trip, but the truck had no trouble. That was with the factory standard tow package.

I thought the limited with tow package already had a tranny cooler?

Towing once a year or two, no, you probably could do without those mods. But he's talking about starting a business using this boat, which I'm assuming lots of towing. If that's the case, take every precautionary measure. You are putting a lot of strain on the 4Runner's drivetrain when you tow on a regular basis. Take care of the components.

 

[CO_FlyFisher]

True. Long and very short hauls only make the situation worse. And if for any reason he will be carrying clients in the truck, he should do everything mentioned, and maybe even add a trailer brake controller (unles his mention of brakes wasn't just surge brakes like I'm assuming).

I'm going to have to look at my truck, because I swear I have an external tranny cooler mounted in front of the radiator, which is why I thought it was part of the factory tow package.

 

[p nut]

I'm going to have to look at my truck, because I swear I have an external tranny cooler mounted in front of the radiator, which is why I thought it was part of the factory tow package.

My 98 Limited had an external cooler, too. However, the stock units are not sufficient when towing regularly. I'd go with a Hayden 679 HD unit or something like that.

 

[CO_FlyFisher]

Glad I'm not going crazy. I could have sworn it was there.