Is that a dirt or pea stone covered ramp?
What your 4Runner can tow
- Thread starter rtuck1
- Start date
Is that a dirt or pea stone covered ramp?
DisguisedRope
New member
Okay, is the confessional open?
First, I'm guessing the OP's trailer is closer to 1500lbs. I have one that looks similar with a 7k rating and it's about 1500 lbs. Just guessing by the pic, of course
I tow regularly our camper, listed at around 5300lbs dry, so more like 6500 loaded, plus quite a load in the 4Runner, two adults and a teenager and a canoe on top. Not that the canoe add more than 85lbs, but wanted you to get the pic
Yes, I am towing with the V8 and WDH, but it handles fine. A *little* under powered for these Western PA mountains, but I'm working on that.
My suggestions? A quality trailer brake controller like the Prodigy by Tekeonsha, well maintained brakes on the trailer, a trailer loaded with enough tongue weight, at least a basic sway control bar, a weight distribution hitch (WDH), LT tires (*NOT* 'P' Rated!), inflation near tire max, and a steady wheel.
I have been AMAZED at the towing capabilities of this short wheel based SUV. Not just the ability to pull a load, but the amount of control it has over a long and heavy load.
Our hybrid travel trailer is around 25' closed with a large wind drag (BTW, wind drag is a MAJOR factor in towing with this non-tall vehicle) and I am looking to add the TRD supercharger to help with the WOT time on the hills.
Unfortunately, the 4Runner does tend to sag quite readily in the rear. Without a WDH and about 5k lbs or so, I've had the front end get light and trip the ABS on wet road that caused me to cross the center line :jaw:
If you are going to be at or near 5k (V8 Ltd rating), be sure to use a WDH and adjust it properly to get up to 7k towing.
First, I'm guessing the OP's trailer is closer to 1500lbs. I have one that looks similar with a 7k rating and it's about 1500 lbs. Just guessing by the pic, of course
I tow regularly our camper, listed at around 5300lbs dry, so more like 6500 loaded, plus quite a load in the 4Runner, two adults and a teenager and a canoe on top. Not that the canoe add more than 85lbs, but wanted you to get the pic
Yes, I am towing with the V8 and WDH, but it handles fine. A *little* under powered for these Western PA mountains, but I'm working on that.
My suggestions? A quality trailer brake controller like the Prodigy by Tekeonsha, well maintained brakes on the trailer, a trailer loaded with enough tongue weight, at least a basic sway control bar, a weight distribution hitch (WDH), LT tires (*NOT* 'P' Rated!), inflation near tire max, and a steady wheel.
I have been AMAZED at the towing capabilities of this short wheel based SUV. Not just the ability to pull a load, but the amount of control it has over a long and heavy load.
Our hybrid travel trailer is around 25' closed with a large wind drag (BTW, wind drag is a MAJOR factor in towing with this non-tall vehicle) and I am looking to add the TRD supercharger to help with the WOT time on the hills.
Unfortunately, the 4Runner does tend to sag quite readily in the rear. Without a WDH and about 5k lbs or so, I've had the front end get light and trip the ABS on wet road that caused me to cross the center line :jaw:
If you are going to be at or near 5k (V8 Ltd rating), be sure to use a WDH and adjust it properly to get up to 7k towing.
wnelax04sr5
New member
4runnerAzGuy
New member
glad to see it towed your boat fine. I have a similar boat set up and was hesitant to tow it anywhere so i kept using my F250 instead. Did you keep track of how much pulling the boat effected your mpg?
03_4x4Runner
Senior Member
The problem with towing a lot of these trailers pictured is that the 4runner is to narrow and the side mirrors do not stick out far enough to see behind you. Mirror extenders would be required in many state to see behind you. This is annoying when pulling my atv trailer.
nevada
Senior Member
i have a small camp trailer I may be using this summer. im not worried about the weight, but the width, I wont be able to see past the trailer. i'll have to look into getting some mirror extenders also.
wnelax04sr5
New member
what size trailer? i have a full size car hauler that i haul my two atvs on and have no issues with the stock mirrors, it has flip up rear ramps that aide in being able to see the end of the trailer as well, but regardless, i never have issues seeing past it to change lanes and so on
ARunner
New member
I purchased this V8 4Runner for the purpose of being my tow vehicle. It was this or a Tundra. The 4Runners, at the age and price I was shopping, lived a much easier life than their pickup counterparts from what I saw while shopping. And I think to drive a Tundra you have to be a smoker, from what I smelled.
As was mentioned before, I too remain quite impressed with the stability on the highway with such a relatively short wheelbase. The trailer is officially 19'+ but with the front storage area just behind the air dam and the tongue, it comes in closer to 30" from tip to tip. Empty is about 2k lbs and the car is another 3400ish. I also carry fuel, so all told maybe 5,800-6,000 lbs. I have airbags in the rear suspension, but I didn't have them aired up at the time. When aired up, I've not had any issues bottoming and the ride is good. If I towed more than a couple times a year and over longer distances, I'd look into a weight distributing hitch.
As was mentioned before, I too remain quite impressed with the stability on the highway with such a relatively short wheelbase. The trailer is officially 19'+ but with the front storage area just behind the air dam and the tongue, it comes in closer to 30" from tip to tip. Empty is about 2k lbs and the car is another 3400ish. I also carry fuel, so all told maybe 5,800-6,000 lbs. I have airbags in the rear suspension, but I didn't have them aired up at the time. When aired up, I've not had any issues bottoming and the ride is good. If I towed more than a couple times a year and over longer distances, I'd look into a weight distributing hitch.
daka320
New member
Pulling our 23' travel trailer. Travel trailer weighs in at 5000 lb empty or 5500 lbs loaded without water. Using a weight distribution hitch, brake controller and sway bar. Overall it does okay on the flatlands. Up and down mountains is a different story and it is not about power, 6 cyl vs 8 cyl. It is all about braking and control. A lot of tail wagging the dog.
So, we have purchased a Tundra for our towing vehicle. The reasons why are the above and my wife does not want to overstress her baby.
So, we have purchased a Tundra for our towing vehicle. The reasons why are the above and my wife does not want to overstress her baby.
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IIRC, The max combination weight of vehicle and trailer is 12k on the V8 with WDH.
If you're towing heavy loads, be sure to use WDH and put a fair amount of weight in the back of the 4Runner to keep it steady.
Here's an important tip: Be sure to MATCH the size and type of tires on all 4 wheels of your 4Runner! I was running 6 ply LTs all around and decided to try 10 ply LTs on the rear first.
What a mistake! Although this has never been an issue on any other vehicle I've owned (as long as you matched overall size and had matched set on each axle), the XREAS freaks out when the flex/bulge/compress/whatever ratios don't match between opposite diagonal tires (front drivers to pass rear, etc). It felt like I was riding on a set of broken leaf springs :jaw:
For those who haven't had that pleasure, I'll try to describe it. The body sort of floats around and on corners as the body starts to lean into the corner, it feels like the body is tight, then 'slips' and the edge you're leaning against moves- sometimes inward, sometimes outwards. Sort of like you would feel if your tire slipped on mud or ice while cornering, then grabs again unpredictably.
I was ready to toss the 10 ply, but instead put 10's on the front, too, after several months. I didn't drive it much for a few months for other reasons
I was also thinking maybe the suspension was bad, stuff like that.AFter putting (a brand I like better) 10s on the front, too, she got rock steady again :rockon:
The lesson here is 1) IF you are going to tow regularly or heavy, upgrade to LT tires. 6 or 10s is fine. I run one vertical inch over (online calculators to figure it for other sizes) 265/70 R17; and 2) Ignore your previous experience telling you it is okay to put heavier grade tires on the rears alone. Although it helps for towing (good), the XREAS compromises the handling (bad), so be sure to go all 4 when you do make the switch.
I definitely recommend a sway control bar, too. The one like I use can be had at etrailer com for about $40 and mounts with or without WDH. I tow a number of different things, but not all with WDH/sway control. Light loads properly dispersed tow quite steadily without.
I have been quite pleasantly surprised at this 'little engine that could' when towing
I say that because when I tow the boat (Crownline 225CR), my 4Runner really does look like a matchbox car! Surprisingly, it hauls better than the camper, due to the aerodynamics, which the camper lacks.Hope this is helpful.
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03_4x4Runner
Senior Member
My atv trailer is a side load so the atvs is not facing the the same way as the 4runner. I am looking at the long side of them in the mirror. The trailer also sets tall so you cannot see over the top of the seats with the windshield mirror. I was towing the atvs just today. I have to slightly swerve now and then to get a look directly behind me on straight roads.
wnelax04sr5
New member
i was gonna ask v6 or v8, but the dry weight is well under the max trailer weight for both. loaded up id be careful, but either way your 4runner can handle it no problem
LargeOrangeFont
New member
I just used my v6 all weekend towing my boat. My boat is 3100 dry.. and it had 50 gallons of fuel in it. It towed very well, launched and retrieved the boat perfectly. It towed better with my boat than when I tow my race car.
Yours looks just like mine did with my boat.. there is not much tongue weight at all, and the 4Runner rode well.
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