Your thoughts on the 4Runner as a tow vehicle

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BigK75

New member
I am in the process of looking for a hybrid camping trailer for my family. I have been reading a lot about the 4runners capability. I have the V8 4runner with 7300lbs towing capacity.

I have noticed that many people on other forums don't think much of the 4runner as a towing vechile. Here is an example of a thread that is 4 pages long and most posts are anti the 4runner.
http://www.hybridexplorer.com/forum/index.php?board=87.0

In my honest opinion I think they are incorrect but have not actually towed anything large with it yet. I was wondering what trailers (including length and dry weight if you have it) do people here tow.

My personal thoughts are that the 4runner is the best combination of towing capacity/off roading/every day driving. What are your thoughts?

Claude
 
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BigK75 said:
I am in the process of looking for a hybrid camping trailer for my family. I have been reading a lot about the 4runners capability. I have the V8 4runner with 7300lbs towing capacity.

I have noticed that many people on other forums don't think much of the 4runner as a towing vechile. Here is an example of a thread that is 4 pages long and most posts are anti the 4runner.
http://www.hybridexplorer.com/forum/index.php?board=87.0

In my honest opinion I think they are incorrect but have not actually towed anything large with it yet. I was wondering what trailers (including length and dry weight if you have it) do people here tow.

My personal thoughts are that the 4runner is the best combination of towing capacity/off roading/every day driving. What are your thoughts?

Claude
Click to expand...

I think the 4Runner is a light-duty or maybe a medium-duty tow vehicle. It's just not big enough and heavy enough to tow big loads, regardless of whether or not you have a V8 or a V6. Personally, I think 5000 lbs would be about the heaviest load that ANY 4Runner should tow. I know someone who tried to tow a horse trailer (2 horses) with a 4Runner and had nothing but problems.

Bottom line-- if you're towing heavy loads, do it with a different vehicle, IMO.
 
I have a 2007 sport with v8, & I have towed a 2 horse trailer with it. The trailer is about 5000lbs with 1 horse & 6200lbs with 2 horses.
That being said, I only use the 4runner for very short distances(under 20 miles) & never at anything over 35mph. The wheelbase is just too short for that kind of load even with sway bars. I have a suburban for the real towing.
As for towing utility trailer with 2 atv's the 4runner has no problems.
 
ToyTech99 said:
I think the 4Runner is a light-duty or maybe a medium-duty tow vehicle. It's just not big enough and heavy enough to tow big loads, regardless of whether or not you have a V8 or a V6. Personally, I think 5000 lbs would be about the heaviest load that ANY 4Runner should tow. I know someone who tried to tow a horse trailer (2 horses) with a 4Runner and had nothing but problems.

Bottom line-- if you're towing heavy loads, do it with a different vehicle, IMO.
Click to expand...


I have found that the effectiveness of the 4Runner as a tow vehicle is directly related to what it is towing and what towing equipment is being used.
The same can be said for larger pickup trucks that tow as well.

Forgive the pun but towing horses is a COMPLETELY different beast when it comes to towing. The constantly shifting loads involved with pulling a horse trailer can pose a challenge for any tow vehicle (including a 4Runner or a HD Dually pickup). That is FAR DIFFERENT from more STATIC loads that do not move around nearly as much.

Where many people go wrong when it comes to towing is exceeding the towing capacity of their tow vehicle. Usually they compound that mistake by not using weight distributing hitches & receivers and sway control. They also do not BALANCE their load PROPERLY and get themselves into even more TROUBLE.

Personally, I tow an 20ft, enclosed car trailer (weighing about 5,500 lbs) with my V8 4Runner. I have a weight distributing hitch & receiver and dual cam sway control. I have used this setup towing in 30-40+ mph cross, head and tail winds and been in total control at all times. Funny how the same could not be said for the Heavy Duty Dually pickups pulling trailers that were swaying and porpoising all over the roads.

BTW, the orignal poster should realize that almost all on-line towing forums shun all tow vehicles unless they are BIG, HD Pickup trucks. They particularily dislike Toyota 4Runners for some reason.

Bottom line is if you stay with the specs and use the proper equipment the 4Runner is a capable tow vehicle. If you overload it or do not use the proper equipment you are asking for a disaster. Also, if you have never towed before I STRONGLY SUGGEST that you seek out someone who has towing experience to TEACH you how to TOW PROPERLY. There are many, many, things one needs to learn to tow properly & safely. Learning those things "on the job" can be dangerous and expensive. I was fortunate to have a friend with a LOT of towing experience (and a CDL license). The information he taught me was very, very, valuable and made me a MUCH Safer driver when it comes to towing.

FYI, a couple of weeks ago I pulled not ONE but TWO Ford F250 Super Duty Duallies (one at a time) out of the mud they got stuck in at a car show. The owners looked like they thought I was crazy when I offered to pulled them out. Funny how that look changed to a look of utter disbelief when the 4Runner pulled them out without even breaking a sweat. I am still looking for someone who took photos of me helping them as I was too busy to stop and take photos myself.
 
BigK75 said:
I am in the process of looking for a hybrid camping trailer for my family. I have been reading a lot about the 4runners capability. I have the V8 4runner with 7300lbs towing capacity.

I have noticed that many people on other forums don't think much of the 4runner as a towing vechile. Here is an example of a thread that is 4 pages long and most posts are anti the 4runner.
http://www.hybridexplorer.com/forum/index.php?board=87.0

In my honest opinion I think they are incorrect but have not actually towed anything large with it yet. I was wondering what trailers (including length and dry weight if you have it) do people here tow.

My personal thoughts are that the 4runner is the best combination of towing capacity/off roading/every day driving. What are your thoughts?

Claude
Click to expand...
No problems towing my 4k#(all up loaded wt) race car w/ my late V8, had no issues except mountain passes towing a 5k# keel boat w/ my older V6 and the keel boat presented a huge target to cross winds, it wasn't as stable as the even older G20 lwb van that I used before that but no issues either.
 
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I probably wouldn't do it. I just don't think the 4runner is long enough and has enough power to effectively tow. Also if your going on an extended trip it doesn't offer a ton of storage and seating.

Our family bought a Suburban to tow and it has been great. Seating for eight, plenty of cargo room, and plenty of power.

Just my opinion though.
 
Clemsonfan15 said:
I probably wouldn't do it. I just don't think the 4runner is long enough and has enough power to effectively tow. Also if your going on an extended trip it doesn't offer a ton of storage and seating.

Our family bought a Suburban to tow and it has been great. Seating for eight, plenty of cargo room, and plenty of power.

Just my opinion though.
Click to expand...

I am not sure about that Clemsonfan15. There are guys who tow long trailers with the 4runner. I noticed that Wolfgang is towing a 25' trailer. I would like to hear from him too.

There are guys that just don't want a Suburban or Truck. I want a mid-size SUV that can do it all. Thats my dream SUV :)

I guess my point is that if Toyota didn't think it could tow 7000lbs they would have not given it that tow rating. Why get sued when you can limit the tow capacity to 4 or 5K and be done with it.



Claude
 
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To me the T4R is a good light duty and ok medium duty tow vehicle.

What makes the 4Runner great, to me, is what hurts it towing. It is a small to medium sized vehicle. Any short wheelbase vehicle is at disadvantage. When compared to other SUV's and cross-overs in the size range I think the 4Runner rocks. It's comparatively robust frame, brakes and drivetrain are a real plus. It will never be a dually or for that matter a half-ton truck/Suburban due to the short wheelbase. There's something magic that occurs when the wheelbase crosses the 130" threshold, they become good tow vehicles.


With that as the background I agree with the others; the 4Runner can handle pretty big trailers for it's size with style and ease but that's dependant on a few things: 1) good equipment (trailer brakes, wdh device and sway control) 2) Proper load balance, proper tire inflation on the T4R and the trailer etc.

Do to it's small size it's just not as forgiving as bigger rigs, period.
:cheers:
 
BigK75 said:
I am not sure about that Clemsonfan15. There are guys who tow long trailers with the 4runner. I noticed that Wolfgang is towing a 25' trailer. I would like to hear from him too.

There are guys that just don't want a Suburban or Truck. I want a mid-size SUV that can do it all. Thats my dream SUV :)

I guess my point is that if Toyota didn't think it could tow 7000lbs they would have not given it that tow rating. Why get sued when you can limit the tow capacity to 4 or 5K and be done with it.



Claude
Click to expand...


You could tow something that heavy, but I just haven't seen it done much, so I figured there had to be a reason.

I guess it all comes down to what your towing, how often, how far, payload, and how many people you need to seat.

For our needs, 1500+ miles trips, comfort for 5+ people, etc., the Suburban has been great, but I do realize that everyone does not need that.
 
I tow a 17' fiberglass bass boat with a 120 HP engine with my V6. I'm not sure what the gross overall weight is but I'd say about 2300 lbs including the trailer. I've had passengers ask if it was a V8 because I can get on the highway, uphill and jump right into the passing lane and get up to speed quickly and with ease. My 4th gen tows better than my 3rd gen did and with that, I not only towed the boat but also a 3,000 lb camper. I also towed them with my 2nd gen with the 3.slow engine. You DIDN'T want to be behind me then!

Depending on what weight you're towing, I'd say you're fine with the V8 providing you're towing less than 5,000 lbs.
 
I once towed 5 sportbikes on an 18' trailer 17 hours to Miami from Maryland with a full passenger and cargo load. It held its own pretty well and I was able to maintain speeds of 70+mph. Not to say there weren't a few scary sway moments, but slowing down always helped. I think a towing stabilizer would help.
 
I have been towing my 4200 Lb boat up to my house at 6200 ft 6 times a year or more since I bought the runner. The runner stays up to the speed limit no problem throughout the trip as long as over-drive is not used. Based on this experience I would say that it can do the same thing with over 5000 Lbs since I often ended up with a lot of junk in the boat including camping gear, wake boards, coolers, etc. adding to the overall load. If I didn't have to climb the steep hill even more weight could be towed but that is just a guess since I've not done it.

ie the runner is more capable at towing than it appears, often I find that lack of experience towing leads to many more problems than the equipment itself.
 
charlier180 said:
I have found that the effectiveness of the 4Runner as a tow vehicle is directly related to what it is towing and what towing equipment is being used....
Click to expand...

Great post.

Always nice to get a detailed post based on direct, extensive experience with the matter at hand.
 
I've towed 4 bikes with 4 guys 220 lbs. ea. and all other junk needed to ride with no problems. But this is only about a 1000 lbs. on the trailer.
 
Speaking from experience...

I have towed a 23 foot wakeboard boat all over my state this summer with my 04 4WD V8. Loaded up as usual, I am sure it tips the scales at 6000+ a few people. I have towed probably 1000 miles, and I couldn't be much happier. I tow with overdrive off and on moderate hills it does kick down to 3rd gear. 150 mile hauls each way were no problem. If I had to deal with big hills, I think I would have a lot more trouble. However Wisconsin isn't really big on mountains so it works just fine. The rear squats a bit, but not too bad. For distances less than 3 miles and under 45 mph I have towed 7K I bet. No issues.

You have to look at the terrain where u are towing, but it does do a good job for what I have. I boat a lot and I am still using my vehicle less than 5% of the time for towing. I like the fact that I get better mileage than tahoe's and burb's on the daily drive. I think it's the perfect more budget minded reliable tow vehicle on the market.

If this pic works, here's the rig I'm hauling
View attachment 21820
 

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How well the 4Runner tows is directly related to two variables, what type of hitch is being used and how well it is set up, and how much experience the driver has towing.

As others have mentioned, because of the short wheelbase, the 4Runner can be challenged when towing larger trailers, especially with high sides that can catch crosswinds and cause sway to start. That being said, I use my '03 V6 to tow three very different different trailers, each with its own 'issues'. I have had no problems towing any of them, but I have been towing for years, and realize the limitations of each package and work within them.

I tow a short (6 x 8") utility trailer for hauling materials and other stuff. It is great for everyday stuff, but you have to be careful backing it up because of the shorter axle to vehicle length. I also tow a 17" aluminum boat and motor for fishing trips. It tows great, and with the longer length, is easy to back up (if you take the time to practice first). Last, I also tow several times a year a 26" camper. I upgraded my hitch to a WD model, and took the time to set it up correctly so the load on the tow vehicle is balanced. I use an electric brake controller which is also set up properly. The total loaded weight of the trailer is about 5300 lbs, which is within the 6400 lb limit of the tow vehicle. It tows well, but the V6 is working to climb hills, so I don't rush it. I usually only take the camper on trips of less than 500 miles. If I decide to take longer, cross country trips, I would probably look for a more capable tow vehicle, but thus far I am satisfied with the setup I now have. I say within the posted speed limits, and allow sufficient stopping distances for my speed, and pay close attention to what is going on around me to avoid any emergency maneuvering.

The best advice I can give anyone, it to NOT tow anything if you aren't sure of what you are doing. If you are new to towing, I suggest not starting out towing heavy until you have had practice time. And if it still feels uncomfortable, don't do it.
 
I have been pulling a 21' wakeboard boat for the past two years with no problems. Our trips are usually short (under 5 miles), but I have taken a few 350+ mile trips, and other than killing my MPG, it did fine. My '05 V8 had no problems maintaining 65 mph on highways.

My boat+trailer weight is around 4k lbs, maybe a little more depending on the gear we are hauling. I wouldn't go over about 5k lbs, mainly because of the stopping distance increase with the higher weight.

If you plan to tow frequently, learn to do the brakes yourself!

I was actually hit broadside on the left side of my boat trailer last summer, and the impact spun the left wheel under the trailer so that the wheel was actually under the swim platform of the boat. We were traveling about 35-40 at impact, and even with only one trailer wheel, it did great. I had no problem maintaining direction straight ahead, and stopping under control. It was pretty exciting though!
 
Question about dual cam sway control

charlier180 said:
I have found that the effectiveness of the 4Runner as a tow vehicle is directly related to what it is towing and what towing equipment is being used.
The same can be said for larger pickup trucks that tow as well.

Forgive the pun but towing horses is a COMPLETELY different beast when it comes to towing. The constantly shifting loads involved with pulling a horse trailer can pose a challenge for any tow vehicle (including a 4Runner or a HD Dually pickup). That is FAR DIFFERENT from more STATIC loads that do not move around nearly as much.

Where many people go wrong when it comes to towing is exceeding the towing capacity of their tow vehicle. Usually they compound that mistake by not using weight distributing hitches & receivers and sway control. They also do not BALANCE their load PROPERLY and get themselves into even more TROUBLE.

Personally, I tow an 20ft, enclosed car trailer (weighing about 5,500 lbs) with my V8 4Runner. I have a weight distributing hitch & receiver and dual cam sway control. I have used this setup towing in 30-40+ mph cross, head and tail winds and been in total control at all times. Funny how the same could not be said for the Heavy Duty Dually pickups pulling trailers that were swaying and porpoising all over the roads.

BTW, the orignal poster should realize that almost all on-line towing forums shun all tow vehicles unless they are BIG, HD Pickup trucks. They particularily dislike Toyota 4Runners for some reason.

Bottom line is if you stay with the specs and use the proper equipment the 4Runner is a capable tow vehicle. If you overload it or do not use the proper equipment you are asking for a disaster. Also, if you have never towed before I STRONGLY SUGGEST that you seek out someone who has towing experience to TEACH you how to TOW PROPERLY. There are many, many, things one needs to learn to tow properly & safely. Learning those things "on the job" can be dangerous and expensive. I was fortunate to have a friend with a LOT of towing experience (and a CDL license). The information he taught me was very, very, valuable and made me a MUCH Safer driver when it comes to towing.

FYI, a couple of weeks ago I pulled not ONE but TWO Ford F250 Super Duty Duallies (one at a time) out of the mud they got stuck in at a car show. The owners looked like they thought I was crazy when I offered to pulled them out. Funny how that look changed to a look of utter disbelief when the 4Runner pulled them out without even breaking a sweat. I am still looking for someone who took photos of me helping them as I was too busy to stop and take photos myself.
Click to expand...
Charlie180, I just bought an 08 4R 4.7 for towing my boat. I've been towing with an older F250. Is there anything you can tell me about where to find the dual cam sway control that you mention, also the install process? Thanks in advance.

herscman
 
I have an 06 v8 with an OME suspension in addition to coil rite airbags in the rear. My boat is 23ft+ long and tips the scales at 5k+. It honestly tows it really well. Weight distribution and trailer brakes make a huge difference. That being said I wouldn't want to test out the max 7k tow rating.
b20b5914ed10136ab06321e023a50170.jpg


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