Follow Up: 4 Runner Towing Reality

TexasATM wrote:
No one is disputing the fact that a bigger tow vehicle would be better,

I would!

Find the trailer you have been drooling over and ask the dealer if you could load it and test drive it. It sounds like you are in the ballpark but perhaps a test drive would be helpful. Or, trade it in on a Tundra or Sequoia and be done.

I tow with a similar size SUV, and pull a 5,600 lb. trailer when loaded. Furthest trip was Houston to Orlando and back, pulling at 70+.

Honestly I got tired of the downshift at every overpass, but if I had time to be leisurely about it, and drive at 55 or 60 it would be far more relaxed and way better MPG. Good luck with your decision.

boosTT wrote:


I dare you to find someone who started with a mediocre TV who did not upgrade the TV with 2-3 years. This should answer if you can tow it or not.

How exactly does this answer the question of if a specific trailer can be towed safely and comfortably? No one is disputing the fact that a bigger tow vehicle would be better, but there are plenty of trailers that can be towed with a midsize without ANY issue.

FYI, a newer Toyota 4Runner is so much more advanced than your 1997 Ranger that the two shouldn't even be compared. Not only is it a physically much larger vehicle (wider and heavier), it is much more powerful and includes many safety features that didn't exist in 1997.

To the OP - the trailers you are looking at seem to be a perfect fit for your tow vehicle. Get the one you want and have fun!

camperfamily wrote:
For what its worth - I towed a Trailmanor 3023 for a few years with a 1999 Ford Ranger. The Ranger had a 4.0 V6 that provided 160hp and 220ft/lb torque (about) through a 5 speed auto trans and 4.10 rear end. Used a Equalizer hitch. That combination towed real well, level, decent power and nearly 12mpg @ 70mph. It was rated to tow 5660#. We took it over the Rockies from NJ, put o Maine and many places between.

We also towed that same trailer with a 1998 Explorer with a 5.0 V8, AWD, 3.73 gears and a 4 speed auto. The Ranger outperformed it in every way despite the Explorer having the V8 power plant. FWIW.

It sounds like your being realistic which is great. If you want to consider a lower profile unit (i.e. Trailmanor) it will help with towing because of the reduced frontal area.

Doesn't sound like its quite time to give up. Consider how much you'll be using it, where, how far and how frequent your towing will be. With consideration and planning a smaller TV and trailer can be very satisfactory.

One comment about your 4Runner. You mention it has 110,000 miles. Make sure your up on maintenance on things like brakes, trans service, rear axle fluid, battery, alternator. LT vs P rated tires will also make for a better towing experience (stiffer sidewall = more stable).

Get good side mirrors. The last I knew McKesh was one of the best. A shaky mirror won't help you see all that well.

I towed an Keystone 3600lb dry, 5K wet, Z191 with an 1997 ranger 4.0L 4:10 automatic and it was average at best. No way I would tow it for an long trip. You can make due with the lack of power, but the sway made the experience uncomfortable. My WD hitch and antisway was setup correctly.

I towed this setup like this for a 3.5 years. After 3 years the transmission light started flashing on my ranger while towing the trailer and I sold the ranger 6 months later. The transmission never gave out, but it did act goofy about once every 30 miles.

For the record, I'm a single guy, adrenaline junkie in his late 20's... and it was uncomfortable for me to tow.

I dare you to find someone who started with a mediocre TV who did not upgrade the TV with 2-3 years. This should answer if you can tow it or not.

CommuterCruiser wrote:
THANKS for everyone's input. Our current thoughts are that we should stick with the vehicle GVWR & payload differential (620 lbs) and subtract a weight distributing hitch weight (approx 80 lbs?) from that leaving 540 lbs for the loaded trailer tongue weight.

The trailer we're drooling over has a dry weight 275 tongue weight, a dry weight of 3400 lbs and fully loaded 5400 lbs. I'm not sure why they add 2000 lbs for fully loaded, but if we only added 1000 lbs which I've heard is a reasonable assumption, this trailer would be gross weight 4500 lbs. At 10% tongue weight, it would be 450 and 15% would be 680, so we'd "weigh in" at approximately 12% if we limited the "stuff" aboard to 1000 lbs.

We're both concerned about the semi-truck windage which has been mentioned above. If we do this, we will have a weight distributing hitch and sway bars, anything that can help.

We've looked at alot of travel trailers. We're thinking of living for 2-3 months at a time. We want to tow it from Illinois to the Grand Canyon and southern Utah National Parks. We don't want a pop-up camper because we want to camp in national parks, some with bears.

Not sure about R-Pods, although I really like them, but we understand they sway terribly behind any vehicle. Today we looked at an Airstream 19' Bambi which we cannot afford and I didn't really like and a TrailManor 20 (22?) footer 4500 GVWR, no longer made. The Casitas are too small for us to imagine living in for 2-3 months at a time.

Beginning to think we need to postpone this wild idea until it's time to replace our 4 Runner (currently 110,000 miles, anticipating 200,000 plus) and take off cruising in our sailboat down the Eastern Caribbean instead.

Thanks again for the input! Anyone with more insight on the trailer specs we're drooling over, please add your comments! THX! J&D

There are a plethora of small trailers that you can pull. I would go to a rv show and look at trailers that meet your needs. Set a limit on UVW and don't let a salesperson try and talk you into something to heavy.

TexasATM wrote:

CommuterCruiser wrote:

The trailer we're drooling over has a dry weight 275 tongue weight, a dry weight of 3400 lbs and fully loaded 5400 lbs. I'm not sure why they add 2000 lbs for fully loaded, but if we only added 1000 lbs which I've heard is a reasonable assumption, this trailer would be gross weight 4500 lbs. At 10% tongue weight, it would be 450 and 15% would be 680, so we'd "weigh in" at approximately 12% if we limited the "stuff" aboard to 1000 lbs.

I think that this is a completely reasonable TT to tow with a 4Runner. The dry weight is well below your limit (leaving room for stuff you put in the trailer), and the tongue weight is manageable. The 5,400 lbs that they state full loaded means that the trailer is capable of handling that much weight. For what it's worth, I have a 35' Jayco and when it is packed for a week long trip, it has ~1,300lbs of cargo in it. This is for a family of 5 (three small children). In the size trailer you're looking at, I'd be surprised if you ended up with more than 750lbs of cargo.

Anyhow, it sounds like this is the perfect trailer for a mid-size tow vehicle. I'd pull it all day long.

I'll second that. With 620 available for tongue weight, less 80 for the hitch gives you 540, divide that by 12% tongue weight leaves you with a loaded trailer of 4500 lbs. You are right in the ballpark and you should be fine if you get your hitch set up properly. there is a sticky at the top of the towing forum on procedures on how to set up your hitch so you don't get any sway.

boosTT wrote:
Agreed. You simply can not reasonably tow what you want with that. Sway control helps, but it will still sway unless you get a Hensley or p3. You would need towing mirrors too. I've been there. No way you could tow it for 5 hours straight either.... Just too nerve racking.

Have you considered an class c or older dedicated towing truck? Maybe something from the early 2000's? Or even a used E350 work van? This could be a low cost solution.

This is the classic "You can't tow that with this!" Get a 3/4 ton truck and a $2500 hitch and all is good.

I towed a 21 foot white box trailer with a GVWR of 5500 with my 4Runner and I had very little trouble, none actually. I used an equal-i-zer hitch and didn't have any trouble with sway. Drove it around for 3 years through the mountain passes of the pacific northwest, through the windy Columbia Gorge and all through the plains of eastern Oregon and Washington. Passed trucks on the 2 lanes and had them pass me on the freeways, all without incident.

I did have the V8 which was an excellent power plant for the 4Runner. The SUV itself was sturdy and when hooked up to the trailer it rode nice and level.

I did sell the 4Runner and got a Tundra because we were going to upgrade to a different trailer that was 5 feet longer and 1 ton heavier. If I were looking at the trailers you have mentioned I would not hesitate to pull it with the 4Runner.

For what its worth - I towed a Trailmanor 3023 for a few years with a 1999 Ford Ranger. The Ranger had a 4.0 V6 that provided 160hp and 220ft/lb torque (about) through a 5 speed auto trans and 4.10 rear end. Used a Equalizer hitch. That combination towed real well, level, decent power and nearly 12mpg @ 70mph. It was rated to tow 5660#. We took it over the Rockies from NJ, put o Maine and many places between.

We also towed that same trailer with a 1998 Explorer with a 5.0 V8, AWD, 3.73 gears and a 4 speed auto. The Ranger outperformed it in every way despite the Explorer having the V8 power plant. FWIW.

It sounds like your being realistic which is great. If you want to consider a lower profile unit (i.e. Trailmanor) it will help with towing because of the reduced frontal area.

Doesn't sound like its quite time to give up. Consider how much you'll be using it, where, how far and how frequent your towing will be. With consideration and planning a smaller TV and trailer can be very satisfactory.

One comment about your 4Runner. You mention it has 110,000 miles. Make sure your up on maintenance on things like brakes, trans service, rear axle fluid, battery, alternator. LT vs P rated tires will also make for a better towing experience (stiffer sidewall = more stable).

Get good side mirrors. The last I knew McKesh was one of the best. A shaky mirror won't help you see all that well.

CommuterCruiser wrote:

The trailer we're drooling over has a dry weight 275 tongue weight, a dry weight of 3400 lbs and fully loaded 5400 lbs. I'm not sure why they add 2000 lbs for fully loaded, but if we only added 1000 lbs which I've heard is a reasonable assumption, this trailer would be gross weight 4500 lbs. At 10% tongue weight, it would be 450 and 15% would be 680, so we'd "weigh in" at approximately 12% if we limited the "stuff" aboard to 1000 lbs.

I think that this is a completely reasonable TT to tow with a 4Runner. The dry weight is well below your limit (leaving room for stuff you put in the trailer), and the tongue weight is manageable. The 5,400 lbs that they state full loaded means that the trailer is capable of handling that much weight. For what it's worth, I have a 35' Jayco and when it is packed for a week long trip, it has ~1,300lbs of cargo in it. This is for a family of 5 (three small children). In the size trailer you're looking at, I'd be surprised if you ended up with more than 750lbs of cargo.

Anyhow, it sounds like this is the perfect trailer for a mid-size tow vehicle. I'd pull it all day long.