Follow Up: 4 Runner Towing Reality

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.