Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
BurbMan wrote:
One last comment, many owners' manuals are also specifying "maximum frontal area" of the trailer, which in effect rules out hard sided RV trailers and limits towing to low-profile trailers like pop-ups and utility models. The reason being that the wind resistance of a high profile trailer adds as much load to the drivetrain as the weight of the trailer.
This totally puzzles me. I look at Sequoia as a more powerful 8-cyl upgrade to a 4runner.
And yet my 4runner can tow 5,000lbs travel trailer easily -- and have overtaken a few heftier Chevies (of course with bigger trailers) on uphill climb on the I-80, I-101, I-5, 395...
Sam - which 4runner do you have? The older 8-cylinder? If so you may be OK. But if you have a more recent 6-cylinder, what are you doing about hitch weight? That 5000lbs trailer should have a hitch weight of 500 to 700 lbs. That would exceed the capacity of the 4runner's hitch unless you're using weight distribution. Unfortunately, the 4runner's frame isn't recommended for weight distribution. So what's your situation?
I went through all of that stuff a few years ago. Was shocked and terribly disappointed to learn that I was exceeding specs on my 4runner. Had to trade it out for a better tow vehicle. Toyota is horrible about towing and payload. They just don't "get it." And I had been a Toyota loyalist for over 30 years!
-Speak
