Towing Trailer with a 4Runner

Blatz wrote:
Seems like Minni 1801 is the only one posting who has experience with a 5th gen 4Runner. I'm just curious where does it say not to use a WDH on a 5th gen 4Runner? I don't see it in the manual, I haven't read any official Toyota statement, and I even asked a certified Toyota mechanic and he hasn't herd that either.

I e-mailed the factory directly with this question, and here is their response:

[COLOR=]Dear {Mr. Speakeasy}

Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., and thank you for having owned multiple Toyotas.

We apologize for any confusion that may have been caused by the other manuals.

We appreciate the opportunity to clarify that Toyota does not recommend using a weight distribution hitch for the 2010 4Runner.

Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

James F.
Toyota Customer Experience Center

-Speak

Blatz wrote:
Seems like Minni 1801 is the only one posting who has experience with a 5th gen 4Runner. I'm just curious where does it say not to use a WDH on a 5th gen 4Runner? I don't see it in the manual, I haven't read any official Toyota statement, and I even asked a certified Toyota mechanic and he hasn't herd that either.

You cant find it in the manual because it isn't there. I believe the "no WDH" argument either applies to an earlier version of the vehicle or may be a bit of internet lore. My first post basically says that I don't agree with those who make that claim.

I'm really only giving my personal experience, and I think its fine to use a WDH on the 2016 4Runner.

Greg

SpeakEasy wrote:

Minnie1801 wrote:
I tow a 3,500 lb travel trailer with a 2016 4Runner. My setup results in a tongue weight of just over 400 pounds, and I use an Equalizer 4 point WDH. Loaded, my rig weighs about 4,200 pounds.
I previously towed the same trailer with a 2012 Tacoma which has the same engine but higher towing capacity (6,500 pounds) because the truck weighs less than the SUV.

My input:

1. You'll want more power at times, but the 4Runner will pull a trailer that meets the specs of the manufacturer, i.e. 5,000 pounds maximum.

2. The factory installed hitch is adequate for the job and will handle a WDH just fine.

(There is much speculation about hitches being "weak" and "bolted on", etc, but I discount this because:
A. I've looked at it. It's made with as heavy a gauge of metal as any aftermarket hitch I've ever seen;
B.The amount of weight being distributed from front to rear is on a magnitude of 250 pounds at the very most, assuming you max out the 500 pound rated maximum hitch weight of the 4Runner and assume that you need to shift half of that to the front (very unlikely);
C. The hitch is strong enough to support the lifting of the entire rear of the vehicle using a jack. This means that this so-called "weak" hitch is adequate to support at least 2,000 without deforming.)
D. Note that ALL aftermarket hitches are "bolted on".

3. The 4Runner is supplied with factory wiring and a harness for a brake controller. I use a Prodigy P3 with very good results.

4. I also installed a ScanGauge device that allows me to keep track of the temperature of the transmission fluid. If it ever gets really hot (not yet) I'll consider an aftermarket Trans oil cooler.

Your gas mileage will drop to about 10-12 MPG.

Good luck with your decision. For me, the 4Runner works fine. My trailer is a Winnebago Minnie 1801FB.

Greg

Not to make trouble, but, Greg - have you actually weighed the tongue? If your trailer is 4200 lb loaded, I would guess the tongue is more in the range of 600 lb. Do you have a pair of propane tanks on the tongue? A battery or two? When I was using my 4runner for towing a rig that weighed 4300 lb loaded my tongue weight was about 650 lb. When you put that 650 lb on the 4Runner, that cuts into your payload. We found that with only two people (driver and one passenger), and NO GEAR IN THE SUV, we were over on the payload rating. Just because of the tongue weight and the two passengers. So with the weight-distribution no no, the overload on the payload, the short wheelbase, we decided it just wasn't an adequate tow vehicle. It towed great, as far as I could perceive it, but mathematically it was beyond its limits.

-Speak

No trouble at all!!

Yes, I have weighed the tongue; its 420 pounds.

The cargo capacity of the 4R is 1,165 pounds. So, after the 420 pound hitch is subtracted, I have 745 pounds remaining for occupants and other items in the vehicle.

Greg

The combined vehicle weight rating is 11,300 pounds, max trailer weight is 5,000, and the max hitch weight spec is 500 pounds.

Seems like Minni 1801 is the only one posting who has experience with a 5th gen 4Runner. I'm just curious where does it say not to use a WDH on a 5th gen 4Runner? I don't see it in the manual, I haven't read any official Toyota statement, and I even asked a certified Toyota mechanic and he hasn't herd that either.

Minnie1801 wrote:
I tow a 3,500 lb travel trailer with a 2016 4Runner. My setup results in a tongue weight of just over 400 pounds, and I use an Equalizer 4 point WDH. Loaded, my rig weighs about 4,200 pounds.
I previously towed the same trailer with a 2012 Tacoma which has the same engine but higher towing capacity (6,500 pounds) because the truck weighs less than the SUV.

My input:

1. You'll want more power at times, but the 4Runner will pull a trailer that meets the specs of the manufacturer, i.e. 5,000 pounds maximum.

2. The factory installed hitch is adequate for the job and will handle a WDH just fine.

(There is much speculation about hitches being "weak" and "bolted on", etc, but I discount this because:
A. I've looked at it. It's made with as heavy a gauge of metal as any aftermarket hitch I've ever seen;
B.The amount of weight being distributed from front to rear is on a magnitude of 250 pounds at the very most, assuming you max out the 500 pound rated maximum hitch weight of the 4Runner and assume that you need to shift half of that to the front (very unlikely);
C. The hitch is strong enough to support the lifting of the entire rear of the vehicle using a jack. This means that this so-called "weak" hitch is adequate to support at least 2,000 without deforming.)
D. Note that ALL aftermarket hitches are "bolted on".

3. The 4Runner is supplied with factory wiring and a harness for a brake controller. I use a Prodigy P3 with very good results.

4. I also installed a ScanGauge device that allows me to keep track of the temperature of the transmission fluid. If it ever gets really hot (not yet) I'll consider an aftermarket Trans oil cooler.

Your gas mileage will drop to about 10-12 MPG.

Good luck with your decision. For me, the 4Runner works fine. My trailer is a Winnebago Minnie 1801FB.

Greg

Not to make trouble, but, Greg - have you actually weighed the tongue? If your trailer is 4200 lb loaded, I would guess the tongue is more in the range of 600 lb. Do you have a pair of propane tanks on the tongue? A battery or two? When I was using my 4runner for towing a rig that weighed 4300 lb loaded my tongue weight was about 650 lb. When you put that 650 lb on the 4Runner, that cuts into your payload. We found that with only two people (driver and one passenger), and NO GEAR IN THE SUV, we were over on the payload rating. Just because of the tongue weight and the two passengers. So with the weight-distribution no no, the overload on the payload, the short wheelbase, we decided it just wasn't an adequate tow vehicle. It towed great, as far as I could perceive it, but mathematically it was beyond its limits.

-Speak

I tow a 3,500 lb travel trailer with a 2016 4Runner. My setup results in a tongue weight of just over 400 pounds, and I use an Equalizer 4 point WDH. Loaded, my rig weighs about 4,200 pounds.
I previously towed the same trailer with a 2012 Tacoma which has the same engine but higher towing capacity (6,500 pounds) because the truck weighs less than the SUV.

My input:

1. You'll want more power at times, but the 4Runner will pull a trailer that meets the specs of the manufacturer, i.e. 5,000 pounds maximum.

2. The factory installed hitch is adequate for the job and will handle a WDH just fine.

(There is much speculation about hitches being "weak" and "bolted on", etc, but I discount this because:
A. I've looked at it. It's made with as heavy a gauge of metal as any aftermarket hitch I've ever seen;
B.The amount of weight being distributed from front to rear is on a magnitude of 250 pounds at the very most, assuming you max out the 500 pound rated maximum hitch weight of the 4Runner and assume that you need to shift half of that to the front (very unlikely);
C. The hitch is strong enough to support the lifting of the entire rear of the vehicle using a jack. This means that this so-called "weak" hitch is adequate to support at least 2,000 without deforming.)
D. Note that ALL aftermarket hitches are "bolted on".

3. The 4Runner is supplied with factory wiring and a harness for a brake controller. I use a Prodigy P3 with very good results.

4. I also installed a ScanGauge device that allows me to keep track of the temperature of the transmission fluid. If it ever gets really hot (not yet) I'll consider an aftermarket Trans oil cooler.

Your gas mileage will drop to about 10-12 MPG.

Good luck with your decision. For me, the 4Runner works fine. My trailer is a Winnebago Minnie 1801FB.

Greg

Since you asked for opinions and since I towed with a SUV I'll throw in my 2 cents, I'm sorry if it's not what some people want to see, but it's all true. If it works for some, great. It didn't work for us too well.

We towed with a SUV (Grand Cherokee with a v8 and a "6500lbs tow rating", and Reese weight distributing hitch) for about 10 years, then we got a full sized truck, and I'll never go back. The wheel base is too short on SUVs so you get pushed around like a rag doll. Braking was always a white knuckle event, and going through mountain passes without the air conditioning on was not fun!

If I had to do it all over again, I'd either just jump into a four door full sized truck or stick to pop up trailers for SUVs. Pulling a trailer (basically a brick), with a SUV with a 5000lbs limit is not fun. I can almost guarantee you will have exceeded your CCWR once the hitch and the tongue weight is on the back too. NO $2000 Hennessy hitch is going to change that fact :)! !

Probably not what you wanted to hear though, but like a previous poster said... let the numbers do the talking.

Look at R-Pod. A friend of mine tows one with a 4-Runner with no problem. There are some models with bunks.

R-Pod

SoundGuy wrote:

camp-n-family wrote:
In your own words SoundGuy, what a load of rubbish. What experience do you have with the 4Runner to say that it is inadequate to tow any high wall tt? Have you ever owned or even towed with one? Or are you just in the boat that if it's not a V8 truck it's useless?

The 4Runner, from experience, is a very capable tow vehicle within its ratings, just like any other vehicle.

Total BS. Yes, I towed (correction - tried to tow) a 21' TrailCruiser hybrid with our 4.0L V6 SOHC Explorer with ratings similar to the OP's 4Runner and it took but 2 brief weekend trips to clearly demonstrate this wasn't going to work at all. That truck towed our low profile popup just fine but for any full height trailer it was completely overwhelmed. The OP's 4Runner is no more capable. :(

How is that even close to comparable? The 4.0l V6 Explorer was pre 2000 model year and was anaemic with only 210hp and 254ft/lbs to mated to a 4speed transmission. The latest generation T4R (2010 up) is 270hp/278ftlbs with a 5 speed tranny. Big difference and would have no problem towing the htt you mention. I've done it across the country with the previous generation 4Runner with the same V6 but only 245hp/275tq and 4sp without problems. The current gen would do it even better.

Sure there are better suited vehicles but if you already own one it will work just fine. Not everyone wants/needs to buy a new vehicle when they can do just fine with what they have.

camp-n-family wrote:
In your own words SoundGuy, what a load of rubbish. What experience do you have with the 4Runner to say that it is inadequate to tow any high wall tt? Have you ever owned or even towed with one? Or are you just in the boat that if it's not a V8 truck it's useless?

The 4Runner, from experience, is a very capable tow vehicle within its ratings, just like any other vehicle.

Total BS. Yes, I towed (correction - tried to tow) a 21' TrailCruiser hybrid with our 4.0L V6 SOHC Explorer with ratings similar to the OP's 4Runner and it took but 2 brief weekend trips to clearly demonstrate this wasn't going to work at all. That truck towed our low profile popup just fine but for any full height trailer it was completely overwhelmed. The OP's 4Runner is no more capable. :(