Thinking About a TT, Confused About Towing

[TrailerTravele1]

Hi all! Sorry if this has been asked over & over, I did a search, but didn't find anything that didn't confuse me more. We are considering a travel trailer to spend some time in National Parks, but since we're new, we'd like to tow it with our Toyota 4 Runner. The Trailer Life Towing Guide says our 4 Runner will tow 6,400 lbs. My Toyota manual says 5,000 lbs. and some online resources say 4,500 lbs. All the sales people at dealerships of course, are quick to show us the Trailer Life Towing Guide numbers.

Then, it gets more confusing because when I look at GVWR numbers on different TT, some may add 1,000 lbs for our stuff, and some may include 2,000 lbs. So the dry weights of the TT may be the same, but one will have a GVWR of 1000 lbs more.

Please help ... or point us to a thread or search term that will clarify our confusion. By way of introduction, we are part time cruisers ... floating around on the deep blue sea in a sailboat ... who recently discovered the joy of living in a travel trailer with friends in the N. Cascades Nat'l Park/WA and Denali Nat'l Park/AK.

I may have a lot more questions before we actually buy a TT -- IF we can pull something with our 2006 Toyota 4 Runner. THANKS & Cheers! Jan & David

[Bumpyroad]

my Highlander tows my Ascend A171RD just fine and it is rated lower than the Tacoma. In fact, a Tacoma is probably going to be my next vehicle to tow the TT.
bumpy

[Seattle_Lion]

We had a Tacoma (same setup as the 4-Runner) and even dealers were hesitant to suggest we pull much. The numbers wouldn't work for us. Even though there are just two of us, a camper with just a stove and sleeping accommodations were way less than we wanted.

The entire story is scattered through other threads, but we learned an important lesson about capacity. We had purchased a Ford F150 crew cab which has a 1,250 max capacity. We had purchased a 27 ft ultralight which weighs 6,000 lbs as shipped (includes battery and propane). After adding another battery and our stuff, we figure we are at about 7000 lbs. Our tongue weight is 13% of the trailer weight, about 900 lbs. That left us with 300 lbs for us (we aren't that thin!), the weight distributing hitch, and our lunch. In short, it is very very easy to underestimate your load.

Factor in the enormous surface area of most TT's and a short wheelbase TV with not so much power and the risk goes up. A lot of people disregard these risks and manage to successfully tow with Tacoma's, 4-runners, and other lighter duty vehicles. Here is how I think about all this:

1. Can the truck safely handle the payload of trailer tongue and passengers?
2. Is there enough engine to pull the trailer over the mountains (we live in the West)?
3. Can I confidently tow my TT under less-than-ideal conditions?

These are questions only you can answer. Just bear in mind that the max payload number on your door sticker is based on manufacturer engineering calculations that take into account a very large number of variables. Exceeding that number is an invitation to trouble.

[gmw_photos]

canoe on top wrote:
Wind resistance is a factor to consider when towing near the edge of capacity. Towing a barn door creates a lot of resistance and headwinds are annoyingly common. Something more aerodynamic like a Casita or R-pod might help a lot in that regard. They also have pretty low tongue weights

"headwinds are annoyingly common...."

Ha ! Ha ! Ain't that the truth. Seems like as luck would have it we seldom get tailwinds.
Having said that, my Funfinder is about as tall and wide as any of them, and I have towed into some vicious headwinds, as well as the also all to common heavy sidewinds and the Frontier does fine as long as the expectations are reasonable. True, it is not going to like the idea of running 75 mph road speed into a heavy headwind, but I just don't ask that of it.

[goat_rancher]

You might check out a Trail Manor trailer. I know people who have them and are very happy. They are light weight and low profile.

[canoe_on_top]

Wind resistance is a factor to consider when towing near the edge of capacity. Towing a barn door creates a lot of resistance and headwinds are annoyingly common. Something more aerodynamic like a Casita or R-pod might help a lot in that regard. They also have pretty low tongue weights

[fla-gypsy]

You are beginning to understand that payload may be a more limiting factor than tow rating which is a "best case" scenario. You will need to comply with all the maximum ratings of the vehicle (GVWR/Payload, tongue weight, RAWR, Tire rating) with your loaded trailer ready to camp. My best guess is you will be limited to between a 4-5k GVWR trailer depending on payload of a properly equipped vehicle.

[profdant139]

Check out our Fun Finder -- see links in my signature. We tow with a Tacoma in some very steep places, no problem. I think your vehicle could do the same.

[E_J_push_n_wind]

Dennis O wrote:
Here's our real world experience towing with a V6 4Runner: 2008 vehicle pulling a 2009 single axle Bigfoot fiberglass trailer. Trailer is 20 ft total length, 4200 lbs loaded and weighed, 500 to 550 lb tongue wt (about 13%). We use the WB hitch that came on the car and are right at recommended max for tongue wt and rear axle GAWR. I was concerned about this, but the trailer tows beautifully. No sway even with trucks or crosswinds. Trailer is 9 ft high by 8 ft wide, so not as high as many, and has a lower center of gravity. We're careful how much stuff we take along to stay within the payload of about 1250 lbs. I inflate the rear tires to about 42 psi to give the same footprint they would have without trailer and 32 psi. No unusual tire wear, original P rated tires. We tow with empty tanks except for water heater, about 50 lbs. We've been from Portland to Jasper twice and to Montana two other times. I-90 through Idaho had us down to 30 mph but otherwise we do ok. Headwinds are murder. With no winds, 14 mpg. Drive about 60 mph. Drive in D mostly but use the shifter on hills, in winds, etc. I drove stick shifts for 40 years so using the shifter makes sense. I tried air bags in the rear springs but after eight trips back for leak repairs, I took them out and now use Timbren rubber axle bumpers. We never feel bottoming. I think the Timbrens are probably on the axles all the time, unlike the original jounce bumpers inside the springs. We have about 15000 miles on this combination and usually carry a big 20 ft kayak on the roof and sometimes bikes in the car. This is the max a V6 4Runner can pull, IMO, but a Casita or Scamp would be an easy tow.

I've gotta agree whith this. I used to pull a 1983 Excell 19X7 with my 1991 4Runner V6 with the smaller 3.0, manual shift. The Excell weighed I would guess about 3500 to maybe 3700 pounds loaded for camping. We put everything in the trailer with exception of a few creature comforts like pillows, snacks and drinks. Contrary to what some do, I do and did travel with water tank full. It's especially a good idea when crossing the desert.

The 4Runner isn't really getting the credit it deserves. Our longest trip with trailer in tow was from San Diego, CA. to some city in Kansas my brother used to live in when he was stationed there for the Army. Anyhow, we used the I 70 and with exception to some self induced trouble (cooling issues because I changed the OEM fan to an electric. When we got to Kansas I changed it back to the original fan and cooling issues went away for the return trip), the 4Runner did a great job. The hardest pull was coming back, the aproach to the Ike tunnel. I had to go into 1st gear and roll with the semi's. For the most part, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th were the gears I used regularly. I didn't tow in 5th, not recomended in the owners manual so I didn't. I dropped gears as needed to climb and descend hills. If your 4Runner is a 4X4, there isn't a hill to steep to climb. You've always got low range, if ever needed.

Your 4Runner will do fine with some of the trailers mentioned on here. My only caution would be to ditch the OEM radiator as I've wittnessed a 4Runner radiator explode (top tank) because it is plastic. You can get a very good quality all aluminum after market radiator and not have to worry about this. I've got some pics of after if I can ever figure out how to put pics on this forum. I've done it before but it has been a while. I'll see what I can do.

[gmw_photos]

I am once again out on the road in a multi month trip in my camper. And again, I have seen several Tacomas pulling trailers like mine. A Taco is essentially the same truck as my Frontier, and again, my experience has been this is a good match. I have had this from sea level to over 11,000 feet in the rockies of Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and I am now in Arizona.
Good rigging is critical in any application, and perhaps even more so with a truck like a Frontier or Tacoma when pulling a trailer like this, but it's certainly possible to do it right, and have a good setup. For what it's worth, I use a BlueOx swaypro hitch, but there are other brands that I suspect would work just as well.
My truck is also a manual transmission, which I personally think is a better choice for towing, but of course others may, and probably will disagree with that.
As the saying goes, your mileage and experience may vary.

[dadmomh]

You might take a peek at a couple of the Forest River Rockwood lines - the R-Pod and the Mini Lites. Sounds like it's just the 2 of you and the R-Pod we visited was surprisingly roomy. Have you considered a hybrid? They generally weigh a bit less and you tow a smaller size package, but when you open the bunkends you gain a ton of interior space. We had a ROO 23SS, so towed approx. 23' but opened up was abut 30'. Your 4-Runner likely wouldn't handle that size, but the ROO 19 might be a possibility. Consider the hybrids carefully....you either love the canvas bunkends or hate them....we loved ours. But another option. Good luck.

[Bumpyroad]

donn0128 wrote:
4runner is nice, but is shares the running gear with a Tacoma, which in the real world is fully capable of towing a decent sized tent trailer. I would not attempt to tow much more despite what everybody might claim. Especially if you want to tow in the hills.

re the Tacoma, hogwash.
bumpy

[camp-n-family]

The 4Runner is actually a fairly stout tow vehicle, I towed with both the V6 and V8. Both engines are strong and reliable. Keep the trailer under 4k loaded and you'll be fine, assuming you can stay within the 4Runners payload.

Big thing to keep in mind is the hitch receiver. The stock one is mounted to the cross member only and isn't rated for use with a WD hitch. The torsion produced can twist the cross member and frame. You'll want to upgrade to the frame mounted hitch which came on many V8 models (4th Gen). Curt made a nice one. Unless it has changed recently these weren't available yet for the newer 5th generation models.

[gmw_photos]

Just guess here, but I would bet your four runner could tow my funfinder 189FDS and still be within it's limits, if you packed carefully. This trailer, with it's tandem axles and under 4000 pound weight ( ready to camp, the way I pack ) tows beautifully behind my V6 Frontier

[Dennis_O]

Here's our real world experience towing with a V6 4Runner: 2008 vehicle pulling a 2009 single axle Bigfoot fiberglass trailer. Trailer is 20 ft total length, 4200 lbs loaded and weighed, 500 to 550 lb tongue wt (about 13%). We use the WB hitch that came on the car and are right at recommended max for tongue wt and rear axle GAWR. I was concerned about this, but the trailer tows beautifully. No sway even with trucks or crosswinds. Trailer is 9 ft high by 8 ft wide, so not as high as many, and has a lower center of gravity. We're careful how much stuff we take along to stay within the payload of about 1250 lbs. I inflate the rear tires to about 42 psi to give the same footprint they would have without trailer and 32 psi. No unusual tire wear, original P rated tires. We tow with empty tanks except for water heater, about 50 lbs. We've been from Portland to Jasper twice and to Montana two other times. I-90 through Idaho had us down to 30 mph but otherwise we do ok. Headwinds are murder. With no winds, 14 mpg. Drive about 60 mph. Drive in D mostly but use the shifter on hills, in winds, etc. I drove stick shifts for 40 years so using the shifter makes sense. I tried air bags in the rear springs but after eight trips back for leak repairs, I took them out and now use Timbren rubber axle bumpers. We never feel bottoming. I think the Timbrens are probably on the axles all the time, unlike the original jounce bumpers inside the springs. We have about 15000 miles on this combination and usually carry a big 20 ft kayak on the roof and sometimes bikes in the car. This is the max a V6 4Runner can pull, IMO, but a Casita or Scamp would be an easy tow.