Toyota 4Runner Proves Capable of Towing in Tough Conditions
With the right equipment and approach, your older 4Runner can tow much more than you might think.
It’s not that the Toyota 4Runner can’t tow things like big campers and heavier trailers. It’s just that they aren’t really the best choice of vehicle for such tasks. This is especially true when you’re talking about towing heavier loads through extreme terrain like the Rocky Mountains. So you can’t really blame YotaTech forum member onesojourner for being a little worried about towing a travel trailer with his older 4Runner through that very steep terrain.
“I have a 1998 3.4 Limited 4Runner with just a bit over 215k on the clock. We have owned the truck for about a decade and 115k miles. I replaced the radiator about 5k ago. I do not have an aftermarket transmission cooler. I did replace the rear springs with some 2906 coils and added Bilstein 5100 rear shocks. I have a Blue Ox weight distributing/ anti-sway hitch. I was a bit concerned that the 4Runner may not be up for a trip out west prior to this trip. We live in a fairly hilly area and it does the job, but it can barely maintain 55 mph on some hills. Planning ahead and getting a run at things helps a ton, but it does not make for a particularly relaxing drive.”
The OP had taken one trip to the Rockies before, but that was sans trailer. With four passengers and lots of gear, the 4Runner was able to maintain the speed limit on sharp inclines, but only barely. So how would it do with almost 4,000 extra pounds in tow? Well, apparently pretty well.
“The worst part of the trip was when we were fighting the wind. The range is the worst part of using this guy as a tow vehicle, in my opinion. Mileage was about 10 mpg and the fuel stops were frequent. About an hour from home I did start to have some weird electrical issues. I towed a trailer weighing about 3,800 pounds from about 900 ft to 11,300 ft and back, for a total of about 1,900 miles. Overall, I am pretty happy with how things went minus the electrical issue at the end. I will probably do it again next year but I am not totally sure.”
Not too shabby for an old 4Runner, eh? And as member 83 points out, there are several things you can do to make them much more formidable at towing.
“I tow a slightly lighter trailer (probably 3,200 lbs) with my ’98 Tacoma. I have airbags in the back plus new leaf springs, Bilstien 5100s, and a brake controller. In my case, the trailer weight isn’t too big of a deal. So long as I’m happy going 45 mph, flashers on, in 3rd gear up mountain passes. The wind drag is what gets me. Any head wind and I’m struggling to maintain 40 mph. Otherwise, no problem running 70 mph in 4th. Payload limit is what you need to watch out for.
Towing anything more than a little utility trailer or boat trailer in these trucks just requires setting them up correctly and not pushing it too hard. You’re going to go slow. No big deal. I just go with the semis. 45 mph and flashers is completely acceptable on mountain passes for them and me.”
So if you were wondering what the real world limits of your Toyota 4Runner or Tacoma might be, there you go. And these are just a few of the tips our members have shared in this thread so far. So be sure and head over here to check them all out, and share your own experiences as well!
Photos: YotaTech forums
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