I modded the 4runner specifically to do this. I have helper air bags in the springs, with OME medium springs. The engine only has the silencer removed with the deck plate mod. The transmission has an external cooler.

I went up and over Monarch pass here in Colorado around 25MPH and down the other side at about 40.


Minus the trailer, I had about 1,000lbs on the frame of the truck. The firestone airbags make all the difference.

I also put smaller tires on the truck given that the majority of all my driving is street.

It can be done. Just take it easy.





Oh, my MPG? About 11 with the trailer at 55-60MPH.

 

nice! looks like a fun trip

 

got boost? I'm sure that'd help at those high elevations.

 

Those mountain passes can be very humbling even when your not pulling a trailer. Being from flat lands (Houston,Tx) I was in disbelieve how slow I had to crawl to get up Ritan and Idaho springs pass up there in CO.

On the way up is test of your engine and transmission, on the way down is a test of engine, transmission and BRAKES.

Going down did you find your 4runner in low gear had enough resistance to slow you down or did you keep having to use the brakes ??

 

Fog-great question. I have upgraded Tundra brakes but believe far more in the stab braking method. I ran up the mountain in 2nd and decided to run down in second. That held me easily at 40MPH. I then would test a five second stab on the brakes. If that slowed me down 10mph, I was in good shape. Otherwise, I barely used the brakes.

 

Nope, just patience.

 

Yea the Tundra brakes make allot of difference and stab braking is the only way to go down long grades. If you had just the stock brakes on I'm sure you would have had warped rotors at the end of your journey.

Coming down pikes peak I found that the transmission even in first gear didn't hold very well and had to use the brakes allot. But at the brake check point I was only at 230 degrees F so not too bad.

While your up in Colorado if you want a really beautiful view and enjoy getting off road a bit, you have to drive up Red Cone pass. But its not for the faint of heart, as we crested the top of the final pass my wife swore she was going to divorce me LOL.

 

Parker- your total Gross Vehicle Weight was in excess of 11K is that what your title is saying?

Just want to be sure I understand here. I'm holding off on the bashing until I am sure what this trailer weighed...you guys likely have already seen my rants on not towing on a regular basis with a high stance short wheelbase SUV.

I admit the stance does seem quite level and with your transmission cooler added to an auto tranny your Runner is about as capable as they come for towing.

Would you be using low or drive to climb a long pass like that? Just curious- I am a manual tranny guy myself.

fogrunner I am guessing you are referring to Raton Pass entering Colorado on I25 northbound out of New Mexico .

 

I think the mountain was 11,000 feet.

 

Thats the one. Even Amtrak has a hard time with Raton pass. They have to stop at the top and let the traction motors cool off before going downhill.

But yea to someone like me that is used to seeing flatland, long grades like Raton are a trip. You start up it like just another steep freeway overpass going full throttle marking 65-70mph but after about 10-15 seconds it has other plans in mind for you LOL.

 

I'd also like to know how heavy they trailer was. Also, does it have trailer brakes? I'd hope so.

 

Does anybody towing still have their rotor shields on? With them there is very poor cooling, as they are meant to keep mud out, not channel air over rotors.

I'd bet there is way more benefit building an air scoop at the back of the rotors, rather than upgrading to Tundras.

 

I've tried running with them off and found a two fold problem with water. Just the slighted puddle would cause that "wet brake" feeling and if I had been on the brakes hard before a puddle it caused the rotors to warp when that cold water hit them.

I would advise leaving the rotor shields on.

 

I'm sorry, what are you talking about? There is no such thing as wet brake feeling unless you are on a bicycle. Water isn't a lubricant, and it won't have one bit of lubricating effect under thousands of pounds of pressure.

Two, warping rotors from cold water? Maybe if you got them red hot, and drove promptly into the lake. Maybe. Not from driving through puddles in the rain.

 

Well from the tone of your reply I don't know if its even worth trying to agure/discuss the point with you but..

Try driving through a deep puddle of water and hit the brakes, there is going to be for the first second or two a decent amount of friction loss. Second, a good splash of cold water CAN and will warp a rotor if you just came off from a hard amount of braking IE slowing down quickly on a freeway off ramp and hitting a puddle of water on the feeder.

Just google the above topics and find out for yourself. Also if you think that none of the above is an issue then why do car manufactures install rotor shields that decrease cooling ?? Answer is to keep water off the brakes.

 

And that's the problem with the internets, one guy says something, and everyone repeats.


If you press lightly on the brakes while they are wet, sure, they will feel different than usual. If humans could detect even more minute changes, you'd notice that air has "lubricating" properties too. But both air and water are immediately displaced by the pressure the hydraulic pistons exert. If traction between the tire and road is taken out of the equation, a car will have the same 60-0 in wet condition as it does in dry.

Not all cars have rotor shields, and what usually looks like a shield, is actually a small scoop that takes advantage of natural flow around the wheel. With open aluminum wheels designs, you are just as likely to get splashed with water by a car next to you, and if it was a real problem, people would be getting warped rotors left and right. The reality is, to get a warped rotor from water, is a very unlikely scenario, that takes a very hot rotor, and a high volume of water. It's simple physics. A splash of water will not cool a very hot 30lb rotor. Driving into deep water will do it, but then a shield isn't going to help you. Realistically, warped rotors from water never happen to most cars the road during the cars' lifetime, and not because of the shield.

 

To clarify:

The pass was about 11K at the top-Monarch Pass.

The trailer weighed about 1600lbs. Not much. Like anything else, dead weight is not always significant as sail area. So, for the runner....it wasn't the weight it was the sail.

As for braking, I rarely use the brakes coming down a hill-especially loaded. Coming from the trucking world, I choose the right gear BEFORE heading down the pass.

With that said, I ditched the stock flimsy yota rotors and have never looked back.

I did once tow 10K lbs about 10 miles.....at sea level...that was an adventure.

 

thanks for the clarification Parker.

Your total trailer length does not appear to be much more than the Runner itself, another good thing when towing.

It's good to see a nicely equipped setup, and thanks for sharing the picture atop Monarch Pass.

Must be snowing a bunch up there today.... winter has moved in early to the Colorado mountains.

 

Like I said the trailer was perhaps 1600lbs or so. The 4runner brakes are more than adequate to stop the trailer under average conditions.

 

There are two tundra upgrade options. The first is simply a thicker rotor that dissipates heat better. The second is a thicker rotor and larger calipers. I have just the thicker rotor and it works fine. My take is the stock rotor does not dissipate heat quick enough therefore leading to warping.