4Hummer

Its time for me to Buy a Tow Truck, (My DD VW Golf GTI Just got creamed in a round about)

I've been tossing the ideas around for differant Tow Trucks,
The Tundra is to darn expensive and Big,
The V8 Runner 2003+ is Expensive as well, but NICE (rated to tow 7300lbs)
Ford F150 is Nice and Cheap but its a BIG truck and I only need to tow the 4Runner 3-4 times a year?,
I wont look at a dodge, so that leaves me with a GMC Sonoma Crew Cab. 6400Lbs
(Really dont like GM)

Zuk Buddy of my tells me that he flat tows his one Zuk behind his other Zuk and has no issues. and that Towing, weight is not in the equation.

Thoughts of a Limited 1999 3.4 4Runner Towing my 2nd Gen Moster Runner on a tow dolly start racing threw my head.

So School me on Tow Dollies, I know you need to disconnect the Drive shafts. Is Max Towing capacity not effected when flat towing ?

If I upgrade the Brakes on the 99Limited, and get a tow dolly with electric brakes, could I tow the Toy Runner ?

Im confused.

tc

I think your Zuk buddy has endo'd/rolled one too many times - tell him to get a real wheelbase! LOL

Whatever you're towing is what you're towing and has to be under the maximum rated towing capacity to be safe.

I don't see the point in flat towing a rig. You're putting wear and tear on everything just like driving it, but it costs you more gas. If I WAS going to flat tow my rig, I guarantee you this would be my next mod:
http://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/nfos...c876f71d080fbf

If you really need a tow rig, diesel is the ONLY way to go. The newer Chevy/GMC with Duramax are VERY reliable and quite comfortable too.

4Hummer

Problem is I don't need or want a big arse diesel to tow once or twice a year.
The truck would be my daily driver.

I've seen car dollys for all 4 tires !

WFO

Deisels get pretty good fuel mileage... better than a 3/4 ton gasser anyway. After towing with a half ton for years I went to a 2500HD and wow what a difference. But if your only going to be towing a 4Runner a few times a year I would just stick with a half ton. And get a trailer not a dolly. You can use the trailer for a lot more than just pulling your 4Runner around.

As far as which truck.... thats totaly up to you.

Pest

The full floating rear was going to be my suggestion too! Not only for towing, but for insurance against that whole "rear axle snapped and went for a ride!" thing.

I would be inclined to think that as long as the truck to be towed is under the max tow rating of the towing truck it would be okay for just a few times a year. Of course, it would be a good idea to get a brake of some sort on the towed truck as well. I've seen Explorers flat towing Explorers and so on before...

crackerjack

Sounds like big income people talkin.... I got a 99 Tahoe (with tow package) for 5k then a tow bar 60$ bolted the two brackets to the frame and it tows like a champ. Now I'm not saying I'd do this if I had to tow every weekend but for a couple three times a year it's da bomb !!

You being in Canada you're probably highly regulated? So checkin to see what the "Man" will let you do is advisable A

4Hummer

Hymmm Maybe a 99 4Runner with a SuperCharger and the Tundra Brake upgrade would work.

I'd Love to have two 4Runners. One Daily Driver, One Offroad Beast

Pest

Don't we all?

mastacox

Hate to be the party pooper, but that will be pretty $$$ expensive... especially if you do it "right" with fuel mods and tranny upgrades.

For a tow rig, I'm going to jump on the diesel bandwagon and say Duramax, if you're able to justify it. One of my friends has a Dodge 2500 with the 24V Cummins (the horror, the horror) and it gets 17mpg going 80mph while towing an 8000 lb lifted Suburban on a trailer. If that isn't an argument for diesel, I don't know what is (he's gone through 3 transmissions though, which is why I say go Duramax). You could also shop around for an "older" diesel truck and as long as it has a turbo I'd say that's a big advantage over a gas engine (assuming the truck has a strong track record).

As for vehicle towing, getting a full-out trailer has so many advantages it's hard to say no... the biggest for off-roading is that it doesn't matter how broken the vehicle being towed is, you can drag it on to the trailer and take it home. You can have both axles completely ripped off and as long as you can get it on the trailer, you can get it home. Dollys or flat towing, while possible, require the vehicle to be in more or less complete rolling condition which can be a problem with an "off-road beast" if you like to get on it.

Plus, if (when) you get a diesel and a trailer, you may find yourself towing more than just your 4runner a few times a year...

Potomacduck

Here's my 2 cents. I have a '99 4Runner Limited. I towed my brothers Bass Tracker (under 2,000 pounds) on a 300 mile trip. Frankly, that's all I want to tow with the 4Runner. It did the job, but you could tell it was working hard.

As far as Diesels go, they are hands down the best for towing, but the standard F-150 will tow anything under 10,000 pounds very well.

Diesels are great, but remember this, they are expensive. The Ford diesel carries a $6,800 premium for the diesel engine option, the Chevy is a $7,200 option. Here's a shocking statistic: the Ford diesel requires $2,000 more maintenence in the first 100,000 miles than its gasoline cousin. (those are Ford numbers, not my opinion) At a 25% fuel economy savings over a similarly equipped gas truck you won't break even for years given the up front cost and additional mainenance on a diesel. I know people don't want to hear that but it's true.

I've run the numbers a hundred different ways on the diesels and for the average guy they are not cost effective no matter what the car salesman tells you. Send me a private message if you want more numbers.

If you do a lot of towing, like if you own a race car or horses, the diesel has no equal, but I want you to know the real cost of owning one.

Joshs98Runner

I would buy a Short bed standard cab 5.4 F-150 or 5.3 Chevy. 4Runners are slow enough driving solo, why would you want to buy one as a tow truck?

4Hummer

Thats what Im looking at now. Ford F150 Crew Cab Short Box 4x4 FX4

Didnt want a Big V8 Gas guzzler as a daily Driver... But

CJM

Used 90-98 Ford powerstroke diesel. You will get a long bed but it will tow easy. Or you could get an F150 shortbed and use that if you get a V8. WHy bother getting a new truck?

I bet you envy me, my T100 can easily tow a 4Runner if it will tow a 20ft boston whaler with ease. Speed isnt so much a factor as wheelbase and I got that.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

I get 12 mpg around town in my dually and OH does it tow.