jonnydclark

Hi Guys,

Currently driving a 3.4 4x4 4-Runner and would like to go full size. I have a 16' double axle car trailer with brakes and wondered what would be reasonable to tow with the Tundra. Obviously it can pull a car but would it be strong enough to pull another full size pickup occasionally? I really like the 03-06 double cab but it doesn't come with a bench seat in the front. I really hate to go Ford just so that I can seat 6 people. Any ideas?

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Look at the rating for your trailer. I have a all metal 20 foot trailer with 3500 lb dual axles that weighs 2200 lbs, thus I can haul stuff 4800 lbs or less. Full size truck weighs 5k+ lbs easy.

Every vehicle has a tow rating, look up what the Tundra with 4.7 has for allowed towing. My 08 DC Tundra 5.7 is rated for 10.5k. You also need to have the proper hitch, receiver and tow balls with the appropriate rating.

Do your homework.

:wabbit2:

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

google showed 6500 lbs for a 2003-06 Tundra 4.7...which is what my 2005 tacoma tow rating was...

jonnydclark

I know the rated towing capacity. I was looking more for the experience of owners. Titans are rated at 10,500 lbs towing capacity. Is the Tundra that much weaker or are Toyota engineers just more conservative? (I know the 1.0 liter engine difference significant)

Do people towing the rated 6,500 lbs or less have transmission, brake or suspension issues? I have towed a lot of weight with my 4Runner with the only issues being warped front rotors.

250000_yota

My dad has a 18' double axle car trailer that he hauls with his Tundra. We put a set of overload air bags on it to handle the extra weight of hauling tractors and hay.

If I remember right, the heaviest bit of cargo we've hauled with this set up was a 1955 Farmall 300 row crop tractor, from international falls, canada, back to boulder, colorado. According to google, that model weighs in at 5400 lbs. The tractor also had a loader attached, which weighs about another 1500 lbs, so that was about 7000 lbs, give or take. Hauled it like a champ.

jonnydclark

Thanks Yota.
I totally love the quote in your signature and will be spreading that one around work Monday. They just groan when I tell puns.

theMonch

The Toyota tow rating do seem to air on the conservative side IMO, but I wouldn't really push it that much. I have towed on numerous occasions a 6800lb wood chipper with my biz partners 2001 Sequoia with the 4.7 that carries the same tow rating as the Tundra and I can tell you that it can handle it, but it definetly knows the weight is there.

I would say that I would base it on distance. I would have no problem conservatively towing 7500-8000 lbs with his Sequoia short distances, but I wouldn't want to take it cross country.

As a comparison my 99 Suburban 2500 with the Vortec 7.4 has a tow rating of 10k, but I wouldn't push it that far, probably to the same 7500-8000 because of the Suburban's notoriously bad brakes. I tow my 3800lb Buick GN on U-Haul's 2300lb auto transports all the time with the Suburban and have done it a few times with the Sequoia short distances of under 100 miles.

jonnydclark

Thanks Monch. I'm looking at about 90 miles tow distance from the insurance auction that I like to peruse occasionally. Mostly I'd be pulling small stuff but if I got a deal on a full size I'd prefer not to have to pay a $300 haul fee.

250000_yota

The only problem we had with the 1300 mile trip to and from canada was that we didn't have high enough rated tires for the trip, and ended up needing to stop for tires on the way back in bismark, north dakota, after we bubbled the sidewalls of the rear tires. otehr than that, the truck did fine. pulled the whole load at highway speeds too.

jonnydclark

I've made this tow a couple of times now when I've found deals I wanted. I wouldn't do it cross country but in Eastern NC there are no hills and I take it pretty easy. The longer one was 140 miles one way.

Dr.Trevorkian

I towed a completely over loaded 6x12 cargo trailer across the country, Florida to Oregon. It had a ladder rack. The bed was full of weight, had a loaded topper with full tool boxes, and it had a ladder rack. I didn't want to know the weight, it was enough to bend the trailer axle a but though. I drove highway speeds but I think I was at the upper limit of comfort. Got 11-13 mpg. Wind and the ladder racks had a big effect on mpg.

jim4xL

This was a great thread it recently helped me to decide on my new to me tow rig. Which is a 2000 Toyota tundra access cab v8 for my 79 toy i just need to find a trailer anybody got one for sale in Co springs area?