Scatterbrain

---THE CAR----
So I have a 87 4runner. 22re, 5spd. 4x4. STOCK - 4 cyl
I bought it a little over a year ago and have had to replace absolutely nothing mechanical in it.
Small radiator leak and oil has been collecting under the hood but it hasn't been noticeably leaking oil(sorry if that doesn't make sense)
So the engine has 200k miles on it and runs fine. The trany has had some minor issues (from what I can tell it's a bearing issue so its noisy but runs ok. Could probably be replaced in the next year or two to prevent it from causing serious damage)
New tires, but the break pads are about at the end of their life.

---Towing---
From the manual I looked over it puts the towing capacity at 3500lbs, but something tells me I shouldn't be pulling anywhere near that. I'm in the market to purchase a smaller vintage camper and restore it, but I'm not sure where I need to make the cutoff for weight and size. I figure nothing over 14ft, and as long as I can keep the camper itself under 1500 bare bones, and 2000lbs when fully loaded...I should be ok? Even 2000lbs make me a bit nervous....I know people pull a lot more but I mean, the truck aint in perfect condition. Would probably invest in trailer breaks because of the mountains.

---The Bad---
I live in the Colorado rockies.....I mean over some of the passes and steeper I-70 corridor hills I have to drop it in third for a few minutes just to maintain 3000m rpms. third mostly just gets me enough juice to drop back into fourth. Any older car has issues doing this, but the 4runner definitely lacks some power in this case. I realize it would be slow going with poor gas mileage in these scenarios, I just wanna make sure nothing would burn up with that kind of weight (if taking it easy). Would mostly be driving through the mountains during short trips to Utah and Wyoming. Nothing cross country.

*These are all just assumptions based off what I've read here on the forums, so I'm open to any/all suggestions. *

Thanks!

vasinvictor

iTrader: (3)

It's not so much the going. It's the stopping. The truck can most likely handle 3500 on the drivetrain. Although you probably won't see 60mph, ever. That's ok as long as you aren't causing a HUGE obstacle for other drivers. Upgrade your brakes to the v6 calipers, convert the rear to disc for cheap if you're so inclined. Definitely electric brakes for your trailer. You can retrofit brakes on anything. Then get yourself a good electric brake controller like a Prodigy.

Dont' be afraid of the revs! 3,000 on a 22re? C'mon. My 3vze lived at 3,800 RPM on the freeway with 4.88s and 30" tires for 5 hours at a time (LR to OKC) If you don't rev a 22re you'll never get into it's power band which I'm assuming is peak torque at 3k and HP at 4500?? Take is nice and easy, don't be in a hurry, and you'll be fine. JMO

RJR

I periodically pull a 2000 lb pop-up with my '94 3vze through the Colorado mountains. It's no speed demon, but it works. Here are a few thoughts.
- I wouldn't want to pull anything heavier. Certainly with the 22re 2000 lbs ought to be your absolute upper limit.
- Trailer brakes are a good idea; I don't have them, and the 4runner stops the load fine, but they'd give an extra margin. Replace the brake pads on your 4runner with good quality replacements.
- I try to stay off I70 if I can, particularly the section between Denver and Vail. The grades are steep and long, traffic is fast and heavy, and I just like a little more peace and quiet when I'm going slow. Highway 285 going SW works better for me. If you can travel on weekdays it's even better.
- I've done Monarch Pass several times. That's about 8 miles at 7-8% grade. I run 4000 rpm in 2nd gear which is about 40mph, so it takes about 15 minutes to climb the hill. The 4runner runs fine doing that. Never a hint of overheating or any other distress. I'm pretty sure the 22re would be fine doing that as well.
- Definitely gear down on the long downgrades. Don't ride the brakes - they'll fade before you get half-way down. You should be in a gear that will maintain a safe constant speed with almost no braking needed except at switchbacks. That may mean you can't descend the hill any faster than you went up. Be patient - that's how mountain driving with a load works.
- Leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you, especially on the downgrades.
- Be courteous to the cars behind you. Pull over when you can do it safely, and let them by.

If you're careful and take your time, you should be just fine. Just build extra time for getting to your destination into your schedule and enjoy the beautiful scenery as you cruise slowly through the mountains.

Scatterbrain

Thanks for the informative responses! Really appreciated. I just wish I could tow more in this thing...Seems like a good upper limit is 2000lbs, but every damn camper I'm finding once fully loaded is going to sit right at that limit....which unfortunately is probably pushing it once I get into the mountains. Oh well

thefishguy77

iTrader: (1)

I pulled right around if not just over 2000lbs. Up and over 4th of July and lookout in Montana. I had a stock 22re in my 85 pickup 5:29 gears and 33's. No big deal. Just don't be in a hurry. And remember the art of towing is not going but stopping. Use your gears and don't ride your cook your brakes. And you can run your 22re all day long if your under 4k rpm. Just keep an eye on you engine temp and make sure your oil is good. Obviously change it more frequently if your running it hard. V6 brake upgrade and rear disc brake conversion is a great idea if your worried.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

I seen you mentioning the weight of the camper and what all gets loaded into the camper. Most dont consider what the weight of the things they add in the camper. Good catch on that.