Newby

Hi guys, I found a 99 Toyota 4runner 4x4 V6 which is still in good condition on the body but the Engine is knocked, so I plan to use my 89 Toyota Pickup Truck SR5 4x4 V6 Automatic with 3.0 Engine to tow. It's about 185 miles away from my home on one way trip, not round trip, and mostly will be on Freeway or Highway. I'll rent a dolly to tow it with two wheels on the dolly and two wheels on the road. Anyone who experienced in towing, please give me answers and subjections for the following questions before I buy it because I only towed a 97 Honda Civic 2 Doors once before with a dolly with two wheels on the dolly and two wheels on the road, but I never tow something big and heavy. I'm seem stupid but I'm serious, so please do not subject me to use the V8 because I don't have it. I only have the V6.

1. Can I tow it with two wheels on the dolly and two wheels on the road?

2. Can my truck handle the dolly and the 4runner?

3. How many capacities, pounds, can my truck, 89 Toyota Pickup Truck SR5 4x4 Automatic with 3.0 Engine, tow?

Your answers and subjections will be appreciated. God bless you. Thank you.

iCali

its not all about power, but being able to stop. I am sure its doable as longs as your tires and brakes are up to the task.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

If you have never towed anything I would advise you not to do this only from your own lack of skill. The equipment is marginal at best

if you do still plan on doing this just where will you be towing it from to home.

There are so many things like pulling the rear drive shaft or at least off the rear end and securing it up after match marking things.

Securing the vehicle on the tow dolly if you can even rent one for that combination of vehicles.

Stopping distances the handling of something so very different from what your used to.

Newby

I just put new brakes and rollers on the front of my truck.

I'll tow inside of NC only. I have never done anything about pulling the rear drive shaft or rear end and secure it up after match marking things before. I'm too stupid. Please explain a little bit more for me.

I'll look at your subjections and answers very closely to make a decision either to buy it or ignore it. So please give me seriously answers guys.

Sturmcrow

I think you should check out this thread
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/80...-capacity.html

The OP had the same question you did and the first two responders related that they jackknifed while towing on a dolly. It sounds like you would be very well served to rent a trailer that has brake assist.

Sturmcrow

The idea that you need to pull the driveshaft is not universally accepted. Many folks feel that on a 4x4 you can put the transfer case in neutral and achieve the same effect. Others worry that having the transfer case in neutral will not provide sufficient lubrication to the parts inside of it.

FWIW, in the thread I just linked, they suggest that the automatic version of our trucks is only rated to tow 2000 lbs. With a 4Runner and trailer, you would be more than double that (the 4Runner alone is 3,400 to 3,700 lbs)

Newby

Thank you for the link you directed me, Sturmcrow. I hope it helps. I just don't want to change/switch or pull the driveshaft to anywhere because I don't know much about car/truck, so I'll use as it is with the truck now.

Yeah, the 4runner itself is about 3,700 ibs as I read on the other site. So it plus to the dolly too then it will be around between 4500-5000 ibs.

I don't know how many pounds of my truck. Do you have any idea?

Sturmcrow

I really think it's too much. Our trucks only weight 2700 lbs or so, and I think your automatic is only rated to tow 2000 lbs. You could check your owner's manual to verify that number, as the place I saw it quoted was for a 4-cylinder.

You can rent a trailer with brakes and all that for something like $55 from UHaul. If you can find a buddy with a bigger truck that would be willing to help you out, I think you're good to go. As it is, your little toyota is underpowered for this task.

You could always try towing it, and chances are it'll go just fine. I personally would really worry about that small chance that you lose control of the truck and hurt yourself or someone else. Not to mention that towing double the capacity of your 24 year old transmission might be the last thing it ever does.

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

Rent a full size truck and flat bed trailer from u-haul. Do not tow a rig heavier than yours with your underpowered truck.

Gamefreakgc

My '91 pickup weighs approx 3700 lbs so yours is probably pretty close to that. Our trucks and most Toyotas of the late 80's and early 90's do not have the greatest brakes. It has a hard enough time stopping itself, much less an added 5000 lbs!

I would not recommend towing with a dolly, it's a disaster waiting to happen. Sure, someone may have been able to do it once without any issues but you have to ask yourself, is it worth the risk? You could end up with two inoperable Toyotas with a whole lot more damage than before.

Even if you rented a full trailer that has brakes, I would not recommend it. The towing capacity for an automatic is halved, which would then be rated to roughly 2000 lbs for your vehicle. Trying to pull 5000+ (with full trailer) on your truck might mess it up.

If you're looking for straight answers: No, don't do it. Some guy might post he did it once... but those are also the type that post horror stories like the other forum states. Find a buddy who has a large V8 truck that's made for these sorts of things and borrow it, along with a trailer. Or rent something.

Seriously though, it's dangerous.

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Consult the owners manual(s), towing section(s) it tells you how to tow it and what you can tow.

U-Haul will rent you a truck and car carrier, and provide you with insurance should you happen to roll it for example..

Your curb weight is around 3125lbs your GVMR is 4600lbs. 4600-3125=1425, this is the maximum you can safely carry and stop. For comparison, the 2wd 4 cylinder is 4400-2640=1760 They won't rent you a dolly if the dolly plus the target tow weight more than that number.

In theory you can tow a big rig with a kids tricycle but it's gonna take you 20 miles or so to stop/start.

I'd say go for it but you live in NC not KS, to many hills and winding roads. I'd do it with an under-rated vehicle but I'm kind crazy and don't mind getting passed cause I'm doing 15mph.

Start slow, stay slow, stop often and waaay short, and stay off the interstate. These are the basic rules for towing.

HighLux

Bad idea. Rent a truck and trailer as stated above or pass on the 4runner.

People get killed from stuff like this.

JonnyBoy

Seems pretty beat to death already, but I'll add to it. I towed my '83 with a tow dolly behind my 3.4 swapped 4Runner 5 spd. While the power was adequate, I will say for sure the brakes were not, and the combined weight that I had and what you're proposing are pretty similar. I almost rearended somebody cause they pulled out in front of me on the highway, and I wasn't even up to speed yet. I will never do a tow like that again, and I would highly advice you don't either.

Newby

Thank you so much for all of your advices and subjections. I appreciate for your time. I'll talk to my cousin to see if he can help me for it with his V8. Anyway I'll be back here to let all of you know soon. Again, thank you for your kindness answers, advices, and subjections.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

extremely bad idea...get in an accident doing something like that your insurance would probably not have to pay.

HighLux

Reminds me of towing a small 16ft trihull behind my 87 runner. Power wasnt an issue...but it felt like it was pushing me all over the road. Braking was pretty scary. My 99 towed it like it wasnt there at all.

TrikeKid

Asking for trouble if it was 5 miles, let alone 185. You might be able to get it rolling down the road but the tail is going to wag the dog the whole time.

HighLux

I say that too..."tail is going to wag the dog" whenever I see some goofball towing a camper with a minivan or something.

TrikeKid

28ft Toyhauler loaded down behind a reg cab Tacoma was one of the worst I've seen.

I hauled heavy enough once with a former employers Duramax that I was getting pushed around in a 4 door long bed truck, with the added bonus of no trailer brakes... not a trip I wanna repeat.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

The whole having no experience was scary.

I have been moving over dimensional and overweight permit loads since the late seventies .

So to me moving two vehicles of the same or greater weight under 20,000 pounds is no big deal because I pretty much drive the same as for stopping the only real difference is in the turns and no State police escorts.

i know for a fact I would rather be safe the sorry with the drive shaft All my recovery Truck friends always pull the drive shaft.