Hi there, I could use some help. I own a 2000 Toyota 4Runner Ltd. In a couple weeks I am planning on towing a small pop-up camper about 300 miles each way. The majority of travel will be on the highway going about 75mph.
Do I turn overdrive off or on? What are the benefits to keeping it on? What about keeping it off?
The same goes for the “ECT” button. When should I use it? Why would I use it?
Thanks for your help!

 

ECT changes the normal shift times. The engine rpms will go higher before the trans shifts to a higher gear when you're accelerating. It helps build speed more quickly but mpg gets worse. My 4runner had the ect button before my 5spd swap, I had it on all the time, I couldnt really tell the difference when it was off.

 

At 75 I'd leave the overdrive on. I'd use the ECT just to give you better driveability. Pop-up campers aren't all that heavy but just watch your braking time and what not and you should be fine

 

don't tow a trailer @ 75

 

Why not? and what speed would you recomend?

 

i would never tow a trailer at that speed. very unstable. you have to have most of the weight toward the front of the trailer or it will get the speed wobles and thats very dangerous and hard to correct if it happens. Not only that but pulling at those speed is hard on your truck and bad on gas. Another thing most trailer tires are not rated for that kind of speed. when i tow my quads i stay around 55-60 and can get 300 miles out of a tank.

 

Robb is right - don't tow a trailer at 75 and don't tow with overdrive on.
Manual states when towing to turn OD off - less stress on the tow rig.

Reason for not towing at 75? If you have to ask that'd be one reason.
Biggest reason is because you have to factor in the weight of the tow rig plus the weight of the load being towed at whatever speed you're going.
The faster you go and the more weight in and behind your rig the harder it's going to be to stop it.

I would recommend towing a trailer at no faster than 65.

Fink

 

I'm pulling a 5000lb toyhauler with my toyota. I'm not telling you to tow at 75, but with a pop up it isn't gonna be struggling that bad on the flats and down hill. You won't get speed wiggles if you get the load fairly balanced. If you do get speed wiggles, pull over and redistribute the weight! Have fun.

 

because it sounds to me like you have no experience at towing a trailer. I tow all the time. Ever had a trailer blow a tire at highway speeds?
It can get hairy very quickly

 

since you're towing mostly on the highway at one speed i don't see why you shouldn't have OD on.

 

your completely right. I had a trailer tire lose its tread one time at freeway speed very scary. im lucky it was a bias ply tire and it didnt explode just shredded it. a pop up trailer most likely has small radial tires that will explode if they get to hot.

 

Scary part is watching someone go down the road with the trailer bouncing side to side and be clueless.

I tow engine drive welders behind a 16 foot stake body with a liftgate that I can`t see the welder at all. If at all possible I will stay of interstate highways

It would be real interesting if I had a tire pop I would know when the trailer started bouncing maybe..

If this is a pop up camper I would look real close at the tires before going above 50 mph

 

Well I appreciate EVERYONE’S input on this. The only thing I have ever towed was a 19ft bass boat around different lakes in northern WI.
I checked the tires, 1 was replaced last fall and the other was replaced the 2 years ago. They look like they are in great shape. I figure balance and bouncing will not be an issue since it hasn’t done anything like that recently, so I am guessing it is well balanced.
Still, I have little experience towing so I will now be keeping it at 65mph, on flat highway 98% of the trip. I should I use overdrive for this?
2% of my trip will involve some decent hills, should I use overdrive then? Should I use the ECT to help get up the hills?
Again, thank you for your input. My family and I thank you.

 

I would recommend leaving the overdrive off, if not it could be constantly shifting gears, either from slight hill to some cross winds. ECT (Electronically Controlled Transmission)doesn't matter, your toy will get you up to speed either way, hill or not...this is just my 2cents.

 

Again I would definitely tow with overdrive off.
This will lock out the 4th gear and keep the stress off the transmission while towing the weight.

There is another thread on it here.

Fink

 

I think there are two different discussions going on here...
Can you tow at 75? Yes.
Should you tow at 75? No.

Somebody get's a blowout in front of you, deer runs out in the road, etc and you have to stop suddenly - you suddenly just because a wrecking ball for anybody in front of you.

I agree with leaving ECT on - it will enable you to get up to speed more quickly and won't be putting more stress on higher gears to get you there.

Fink

 

For the most part, I always leave ECT on when towing and O/D off like Fink said. I always have the ECT button on whether I'm towing or not, I just like the shift points better. You can still make it shift early by letting off the gas a little so the ECT doesn't make that big of a difference. If you're on a flat highway and doing 65, you can try turning O/D on and see how it does.

On the flats, once the truck and trailer get up to speed and you got your momentum going, pulling the extra weight of the trailer is minimal and O/D can save you a lot of mpgs. I find myself toggling the O/D on/off when towing. I turn it on when the engine isn't struggling at all, but on the hills and grades I turn it off. I also leave it off off downhills for increased engine braking.

 

jeez... how heavy is one of those things? Y'all make it sound like a loaded landscape trailer...

He's got a 2000 4Runner... The 4cyl has 150hp... and the V6, 190hp.

All the OD will do is lower the engine revs 500rpm... It might even put it in the torque curve better...

In or out of OD will not hurt the tranny... And having it in ECT will have it hunting between the gears more...

I'd say if I got it to my comfortable speed, I'd feel the engine and decide what's best for myself...

Or, you can run down the highway at 65 miles per hour at 4,500 rpm's if you think it suits you best... B/c someone on-line with a 100hp motor told you to.

What's the tow rating on yer Runner and how much does the pop up weigh?

There's a little book with Toyota written on it in the glove box... You might not know it's there b/c of all the dust on top of it, so blow all that stuff off and you might see it...

Look for "Owners Manual" And read the "Towing section"

 

Well, it's the noob section so don't be too hard on him. Actually, I've had my 4runner for 9 years and I never noticed the towing section in the manual either, haha. But then again I'm not the type of guy that reads the owner's manual before I tow a trailer. I just refer to it for fluid capacities and such.