I had the last draw with my severly underpowered 4Runner yesterday. I hauled my MV to the dealership in Dallas on Thursday night, keep in mind, single motorcycle on a motorcycle trailer, this is by no means any where near the tow rating of 5,000 lbs. The 4Runner struggles to maintain 70MPH. This is in TX by the way so there are few to no hills or elevation changes. I don't know how you guys do it in hilly areas, this thing is just too anemic for it's own good. I did this trip from Dallas to Austin w/ the OD off just to maintain 70 w/ an unloaded trailer and a crosswind. 18 wheelers pull away when gaps in traffic open, and if you're not using the cruise control your foot will go numb trying to push the pedal through the firewall. I love my 4Runner for everything but the weak engine. And I don't want to hear about the supercharged 4Runners and more power, you can't tow w/ a boosted engine, that's a catastrophy waiting to happen. So in the end, the 2006 VVTi V8 4Runner is looking more and more attractive... if the local Ford dealer's weren't such twat's I'd already have an F-250 Diesel. Any one interested in a 2000 4Runner LTD 4WD w/ 45k miles? OK OK, I won't sell it right now, but I vow to never hook another trailer to it... NEVER! That was the most frustrating road trip I've ever taken.

 

Yea, the 4runner feels almost dead in the water at 70 mph anyway, when you floor it, it feels like there is no more juice. Well, that's how mine "used" to feel. Doing combination of mods really helps. With the deckplate mod, new air filter, exhaust, when I'm at 70 mph and floor it, now it actually goes and pulls. This small mods will really help believe it or not.

 

Thanks for the tip.... I was just venting. It wouldn't bother me being so anemic if the fuel economy was better... but the new V8's are getting the same or better gas mileage and don't suffer from lack of power or inability to tow. I'd still really like to get a diesel, but I think I'll wait to see how the new 5.7 VVTi V8 is from Toyota in the new Tundra. I don't have the heart get rid of it for anything but another Toyota (or Lexus as the new GX is looking good to me too.).

 

You are right there... The new V8 gets about the same mileage as our 3.4's. I'd love it if there was a diesel. With the way gas prices are, I hope they start bringing them back.

 

Strange I pull my Ranger bass boat no problem at all, when I was taking it out to Lake Havasu, I was easily able to cruise at 80mph. that was when my rig was bone stock. I was recently towing a trailer with a load of equipment, most likely similar in weight to your motorcycle, if not a bit heavier, I didn't even notice much of a difference.

 

I can't believe it pulls w/ no problem @ 80MPH unless you're going downhill. On flat or a slight incline it chokes.

 

I am with BruceTS on this one. I have towed 2 snowmobiles many times and have had no issues maintaining speed on the highway. I have also towed my 80 (on 38.5's!!) on a trailer and was able to maintain 70 on the interstate. Also, flat towed my 93 and did 60 mph on state highways without issue.

If you can't do 70 towing *one* motorcycle without struggling, then there must be something wrong with your 4Runner...

hupptoy

 

Hardly 4wks ago, I towed my motorcycle ~300mi on an 8ft trailer with a full trunk. I sustained 75mph easily the whole way down and back. The few hills I encountered required me to pull it into 4th if I wanted to maintain the speed, but other than that, no problems. Averaged about 16mph, which isn't bad considering my usual highway mpg is hardly 20.

 

I don't remember what engine was in our 1990 4Runner, but I know that the transmission was bad and the injectors were going out, and it had the same problem. Try checking those things.

 

There have always been accusations that some 3.4L's have more power than others. I have to believe that I have one of the bad ones. I towed a U-Haul trailer on the highway and couldn't do 80mph. Like rearviewmirror said, it was awkward. I was frustrated and irritated the whole trip, and I'll never take a trailer on the highway again. Maybe it's the CA emissions spec models, or maybe it's just random, but some 3.4L's do have more power. No doubt about it.

 

I can't vow for power when towing, but my 4Runner (with the small mods Jason mentions) can go from 70 -> 100 in seconds when I floor it. If you have to drive uphill, it'll take much longer but it'll still get there (but who tows at 100 anyway). I can't believe that you can't keep up 70 with one motorcycle. By the feel of my engine, I sure could.

The only thing I could think of is it being a CA spec truck (more exhaust restricion) or maybe something is wrong with it? Did you try cleaning the intake, and give it a little tune-up?

Also, towing with an S/C is not a disaster waiting to happen if you adjust for the extra boost with proper fuel mods. And then, I'd think your engine will last longer because it doesn't have to strain itself as much.

 

My 4runner has almost 150K miles now and going uphill on the freeway, I would have to drive with OD off to keep a steady speed. I think I really need a tune up.

 

Rearview, what tires are on the truck? What gears are in the diffs? Stick or auto?

It sounds like something's just not right.

 

Mine at 114k still pulls 70 up I-70 outside Denver fine and cruises at 80+ easily on the flats but I also don't have the desire to go much faster anyway.

 

Its all relative. If your used to some gnarly truck that has a ton of power, and then drive the 4runner, you'll feel like its underpowered.

I drove a 4runner with the 22re for 8 years and now my v6 4runner feels like it has a v12 in it.

 

Stock-for-stock, the V8 4th gens do get similar mileage to the 3rd gens. One of the ways this was achieved was by lowering the ride height and reducing the turbulent flow of air under the truck. From everyone I've talked to, a 3" lift on a V8 4th gen reduces mileage by close to 3 mpg; this would be the amount of lift necessary to get a 4th gen to the same height as a stock 3rd gen. Just something to consider if you wheel it.

Ken

 

I agree, I towed a 5K trailer all over the hills of MT and ID with my 22RE runner on 33's...That was nasty.

When I did some towing with my moms stock 00 3.4 runner, WOW...

Then I towed about 5K with my 03 4.0 runner, DAMN.....

Now thats all realative because none of them compare to hooking up a 4 horse to my old mans 06 cummins, and throwing the bed full of hunting gear, 150 extra gals of diesel, The horse trailer half full of gear and half full of hay and hitting the ID hills. The only thing stopping the rig is its own EGT's...

IMO I own a toy for everyday stuff, and will get a cummins when I get stuff to tow. Diesel is SOOOOO much better for towing. But the toys do pretty well for what they are. But I am reminded of "theres no replacment for displacment" and that is never truer than when you have a trailer hooked up. And then there is the wheelbase issue...but thats a whole other topic.

 

I still pull a trailer full of wood (2 tons) on the NYS Thruway and back roads without much of an issue. I even turn the OD back on on the relatively flat portions of the trip.

 

Towed a car from blacksburg VA to Northern VA, 4 hour drive, at an avg speed of 65-75 with no issues. The trolley was pretty crappy so I got some vibrations at 75 so I would keep it closer to 65-70 for the most part.

and this was before my supercharger...

 

I have a 99 4Runner 3” lift with 33s x 12s and I can barely stay at 65 mph the transmission is constantly downshifting and it’s very frustrating I had 30s on it before and still felt just about the same. Any advice?