I have a 97 4 runner with 170XXX miles on it. The tranny is in great shape for that many miles, but i am starting a new business and i will be towing a trailer with light equipment 500 to 3,000 pounds 5 days a week. I am looking for a place i can by a BEEFY tranny that will hold up to that constant stain.

 

You might want to say if it is Auto or Manual??

Just how much do you want to spend ? How much can you spend??

People build auto transmissions all the time for 1000 horse power engines.

Just where have you searched so far??

Swap in a Allison 4 speed Auto.

 

Buy a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton pickup if your starting a business that requires you to tow on a daily basis.

 

If you're towing on a daily basis, then I wouldn't use a 4Runner for those duties. I would grab a 1/2 pickup truck for that.

But if you have your heart set on using your 4Runner, then at minimum I would install a large external trans cooler. I would also look into the Transgo shift kit to modify your valve body so that the trans shifts a lot firmer and quicker. Or if you don't want to go the DIY route for that, you can have IPT modify your valve body for you.

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Let me give you a little business 101...

You need to have some expenses to write off against your income. If not, your profit margin will be low and it will be hard to make any money...especially starting off.

Buy a cheap 1/2 truck, write off the cost and smile.

 

Ditto the rest, got yourself a diesel truck for towing duties. Heck bet you can find one for about the price of getting a built tranny and it will work WAY better.

The 4runner tows when it has to but it was not built for it and it shows it when towing. I have towed just about everything with it, it works fine don't get me wrong but if you will be using it for towing duties more then a weekend deal. Get something that is designed for it.

 

I've towed my 4'x8' trailer more times than I can count over the last 7 years. I've gone over the scales at the dump loaded with more than 2,000 lbs. Earlier this summer I pulled at least a dozen, 2,000-lb+ loads of fill dirt & river rock (plus the 500-lb weight of the trailer).

While the truck has always pulled what I've needed it to pull, anything over 2,000 pounds is really pushing it. I'd never use it on a daily basis for heavy towing. But then again I really love this stupid truck and intend to enjoy it for many more years.



Andreas