I have a question regarding towing - saw a previous answer don't expect much and be amazed.

I am looking for an old Toyota 4x4, and realize they don't have a lot of HP.

My primary purpose is to tow a 2000lb max weight trailer boat combined (includes motor life jackets beer paddles etc). out of the water (on a steel loading ramp) and then up a steeper incline to a road, then over to a storage compound. I won't be doing highway towing, and don't really need to worry trailer brakes etc.

I know with roughly 100 HP, its not ideal. But given low end torque, will an 83 Toyota 5 speed manual do the job? So this basically a question about high end vs low end torque.

The benefits of doing this, is that where I live, I can cheaply plate and insure the truck for $10/month as an antique, and I won't be dipping a new much more expensive 4x4 into the lake, and I will have a cool little toyota truck.

comments?

 

It will do it. Might want to be in 4 wheel low while unloading and loading the boat. Just to get you up the wet ramp.

I towed a small boat and trailer about that same weight.

Make sure your brakes are top notch.

 

^^
Can't emphasize enough the need for good brakes.. Also, make sure that thing's got some decent tires. I've seen bigger trucks slide around ramps due to crappy tires.

 

There's a photo on the Marlin Crawler forum, somewhere, of a guy towing a 4x4 Toyota pickup on a vehicle trailer, with his 79 Toyota 4x4.

I think he towed it pretty far...

I wouldn't recommend it, but they can do it. If the u-joints are ready to go, it's a good way to find that out

 

Like said before Low range and you'll be fine.

Traction might be a issue, or lack thereof but certainly has the power to do the job.

 

I would say use low range with the hubs unlocked and you should be ok. That is what I do when I am moving my trailer with my Toy.

 

I've towed this 31' OceanPro parasail boat about 125miles from New Jersey Ocean City, MD with my 2005 Tundra DC. The boat weighs in at roughly 13,000lbs and my Tundra has a 4.7L V8 with electric brakes and weighs about 6,500lbs. The way I look at it my 1983 is a 2.4L 4 banger weighing in at about 3,000lbs which is about half in both departments. So It should be able to tow about 7,500lbs...



JUUUUST KIDDING! Don't try towing 7,500lbs with your truck - you'd likely blow out your rears if you don't burn up your clutch and destroy your tranny first! All kidding aside, I wouldn't think twice about towing 2,000 with my 83. If I recall correctly, the first gen 4WD trucks were advertised as having a 3/4 ton payload capacity so the towing capacity should be nearly double that.

Pretty much anything can tow anything (Like the Tundra space shuttle commercial), it's just a matter of how well it can tow it and for how long. I abuse the piss out of my Trunda and it actually hauled that boat really well considering I nearly doubled the towing capacity. Was it smart? Probably not, but we had business to do and I liked the fact that my Tundra could tow the same boat that blew out the rear ends of a Nissan Titan and a Ford F150 on a simple tow across town!