Anybody doing much towing out there with their 3.0's. I just completely restored a 17yr old 5x8 trailer and plan on using it mainly to haul camping/hunting gear around. The trailer weighs approx. 600lbs. I was wondering if I should add or change anything to my '90 4runner. I have towed it to the dump and around town and it tow's just fine. I plan to have anywhere from 3-800lbs inside of it.

Thanks

 

Engine oil cooler and transmission cooler (auto only) are recommended upgrades for towing. If you plan on doing a lot of towing i'd also suggest running an electric fan. Other than the heat issue you should be good to go.

 

Its a 5speed but the fan idea is good. Thanks

 

You will get the greatest benefit from an engine oil cooler and as an added benefit your engine life will be extended quite a bit.

 

If it's only maximum 1000 pounds I think you'll be fine with just regular maintenance type stuff. Perhaps consider switching your oil, and driveline (transfercase, transmission, Front/rear Diffs) over to synthetic fluids to help reduce heat and such.

 

maybe taller gears. You didn't say if it has a lift or bigger tires?

 

My 4runner has the oil cooler and tranny cooler and it had no issues pulling our 1700lb double axle trailer. Well other than going from slow to, "omg bicycles are passing me!" lol

 

I've pulled over 2,000 lbs on at least a dozen trips of 600 miles each. I was running 80 mph on the interstate. No issues whatsoever.

 

Which oil cooler are you guys running?

I see my radiator is an auto trans type and the cooler in it isn't in use, could I use that?

 

my 4runner tows ok... slow as crap because of the auto...

my truck tows very nice. Its a pleasure to tow with up to 2500lbs. It tows my popup fine. Yanks the 5x10 utility trailer around like nothing.

 

This is what happened to my 3.slow towing a uhaul 6x12 parachute to Nashville & back (360 each way.)

Truck was staying with the fast traffic, but she had her toung hanging out and was workin her lil arse off the whole way.

Pulled into the driveway, she gasped, burped, farted a big cloud of smoke and stalled. My girlfriend who was sitting on the porch said "oh, that doesn't sound happy." She's so smart

Yes, that's a big hole thru the piston and the crack runs nearly all the way accross.

 

Taller gears would not be the way to go. Shorter gears are. It's counterintuitive, but shorter gears means a higher gear ratio. So 4.88 gears are shorter than 4.10.

I've got 4.88 gears in my 4x4 PU. The heaviest load I towed was with the bed completely full of wood, towing a 6x8 trailer loaded with wood 3 feet deep (call it a cord of wood). I made it across a farm field and creek with no problem. I didn't drive fast, but never had a problem. On the roads, I did just fine, though acceleration was deliberately slow. I'm estimating I was towing about 5,000 lbs. Overloaded for sure.

So 1,000 or 2,000 lbs will be just fine with any gear ratio.

MadCityRich

 

no the oil cooler is on the side of the block and uses engine coolant to keep the oil cool. Its on the block's left hand side (drivers side) and about 4" behind the Oilfilter. (Behind being closer to the firewall) IIRC the coolant line going to the oil cooler comes off of the thermostat housing.

 

I know about that one, dont' think it's up to the task.,.

 

I wouldn't run an electric fan if the reason is better cooling. The stock clutch fan puts out way more air.

 

Yep. Switching to an e-fan would be very bad idea.

 

Thanks for all the input. I think I will be fine too, but you can never go wrong with more information. Yeah I asked a friend and he said stay away from a e-fan. My runner is totally stock except for my new springs in the rear. oh and running stock 31's with the 5 speed

 

I think the oil cooler is a great idea. With the trailer and camping gear in it and hopefully my new quad I think I won't have trouble. I do intend on taking it up some pretty rough and steep forest service roads to get to the good camping spots.

 

and whats even more fun, if for whatever reason you wanted an outboard oil cooler it'd be easy as pie using an oil filter sandwich!

 

I'm assuming you mean an adaptor to go between the current stock cooler and the block?


I think this is what I'm looking for. My radiator appears to also be for the auto trans, since I have a manual I could use the cooler in it as an aux cooler.

So, where can I get one of these adaptors? I really want to add more cooling for the next round of the 3VZE.



I'll tell you this, my truck pulled that uhaul 6x12 parachute just as fast as all the other traffic, thru several passes and all. It was working it's little azz off the whole way (picture it's tounge hanging out, panting the whole way.) It did well until that piston let go.