Anyone here use their 4-Runner as a tow vehicle? I'm thinking about buying a 90+ (like the body style more) and eventually using it to tow around my Sami. How do they hold up to towing duty??

Thanks.

I think you could tow a sammy with a golf cart :D A runner should work fine :eek:

Should be easy enough to figure out - what's the GVWR on a 90+ runner? I think the towing capacity is like 5500# A sami would fit on a 12' trailer, so you're looking at about 1000# for a trailer, and the Sami itself weighs ??? I have no idea - 2500# ??

Recommend getting a trailer with brakes, and a brake controller for the runner. Pulling the trailer is whole lot easier than stopping it in a panic. My 86 runner pulled the biggest trailer UHaul has (6X12) full of all the crap that Uncle Sam wouldn't move for me (motorcycles, lawnmowers, lumber, woodworking equipment etc etc) from Maryland to Alabama. The whole rig weighed 7900 lbs. The 4cyl did it (with the AC on!), but I really had to plan my stops in advance.

Well, actually, I'm sure a golf cart COULD pull my little Sami, but could it pull it 65mph uphill to Moab all day? I think Suzi weighs about 1800# right now + me and passenger and tools.. maybe about 2200# max. She's a slender lady :) We pulled a decent sized trailer with my Samurai on it this last week to Moab with a full size Bronco (351 and automatic), and it was sure working on some of those hills. Just curious as to how the 4-Runners did before I committed to one.

Last time I was up near the Rubicon I saw this guy towing his sammy and trailer with a mini-van :eek: :eek:

Buddy of mine pulls his 17' bass boat with a Chrysler minivan. Damn thing has a hoss of a motor - not sure what it is, but it pulls. Some of the newer minivans are being fitted with some significant motor.

Despite what all the guys say, don't do it. You'll hate it. I've had all three generations of 4runners. None of them will tow a trailered rig worth a shit. The 96 and up with the 3.4 and a manual tranny will do it, but it won't do it well. Especially if you head up towards Flag or Payson where you've got to do some hills. All the automatic backed ones are gonna tow poorly, especially the 90-95's with the 3.0 V6. I towed my 3500# boat up to Roosevelt with my 90 auto with headers and chip, and it blew. I'm talking first gear pulling the hills with the engine screaming. The 96 did a lot better, but I was in 3rd gear (manual) pushing 55 with the engine well above 4500 rpm.
I'd go for something with a V8 minimum if you want to tow easily with the air on.

What pmurf said, I had a 94 4runner and towed a 19' boat from SC to PA and it SUCKED. Same thing, 3.0 screaming and the auto did alot of shifting. Then I almost rear ended a guy when some deer ran out in the road and I had to hit the brakes. That boat just pushed the 4runner down the road with the wheels locked. If the guy didn't see me and start moving I would've smashed his bumper. It wound up flat spotting the front tires. Get a fullsize to tow.

I thought DSI did this once or twice and then decided to buy a V10 SuperDuty.

That should give you an idea...

If you wanted to stick Toyota, I'd think the Tundra would make a good tow rig... My aunt towed her two horses all over the place (1000 trailer + 4k worth of horses = 5k) with her 2wd Toyota T100 and it actually did pretty well. Didn't have any problems on normal hills. When we went to St. Johns from SE AZ though, there was a spot where she was stuck in 2nd gear... But you are towing 2000 lbs less... You might be alright.

I tow a pop-up camper that weighs about 1600 loaded with all gear and family, figure 2200 or so, My 92 3.0 5spd pretty much sucks.. (and I am olny running the 31's and 4:56's) it will tow it, but it is slow and she screams.. I do know they say 5,000lbs but what the hell are they smoking???

Umm...5000 pound rating on a 92? Don't think so. :rolleyes: All 86-95 trucks/4runner 4x4s regardless of what engine or tranny had a tow rating of 3500 pounds. And that's with the weight distributing hitch and all that junk. It was in 96 that the 4Runners had the rating moved up to 5000 pounds and in 95.5 when the Taco came out it had a 5000 pound rating with the V6 motor. Towing with 3.0 V6s and 22REs all suck. No power, gotta rev the engine to get things moving. I tow a 5000 Bayliner boat with my lifted 86 4Runner from time to time when I'm desperate to go out boat'n and have no other vehicle to pull the boat. It pulls it, but gotta give it time.

I have a 91 toy 4runner with v6 and it pulled my 67 chevy impala with a little bit a difficulty but it did it job. Hills are a bitch but still made it. just make sure you don't have all the weight on the ball and you should be fine.