Doug E.

I'm thinking about setting up a car for DE's, Autocross, and maybe some racing. Since it wouldn't be streetable, I know I'd need to trailer it. Having to buy a tow vehicle would definitely put a crimp on things. I own a Toyota 4Runner. It's got a V-6, 190hp, front disk and rear drum brakes. Acceleration and braking have never been its strengths.

Question - With the electric or momentum brakes the car trailers have, would I be safe with a tow vehicle like the 4Runner, or would I really need to get something bigger and more powerful?

Thanks, Doug

Greg Fishman

If you have to ask....

You can get by with an open trailer and a 1/2 ton truck or SUV just fine but the 4 runner (not the current generation) is so weak I wouldn't suggest that.

Thought about trading up to a Sequoia or a Tundra truck? Maybe one that is a couple years old.

mm86911

Ditto with Greg. Been towing with a HEMI Durango/open trailer and loving it. I agree you need a bit more on the HP/TQ side of towing.

TT Surgeon

I hauled race cars all over the country with a circle track open trailer and a 1/2 ton truck, no problem. The 4runner is gonna be a problem, unless it's very short distances.

Gator_86_951

Yeah. You really don't want to tow with something that is just *adequate*. Towing is enough work anyways, you don't need to be pushed around and struggle too much.

MJR911

One way to cut down on the weight for the v6 SUVS is an aluminum trailer, ala Trailex. we've been towing like a dream for years now with a basic explorer/mountaineer, 2800lb 911 and trailex.

jrgordonsenior

IMHO wheelbase is probably the most important consideration. The Doc can tow safely with his 1/2 ton pickup because of that. Your 4-Runner has a very short wheelbase and would be susceptible to having the "tail wagging the dog", or fishtailing which could result in jackknifing and a total loss of control. I own the AMG version of the ML series that weighs 5,100 lbs with 362 HP and I wouldn't think of towing with it because of the short wheebase.

DrJupeman

JR is right, wheelbase is the most important thing in towing.

That said, I towed with a 187 hp, 217 ft/lbs of torque 4Runner for a good 5 years. I towed an open Trailex aluminum trailer and a 914. The combined weight might have been 3500# with gear. The 4Runner did a fine job. I would simply downshift to 4th in advance of big hills (our 4Runner is a manual trans) and she'd maintain speed better than many guys with their pickups and box trailers... With all due respect to the power ****** here, your 4Runner could do it if your track car is light enough. When I started to tow a Boxster S and I was pushing 4200#+, the 4Runner became far more marginal.

That said, my current philosophy is that you can never have enough tow vehicle. Trailering can be downright dangerous so don't take it lightly. We now tow with a diesel Excursion. What a great truck.

Chaos

Between a lighter and more expensive trailer or a new truck go with the trailer first. There is always someone to buy your trailex if you want to move up !
Good Luck

Greg Fishman

JR,
I towed over 50k miles with my ML430. It really was a good rig with my aluminum open trailer. The gearing was perfect for towing and we put over 110k total miles on the car with no engine or tranny issues.

I had a few friends that rode with me while towing and they were skeptical at first too. I could tow my race car or boat at a constant 75-80 mph with no issues.

ltc

I tow my 20'enclosed aluminum V nose trailer + Cup car (#5300) with either the Cayenne S or my wife's 05 Excursion Diesel.
Both are capable and tow just fine, but the longer wheelbase of the Excursion is noticeable.
You can debate gas vs diesel, but there really isn't a substitute for wheelbase.

chrisp

Do a search on "4runner" and you'll see a similar discussion about 3-4 weeks ago. I just bought a new 4runner V8. You don't have to spend $40k to tow safely. Sure if you have the money then great but if not, there are ways to get the job done, spend under $30k, and have a great daily driver.

I try to shy away from recommending things unless I have experience with both sides. In your case I am not that familiar with your generation 4Runner but at the very least I would say that dual axle brakes are a must. I have a track friend who pulls a 90's+ 911 with an aluminum trailer behind the same vehicle as yours. He's commented in the past that his 4runner works REALLY hard to get him and his track car places.

DrJupeman

My 4Runner worked hard, too. So? It does the job. If you can maintain normal highway speeds up long big hills - and my 4Runner could - what else do you need?

My Excursion works pretty hard towing my 20' trailer, too. I'm flat to the floor in many places. (my enclosed trailer is relatively tall and the whole rig is featured in many dictionaries definitions of "brick"). My current rig is really not that much faster than the 4Runner setup. The difference is that the Excursion is bigger, both heavier and a longer wheelbase, which makes it a better towing platform.

Larry Herman

I gotta jump in here. One of the main reasons that everyone is a proponant of "heavier, longer, more powerfull" is that our vehicles are really a compromise for towing. The proper way to tow is with the point of trailer attachment directly over the rear wheels, ala a tractor trailer or a 5th wheel pickup truck. With a rear receiver hitch, the farther you move from the rear axle, the more the trailer can act as a lever to push the back of your vehicle around, causing the dreaded "sway". Longer wheelbases and heavier trucks help control this tendency. There are also few special types of hitches on the market that mimic the dynamics of the fifth wheel attachment that would probably allow you to tow safely with a lighter vehicle. Finally, never tow without properly working trailer brakes; otherwise you are just asking for a jackknife.

jrgordonsenior

Very well said Larry. I would add that an additional benefit of using Electric brakes vs. surge is that you can engage the Electric brakes from your controller if need be. This is beneficial in that if you do start to get some fishtailing, engaging the trailer brakes (slowly) will pull the rig straight.