02impactblue

Is anyone towing with a lexus gx470 or toyota 4runner v8. I will be towing a corvette on an open aluminum trailer(aprox. 4500lbs total). Both vehicles are rated in excess of 6500lbs but how well do they pull? Thanks for any input.

CompYelLt4

These "SUV's" might be ok if you are hauling very short distances and not too often. I would say you would require a full size pick up (1/2 ton min.) or a Tahoe, Suburban or Expedition. And don't get the small
V8!
We have a Tahoe and it works real well.

AU N EGL

Does the lexus gx470 or toyota 4runner v8 have a transmission cooler & heavy duty suppension?

Besides dont forget to add the vehicals occupany weight, lugage, tools, spair wheels and just spare junk in general, which can easely add up to over 1500 lbs too.

All that goes into the vehicals tow capasity.

steponc

With a lot of experience hauling soggy loads(live animals), the pulling portion should not be a concern as much as stopping and handling, especially in the emergency situations. The difference of brake, size axels and suspensionon between 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton pick-ups are substantial.
When pulling a load that is near maximum capacity of the vehicle just slowing down on a garde at normal speed can be an eye opener when the trailer tries to pass you. The old puckerometer takes over and you swear you will never put yourself in that position again.
True, if these are short runs, not done often and you are careful, you can get away with it. But since you are in this section, I gaurantee you will end up doing it more and more.

02impactblue

I'm looking at towing the car to the tracks within 500 miles form my house about 8-10 times a year. The worst drive for hilly terrain is probably watkins glen or pocono.

undertaker

pocono has those long killer grades on rt 80 not sure if thats the same way you'd wind up heading from MD, watkins has lower speed but serious hills.....IE running down teh hill riding the brake with teh truck locked down in first gear. Of course i'm moving a 7-8K trailer with a truck somewhat past capacity, but I'm biting the bullet and picking up a 2500 no more girly trucks for me. open trailer you shouldn't be in much trouble though.

c4cruiser

What class of trailer hitch is on the vehicles?
Are they set up for a trailer brake controller,
Is there a tranny cooler?
Do the have a HD battery?
Is there a 7-pin trailer light connector?
What tires are on the vehicles?

You will need a Class III hitch at a minimum and with that distance and possibly hillly terrain, you should go with a load equalizer hitch and a sway control system. The relative light weight of these SUV's and short wheelbase may make this a handful when you get pased by big trucks, or in side winds or on curvy roads.

Even a light trailer like you describe should have brakes on both axles. Get a good trailer brake controller like the Tekshona "Prodigy" unit. There should be a wiring harness available to connect the controller to the vehicle wiring.

The trans will need a good hi-capacity cooler so go with something for 12K capacity or even 16,000lbs.

A heavy duty battery is a good thing to have simply because of the trailer lights, brakes, and accessories you may have along. A 12v air compressor, extra lights for working on the car, or stuff like that will cause a standard battery to die early. The car alternator is not really designed to be a battery charger so if you place too heavy a crain on the battery, the alternator has to work that much harder to keep it fully charged.

Most trailers come with a 7-pin lighting connector. This includes a 12v supply lead for keeping the trailer brakeaway battery charged, a separate ground wire, and different leads for stop, turn and tail lights.

Tires on the tow vehicle need to have a sufficient load carrying capacity for the cargo in the vehicle and the trailer tongue weight. With a 4500 lb trailer load, that's about 500lbs tongue weight plus the stuff you pack in the vehicle. Your buddies, tools, luggage, spare parts, the wife, the kids, the dog, etc. all add up to the vehicle gross weight. Tires have a max load value based on their size and construction so check that rating on the tires.

Of course all this weight has to be hauled down. If the tow vehicle is brand new, the brakes should be fine but consider a set of good semi-metallic pads to replace stock ceramic ones. Also consider going to a DOT4 brake fluid for handling higher brake temps.

TommyBoy72

Local guy was using a 1998 4 runner (V6 I believe) to tow an NSX on an aluminum trailer. Slightly lighter load but he did so for about 5 years until he finally got a diesel 3/4 ton. It can be done but of course it isn't going to be recommended.

shotchkiss

I was planning on doing the same thing with my V8 4Runner once I've found a decent trailer for it this spring. I'd image it should work fine for it, with our previous V6 one we had no problems hauling around a ~3k trailer around the hills up our way, so I'd image the V8 should work fine for the bigger loads. I use I Prodigy brake controller on mine, they are very nice and you can get them new from ebay for around $100, a great place to mount them is to screw it onto the fuse box cover on the left underdash, it can be reached there and you can get a second cover to use when you're not towing. The V8 runners also come with an aux trans cooler already on them, so that will help, and they are all prewired for a 7pin trailer connector, with a brake controller harness under the dash. The book says to use a sway controller of some sort also for a load that big, anything over 2K actually, I'm not sure what a good one is yet, someone will probably give a recommendation. Hope some of this helps.

btw, what kind of trailer are you using?

02impactblue

Thanks for the insight. I plan on getting a trailex open trailer, less than 1000lbs.

shotchkiss

Ct-8045? That's one of the trailers I was looking at. Henderson Motorsports in OH has a pretty good price on them now.

02impactblue

Yes, thats the one.

outnumbered

Good info

vettmike

You need to more concerned about stopping! You don't want the trailer driving the truck.

We tow our 22.5 foot enclosed trailer with a diesel Excursion, this thing never has a problem starting off or stopping. We have brakes on all 4 trailer wheels

vettmike

2000BSME

I have an extended cab 1500 with a 5.3L. I only tow once in a while, a couple times a year at most, but am looking into getting a diesel for a better tow. The rolling hills between Huntsville and Birmingham are hard on a little 5.3L. Sometimes hitting 5500rpm in 2nd gear to keep the caravan going 70 up a hill.

Those SUV's would be a big compromise to tow a vette around.

2 cents deposited.

AU N EGL

I have a 1500HD it tows OK. In the mts of NC, TENN and KY, I dont event attempt to keep it at 70, just slow down to 55-50 and it goes up very nicley.

YES bigger would be better.

Heck even on a flat highway I dont drive 70, 60-65 at most.

Gordy M

What you are towing should be relatively easy to do. You total towing weight should only be about 4500 lbs. If you have the trans cooler and at least 10% tongue weight and upgraded brake pads, you will ocassionally have to remember you are pulling a trailer.

TommyBoy72

trailer brakes and brake controller for the lighter truck/suv pulling it is a must though, can't stress that enough.

outnumbered

Surge brakes or electric brakes?

Thanks
I just re-read your post. I guess surge brakes don't get a controller.

N2Red

I use my wife's '05 V8 4-Runner Sport 2wd to pull my '03 Z on a flat steel trailer with brakes on 1 axle(approx trailer weight is 2000lbs). The tow capacity is 7300lbs (it has a factory trans cooler and 13.3 in front brakes). It pulls good and stops very good. My only complaint is it will pull in 5th gear with no problem, but as soon as you turn the cruise control on it starts shifting in and out of gear.