Trailers and towing

J

jack keifer

New member
I am considering downsizing from a GMC Yukon to a
Toyota 4runner, and wondering if anyone has experience pulling a 16 cruiser with said 4runner, and how it performed in the hills. Depending on where we go, we can get as high as 8,000 ft.
Jack
 
That's a pretty light boat - lighter than my 17' Sailfish/90hp and galvanized trailer. Mines is about 2000-2300 pounds loaded up. No surge brakes on the trailer.

I had a 1997 Toyota 4runner that had a towing capacity pf 5000 lbs. The only issue I had was towing over the Skyway bridge over here in Tampa. Bridge details here. It worked really hard to get to the top and I would always get a "running start" to get over at 60 mph.

Mind you everywhere else in Tampa is pretty flat. My average trip to th eboat ramp was 20-60 minutes away (15-40 miles). Mostly interstate.

On the highway I would stick to 65mph. Just felt like the engine was happier. You could do +70, but I didn't.

Now...stopping that's another story. From day one I had issues with the brakes. I bought it used. I spent about $2-3K over the years to get it "fixed". The last year I had it with or without the boat on, once in a blue moon you would have to go to the floor to get the brakes to engage. Once we started to get to the ABS (major $) I threw in the towel and bought a 2004 Ford F150.

It was a decent SUV, but the brakes just didn't do it for me. I had it for about 8 years. Sold it with 117K miles on it (I work from home) - disclosed everything to the new buyer. I believe he was a mechanic. That engine will go for another 100K and my understanding was that a '97 was one of the more sought after models.

My $.02.
 
Seems I left this out...knowing what I know now (and I don't have to use the vehicle as a daily commuter) I would stick to the F150.

F150 just handles the boat just fine with capacity to spare. I pulled the boat up the Skyway and hit passing gear and we were gaining speed going up (verus losing speed in the Toyota).

More importantly it stops like the boat's not there, and I have had to slam the brakes on without issues and it slowed quickly/firmly.

Course mileage wise without a trailer it was 14 mpg (F150) vs 19 mpg (Toyota) city.
 
Well Florida and Idaho terrain is like night and day. The OP said he will be towing up to 8000 feet sometimes. Sorry, I can't help either. I'm in the flatlands of Mass.! LOL
 
FWIW,

We pulled our CD22 Cruiser all over the mountains in Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington with a 1989 Pathfinder. Less powerful than a current 4Runner, but lighter too, and a manual transmission so no worries about automatic trans reliability.

For safety - control and stopping - tow vehicle weight, length, brakes, shocks, and suspension are key. Not so much engine power - gearing can deal with that. Our Pathfinder had the higher-performance "off-road" or some such suspension. It did a great job, even on the winding and hilly roads.

We pulled the 22 up to Prince Rupert and back with a 1994 Isuzu Trooper, also not very powerful and with a manual transmission. OK except that the rear springs could have been a little firmer.

I wouldn't hesitate to pull a 22 with my wife's auto trans 2015 4Runner, but I'd go easy on the transmission by manual shifting up and down significant grades. I wouldn't expect it to do 65 up a big hill, but that doesn't really matter.
 
I drove Toyotas for decadess. 4-Runners and then a Tacoma 4x4 pickup. They changed over the years. How much they will tow kind of stayed the same, but how nicely they will tow depends on the engine. I always had 4 cyl, because they get better gas mileage when not towing. The Tacoma had the 2.7 ltr 4 and would easily tow over mountain passes, but not at 70 mph. If you're willing to do 40 in 3rd for a few miles, it will do it. Another plus was low range 4x4 could pull a loaded trailer out of any boat ramp you would ever think of trying.

Braking was a problem a few times. Once the brakes faded when coming out of a very steep grade in the Wenatchee National Forest. Spooky, but it wasn't really a fault of the 4-Runner. The other was that I had backed my truck too deep into salt water and not rinsed it good enough over the years. $1,400 in brake work to replace corroded springs, etc. I learned that lesson. But day-to-day towing a CD 16 with the 4-Runner wouldn't be a problem so long as you never forget that you are towing.

I am now looking at putting brakes on my CD 16 trailer. Because these trailers are in the 2000# range, they don't come with brakes or even the necessary attachment points for adding brakes. My new tow vehicle (turbo 2 ltr AWD) can pull the boat no problem, but brakes are still the weak link.

Mark
 
Whatever model Toyota you get, make sure it has the factory tow package and not just an aftermarket hitch. The factory package includes things like a transmission oil cooler.

If you're regularly towing over the mountains you might also consider installing an electric-over-hydraulic trailer brake controller. This makes the trailer brakes work off the brake pedal and not the trailer surge so there's less risk of overheating the brakes on long downhill grades.
 
I towed a 16' cruiser with a 4 cylinder toyota 4 wheel drive. It towed it fine but again, downhill around a corner, if you have to make a panic stop it can scare you. Other than that, no problem.
 
I had a 15 Montgomery SB which weighs in about the same as a 16CD and towed it around the PNW with a Subaru Outback 4 cyl. It handled it fine. I would think you would have no problem with the 4 Runner and a 16.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

0_CD_Cover_SlpyC_with_Classics_MBSP_2009_288.thumb.jpg
 
I was thinking about the same as you, Hardee. I towed an M-15 cross country with a Toyota 4 cylinder station wagon (was within weight limits). I never had to make a blinding panic stop, but overall things felt in control and manageable. Had a manual transmission. Car performed fine in terms of not overheating, etc.

If I were doing it on a regular basis (I wasn't), I would likely have put surge brakes on.

To me this is one of the benefits of a 16 as opposed to a larger, heavier boat. You don't need a 3/4 ton (or even 1/2 ton) truck to pull or stop it. (After all, if you did, then we'd need 1-tons to tow 22's, and medium-duty trucks to pull 25's.)

I had Toyota pickups for years and found them to be very reliable machines. Wouldn't mind one again now.
 
Sunbeam":bmfmn24r said:
Wandering Sagebrush":bmfmn24r said:
Hey this isn't the Montgomery group! (I miss mine!). :cry:
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You too? Well, they are easy to miss :smile
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I have thought about that some........

I miss mine too. Last I knew it was having a happy life on San Francisco Bay and the Delta.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

old_chip_2_GB_043.thumb.jpg
 
South of Heaven":2rf33tcs said:
Well Florida and Idaho terrain is like night and day. The OP said he will be towing up to 8000 feet sometimes. Sorry, I can't help either. I'm in the flatlands of Mass.! LOL
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Yup hence my point if the Toyota cannot pull it up the Skyway Bridge without losing speed stick with the Yukon. Skyway is our biggest "mountain".

My 4runner had the larger engine (I believe it was a 3.4L), 6 cyl, tow package...

Will the Toyota tow it - yes; will it do it with ease - at <= 65 mph on flat terrain yes. Hills, it'll struggle. Steep hills/mountains - it might make it, but prepare for it to work hard/slow down. 8000' - don't know, I live at 78' of elevation. :)

Will it stop it - yes. Will it stop it faster than my F150 no. I would imagine the same is true for his Yukon.

I'm one of those I want capacity to spare so that when I need it I have it. F150 does the job and then some. Plus I like the ride better. (4 door supercrew, Lariat package).

Is the F150 worth the loss of mileage - if I was towing all the time (especially on mountanous terrain) - yes. If I was commuting to work in it daily, debatable.

For $ comparison - I bought the 1997 4runner Limited in 2006 40K miles for $9.5K. The 2004 F150 Supercrew Lariat was bought in 2013 37K miles for $15.7K.

Perhaps there's a 8 cyl version that does better, but other than the size of the vehicle why downsize at that point. I suspect mpg would be close.
 
jbdba01":fh6e1c8d said:
My 4runner had the larger engine (I believe it was a 3.4L), 6 cyl, tow package...

Will the Toyota tow it - yes; will it do it with ease - at <= 65 mph on flat terrain yes. Hills, it'll struggle. Steep hills/mountains - it might make it, but prepare for it to work hard/slow down. 8000' - don't know, I live at 78' of elevation. :)
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I'm really surprised that a 6 cylinder Toyota pickup, with tow package, would struggle towing a C-Dory 16 on steep hills "might make it.... but..." I mean, a 16 is practically like towing a leaf! (Not saying you should do it with a Neon or something; but I'm amazed that a 6 cylinder Toyota 4Runner would struggle so.)
 
Well, we towed our 22 footer with my son's 90 something 4runner and our 16 footers with both a 4 cyl. Volvo and a 4 cyl. Jeep Compass. No problem with either match-up. Should be fine towing the 16 with a 4runner.
 
No idea what the 4-Runner has in it for power train, but I have a 2010 Toyota Highlander with the 6 cyl and tow package. Last two summers I towed my CD-22 (4800 lbs, Highlander max towing cap 5000 lbs) out west twice from Wisconsin. No problem going over the Rockies in I70, or outside of Yellowstone. (Including 8% grade and 10,000 feet elevation.) I did overheat the transmission fluid this last trip coming home due to a less than considerate trucker that kept getting in front of me as I tried to get around him. Slowing then accelerating back up on those grades 3 times, was asking too much... Colby
 
dotnmarty":12irzyqc said:
Well, we towed our 22 footer with my son's 90 something 4runner and our 16 footers with both a 4 cyl. Volvo and a 4 cyl. Jeep Compass. No problem with either match-up. Should be fine towing the 16 with a 4runner.
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Well, Volvo's are a special breed!! Haha. They have amazing towing prowess....I'm on my second one. Just sold my C30 and bought a 2016 Volvo S60. 3000 lb towing capacity with trailer brakes of course.
 
Sunbeam":2rumkfgo said:
jbdba01":2rumkfgo said:
My 4runner had the larger engine (I believe it was a 3.4L), 6 cyl, tow package...

Will the Toyota tow it - yes; will it do it with ease - at <= 65 mph on flat terrain yes. Hills, it'll struggle. Steep hills/mountains - it might make it, but prepare for it to work hard/slow down. 8000' - don't know, I live at 78' of elevation. :)
Click to expand...

I'm really surprised that a 6 cylinder Toyota pickup, with tow package, would struggle towing a C-Dory 16 on steep hills "might make it.... but..." I mean, a 16 is practically like towing a leaf! (Not saying you should do it with a Neon or something; but I'm amazed that a 6 cylinder Toyota 4Runner would struggle so.)
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Yeah...dunno if this is a typical grade out west, but give you a feel for our only "mountain" in Tampa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJkYz5FoR8o

If I wasn't doing 70-something at the beginning I was barely doing 55 at the top. 8 cyl has no issues whatsoever.
 
jbdba01":34tu70ni said:
Yeah...dunno if this is a typical grade out west, but give you a feel for our only "mountain" in Tampa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJkYz5FoR8o

If I wasn't doing 70-something at the beginning I was barely doing 55 at the top. 8 cyl has no issues whatsoever.
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The Skyway Bridge in Tampa has a grade of 4% (Bridge clearance 180 feet--allow for 10' for the bridge support of road, and maybe 190 feet above the water for the road. The run up for the bridge is not very long (total length of the bridge is about 1.1 mile)

Compare to typical 6% and occasional 7%, often many miles long in the West, this is not much of a grade. There are also some significant grades in the northern part of the Eastern US. Remember the highest point in Florida is 354 feet (only 65 miles from my home, in Pensacola).
 
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