Tow SN with Toyota 4Runner?

Looking at a new tow vehicle. Top of the list is the Toyota 4Runner. I've got a Ski Nautique Open Bow with 2 axle trailer. I estimate 3,800 pounds weight of boat / trailer combined.

I live in Utah, so mountain / high altitude towing is part of the experience. Anybody have 4Runner towing experience? I don't need to win any races, but I don't want to run 50 mph on the freeway either.

JQ

Should do what you're looking to do. It won't be a champion tow vehicle but it's certainly not too shabby. At least it's got full body-on-frame construction.

The 4 Runner has a 5000 lb. tow rating and a gross vehicle weight of 6300 lb. So the answer is yes it will tow your boat without any issue. However, when the boat is loaded and the 4 Runner is loaded with people and gear, you will be near the limits. It does not appear that TRD is making superchargers although Magnuson probably is. A supercharger will not change the tow rating but will change how you tow in mountainous areas. I live across Nevada from you and tow with a Tundra equipped with a TRD sway bar, air bags and 35 in. tires. Power wise when climbing mountains I know my Air Nautique is behind me. With stock size tires you will be OK.

I love reading these threads. The average inexperienced thinks they need an f450 duality diesel to tow an Atom Skier through Florida with no snow. A 4 runner will do just fine and my wife is after me to buy one as our weekend tow vehicle.

Gary S wrote: Only real men tow Nautique's with Caddy's or Town Cars

8122pbrainard wrote: Gary S wrote: Only real men tow Nautique's with Caddy's or Town Cars

Gary

You have that wrong

Only a real man would admit that he tows anything with a Forester

KENO wrote: 8122pbrainard wrote: Gary S wrote: Only real men tow Nautique's with Caddy's or Town Cars Gary You have that wrong Only a real man would admit that he tows anything with a Forester

Like the lezmobile towing a ton of bricks?

I have a 2016 4Runner limited and tows the 84SN2001 without an issue loaded up. Only negative is that the rear does sag more then I would like. Overall excellent vehicle and a blast to drive. Do wish it came in a v8 good luck shopping.

8122pbrainard wrote: KENO wrote: 8122pbrainard wrote: Gary S wrote: Only real men tow Nautique's with Caddy's or Town Cars Gary You have that wrong Only a real man would admit that he tows anything with a Forester Like the lezmobile towing a ton of bricks?

YEP

When you pull in altitude and in steep terrain your vehicle really gets tested.
In flat ground not nearly as much. Even a V6 4 runner is going to have trouble going over a 8,000 foot pass towing near the limit.
I have towed my 78 Nautique with no trailer brakes with a 1984 Chevrolet Celebrity.   4 cylinder 3 speed automatic on 180 mile trips to ski lakes. The car was rated for about 2,000 pounds the boat and trailer was around 3,400 loaded. We were young and broke so we did this for a couple years. Flat ground up and down the CA Valley.
One time tried to take it to a lake about 2,000 ft elevation above our home with that car.
Being as careful as we knew how with that underpowered under braked car we smoked the brakes brakes. on a not to large of hill.   Stayed with flat ground travel after that till buying a better tow vehicle.
Since have towed with a 3/4 ton Suburban, I rate it number one for towing, transporting people and being able to lock up gear when you stop on the road for dinner or such.
Very stable and very safe, so much so you forget a trailer is behind you.
Towed with a short bed 1/2 ton lifted truck with huge tires and a big block engine. Plenty of power, the brakes were fine but the short bed does not give the feeling of stability of the longer bed tow vehicles do and you always feel the trailer back there.
Towed with a 2006 GM Trail Blazer with the 4.2 6 cylinder that offers 290 Horse Power and it did the job amazingly well surprisingly even in the mountains it pulled and braked well and never overheated but you know you need to be careful as the boat is closer to the same weight as the tow vehicle and you always are feeling the trailer behind you.
Steep hills in this rig were climbed in one gear lower and turning 4,000 RPM while the V8 cars would be 3,000 or less RPM. But this was only while climbing.
Next had a 1/2 Ton Suburban 4x4, It offered nearly everything the 3/4 ton did and rode much better when not trailering but it was softer and not as good towing as the same truck with 3/4 ton. It was still very good but you noticed it was not the 3/4 ton when towing.
Since have used a Yukon Denali the short wheel base like a Tahoe with the 6.0L and full time 4wd but it had the active suspension in it. This truck was actually amazingly good in all tow conditions but lacked the Low Range 4wd which I have to use frequently to get into a tight area we use.   It did the job but strained while cars with low range can almost idle it in with no strain. On the road though it was excellent, in town or high speed on the highway the active suspension really made it stable.
GM Tahoe 5.3L tows very well but never as good as the longer wheel base Suburban or the active suspension the Denali had, although it has the same power it is not quite as stable at 70 MPH on the freeway although it is really good for towing.
We also own a BMW X5 with the V8 option, 350 Horse Power and it tows well and is able to turn and maneuver the trailer very well but still does not offer the Low Range 4wd to help in our tight areas that most owners may never need to handle.   The BMW has much shorter wheel base so it tends to move around more than the Tahoe while towing but its brakes are superb and the power is very good for towing and it always feels safe but you know you are towing and do not forget a trailer is behind you..   
I don't own and have not towed with a long bed 3/4 ton truck but I would guarantee they tow even better than the vehicles I mentioned and would hold up better in the altitude and mountain passes you will be working in. They can work much harder without stressing the vehicle. If you work a vehicle near max capacity frequently things fail.
Altitude kills power so a little extra is a great idea if towing in high altitude knowing you need to climb steep grades. It is no fun climbing hills at 20 MPH while traffic blows by at 60 MPH. Yeah, I have done that when I was young and too broke to upgrade my tow vehicle.

Mark,curious on the final drive ratio on the Tahoe with the 5.3 ?

I have owned 3 of the Tahoe 2000 to 2006 bodies so they all had 4 speed auto trannys.
Our 2002 Tahoe 5.3L had 4.10 gears, the Denali with the 6L had 3.42 gears, Our Yukon with a 5.3L I still have has the 3.73 gears.   For towing the 4.10 gears helped.
Both our Suburbans had 3.73 gears, I think the Trailblazer ran 3.73 but can't say for sure..
I think the 3.73 gears offer the best all around but for me we have Lake Tahoe Mountains just east of me so pulling steep grades is important.
Funny thing to me is all three of the TAHOE bodies with 2 different engines and 3 different rear axles got almost identical mileage.
The X5 has 6 gears and keeps it able to pull hard at any speed.
The Durango with a Hemi is formidable, with 8 gears I can see them being very good to tow with.

I have 2016 4Runner and pull an 84 Ski Nautique, from what I can tell it does a great job.

What's that say on the side of the truck? Velocraptor or maybe I missed an I in there

Orlando76 wrote: I love reading these threads. The average inexperienced thinks they need an f450 duality diesel to tow an Atom Skier through Florida with no snow. A 4 runner will do just fine and my wife is after me to buy one as our weekend tow vehicle.

This statement rings true.

I actually laugh at the vehicles you guys in the States use as tow vehicles, yes I am jealous but goodness, talk about overkill.

I tow my waterlogged and fully loaded '83 with camp gear in the car and humans with previously a 2.2 diesel Ford Ranger, and will now be with a 2.4 Diesel Hilux. It works, I don't win races, but the tow capacity is fine. My closest body of water is around 20 miles away and involves some steep inclines and declines to get to and I manage just fine.

PS: my trailer brakes are not connect currently and I have still had no issues. (yes its illegal, its a new axle and I need to get the lines run)

And yes generally 4x4 has a higher tow rating, The 4runner is a much better specced vehicle :)