towing a 2006 3326 with 2008 Toyota 4Runner V6

Hello, as the title suggest I would like to know if it's possible or if anyone has experience towing a 2006 3326 Trailmanor with a 2008 Toyota 4Runner with a V6 engine? The specs on the vehicle show a towing capacity of 5000lb. Fully Loaded I would expect to be somewhere in the vicinity of 4500 - 4700lbs. What optional equipment would be a necessity for safety concerns?

Would greatly appreciate any responses.

thanks

[Riwright]

You would be right on the line. I have a 3124KS with a dry weight a few hundred pounds lighter than that trailer. Mine is 4500 lbs when loaded.

You would also need to consider your tongue weight and payload (tongue weight plus cargo).

A weight distributing hitch is a must.

When you're so close to the line you have to keep up with all your weights.

Perhaps someone with that truck will chime in. I just got a good used Tundra

[rvcycleguy]

I'd suggest you may possibly be over the weight limit. These limits are there for your safety and others. Don't push it... I had a 3326 and they are the heaviest of the TM line. Tongue weight is easily 600lbs. I'm now pulling a 3124 with a small v8 Tundra (rated at 7200lbs) and the v6 has a similar horsepower. Once you load for camping and take in all considerations, such as TM dry weight is grossly under what is actual weight, you just may be over. IMO, you may not be a happy camper. You would need a tow package with class 5 hitch, high amp alternator, transmission cooler, electric brake module, and weight distribution hitch, and expect to tow only on flat terrain. No mountains. I would also ask how much towing experience you have had? Anytime the trailer weight and length exceeds the tow vehicle, youve got a new set of towing characteristics to learn. Good luck.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by rvcycleguy

Once you load for camping and take in all considerations, ... TM dry weight is grossly under what is actual weight... You would need a tow package with class 5 hitch, high amp alternator, transmission cooler, electric brake module, and weight distribution hitch, and expect to tow only on flat terrain.Good luck.

Cycleguy -

As you know, I am a big fan of having quite a bit of towing margin, so I am with you almost all the way. However, I think a Class IV hitch (12,000/1,000) would do the job. And although it is often suggested, I'm never quite sure why a high-amp alternator is needed. Unlike a huge semitrailer truck with 200 bright running lights along its length, a TM doesn't present much added electrical load. Electric brakes, yes, but they don't draw much power even when on, and aren't on very often. A half dozen running lights will consume a few amps when you drive at night. But I don't think these add up to much in the way of a higher average electrical load.

Other than that, I am with you 100%. Thanks for your insight.

Bill

[davlin]

Originally Posted by salmartinez

Hello, as the title suggest I would like to know if it's possible or if anyone has experience towing a 2006 3326 Trailmanor with a 2008 Toyota 4Runner with a V6 engine? The specs on the vehicle show a towing capacity of 5000lb. Fully Loaded I would expect to be somewhere in the vicinity of 4500 - 4700lbs. What optional equipment would be a necessity for safety concerns?

Would greatly appreciate any responses.

thanks

Sal,

You've already gotten some good posts from others, but I'll add my two cents. I towed a 1995 3326, first with a 1998 F150 with a 4.6L V8, and then with a 2004 F150 with a 5.4L. I believe you will NOT be happy trying to tow one with anything less than a 7,000 lb. tow capacity. Whatever tow vehicle you decide upon, it must have an auxiliary transmission cooler (transmission fluid routed through the radiator is NOT a transmission cooler), it must have a brake controller and 7 pin connector for the trailer, and depending on the tongue weight of the trailer and the suspension of the tow vehicle (TV) it may need a weight distributing hitch (WDH). You most certainly will need a WDH if you decide to tow a 3326 with the 4Runner. Additionally, you will want to make sure your side mirrors extend far enough out so you can see what's going on with the trailer when it's connected. Hope this helps.

Dave

[rvcycleguy]

Thanks Bill. I may have been over emphasizing the hitch for the dramatic effect. I'll be more careful with advice. As I mentioned, I had a 3326 and its a beast of a trailer. The one I had was a 1997 and had tandem axle. Don't know if the 08 has tandem or not. The cargo weight on that unit may be close to 1000lb plus the "wet" weight of the trailer.

My Tundra package came with a 125a alternator. Maybe the option of towing with the refrigerator ON 12v which will pull through the truck and the electric brakes is a factor. As you know, the factory does not know what your towing when its designed, so you could be towing a lighted billboard?

[FujiPedaler]

We have an 06 3327 King as well and happen to have a 4Runner V8 with Weight Distribution Hitch which came with the unit when we bought it from the private owner.

We just finished a 4500 mile trek from Minneapolis down across OK, the Texas Panhandle, New Mexico (up to Santa Fe). Then over to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest in AZ up past Flagstaff (took Scenic 29A ) and into Southern Utah to visit the five National Parks and then home via Denver meaning a 12,000 ft climb over the mountains. Plenty of under the speed limit climbing with the "8" and the cross wind across OK and the Panhandle was unbelievable. Once while the wife was at the wheel we began to fishtail and without the extra power of the "8" to pull us out of it when I told her to "step on it" who knows what might have happened.

The 8 is listed at 5000 lbs towing but with WDH 6500 and I would say that is none too much but just right.

Even on the flats you can experience a sudden need for control and loaded to the max is just not worth losing your life or serious injury. "Move up or move out."

Ha, Ha. Just kidding, but I would think long and hard before skimping on power.

Mpg was between 11 in OK with the cross winds to around 14 plus on good days but was a great trip.

Enjoy your "new" rig. We are enjoying ours as we sit in a beautiful, full hookup and quite campground at Baileys Harbor, Door County, WI.

Good Luck and Happy Trails.

Norman

I have a 4runner V8 - which is rated to two 7300 (not the 5000 someone stated above - that is for the V6)

I also have the 2417, so I have more capacity and less weight, so my experiences are not very useful. My dealer said we do not need the WDH because the hitch does not go down more than 3 inches when hooked up (actually it was about 2).

Before we had the 2417, we had a large high wall PUP with way more options than truly necessary (we bought it used from a gadget freak) The thing was very heavy, and while we did not use a WDH, we really noticed it back there. I do not think it was anywhere near capacity, but it also made me realize we would never want anything heavier back there.

I am not sure how much a WDH helps, but I would be hesitant to buy that rig and pull it with my V8.

[rvcycleguy]

Originally Posted by FujiPedaler

We have an 06 3327 King as well and happen to have a 4Runner V8 with Weight Distribution Hitch which came with the unit when we bought it from the private owner.

We just finished a 4500 mile trek from Minneapolis down across OK, the Texas Panhandle, New Mexico (up to Santa Fe). Then over to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest in AZ up past Flagstaff (took Scenic 29A ) and into Southern Utah to visit the five National Parks and then home via Denver meaning a 12,000 ft climb over the mountains. Plenty of under the speed limit climbing with the "8" and the cross wind across OK and the Panhandle was unbelievable. Once while the wife was at the wheel we began to fishtail and without the extra power of the "8" to pull us out of it when I told her to "step on it" who knows what might have happened.

The 8 is listed at 5000 lbs towing but with WDH 6500 and I would say that is none too much but just right.

Even on the flats you can experience a sudden need for control and loaded to the max is just not worth losing your life or serious injury. "Move up or move out."

Ha, Ha. Just kidding, but I would think long and hard before skimping on power.

Mpg was between 11 in OK with the cross winds to around 14 plus on good days but was a great trip.

Enjoy your "new" rig. We are enjoying ours as we sit in a beautiful, full hookup and quite campground at Baileys Harbor, Door County, WI.

Good Luck and Happy Trails.

Norman

Thats a great trip report and should be well noted for what to expect "out there". I pulled my 3124KB with the Tundra V8 to Sedona, and also experienced Scenic 29A on the down hill. Did not want to pull it up hill to Flagstaff on 29A. Chose IH-17 to Flagstaff, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Meteor Crater, Santa Fe, NM and back to Houston. I definitely needed the V8 over many areas of the west.

[ZekenSpider]

Based on our experience with a 2010 3326K I think towing with a 5000# limit tow vehicle is very marginal. Our 3326 is always a little under 5000# GTW whenever we weigh it, no matter what we do to reduce the content in the TM. Sometimes we will travel with the water tank empty just to save 170#. Your weight will depend on what accessory equipment your 3326 has. Much of the weight we take with us is put into the tow vehicle. This makes the 3326 lighter but increases the load on the tow vehicle axles. You need to consider the limits of both the TM and the TV.

The attached spread sheet is a study I did a few years ago showing actual TM weight experienced by several forum members. It also shows the weight of the accessories available in 2010/2011.

For what it is worth,

Jerry