Determining if 2013 Toyota 4Runner Can Tow 4,500 Pound Trailer

Question:

I just purchase a Ultra lightweight escape travel trailer that was going to use my 2013 4-runner to pull. The trailer UVW is 3,530, driy hitch weight of 370 total weight GVWR is 4,500. worry that it would put stress on the 4 runner going up hills that I am looking a buying a TRD Sport Tacoma. I want to travel this coming summer and would like to go into Canada. Need to be able to going up mountains and not put a load on the pick-up. After reading a comment a couple weeks ago about a 4 runner I felt that maybe purchase a TRD Sport Tacoma would be able to pull the trailer up mountain area without any trouble. Is the Tacoma pick up still too light to pull the trailer in mountain area? Thank you

asked by: Carol J

Expert Reply:

I took a look at the online owner's manual for your 2013 Toyota 4Runner and found that it can safely tow a trailer that weighs up to 5,000 pounds, assuming that the trailer is equipped with brakes. With this in mind, your 4Runner certainly has the capacity needed to pull your new Ultra Lightweight Escape trailer that features a GVWR of 4,500 pounds.

Towing a trailer up a lot of hills will put additional stress on any tow vehicle, regardless of its size or capacities. To help with this I just recommend adding a transmission cooler like the Derale Series 8000 # D13503 to the 4Runner. This plate-fin style cooler will prolong the life of your transmission and improve its overall performance. The cooler itself measures 11 inches wide, 8-3/4 inches tall, and 7/8 inches deep so you will just want to make sure you have enough room between the grille and AC condenser to mount the unit.

In terms of its factory limits, your current vehicle has the needed power to tow your trailer even if the trailer is loaded to full capacity. Upgrading to a larger tow vehicle may very well provide a better towing experience as it would be pulling a trailer well below its limits. This allows for everything on the truck to work a bit easier and you may especially feel a difference when climbing up big hills. Ultimately though this decision will be up to you. A Toyota Tacoma will have a slightly larger towing capacity but I do recommend verifying the limits of any potential new vehicle by looking at its owner's manual or asking the dealer. As you move towards pickup trucks, the specific towing capacities will vary greatly depending on a lot of factors such as engine size, bed size, and factory tow packages.

To tow your trailer with your 4Runner, you will also need a brake controller. I highly recommend the Tekonsha Prodigy P3 # 90195. This is an excellent proportional controller that will activate the trailer brakes at the same time and with the same intensity that you apply to them in your vehicle. To install the controller you just need the Plug-In Adapter # 3040-P.

expert reply by: Chris R