Can a 2006 Toyota 4Runner be Used to Carry a 400 lb Bike

Question:

Hi, I have a 2006 4runner SR5 V6. I would like to use a motorcycle hitch carrier to carry approx. 400 lbs weight of bike plus the carrier itself. Is the tongue weight specification on the 4runner high enough for this? Whether yes or no, can the hitch itself be upgraded to make this safer? What is the class and tongue weight on the 4runner? Thank you!

asked by: MC

Helpful Expert Reply:

I took a look at the owner's manual for your 2006 Toyota 4Runner and it looks like the lowest weight rating is 5,000 lbs for a trailer. Since it is recommended that the trailer's tongue weight (TW) is 10% of the weight of the loaded trailer this means that your max TW rating is 500 lbs.

For carrying your 400 lb bike I recommend using the Draw-Tite # 75155. This is rated for over the weight capacity of your 4Runner but you will still be limited by the lower weight rating.

Then for a carrier I recommend the Ultra-Fab Dirt Bike Carrier # UF48-979033. This weighs around 50 lbs and has a weight capacity of 500 lbs so you will stay under the max TW capacity of your 4Runner.

I do recommend checking your copy of the owner's manual to make sure that it says the same thing that I found online. If you already have a trailer hitch installed you will need to check for any stickers on it that will show the weight ratings of the hitch.

expert reply by: Jon G