What can you safely tow WITH a 40?

yoda-g3 · 04-24-07, 09:10 AM

I've read a lot of posts on what you need to tow a 40, I'm curious what the maximum load would be BEHIND a 40 if you had:

Strong 2F
"Stiff" rear springs / air bags of some sort
Disc brakes all around
A realistic rear hitch
Most importantly a brake controller
Maybe a weight distribution hitch?

I'm just asking because I just picked up a Jayco Baja, and was wondering if I could pull in with the 40 if I got the urge. Here's its specs:

Unloaded vehicle weight (lbs.) 2375
Approx. hitch weight (lbs.) 220
Gross vehicle weight rating (lbs.) 4550
Cargo carrying capacity (lbs.) 2175

I geuss that the next question is what would be the minimum I'd need to tow 2300-3800 lbs?

Ziffdaddy · 04-24-07, 09:23 AM

Stock, Toyota says it'll tow 3,000lbs.....beefed up, I don't know.

Leaping Deer · 04-24-07, 09:24 AM

I would say that its probably a little much for your FJ40. A swb isn't really good for towing. I would go 3000lbs max but probably less like 2000lbs.

D'Animal · 04-24-07, 09:34 AM

Tow it and try it. Just go slow and see how it handles the hills. Both uphill and down hill. See how it stops at stop signs and in emergency braking situations.

Ziffdaddy · 04-24-07, 09:40 AM

Definitely be careful, my bro and I hauled lumber on a trailer behind his jeep, years ago, and when coming over the top of a hill, the front of the jeep lifted off the ground and we had to drive where the trailer wanted us to.....not fun at all....luckily it came down before we drove through someone's house. (with all the lumber fix it behind us

)

Jetboy · 04-24-07, 10:09 AM

I'd probably try it. See how it feels on some surface streets before heading on the highway. I think good working trailer brakes are the most important part of safely towing behind a smaller vehicle. I think the old 2f would drag that thing around pretty well, although it may not be fast.

It seems like a 40 weighs a lot more than 2400lbs? I'd like to tow mine behind my third gen 4runner, but I assumed they were quite a bit heavier.

Let us know how you feel about it if you do tow it.

MOfj40 · 04-24-07, 10:14 AM

I've only towed utility trailers with mine on the street. Try some short runs and see how it handles.

Offroad, I can say from experience it will tow a jeep quite well.

camcruiser13 · 04-24-07, 10:20 AM

ive towed a 24' boat before

but i was 19 and stupid. was very lucky something didnt go wrong

shelfboy1 · 04-24-07, 10:38 AM

i haul scrap trucks cars and other stuff with mine have a frame hitch and rear springs from a 6x6 truck have hauled my 8000lb dozer but it was on back roads .i routinely haul 5 to 6000lbs of scrap to the yard on the highway up to 50mph probably dumb but i do it anyhow have to load it right .also haul snow mobiles and four wheelers on smaller trailer and feel much safer but stay away from hills .try it get the feel of it then drive ahead of yourself a bit and good luck

KY854RUN · 04-24-07, 11:15 AM

A good friend of mine weighed his 74 FJ40 at the local gravel yard. It tipped the scales at just over 4,200 lb. with the hard top. It had the stock drive train with 11.50x32 tires on it when it was weighed. It isn't that the 40 is to light to tow, the real trouble is that it has a short wheel base. This tends to let the trailer drive the tow rig when the trailer is as heavy as the tow rig. Keeping the tongue weight at the 220 lb. will help let the 40 stay in control. So you will need to be careful how you load the trailer. I clicked on the link to see what the Jayco Baja looked like. Being a pop up tent trailer, I don't think that a weight distribution hitch will be needed as long as you keep the tongue weight down. Trailer brakes would be a big help with the 40s short wheel base. I have seen a 40 tow a trailer larger in size than this one, but I don't think that weighed more than 3,000 lb. The big thing is BE CAREFUL. We would all hate to hear that something bad happened while you were towing this trailer. You can give it a try and if it starts to feel squirrelly back off. Good luck!

splitshot · 04-24-07, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camcruiser13

ive towed a 24' boat before

but i was 19 and stupid. was very lucky something didnt go wrong

I thought I was the only one that did that...
Not with the old drums anymore..

camcruiser13 · 04-24-07, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splitshot

I thought I was the only one that did that...
Not with the old drums anymore..

just goes to show that their is always someone dumber than you out there.

just glad i didnt have to lock them up

papagyo · 04-24-07, 02:23 PM

Hi,

I would like info on towing also with an fj40, I have a 6x10 utility trailer and want to tow 2 atv's. for a total of around 1800lbs. Is this going to be a problem? Thanks for any input.

Brian

MOfj40 · 04-24-07, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by papagyo

Hi,

I would like info on towing also with an fj40, I have a 6x10 utility trailer and want to tow 2 atv's. for a total of around 1800lbs. Is this going to be a problem? Thanks for any input.

Brian

no problem. Even my 4 wheel drum 40 will handle that just fine. Only problem you might have is if your 40 is lifted. With the bumper hitch the trailer will be very "nose up". If you are stock height with the bumper hitch you'll be just about right on a standard utility trailer. If you've got a receiver hitch then no problem at all- just buy enough drop to level things out.

MoCoNative · 04-24-07, 04:18 PM

Personally, I would do it. Be careful with it, use trailer brakes, that will help alot. Just remember as I forgot and got to cocky, that a 40 is shortwheelbased and can bite you freakin quick.

Read my thread, I'll try to get some pics up in it.

Friday the 13th sucked for me

It was a very bad deal, still kicing myself in the ass. Would I tow the same load again, yes, my 40 towed alot of shit through the years. Will my 40 survive another wreck like this, probably not, will my wife let me tow anything with my 40 ever again, probably not.

Just be careful and use common sense.

matt.mcinnes · 04-24-07, 04:27 PM

You can tow

Nissan
Ford
Chev
Actually just about anything but never never be seen been towed that my 2c

lc69hunter · 04-24-07, 06:41 PM

As posted before, if you are not being stupid with how much weight you are towing, the issue become one of length of tongue/towed item, and is the tail wagging the dog given the short wheelbase of the LC.

FineWynsFJ40 · 04-24-07, 07:21 PM

matt.mcinnes, how about a Buick LeSabre towing an FJ40? Granted, both are my fleet, my mom was riding the brakes in the 40, and I was driving the Buick bit it still is kind of embarrassing...

As far as towing heavy things, take it easy, plan ahead. Constant vigilance and you should be fine.

kraeji · 04-24-07, 07:38 PM

I just moved from oklahome to SC and my total weight with enclosed trailer was 7200lbs with the truck itself weighing 3500lbs. I had a lot of weight in the back of the fj which gave me a good amount of stability I think. My brakes were shitty b/c of a bad master cylinder. I'd definitely beef up the brakes if you can... i had a few scary moments. With the 350 in there it pulled the trailer no problem tho.

kraeji · 04-24-07, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOfj40

no problem. Even my 4 wheel drum 40 will handle that just fine. Only problem you might have is if your 40 is lifted. With the bumper hitch the trailer will be very "nose up". If you are stock height with the bumper hitch you'll be just about right on a standard utility trailer. If you've got a receiver hitch then no problem at all- just buy enough drop to level things out.

I had to buy a 14" drop hitch to get my trailer to line up straight.

http://www.bryfab.com/class3ADH.html