Hoping to get a clear and straight answer: Towing my FJ40 (1 Viewer)

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Feb 15, 2022
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Atlanta, GA
I am attending a car show in Santa Rosa, FL sometime in next month - if I can find a solution to tow my FJ40 behind my 2015 Tacoma V6/Class IV factory hitch, etc. My max tow capacity for my truck is 6,500. I have run the numbers and there is no way I can flat bed this on a uhaul trailer (maxes out) and dont have funds to buy an alumatrailer for lighter weight. Therefore I am looking at a dolly for the 330 mile trip (660 total) with rear drive shaft disconnected/all in neutral).

At this time, I am not wanting to drive the FJ40 on its own - maybe next year once I get a few small things sorted.

Is my Fj40 too heavy for a Uhaul dolly? The dolly specs are:
  • Max Load: 3,450 lbs. when towing a front-wheel drive vehicle, 3,900 lbs. when towing a rear-wheel drive vehicle.
  • Empty weight: 750 lbs.
Assuming my FJ40 (hardtop) is around 4,700-4,000, this should work.

Maybe it is too heavy for the dolly which is showing max load of 3450. See below for what their calculations are showing.

Has anyone towed your 40 with a dolly and say a v6 truck?

uhaul_dolly1.JPG
 
I've used a U-haul dolly to tow my 40 200 miles, but with my UZJ100.
The car hauler wasn't available in time and I'm happy it wasn't. The extra weight and increased stopping distance would have sucked. I had to greatly increase my stopping distance as it was in freeway traffic even with the tow dolly.
Rear of driveshaft disconnected and ratchet strapped to the frame.
Tranny and t-case in neutral.
I used larger wheel straps than come with the dolly. I have 33x10.50's.
Magnetic tow lights.
Max 55 mph.
It worked out great, I'd use the exact same set up again. Hope this helps.





52DCE920-AE06-4134-8692-0F920DA03CC2.jpeg
 
I am attending a car show in Santa Rosa, FL sometime in next month - if I can find a solution to tow my FJ40 behind my 2015 Tacoma V6/Class IV factory hitch, etc. My max tow capacity for my truck is 6,500. I have run the numbers and there is no way I can flat bed this on a uhaul trailer (maxes out) and dont have funds to buy an alumatrailer for lighter weight. Therefore I am looking at a dolly for the 330 mile trip (660 total) with rear drive shaft disconnected/all in neutral).

At this time, I am not wanting to drive the FJ40 on its own - maybe next year once I get a few small things sorted.

Is my Fj40 too heavy for a Uhaul dolly? The dolly specs are:
  • Max Load: 3,450 lbs. when towing a front-wheel drive vehicle, 3,900 lbs. when towing a rear-wheel drive vehicle.
  • Empty weight: 750 lbs.
Assuming my FJ40 (hardtop) is around 4,700-4,000, this should work.

Maybe it is too heavy for the dolly which is showing max load of 3450. See below for what their calculations are showing.

Has anyone towed your 40 with a dolly and say a v6 truck?

View attachment 3250548
I live in NW Illinois, own a cabin in Montana. Last summer I bought a tow dolly (w brakes) to more easily haul the 40 back and forth. A this point, have only towed w 8 cycl pickup, though would have no issue using w the 6 cyl grand cherokee, just haven't yet. The trip is about 1,100 miles. Not sure the weight rating for the dolly. My only advice is as you approach 70 mph bumps can send the back end swaying.
 
Whenever I towed my FJ40 I used a U-Haul car trailer or later used a car trailer that we bought to tow it back from PA to WY. I always towed with a 3/4 or 1 ton.
 
I towed my 71 FJ40 from my brother's house in Espanola to Tucson with my 2008 Tacoma Access cab - I would never do it again for more than a mile or two.

Uhaul would not rent a trailer or dolly to tow it because they knew (from physics!) that the Tacoma is not heavy enough to SAFELY tow an FJ40.

Uhaul was more than happy to sell me a tow bar though :rofl:

I dropped the rear drive shaft, made sure the front hubs were unlocked, and flat towed it home on fifteen year old tyres. Still messed up one of the front axle bushings because the left front hub was actually broken and didn't actually disengage the axle.

The Taco's V-6 was great at getting the FJ40 up hills, but every downhill & sharp turn was sketchy as heck :eek:

dsc08524-small-jpg.806711
 

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