Tow Bar Towing FJ40 with a 4runner

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1973Guppie

1973Guppie

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Hi Everyone,

I was perusing ebay tonight and saw some cheap tow bars for $50 shipped to my door, universal type. I have been wanting to buy a new tow vehicle and trailer but I don't have the $ or the space for the trailer.

I did a ton of reading and searching and the opinions are all over the place on whether this is safe or not, mainly depending on what the individual is towing with and the caster of the fj40 being towed. Some people say they have been flat towing for years with no problems while others tell tales of nightmares. For this reason I thought I would post up some info on my specific situation and see what everyone's thoughts are. I know that a big truck and a trailer is the best and safest option but my question is with my situation is it possible to use a tow bar to tow my fj40 on long distance trips or is it just flat out dangerous? I would really like to get my fj40 from socal to the rubicon next year but can't see myself driving the 40 all that way.

Situation: 98 4runner with ome 2.5 lift and shocks, 32' tires, stock tow hitch package. FJ40 is a SOA with 35 inch tires. The fj40 is cut and turned and drives down the road beautifully. no darting, dashing, etc. The caster is set correctly from what I remember when setting it up.

I plan to only use the tow bar probably at most 2x a year. The 4runner I love and don't want to trade in for a tow vehicle right now. Eventually I will get the whole setup: diesel dual cab with canback, etc.

What I am looking for are opinions if this can be done safely when driving slowly (60mph) and carefully and watching any sharp corners. I don't plan on doing dirt road, mainly all highway towing.

thanks for the opinions / help!

Noah
BorregoCampTrip01.webp
 
1998 toyota 4runner: curb weight (kg) 1,694 (1 694 kg = 3 734.63 lbs.)

FJ40 Curb Weight 3263 lbs. (3 263 pound = 1 480.0719 kilograms)

gross vehicle weight rating (kg) 2,381, curb weight (kg) 1,694, gross trailer weight braked (kg) 1,588 and max legal load (kg) 687

I don't think i'd do it for a long haul.
 
I'm with gladly on this...My initial thought was that a 4-Runner isn't heavy enough to tow a FJ40 safely. I'll take gladly's stats (although I though a FJ40 was heavier) on this as I don't know one way or the other but it seems like my initial thought was correct.

I have been contemplating pulling my 40 on a dolly behind my Durango (don't shoot me folks!) because I can't see the family agreeing to 4+ hours riding in the 40 to get to the trails. My Durango is close to 5000 lbs and has a 5900lb towing rating. Even though I figure the FJ40 and dolly wouln't exceed 5000lbs I'm not sure I wan't to do it....

At the VERY least, if you decide to go this route I'd do some trial runs first. Short trips in the neighborhood and then short stints on the highway to see how it works out. Get a feel for how the 40 pulls and how the 4-Runner reacts to the weight back there.

As for the tow bars on eBay. I've seen those as well...$9.99 plus $35 or so shipping? You know what they say about a deal that sounds too good to be true...Maybe somebody here on MUD has bought one and give you some first hand knowledge of those bars. If nothing else, it would be a cheap way to test it out and if everything works, you could always go out and buy a better tow bar.

Hint for you, those bars are universal as you stated so usually you can find them advertised for all sorts of vehicles and should be able to get one that no one has bid on. I wouldn't pay more that the $9.99 because you know they are sticking it to you on shipping. If you get out bid just move on to the next available one.

HTH and let us know how it works out!
 
I don't recomend it. The FJ40 is too heavey. Just towed a 40 with a dolly behind a '96 FZJ80. Traveled approximately 75 miles. Mostly hwy and averaged 50mph. Had no trouble moving but stopping was a different matter. Took three to four times more stopping distance. Also handling was definetly affected. Felt light in the front. Won't do it again.
 
I towed my FJ40 from Vermont to Wyoming with my old Tacoma and a tow dolley; it made it, braking was a big issue as was the 9mpg I averaged. If you have to tow with that set up, just be very cautious, go slow and you should be ok.
 
I'd think it would be better the other way around, power-wise, not weight-wise. The 3.4LV6 is anemic and I can't imagine towing some +3K lbs with it!
 
I've flat towed my 40 with my 3rd gen 4Runner and my wife's 80. The 4Runner had better acceleration but it was just too light; the 40 would push the 4Runner, especially on turns.
 
I used to tow my 40 with my 4-runner. Just to work and back when I was working on it. I was going down a slight hill at 25 mph, it was raining a little bit also. I had to make a left turn onto my street. I never made that left, and I didn't get stoped untill I was in the middle of someone's front yard.:eek: I threw that tow bar away that same day.

Yep, you can pull it, just don't plan on stoping it very well.

aw
 
I would not trust towing my cruiser with anything that is collapsible. If you want to use a tow bar, get a solid one.

BTW- Were you driving your FJ40 south on I-15 yesterday? Saw a similar one heading south from Temecula. I Also reconized Coyote Canyon in one of your shots. It's one of my favorite places to wheel. Will be heading to the upper end( Baileys cabin) possibly this weekend.

 
TemeculaTim said:
I would not trust towing my cruiser with anything that is collapsible. If you want to use a tow bar, get a solid one.

BTW- Were you driving your FJ40 south on I-15 yesterday? Saw a similar one heading south from Temecula. I Also reconized Coyote Canyon in one of your shots. It's one of my favorite places to wheel. Will be heading to the upper end( Baileys cabin) possibly this weekend.

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Hi Tim,

Yup, that was me, running errands, it was hot out! Shoot me a PM if you want to come by some time, I am rebuilding a 55 now, I live in Fallbrook area.

Noah
 
thanks for everyones opinions, I may pick one up for the $50 bones to see what it feels like as the opinions are varied out there. If I waste $50 no biggie. It sounds like I might just be better driving though with the vortec in the cruiser with the overdrive I would probably go faster and use less gas.

Noah
 
If I waste $50 no biggie.
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Unless you wreck and die!

You may have already made up your mind here, but I'll chime in. I tried to flat tow my 40 one time behind my 80. My 40 tracked perfectly straight when I was driving it and caster was good so I figured it would track straight while towing.

I was VERY wrong. I towed it for about 15 miles on the highway. Was a very scary situation for me. Anything above 45mph just didn't feel good.

I would STRONGLY recommend NOT flat towing your 40 behind your 4Runner.

Here's a pic of my setup just before I set off for the test run...
 
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1973Guppie said:
If I waste $50 no biggie.
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If you crash both trucks and maybe some other people's stuff, it would be though.

Take that setup to about 25mph somewhere wide open, start a reasonable turn, the jam on the brakes and see what happens. Cops call it a Pitt maneuver. You'll call it the 'oh s***' maneuver.

1973Guppie said:
It sounds like I might just be better driving though with the vortec in the cruiser with the overdrive I would probably go faster and use less gas.
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Ah. Now you're thinking. It would be more fun too.

Funny that I'm telling you not to do it, and getting a towbar delivered today. My truck is way bigger though; 2x.
 
I drove my 40 to the Cascade Mtns and back this summer - 800 miles round trip with hard wheeling between. Great drive in the summer sun. Go for it.

And take your ipod with some good headphones!
 
Jetboy said:
DO any tow dollies have breaks? if so that might make it a little safer.
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Most car dollies can be equipped with electric brakes. Still not sure about the handling. I'm currently looking at this place:

http://www.americancardolly.com/

About a $1K for a dolly with brakes that work with and without an in cab controller. If I go this route I still want to 'test' it out before I buy to see how it really works and how safe it would be with my setup ('99 Durango --> dolly --> '74 FJ40 on 33x12.5s). Around here most of my driving/pulling will be in the mountains. For me it is a matter of keeping the family happy and not having to rely on my trail rig to get me 4-8 hours to week+ long camping trips.
 
Towing

Hi everyone! Smalls here! I just have a question about towing my FJ40 with my 07 FJ cruiser. Has anyone done this? I will only be driving in Colorado to cruiser events and wanted to know if I got a solid tow bar if that would work?

Thanks :0)
 
ffsmalls said:
Hi everyone! Smalls here! I just have a question about towing my FJ40 with my 07 FJ cruiser. Has anyone done this? I will only be driving in Colorado to cruiser events and wanted to know if I got a solid tow bar if that would work?
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It is not safe. There is some terribly bad advice in this thread. Don't even consider it. Get a motorhome or a dually, or a nice tundra with a trailer or a towed-vehicle braking system.

It would be ok to get it from your house to your mechanic across town. Through the mountains you are asking for death, dismemberment and other misfortune for you and others. :bang:

I have a solid tow bar and thousands of miles of experience including a harrowing 180 towing behind a fully-loaded suburban. Never again without dual wheels and three+ tons of steel up front. Even with the dually I white-knuckle down hills and grades at 45mph.

If you think I'm full of sh*t, hook it up, get it going 20 on gravel, turn and stab the brakes, then post up your experience.
 
I would not due it, but if you do make sure when hooked up that tow bar slopes down towards the tow vehicle (4runner). When the tow bar slopes down and you push on the brakes it will cause the fj40 to want to lift up and actually put more weight onto the back of the 4runner.

Once again I would not do it, but if you do load the back of the 4runner up with some weight, rocks, sand bags something. It might help a little to keep the fj40 from pushing the 4runner around to a jacknife ( a little is the key word)

You can buy brake buddies that will actually push the brakes on the fj40 when you push the 4 runner brakes. It would make it safer when your stop, but you would still have a problem going around a down hill turn. But they are not cheap
 
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