Towing with a FJ80 (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Oct 24, 2003
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Hello guys, I have a 5000lb camper, that I tow with my Astro Van. My question is this,,, Would a Cruiser FZJ80 tow the camper ?? I usually travel less than 200 miles from home with it. ::)
 
FZJ80 yep, FJ80 no unless you want to go really really really slow. Even on the FZJ80 I would say it isn't going to be a speed demon, but it should easily tow it as well as an Astro if not better.
 
And CDan would chime in and say that 5000lb is the towing rated limit for an FZJ80 as well. If Mr. Scott had anything to do with that rating you could probably get away with more. Beam me up Scotty! :flipoff2:
 
The 80 series is rated to dead-weight tow 5000 lbs trailer/500 lbs tongue with a properly fitted platform and appropiate trailer brakes.
Toyota does not endorse the use of a weight-distributing hitch on the 80 series.


D-
 
Dan,

I know I've asked before. Do you, or does anyone, know WHY Yota does not recommend the use of a weight distribution hitch?? I know it states right in the Owners Manual that they don't recommend their use. I use one, and hope I'm not doing any permanent damage to the frame.
 
Brent,

I'm sorry, I don't know the specific reason/s behind the recommendation. Whatever I say would be pure wild-a$$ speculation.

I have not spent much time studying weight-distribution platforms vs dead-weight platforms. It may be in the platform or it may be in the wheelbase of the tow vehicle.

I just dunno :-\

D-
 
03Dec2003 (UTC -8)

[quote author=Brentbba link=board=2;threadid=8403;start=msg71243#msg71243 date=1070563928]
Dan,

I know I've asked before. Do you, or does anyone, know WHY Yota does not recommend the use of a weight distribution hitch?? I know it states right in the Owners Manual that they don't recommend their use. I use one, and hope I'm not doing any permanent damage to the frame.
[/quote]

Tangent to the issue, safety manuals for UHaul rentals don't want weight-distribution hitches too, but doesn't say why.
 
Interesting Drexx, but understandable with UHaul. The weight distribution hitch I use had to be 'set up' specifically for the LC and the trailer I tow. There are hight adjustments on the hitch portion and then the two pieces on the trainer tongue had to be set for length from the hitch/ball mount to the trailer tongue and make sure everything was level. Don't think UHaul would want to do that on every trailer rental.

Only thing I remember as far as the explanation on how the damn thing works is that the setup seemed to transfer more of the weight farther into the frame instead of having all the weight right at the ball mount. I dunno.
 
I'll be following you on this one. The main reason I bought the LC was to tow my race car. After reading this board for a while, I'm kinda wishing I never started the race car so I could just pour money into it for off road play. But for now, I'm planning on towing with it. I think I'll pick up OME springs, shocks, etc from Slee soon just to make it a more stable platform. C-Dan told me as well that Toy doesn't want you running weight distribution hitch. Can't figure that one out myself... but if C-Dan says it's true, then it must be.

I'm wondering what other mod's I could make to improve towing ability. I'm thinkin' that a supercharger might be nice. Now if someone here were to tell me that I needed ARB air lockers, slee sliders, S/C, and front/rear bumpers to "safely" tow.... maybe that'd help me sell it to the wife. ;)
 
We could all chime in and tell you that you 'need' it. How much weight that will have with your wife is a whole different thread. :flipoff2:
 
[quote author=Brentbba link=board=2;threadid=8403;start=msg71293#msg71293 date=1070571307]
We could all chime in and tell you that you 'need' it. How much weight that will have with your wife is a whole different thread. :flipoff2:
[/quote]

True... true...

Actually, if I un f'd my priorities I'd probably scrap the race car and build the cruiser. :slap:

Besides, she doesn't really care what I spend, and maybe she'd dig wheelin'!
 
Brad,

>> ... maybe that'd help me sell it to the wife. <<

I can be pretty persuasive on a good day. Ya think I could get use of the S/C as an incentive if the wife was sold?

:D

-B-

Looking up Guido's phone number as this is being typed...
 
[quote author=Beowulf link=board=2;threadid=8403;start=msg71340#msg71340 date=1070583271]
Brad,

>> ... maybe that'd help me sell it to the wife. <<

I can be pretty persuasive on a good day. Ya think I could get use of the S/C as an incentive if the wife was sold?

:D

-B-

Looking up Guido's phone number as this is being typed...
[/quote]

Hey B...

Safety always works as a selling point for me... You know, "It won't wander around as much with the OME's on it". That one's gonna be easy. Now I've gotta work on something like, "Well, with the S/C on there, I wouldn't have semi's running me over on the hills." ;)

But, I'm not gonna call Guido.... she's REAL good about letting me toy shop. But with all the dough that's gone into the race car, it's even hard for me to wanna throw money at other toys right now. :doh:
 
[quote author=Beowulf link=board=2;threadid=8403;start=msg71340#msg71340 date=1070583271]
>> ... maybe that'd help me sell it to the wife. <<

I can be pretty persuasive on a good day. Ya think I could get use of the S/C as an incentive if the wife was sold?
[/quote]

He he he...that's exactly how me gots me S/C... :D Don't nobody tell now, hear?!

I too have wondered about the weight-distributing hitch. My understanding of it (which could be totally wrong) it that it acts to take the flex out of the point where the ball is. In other words, imagine that the ball was just welded to the hitch...there would be no flex and if you were to have welded the ball at an angle which placed the ball higher than "normal", the effect would be to lift the tail end of the truck, distributing more of the weight between the trailer's axle and the truck's front/rear axles (this is supposed to be the case when the proper load adjustment is made to the hitch). The potential danger in this is that in doing so, you reduce the traction and tounge weight on the rear axle and distribute more of it to the front. Maybe they figure this is a bad thing? Dunno. ???

Tom
 
Toyota's likely just concerned about liability and doesn't want owners towing more than 5000lbs in the moron-infested US market. They're terrified of the prospect of being a Japanese company in front of a US jury. If they specifically state "no weight dist hitches" and inform hitch companies via their reference books, then they know owners will be prevented from buying a hitch meant to tow a 7000lb camper (for example) by the hitch dealers. Not that you couldn't

It is this fear that causes Toyota to artificially lower the US tow rating from 7700lbs everywhere else in the world. Just another example of how our product liability and idiotic litigation-happy residents ruin things for the rest of us.

DougM
 
The GMC pulls 12K on the bumper.

Towing is for tow trucks for goodness sake!

Tow your utility trailer or small boat, tow your ski-doo...when it comes to the bigger stuff get an appropriate platform to tug it.

Safety should dictate this more than any manufacturer.
 
Seriously - from the bumper? Or are you saying from the bumper as a way of saying it's rated to tow 12k from a Class V hitch at the bumper. Which is darned impressive coinsidering most aren't rated to tow that much even from a fifth wheel position. Or are you saying they simply built up the actual bumper so it is rated that way? Or, are you saying we should wear platform shoes when we tug it? I'm getting a visual of Junk tuggin' it with some leopard motif platform shoes on......

So, what are ya saying?

DougM
 
from a class V off the rear.

5th wheel I jump to 14,600 I believe.
 
Cruisercarl,

I tow a 7000lb boat with my cruiser, upgrades of course (turbo, OEM, Kaymar rear bumper, slotted cross drilled rotors) of course the trailer also has brakes.
I have had no problem towing mine around. Go to www.yomama.net and click on "Cruiser and Bayliner". I try not to do over 70 with the package :D

Yomama
 

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