Trailers and towing

I think one thing you should consider..... what IF you had an accident and you were towing with a minimal tow vehicle...some ambulance chaser...could clean your clock... imagine if your brakes were less than perfect on your trailer... I look at those lawyer advertisements on signs along the freeway and think....Wow, someone paid for those...

In my ole age I always choose to go heavy duty, over the minimum for my towing vehicle...fuel is cheep when you think of what could happen...

Joel
SEA3PO
 
SEA3PO":3r2llcbl said:
In my ole age I always choose to go heavy duty, over the minimum for my towing vehicle...fuel is cheep when you think of what could happen...

Joel
SEA3PO
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Although I don't think a 6-cylinder Toyota pickup is "minimum" for towing a 16 .... do you? I'd guess it's rated for towing at least twice the weight of a 16 all up. Not saying you should change what you do (because the whole thing should be comfortable and fun), but the next step up is a full sized half or 3/4 ton pickup, and I just can't see needing that for a 16 in order to be prudent.
 
I guess it depends, in part, on where you are planning to go. I came over Sonora Pass last year (north of Yosemite). I wanted to stop and take a picture of the road sign that said "26% GRADE NEXT 12 MILES - No Trailers", but I wasn't sure that my parking brake would hold. I didn't have a trailer, but I met one starting up from the other direction. I wonder if he made it.

Mark
 
Marco Flamingo":34elg4dv said:
I guess it depends, in part, on where you are planning to go. I came over Sonora Pass last year (north of Yosemite). I wanted to stop and take a picture of the road sign that said "26% GRADE NEXT 12 MILES - No Trailers", but I wasn't sure that my parking brake would hold. I didn't have a trailer, but I met one starting up from the other direction. I wonder if he made it.

Mark
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:shock: :shock:
 
I took a photo of that same sign! It is a bit :shock: to see over 20% grade. I also wasn't towing at the time, and would have no interest in taking my boat/trailer over that grade or on the subsequent switchbacks! (Instead I'd go over Tehachapi, which I did do and which was fine - or perhaps I-80.)
 
My $0.02 is: Absolutely yes, no problem.

I don't care for manual transmissions while towing (though I have one!). The clutch is a real weak point. Auto transmissions have a fluid coupler vs. a fluid coupler in an auto tranny. The fluid coupler works better under heavy load. This becomes a larger issue when you are in hills, or towing in any kind of SNOW. It's very easy to cook the clutch on a manual tranny, especially if it's a smaller vehicle. But even if your 4runner had a manual tranny, it would still be fine. It does give you more control over gearing, etc, but I've been impressed with the shifting of newer auto trannys while towing.

Enjoy!
 
26% grade :?: :shock: :roll:

I've been over the GrapeVine (5%), Cabbage Hill, Pendleton Ore, which is 6% for 6 miles. I've been over 8% on Vancouver Island to Port Alberni, and 7% for 10 miles on the Coqaholla in BC, Soldier Summit in Utah, and Wolf Creek Pass (7%) in Colorado. If I remember right there is a short stretch of 10% on the way into Telegraph Cove.

A pass three times as steep as the Port Alberni would scare the spit out of me.

Thinking I would avoid that one, just in case.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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The Sonora grade is an average of about 8%, and vehicles over 25 feet/trailers are certainly not advised. The 26% part of the grade is significant, but relatively short. The 10 miles ahead, means that the 26% grade is in 10 miles, not 10 miles of 26% grade.

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Highway108.jpg


These roads are not for "flatlands"--It is beautiful, a great way to get into the heart of the Sierra. I spent a summer working in this area, and driving heavy equipment, and large trucks a number of years ago.
 
It is beautiful country. I just went over and back a couple of weeks ago - gorgeous with the golden aspens, snow-capped peaks, etc. The Sierras are fantastic. How fun to work there and drive trucks and generally be in the area over a period of time. Just to see the changes every day.
 
Looks like a motorcycle road to me. Thanks for the pix.

I remember a flatlander, coming out,(West), on I-84 and approaching Cabbage, who parked his rig at the scale house at the top and paid another driver to take his load of 40,000 pounds down the hill for him. I have seen several big trucks on the way down that hill with brake fires and on a total loss due to the fire. I have also seen a couple up on the runaway ramps, where they headed after loosing their brakes.

All reminders that it pays to know and take care of your brakes and trailer.

Harvey
SleepyC

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Thanks for all the thoughts and advice, especially the note about the brakes.
I had forgotten that good brakes not necessarily Toyota's forte. When we bought our 22 C-Dory, we had a Toyota Landcruiser, and eventually replaced it with the Yukon mostly because of brake issues. Now, of course, our 16 Cruiser weighs about about 40% of the 22, even with all the stuff we take with us. So I will thoroughly research the current brake situation on the 4runner, and perhaps try to find one for a test pull on a local hill we have here. And I will get the factory installed hitch and 4 wheel drive. Even with a 16 it can be necessary on steep, and/or wet ramps.
Jack
 
Unrelated to boat trailers, but Harvey's story about brake fires, reminded me that many of the logging trucks on steep grades had water cooled brakes (spray water on the drums).
 
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