Just came back from a towing test - underwhelming!

I recently took my new to me 2004 V8 Access Cab 2wd with towing package out for a test spin, towing my (empty) 2024 NoBo 16.1 travel trailer. The trailer weights around 2900 lbs empty. All I can say is, the truck did not perform as expected. My 2007 FJ Cruiser can actually tow it better and with hardly any bounce to the FJ.

In the Tundra, it's completely different. Very underwhelming! It feels sluggish and it had to constantly downshift to maintain speed at 65mph. I expected the Tundra to tow better, since it's a longer platform, V8 compared to the FJ's V6, towing capacity of 7,000lbs vs. 5000lbs, and the ride was just super bouncy on bad stretches of highways.

However, the FJ does have a weight distribution hitch when towing and the Tundra doesn't. Nevertheless, the Tundra struggled while the FJ coasts through on the same highway. Crazy.

 

A LOT of variables here

 

Towed a bit with my 2007 FJ and it’s okay, I would have thought the 4.7 would be better in a similar weight Tundra. I would imagine there may be an issue with that particular 4.7 or some other factor. Aka run some sea foam through it and make sure it’s running right.

 

Also, did you turn off the overdrive?

 

You didn't do something really stupid, like tow in overdrive (default mode), did you?

 

Overdrive? Didn't know that was a thing....

 

Your truck defaults to overdrive ON. There's a pushbutton at the end of the shift lever to turn it off. This is all in your owner's manual.

You can grenade your (and people have grenaded their) transmission towing without turning overdrive off, especially in the '00-'02, which have a weak planetary. I believe that tidbit about OD off is also in you owner's manual, but not 100% positive*.

You have read your Owner's Manual, right?

 

Why wouldn’t you use the weight distributing hitch on the Tundra like you do on the FJ? I’m assuming that this is a single axle trailer at 2900lbs, and yes, they tend to be pretty bouncy in a porpoise kinda way. Using a WD hitch will help that.

And what is the situation with shocks on that ‘04? Hopefully they’re not the originals at 22 years old, but if they are that could certainly be a factor.

 

What I've found towing with my Tundra is that with O/D off, I set cruise at ~72-73mph, and I get the least downshifting. If you're towing with O/D on, yeah it's going to be constantly shifting.

Assuming your truck is running strong (good compression, spark, emissions etc.), has stock size tires, and O/D is off, it'll tow pretty well if you keep the rpms around 3,200 or so. Much lower and it starts downshifting. Much higher, and it just feels taxing to engine. When I first started towing my trailer I'd set cruise a little lower, maybe 65-70mph. It downshifted a lot at that speed and lower rpm. Once I bumped up the speed (and rpm) a little, the downshifting happened dramatically less often.

Whether I'm on the interstate with an 80mph speed limit, or state highways with usually a 70mph limit, I turn off O/D, set cruise at a little over 70mph, and go.

 

I tow my homemade camper pretty often with my tundra. About 3,000lbs but not aerodynamic so it's a big sail. I also run with a lot of tongue weight for stability, probably 500lbs or so.

I ALWAYS tow with overdrive off. This is pretty important.

On flat ground, I limit my speed to 65-<70. I limit RPM to 3100. My basic rule, is that if it has to downshift to second, I drop my speed until RPM it's at least under 4K.

I rarely actually get flat ground to drive on, so towing speed is usually 60-65.

As for cruise control, I can't use it towing. I don't know if it's just my truck, but when in cruise control, my truck downshifts MUCH more aggressively than when in manual, and so basically when towing over 60, the slightest hill or windshift makes it down shift and suddenly I'm hammering away at like 4.5K, so I only use cruise when towing if I'm on a 55 highway.

Airbags are a must IMO.

I had to tow once last year without airbags, due to one of them having a hole that I only found hours before the trip. It was doable, but the porpoising issue was unpleasant. Airbags make a huge difference with handling. Except for the extra drag on the engine, I can't even tell the difference having the trailer on with the bags inflated, and I usually have half a ton of cargo in the truck bed as well.

I also have trailer brakes, which give me the same stopping distance for the rig as it has without a trailer.

MPG is usually 7-8.

And all this, is also why, I just bought a 2008 sequoia with tow package to be the new tow rig. I haven't towed with it yet, but on paper, it's about a literal TON higher towing capacity and a couple MPG's higher than my tundra.

 

The part about potentially damaging one's overdrive is in the owner's manual, at least I recall reading that part in my 2006 DC's owner's manual.

OP.....I tow at 55 mph on the interstate....ya I'm one of those "care about the environment, burn less fuel, gas is expensive" jackwagons you hear about but have never met. My biggest load is probably around 4,500 pounds and I'm towing that, to me, "just fine," and that includes a long (several miles long) 5% grade called "Cabin Creek" and "Flat Top Mountain," in case you want to look it up.

I get around 10 to 12 mpg towing but most of my towing is a single axle tube steel trailer pulling an 800 pound zero turn and a small residential self-propelled mower. Most of that load is short trips with some interstate to and from my house to the nearby city.

My truck is the double cab, so 6,700 pound towing capacity, 4WD, 4.7 L V8, it does have the "towing package" of tranny cooler. I tow with overdrive off and I check to make sure that light is on* every few seconds it seems. LOL

*Light on indicates Overdrive is off.

I turn cruise control off when I start up virtually any hill.

 

My 08 FJ tows surprisingly, and is a great vehicle in general. Haven’t towed with Tundra, yet. I’ll be OCD re the OD (off), when I do.

 

Ruh Roh.

Well there's the source of one of the problems!

O/D off (button on the end of the shifter, and yes it's in the manual) and keep RPM's up around 3K-3,200.

When towing with my '00 1st gen w/4.7 I drove more by the tach than the speedometer.

WDH will make the 2 objects hooked together and sometimes bouncing in opposite directions feel more like one cohesive unit.

Not the fastest up a long grade, but I towed my 5,500 lb. travel trailer with the 4.7 for 6 years and it did everything I asked of it.

 

I really wish there was a tach based cruise option. Lock in 3100 and then let the MPH fall where they may depending on the road grade.

 

Omg this. My longest drive we do every few weeks is through the Texas Hill Country and I never use cruise because the constant downshifting is so gd annoying.

 

What size tires are currently on the tundra? It makes a huge difference ya know. Install the little 245/70/16 tires that came on the base model truck, install either a 4.10 or 4.30 rear 3rd member, and you’re ready to tow.

 

I have 265/70/17 Maxxis Razr AT tires on the truck.

I took it out for another test drive this morning with OD disabled and the hunting for gears seems to have gone away. Performance wise, it was better than yesterday's drive. Still struggle a bit on uphill.

 

Mine has the tow package. Towed one time during the past 25 years. Took a motorcycle trailer (870lbs) and motorcycle (500lbs) from Chattanooga to Nashville over Monteagle which is about 2,000ft with a grade of up to 6% in spots. I can assure you it wasn't in overdrive going over Monteagle! I think it's fair to say it struggled for such a light load but made it ok.

 

and it’s always going to tow like a dog with tires that are a full 2” taller than the little stock size. There’s only so many ways to cure that problem. Either LS swap, lowering the R&P gears, or installing smaller tires. LS swap is the coolest options, but smaller tires are the most realistic. Smaller tires will also give you better fuel economy and it will allow your transmission to live longer.