I tow Thesaurus on a
double axle galvanized roller trailer with a 1997 Toyota 4Runner, 4
WD, 6 cylinder automatic and have no problems
whatsoever. The trailer is a heavy one but also sits very low and seems to
distribute tongue weight perfectly. I weighed the rig once,
minus most gear and it was around 4000 lbs as I recall. I also tow a 24 foot powerboat that
outweighs the SJ23 by 1000 lbs but the trailer is a bunk aluminum double axle. Still,
the powerboat weighs more and sits up much higher. I had to modify the trailer
slightly to get better tongue weight, which is critical with dual axle trailers
by the way. I know this rig is much
heavier and with gear is probably a bit higher than 5000 lbs and it doesn’t
tow near as well. Mileage drops to 9-10 mpg with powerboat versus 14-15 with
SJ23 and normal 22 highway.
The 4Runner has a heavy towing package, coolant system, big
tires etc….it’s one of the big reasons I bought the vehicle when
looking for a mid-size SUV….better towing package that anything else at
the time for the class.
If I were buying a new SUV for towing today though, I’d
probably look hard at the Volkswagon Touerag. Excellent
reviews and I believe a 7000 lb towing package.
Rudy
New Bern, NC
