Towing with an FJ Cruiser

[NWPow]

All the threads on here are about towing monster enclosed trailers. Us less fortunate still pull an open and will continue to do so in the future.

My Dodge RAM 1500 is getting long in the tooth and a new car is on the horizon. My wife hates driving it and I have to agree it sucks to park and drive in the city. Having a dedicated tow vehicle isn't practical and we are looking at a Toyota FJ Cruiser which would fit our life style much better. Toyota says it can tow 5000lbs, but for such a small truck I'm very skeptical how well it will do on slick roads.

I currently tow a 2 place steel open and have thought about upgrading to a 2 place aluminum with one of those solid covers. Triton makes one that is only 970lbs. The FJ has a curb weight of 4295lbs and GVWR of 5570lbs. Two sleds and that triton trailer would probably be 2500lbs.

Anyway, has anyone towed with an FJ?

 

[Jaynelson]

A 2 place open?? Uh ya, if you can't tow that easily with an FJ then I've been doing somethin wrong;

Same motor, tranny and basic driveline as an FJ in that truck and it works great. Very stable and that boat/trailer is 3400 dry + 2 450X's at 260lbs dry a piece. Sits dead level.

 

[Blacktooth]

A 2 place open?? Uh ya, if you can't tow that easily with an FJ then I've been doing somethin wrong;

Same motor, tranny and basic driveline as an FJ in that truck and it works great. Very stable and that boat/trailer is 3400 dry + 2 450X's at 260lbs dry a piece. Sits dead level.

The drive train may be similar but the FJ is a short wheel base vehicle, I would be cautious towing on icy roads. Cool vehicle though.

 

[cletus]

You are exactly right about the wheel base. I would think you would be just fine with A top cap trailer and two sled's in the winter. The Fj can hadle alot more like a boat but not in winter driving condition's

 

[milehighassassin]

I think if you use your brain, you won't have any problems. Make sure you keep the weight to the front of the trailer so you don't get any tail whip.

Trailer brakes would be a big plus, even if they were surge brakes.

I have a 2005 VW Golf TDI (rated at 2000 lbs), and I have towed a 2-place trailer with 1 sled on it. No problems at all, just have to be smart.

 

[94fordguy]

The drive train may be similar but the FJ is a short wheel base vehicle, I would be cautious towing on icy roads. Cool vehicle though.

Don't mean to but in here, but in my honest opinion, I agree^^^, the smaller the tow vehicle, the easier it is to lose control (ice), I always feel safer in a bigger vehicle too. However, it is of course all up to you, and from a physical ability stand point, you SHOULDN'T have much of a problem, but I would still be very careful with the tall/short-wheelbase when towing in winter.

 

[RobG]

Surge brakes would be a really bad idea in the winter. You don't need the trailer brakes deciding to apply themselves and ending up locking and sliding the trailer around.

Real brakes would be a good idea, but you'll want to carry a set of chains for the trailer as well as the tow vehicle, because if conditions do require chains, you will want the trailer chained so the brakes will actually be useful and not a problem.

A friend tows just such a trailer behind his Jeep Wrangler and says it works fine, but he also knows how to drive in the winter.

Rob

 

[Blacktooth]

Don't mean to but in here, but in my honest opinion, I agree^^^, the smaller the tow vehicle, the easier it is to lose control (ice), I always feel safer in a bigger vehicle too. However, it is of course all up to you, and from a physical ability stand point, you SHOULDN'T have much of a problem, but I would still be very careful with the tall/short-wheelbase when towing in winter.

This is my point. The FJ will pull it, it just would not be my prefered vehicle. Long ago I used to tow that trailer with a small blazer, it would do it, I just didn't like it. A tacoma or tundra would make me happier towing. I bought my cummins new for the same price as a decked out FJ.

 

[Viper5]

Not sure what the wheelbase of the FJ is, I have pulled an open two place with a S10 Blazer to Fernie a few times and to Revy last year with no problems (had very horrilbe icy roads on the way back). Make sure the trailer is loaded properly and be careful you don't have to drive 80mph.

 

[Highpockets]

We have towed a two place open deck as well as a steel single axle trailer loaded with our Ranger XP and it does fine.As you would expect,take it easy,leave some space,make sure trailer is NOT tail heavy.The FJ is much easier to maneuver in tight spots(crowded parking lots) does have a serious blind spot while driving,and the trailer may be hidden behind the spare tire while looking out the rear window. Hope that helps,PM me if you have any questions,we LOVE our FJ !

 

[Squish]

I tow a steel 2 place trailer with my '90 Toyota 4runner (with almost 400 000km on the odo), and it works just fine, including on snowy mountain logging roads. I've considered the FJ, it is more comparable to the old 4runner then the new 4runner is.

As its been said before, load the trailer right, drive smart, and life will be good. You dont need to drive a 1ton dually just to carry a couple of sleds around, like it seems so many peeps do.

As for the larger trucks feeling safer in the snow, I seem to see more large trucks in the ditches, during the winter trips, then the smaller SUV's and trucks. They might go better but they still way a couple of thousand pounds more, and that isn't easy to slow down on snowy roads.

 

[milehighassassin]

Surge brakes would be a really bad idea in the winter. You don't need the trailer brakes deciding to apply themselves and ending up locking and sliding the trailer around.

The brakes don't just "decide" to apply themselves. Surge brakes kick on when the trailer comes forward against the ball/hitch. This prevents the trailer from "passing" the tow vehicle. When the slack is removed the brake turn off. They actually work very well, although electric brakes are better.

Basically surge brakes are made to PREVENT the trailer from coming around.

 

[Rixster]

Used a land cruiser for years. Dont know what the wheels base difference is between the two but it worked great. Of course the land cruiser has a 320 hp v8 and is AWD so it never sliped on icy roads. Finally upgraded to a four door long bed diesel, the diesel has plenty of towing power but doesnt ride anywhere as nice as the toyota did!

 

[Mafesto]

What's next?
Towing with a Honda Element?

 

[Ultra]

All the threads on here are about towing monster enclosed trailers. Us less fortunate still pull an open and will continue to do so in the future.

My Dodge RAM 1500 is getting long in the tooth and a new car is on the horizon. My wife hates driving it and I have to agree it sucks to park and drive in the city. Having a dedicated tow vehicle isn't practical and we are looking at a Toyota FJ Cruiser which would fit our life style much better. Toyota says it can tow 5000lbs, but for such a small truck I'm very skeptical how well it will do on slick roads.

I currently tow a 2 place steel open and have thought about upgrading to a 2 place aluminum with one of those solid covers. Triton makes one that is only 970lbs. The FJ has a curb weight of 4295lbs and GVWR of 5570lbs. Two sleds and that triton trailer would probably be 2500lbs.

Anyway, has anyone towed with an FJ?

NWPow, You most likley will be fine in most winter conditions. The key here is you are looking at a very light aluminum enclosed 2 place trlr with a loaded weight of about 2500lbs. The FJ curb weight of 4300lbs will be more like 4700 to 4800lbs loaded. Your combined vehicle \ tow weight ratio will be 66/34%. That in my opinion is a reasonably safe combination for winter conditions along with studded tires, 4x4 and some common sense with the short wheelbase. You won't find any brake assistance on a trlr that light but again common sense should prevail. Also like was mentioned above an FJ wouldn't be my tow rig of choice either but you should be fine.
What some folks are saying on this site is it would be ok to throw a 5k trlr behind your FJ and I am telling them thats simply nuts.
PS, to the guy with the boat picture, thats summertime dude, no ice.

 

[NWPow]

Thanks for all of your input. Maybe I'll drag the wife to the Toyota dealer tomorrow for a look.....

 

[Jaynelson]

PS, to the guy with the boat picture, thats summertime dude, no ice.

I have towed a 2-place steel trailer a lot in the winter, in the mountains, behind a similar vehicle tho. Also have a pile of seat time in Tacomas, FJ's, 4Runner's, etc. I stand by that it will work just fine. 5000lbs in the winter, no thanks, but that's not what he's asking.

Not everyone needs/wants a 1-ton diesel to tow a couple thousand pounds occassionally the way some guys talk on here. Clearly the summertime is a different story....but I just wanted to show that you can put at least SOME weight in these things, contrary to what many think.

 

[BOMB]

ttt good info

 

[8alltheway]

Hook it up, drive a little bit slower, let all these guys with new huge pickups pass you- don't want to offend them, get to where you wanna go. done deal.

 

[Kong]

I just went through the same deal and more.

I bought a Titan in 04. Absolutely loved the truck and haven't had a 1/2 ton ever and have owned trucks since late 60's almost continuously.

Plenty of power, never ran out and double towed RV trailer, ATV trailer, and two dirt bikes in the back over 10,000' passes Durango to Silverton routinely. People would come over in the campground and couldn't believe it.

Snowmobiling: Had Wells Cargo 4 place 27'. It "pulled it" but scared the carp out of me on our worst roads and since we have to pull in deep snow up FS roads got rid of it.

Then got Pace 17' double enclosed and Titan pulled it great BUT had to use weight distrib hitch and anti sway. Kind of a pain. (BTW off-road is not recommended with load levelers in place, now you're in real trouble out there)

Must have excellent snow tires. I had Toyo Open County AT's. and good braking system (it did all kinds of automatic tranctions system and abs worked outstanding)


Problem: Payload/tongue weight. With people and gear and two sled loading it was damn heavy on the hitch.

Summer: Now pulling a Rhino side by side, and all the rest.

So, just switched to a Cummins. Had 100,000 on Titan. I miss the SUV feel everyday of the Titan and man it hauled butt.

You don't need the diesel. You can buy a 3/4 ton with gas engine for the same, less, or only hundreds$$ more than the "hot" 1/2 tons.

No more worry, no more load distrib. Can pull an enclosed 4 place monster any time you want. All kinds of other trailers and gear. Gas mileage not that different unless all your trips very long. No more payload problems. And roomy inside.

If you decide on diesel, it won't even start to pay for itself until around 110,000 to 120,000. BUT if you buy another gasser in the time you would not buy a D, then you have set up costs etc again.

Take the time to really think it through. Now that I went back it is a pleasure to tow big again.


Good luck on a tough decision.