I know this isn't the biggest SUV out there, but my dad is contemplating towing the boat on it this summer. What's the max rating on the 4Runner (It has a 245hp V6)?. Anyone else on the board tow with this vehicle?

I believe they are rated to 5000lbs. What size boat is he looking to tow?

22' with a smallblock v8. I think it tips the scales at 3500 dry

My father has the Lexis GX 470, WITH THE V-8, the same truck as the 4Runner(He was going to buy the 4-Runner but my Mother wanted the Lexis). We tow a 34' Phatom with twin 502's on a triple axle aluminum trailer with disc brakes on the trailer axles, and a new 8,000 lb Tie-Down brake actuator. Tows great. Stops great. More than enough power, doesn't search for gears - it is a great two vehicle. THE 4RUNNER V-6 IS RATED FOR 5000LB. That 6 cylinder will handle that, get good brakes on the trailer.

THE V-8 4RUNNER IS RATED FOR 7,000 LB.

Check the GWVR...I'll bet it doesn't pull didly when that is factored in. Your insurance won't cover you if you exceed that. Pulling capacity and GWVR don't mean the same thing.

Smarty...Acutally I just checked the Toyota site...the V8 Four Runner has a GWVR of 6000 lbs (4WD) and a weight of 4500, that leaves 1500 lbs for additional capacity. Your Phantom is probably 10,000 with trailer which means that you probably have 1000 lbs tongue weight minimum which leave 500 lbs for people, gas, accessories, tools, blah blah blah. In other words your screwed from an insurance coverage perspective. I wouldn't want to be in that vehicle towing that boat and have to make any sort of crisis maneuver. I tow a 33' PowerPlay with a F350 Diesel and trust me, I know it's there. Don't forget the hitch and ball rating, for that Phantom it better be a class V or there's another excuse for the insurance company to screw you again. Don't mean to rain on your parade but this is the deal when towing correctly. Any questions and contact Sydwaz, he's has a ton of towing knowledge.

As far as the V6 4Runner goes:
5400 GWVR and a weight of 4255, approx 1300 lbs of additional capacity. Do the math for the rest...

That Lexis is the real deal. We have had the full size Ford and Chevy SUVs (V-8's), and a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited(V-8) in the past as tow vehicles for the 27' Magnum Sport. We towed the Phantom home (NJ) from Florida. We towed it from FL to NJ up Rte 95 with a Dodge Ram pick-up with a Hemi engine (wrong gear ratio for trailering - it was searching for gears @ 65mph when pulling a hills on Rte. 95, in the Dodge on the way home). That Lexis would chew-up and spit out all those tow vehicles in stopping and towing at speed (usually a 50 mph speed zones to get to ramps we frequent here in NJ)- get this, I am not a foreign car guy when it comes to tow vehicles, I like domestic trucks/SUVs, but this Lexis SUV has made a believer out of me. (the trailer for the Phantom trailer has been worked extensively by my father, new brakes, bunks, moving the axles forward, ect. and the trailer was bought in 2005)

The Phantom tows much easier than are old 27' Magnum Sport he used to own. The Tie-Down disc brakes on the trailer, and Tie-Down Brake actuator on the trailer were just installed by my father in the past month, (used to have drum brakes on the trailer and a Dico brake actuator), that helped greatly.

As far as insurance goes, I have not read his policy. That Phantom (vacuum bagged) and aluminum trailer weigh less than 6,500 lbs. combined. Boat is about 5,000+/- lbs, trailer is 1,200+/- lbs. The truck has a ride leveling system for tongue weight, which automatically levels the truck with air(nice feature). And if the insurance company really wants to disclaim, I am an attorney.

Thanks for the input though, it is definitely something to keep in mind (insurance policy limitations). But with the Lexis, no problem , great tow vehicle for this application.

Your F-350, now that's a REAL tow vehicle!

When it's not broken down Can't wait for the Toyota 1 ton

I have a '94 4runner w/5speed I use it as my ramp truck. It tows great for what it is. A 22" velocity was it's max on the highway though. It has the wimpy 3.0.

My girlfriend has a FJ cruiser, same motor, tranny, frame, etc. as the 4runner but with a 3" shorter wheelbase. I towed a buddies 22 ft four winns when he had truck problems and it was not enjoyable. It is too short of a wheelbase and not enough low end torque. It runs it's ass off but with a load it shifts constantly. I say that it will tow it but not great and I wouldn't want to do it regularly.