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Old 10-26-2014, 03:51 PM   #1
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1964 22' Safari
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Toyota FJ Cruiser

Nervous, do I seem Nervous? My Daughter wants to use our 64 Safari, almost 4000 lbs. They have a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser witch is rated at 5000 lb towing capacity. However the FJ has a very short wheel base 105.9, I thought I would ask you all about your experience real time towing with these vehicles. Does any one have any experience towing a Airstream with a Toyota FJ? I would appreciate your input. Thanks.

-Dennis
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Old 10-26-2014, 03:55 PM   #2
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A question I am interested in seeing the responses. That vehicle appears to be the state vehicle for New Mexico and it appears, Utah.
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Old 10-26-2014, 06:13 PM   #3
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Well I would not let her. I had a 2007 FJ and it is / was a great truck. But towing was not one of its better points. I order a boat a very small boat out of state. About 900 miles away. I had to go pick it up. That was a very long trip. I mean it did the job but I wouldn't try it again. I just don't feel the FJ was designed to tow much of anything. Not an airstream for sure. Not mine anyway.


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Old 10-26-2014, 06:53 PM   #4
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Before you even consider it, find out what wiring package it has on-board. The FJ factory 7-way hook-up only has a basic 4-way harness. It is a problem with all the smaller Toyota's; I currently have a Tacoma with the 7-way 'full' towing package but in reality it only has the 4+1 way wiring (no brakes or auxiliary). Whilst adding a brake controller enables the electric brakes that is a non-stock item. At least the Tacoma has the wiring in place for the brakes, the FJ harness doesn't even support it....look under the back bumper and you will see the 4 in-a-line connector, so unless it has something aftermarket then it won't provide power or brakes to the trailer.
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Old 10-26-2014, 07:33 PM   #5
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I sometimes tow my 17' Casita with my FJ, but I would not tow a 22' Airstream with it, and I added a transmission cooler, wiring for the trailer and a Prodigy P2. It's barely adequate for the 17' Casita at about 3,000 pounds.
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:06 PM   #6
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I wonder what she thinks she knows about towing that RV dealers, vehicle manufacturers, and the rest of us don't know.
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Old 10-27-2014, 08:54 AM   #7
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Thanks to all of you. I may have to let them use the our GMC Yukon also, for safety sake.
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Old 10-27-2014, 09:32 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by batman View Post
Thanks to all of you. I may have to let them use the our GMC Yukon also, for safety sake.
I would.
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Old 10-27-2014, 11:49 AM   #9
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Toyota tacoma

Quote:
Originally Posted by batman View Post
Nervous, do I seem Nervous? My Daughter wants to use our 64 Safari, almost 4000 lbs. They have a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser witch is rated at 5000 lb towing capacity. However the FJ has a very short wheel base 105.9, I thought I would ask you all about your experience real time towing with these vehicles. Does any one have any experience towing a Airstream with a Toyota FJ? I would appreciate your input. Thanks.

-Dennis
I have been towing my 2014 Flying Cloud tw with my 2007 truck fitted with the full factory towing package. So far 4000 miles including Bule Ridge and Adatondics. I tow with a automatic trans in fourth gear have pulled at 65 MPH but normal 55 mpg average 13.75 MPG. My truck is a 2007 with 89,000 mile on it, four wheel drive foud door long wheel base.
the truck is set up for towing 8500 pound trailer weights 5300 pounds we keep the load light,

Would like to hear from others who tow with a tocoma.
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Old 10-27-2014, 12:24 PM   #10
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Don't get me wrong Engineshow....I tow with mine. I have a '09 off-road TRD and have towed my hauler (12ft Haulmark toy hauler) with one or two motorbikes (each weighting 700lb) on-board approx 3/4 of it's (admittedly low) 40K mileage. It was bought new, specially for towing and with a 'full' tow package (including trans cooler and traction control).

It was the hauler dealer, when investigating why the hauler electric brakes weren't working that found 'zip' coming out of the Tacoma, 'blue' brake line. I went back to the Toyota dealer and complained, I was told (by the service manager) 'Toyota don't recommend towing anything that needs additional brakes with a Tacoma'.

They would not even fit a brake controller for me, though it just plugs into existing wiring. I had already towed the hauler from Boston to St Louis and back with 'no brakes' before I found out.

Maybe the older models are different, but I went to trade mine in in 2012 for another new one - but found the new Tacoma are still the same, so decided to keep mine.
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Old 11-27-2014, 01:52 AM   #11
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I dunno. We have towed our AS with 2 different but almost identical 2008 long bed crew cab Tacoma trucks with both a Husky WD hitch with no anti-sway and a ProPride with 1000 pound bars. It seems to have enough power, and adding a brake controller was a simple plug it in with a Tacoma specific harness adapter made by the brake controller (tekonsa P2) manufacturer. Both trucks came with a generic electric brake controller harness adapter. Our dealer had no issues, in fact, one of his techs also tows with a Tacoma, so he's the go to guy that does our pre-trip maintenance and checkup. No argument from them.

I'm not aware of any Toyota factory admonition a against towing with electric brakes on the AS. If it was an issue, why the built in harness connections to the 7 way and the supplied harness?

We've got thousands of miles on our AS behind our Tacoma trucks. Don't understand the issue...


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Old 11-27-2014, 01:54 AM   #12
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Oh yeah, and our 2012 Taco is the exact same way setup as the 2008's. Same adapter, same controller snaps right in. Weird...


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2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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Old 11-27-2014, 02:52 AM   #13
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I have had no issues either towing with mine since the after market controller was fitted. The fact that the wiring already includes the connection for the controller goes against what the local dealer claimed.

I guess the point I was trying to make is 'factory towing package' does not mean 'ready to tow'. In the case of the Tacoma it is a $100 controller that is missing, in the case of the FJ it is much more.
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Old 11-27-2014, 08:37 AM   #14
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In my mind, needing to add the brake controller is nominal. Our brake controller is on its third truck...

I do have the Taco serviced before and after our typical long trips by a tech that understands the issues of towing a fairly large AS with a smallish truck. It's less to worry about on the trip.


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'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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Old 11-27-2014, 09:20 AM   #15
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It just doesn't make sense to me.....would they sell a truck as having a stereo when all it has is the wiring and connector so you can install your own?

I can understand if you are adding something aftermarket, but if they sell a truck advertised as having 7way factory tow package, fit up-rated alternator, additional cooling and a trans cooler, why not install the controller (incorporated in the dash, so you don't have something that looks like a after thought, bolted to the lower dash)? I can't understand why that isn't complete, and certainly why in my case the recommended not installing a controller.

My experience with the FJ is worse. I was looking at one fitted with a factory 7way factory tow package, but all it had was blinkers and lights, and a 7way hook-up was plugged into a 4way wiring loom. In the case of the FJ I was fortunate, I found it on a test drive - the dealer did look a little phased when I showed up to the test drive with my hauler (because of the previous situation I had with the Tacoma), and before I took the FJ off the lot I drove over the the hauler and tried the hook-up - we never left the lot. I left it that he would find out what was needed to get the 7way operational - he never called back.
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Old 11-27-2014, 09:31 AM   #16
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My suspicion is that a factory installed brake controller would not necessarily be what I would want. I use a Tekonsa P2 because I know it works. No clue as to built- in controllers in other vehicles or brands. I prefer to choose the brake controller that I like. In my view, being able to pick the controller, which cost about $140 new, is reasonable against the cost of the truck.

There are other threads I have seen that talk of assorted issues with built-in controllers with different brake setups. Electric over hydraulic comes to mind. I doubt the manufacturer of the TV is going to be able to pick the best solution in all combinations of TV and trailer...


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Old 11-27-2014, 08:17 PM   #17
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We tow our 22' sport with our 2010 FJ with no problems. We did, however, do quite a few mods to pull it safely. Stronger rear springs, brake controller, sway bar, and the wiring harness. Plus, I already had the factory tow package.
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Old 12-29-2014, 11:15 AM   #18
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Tallen5, what is the weight on your 22' sport?

I would like to hear more from people who are pulling with FJs. What is your experience? The vehicle is rated for 5000lb. I can't see why you can't pull up to that weight with the proper equipment: WDH, sway bar (even a cheap friction one) and a good brake controller. However... before I go out and buy one, I'd like to hear more from people who are actually doing it, rather than speculators or naysayers that haven't even done it!
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Old 12-31-2014, 09:29 AM   #19
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Fully loaded to the max, after fueling, and with our family of 4 in the car, we weighed in on the CAT scales at 5,860lbs for the FJ plus 3,460lbs for the trailer. The tongue weight of the trailer would've been indicated on the weight of the FJ. A few notes: Our FJ is much heavier than the average because it is equipped for off roading. It has aluminum skid plates and bumper, a large winch, air compressor, roof rack, and 10 ply tires. The normal FJ would probably weigh 400-500lbs less. To tow, we did the following mods: 895E coil springs (you'll have some sagging without them), Tekonsha brake controller, 10 ply tires, sway bar, and wiring harness. We do not use or have ever felt the need for a weight distributing hitch. I grew up pulling trailers, cars, boats, etc... and pulling the airstream with the FJ is no big deal with these mods. It has handled well in everything from turnpike travel to Colorado mountain roads. The guys on the FJ forum are great and there are several of us with Airstreams, if you've got questions. One thing I don't have, but that some guys added for towing is an OBDII to monitor transmission temperature. My FJ is a trail team edition with tow package, which comes with a transmission cooler, so I haven't felt the need for the OBDII. I've included a photo of my FJ and Airstream, pre-tire replacement. Feel free to ask or PM me with any questions. Happy to help a fellow FJ/Airstreamer!
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