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Found out today that the 4Runner needs bigger brakes

Discussion in '5th Gen 4Runners (2010-2024)' started by red 1, May 7, 2019.

  1. May 7, 2019 at 4:13 PM
    #1
    red 1

    red 1 [OP] New Member

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    had a ~5x12’ landscaping trailer loaded with wood to split. Went to turn off the road that I grabbed the down trees from and the weight of the trailer pushed me right past my turn. Boy that never happened in the F150.
     
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  2. May 7, 2019 at 4:48 PM
    #2
    4scooter19

    4scooter19 New Member

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    Sounds like a heavy little trailer!
     
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  3. May 7, 2019 at 5:18 PM
    #3
    4buggy

    4buggy Relapsing mod addict

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    The 4th gen sport used to come with bigger front brakes. Not sure how much of a difference it really made.
    Pretty pricey but stoptech does some group buys occasionally. I’ve heard great things about them.
     
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  4. May 7, 2019 at 7:02 PM
    #4
    2016Pro

    2016Pro Why all of the Pro hate?

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    Towing is definitely not the 4runners strong suit
     
  5. May 7, 2019 at 10:22 PM
    #5
    MattAK

    MattAK Headin' for the hills

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    I put 5th gen front brakes on my 4th gen sport and they were pretty much the same size. The 5th gen calipers might have been a shade larger, it was hard to tell.
     
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  6. May 7, 2019 at 11:00 PM
    #6
    4X4Runner

    4X4Runner The Anti Pro, Pro! Staff Member

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    Wait...a 5’x12’ trailer of wood ready to be split. A cord is 4’x4’x8’ and if I’m not mistaken is close to two tons in weight (4,000lbs). Now, according to my math. A 5’x12’ trailer means you had an extra 80 cubic feet of wood on that trailer on top of a cord of wood and change. 5x4x8=160 cubic feet. 5x4x4=80 cubic feet. A cord of wood is 128 cubic feet and weighs roughly two tons. So, 160+80=240 cubic feet. 4000lbs/128 cubic feet=31.25. 31.25x240=7500. No wonder your shit didn’t stop. You exceeded the capacity of your 4R by 1 1/4 tons!!!!
     
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  7. May 8, 2019 at 4:06 AM
    #7
    4scooter19

    4scooter19 New Member

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    I was going to say it sounds like the trailer was overloaded and someone was prolly driving too fast. I guess we don't know how much wood was actually on it but it would have to be heavy to push the vehicle. I've pulled a lot of trailers CDL and non CDL the trick is to drive like you're pulling a trailer hahaha and have a good idea of how heavy you are. It can get unsafe pretty quickly
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2019
    4Runner fun and red 1[OP] like this.
  8. May 8, 2019 at 4:07 AM
    #8
    DGP1961

    DGP1961 New Member

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    Jeez great math on the weight not that I followed it - ha..:confused:
    My '18 practically sends me through the windshield if I hit the brakes to hard. Of course that's not towing anything.
     
  9. May 8, 2019 at 4:34 AM
    #9
    red 1

    red 1 [OP] New Member

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    Close, but not really. The trailer was loaded with trunk sections that were about 22 to 28 inches in dia by about 15 inches tall. So it was loaded with just less than a cord. One level across the bottom of the trailer.
    The tree trunks were so large no one grabbed them to cut, split, and burn. The trees were down perpendicular to the road on a steep bank. The road was also on a hill. So what I did was cut the sections off of the trunk gave them a shove; let them roll down the bank; steered them once I caught up to them and let them roll right up on to the trailer. More or less, it was slick. The sections are too big for me to lift. But they rolled ok. Splitting them by hand, with an axe. You should hear that oak pop!
     
  10. May 8, 2019 at 4:39 AM
    #10
    red 1

    red 1 [OP] New Member

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    Yea, I was on the phone and the road came up on me. I was only about 5 mph over the limit. Found out real fast how much weight was in the trailer. New 4Runner, had the trailer loaded a few times and never felt it stopping. Glad it was a back road with little traffic instead of a light with a line of cars...Real eye opener.
     
  11. May 8, 2019 at 6:27 AM
    #11
    2016Pro

    2016Pro Why all of the Pro hate?

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    Op Do you know what the tow rating is for a 4runner?
     
  12. May 8, 2019 at 9:00 AM
    #12
    red 1

    red 1 [OP] New Member

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    5000 lb
     
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  13. May 8, 2019 at 10:25 AM
    #13
    wedemmoez

    wedemmoez New Member

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    not to mention the weight of the trailer, 5x12 wood deck is ~1000lbs. He was close to double the rated towing capacity.
     
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  14. May 8, 2019 at 10:28 AM
    #14
    mynameistory

    mynameistory New Member

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    Did you lock up the brakes? If they locked up, you don't need bigger ones :D
     
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  15. May 8, 2019 at 12:58 PM
    #15
    freealfin

    freealfin New Member

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    Well....the 4Runner is not a truck and if you tow anything close to 5,000 lbs you should have trailer brakes. I tow a two axle travel trailer all the time (about 4800 lbs. loaded) and have a proportional Tekonsha controller and never had any problems.
     
  16. May 8, 2019 at 2:06 PM
    #16
    4scooter19

    4scooter19 New Member

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    Tekonshas are awesome. I have one in my Ford
     
  17. May 8, 2019 at 2:29 PM
    #17
    red 1

    red 1 [OP] New Member

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    Love the fact everyone can do math. Nuck, Nuck, Nuck. The rounds were about 24” in dai and about 17inches tall had 12 of them on the trailer. A lot less than a cord if you figure 5x12x1.5=90, 90x.30(for the space between the rounds) =27. 90-27=63 cuft of wood. Much less than a cord. Even with the trailer weight I was still well under the haul weight.
    So I was really surprised the loaded trailer pushed me past my turn. Did not lock up the breaks, or try to stop hard.
    Real glad I was on a back road and not running up on a light somewhere.
     
  18. May 8, 2019 at 3:30 PM
    #18
    PVT Pablo

    PVT Pablo

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    Jesus where the hell were all of you when I was failing math in highschool?!
     
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  19. May 8, 2019 at 5:29 PM
    #19
    4scooter19

    4scooter19 New Member

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    I kinda feel like this is splitting hairs but volume has to do with how much you can fit on the trailer not how much what is on the trailer weighs. For instance a wet cord of white oak weighs approx 5500 lbs and a dry one is 4200 ( some chart I found online). Same volume but 1300lbs difference. Theres no mathematical way without to figure out how much that trailer weighed without more information.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2019
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  20. May 9, 2019 at 5:45 AM
    #20
    WallyT4R

    WallyT4R New Member

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    Don't think the 4 needs better brakes but your trailer definitely needs brakes. I tow a 5x10 utility trailer all the time, it has brakes on it, and have never had an issue no matter how much weight up to capacity I put on the trailer. But I also don't speed and pay attention to the road.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2019
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  21. May 9, 2019 at 5:48 AM
    #21
    Benny123

    Benny123 Toyota enthusiast

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    Love this discussion. Some good minds here at 4runners. Well beyond my knowledge base. :popcorn:
     
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  22. May 9, 2019 at 6:01 AM
    #22
    Toffees

    Toffees Stuff and things

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    You beat me to it, but I was going to simply say the brakes on the T4R are pretty darn big.

    But hot brakes don't work too good, so watch the overheating...
     
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  23. May 9, 2019 at 7:08 AM
    #23
    rkwfxd

    rkwfxd New Member

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    Found the problem. Weight of wood and towing capacity had nothing to do with it in my un-requested, un-needed and probably un-wanted opinion.
     

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