Can I tow 4100 pounds?

4100 lbs including trailer is fine as long as you have the towing package AND the trailer has brakes. I’ve towed more than that.

If the trailer has electric brakes instead of automatic surge brakes, you need a trailer brake controller.

A hitch with 7-pin and 4-pin trailer connectors is a pretty good way to tell if you have the towing package or not. You can also put in your VIN into the Toyota website to see its spec which should tell you whether or not your truck has the towing package or not.

 

The U-Haul 6x12 tandem axle trailer has the surge brakes and they work remarkably well.

 

In 47 of the 50 states its illegal to tow a trailer with a GVW over 3000lbs without brakes. Ive towed 4000lbs with the trailer brakes turned all the way down and you could feel it when trying to stop.

 

Sounds like you can tow this but maybe not stop without some kind of trailer brakes. You need to find out if the trailer has surge brakes or electric brakes. If it has surge brakes then you need nothing else but electric brakes require a brake controller that your truck is pre wired for. I'd recommend the Redarc TowPro Liberty.

 

No one's very first towing experience should involving being near, at or above max ratings for the equipment being used. Nor should the very first towing experience involve someone else's property. I would never loan out a trailer or have my shit hauled by someone who doesn't do it for a living.

IMO, many take a very casual approach to towing: Poorly maintained equipment. Overloaded equipment. Poorly tied down loads. Inattentive driving.

Just because you're not dragging your rear end doesn't mean it's safe.


$0.02

 

So I have a funny yet terrifying story about a friend of mine who doesnt tow much, and doesnt understand towing. He got a new boat, it weighs 3500lbs with trailer. I told him his surge brakes needed to be replaced from the actuator to the brake lines to the shoes. He didnt want to do that and said he would just tow it as it is and take it easy (with his subaru) I went over to his house one day to help him move the boat and looked at his subaru... it had a class I hitch... he had planned to tow 3500lbs (max towing of his car) on a class I hitch for 300 miles with his whole family in the car with no trailer brakes.
It took a surprising amount of convincing to get him to not tow the boat.

 

Everyone else on the road is thankful you stopped him from being stupid.
They're always "not going far" or won't drive fast. Or using the cheapest chinesium straps that are in shit condition or too short or not enough of them or in the wrong places.

I've been bumper pulling for 20+ years Maybe 15-20000+ miles. Everything from lightweight single axle utility trailers to a loaded enclosed race trailer. I STILL make mistakes. But I always make frequent stops to check the load.

Maybe towing needs to be a driver's license endorsement. Prove that you understand the basic physics of the task. And demonstrate that you can back the damn thing up reasonable well. lol

 

He has asked me a few times to tow his old boat with my truck, but I have personally witnessed his old boat popping off the ball a few times and slamming into his bumper. He is a nice guy, just not mechanically inclined in any way.

I agree there should be a endorsement for towing. Make it required for anything over 3000 GVW, but also there should be a basic training in drivers ed for towing best practices.

I tow a several small boats ranging from 500lbs with trailer to 2000lbs with trailer, to campers up to 4000lbs. I usually pull over after the first 5 miles to double check all my straps and connections.

 

Not a bad idea at all! Towing can become frightening and overwhelming in the blink of an eye, especially when near the weight limits of the towing vehicle and/or the trailer. One of the reasons why I almost always opt for the U-Haul 6x12 trailer for a long trip versus opting for the smaller/less expensive 5x8 is the fact the larger trailer has surge brakes and a tandem axle arrangement (which IMHO greatly adds to stability).

In my recent 500(ish) mile trip with the 6x12 I encountered all manner of poor road surface conditions, steep downgrades, construction, and winding roads, sometime all at once; I seriously doubt the 5x8, even with a lighter load, would have behaved anywhere near as well.

 

I agree, I've been saying that for years.I'm not one for inviting big brother into one's life, or more goverment/d.o.t. regulations, but there is way more traffic on the roads today. I think an endorsement for towing anything requiring brakes could possibly be a good thing. I'm also for an endorsement for driving on any divided highway with a posted speed limit of 60mph or over for non-commercial motorists. Far, far, far too many unsafe motorists out there anymore that have no clue to the etiquette, laws, and just plain common sense to travelling on major highways. We are all guilty of making mistakes driving from time to time, but some of the stuff I see, oh man. Impatience causes bad decisions, bad decisions causes wrecks. I blame the car companies for making cars too safe, lol. Didn't see near the nuttiness when we were saddled with 4 wheel drum brakes, bias plys, and no seat belt laws.

 

I like the idea of covering towing in driver"s ed. At least cover some basic safety guidelines, would be a nice thing.The whole driver ed thing needs a complete revamp.

 

wait you mean the tractor kept going?!?

 

Let's include "how to be a pedestrian around cars" too. Focus in on how to walk through a Walmart parking lot without aimlessly meandering around blocking the lane.
And you should have to go every 5 years - good record or not.

 

I wouldn't tow anything over 2000 pounds with out trailer brakes. I've personally not towed anything but my pop-up camper that's about 1500 with trailer brakes, my old 1200 pound popup that didn't have brakes and utility trailers loaded with junk and once a 3000 pound load of stone with my old Liberty CRD.
I've towed on 8 -9 hour trips. You got to be very careful and aware of your stopping distance. You can't follow anyone close. There is very little forgiveness if you need to make a fast sudden stop. Loads need secured well. Gravity and inertia are not your friend in an emergency situation.
I would say to the OP if you are not used to towing have your friend tow it to you or if you feel like you can tow it or he can't tow it have him at least help you put the tractor on the trailer and strap it on secure. Probably have him ride with you. Personally I wouldn't take any highways or drive in heavy traffic until you are completely comfortable with how the set up handles.

That time I pulled the load of stone with the Jeep Liberty in the trailer with no brakes was in hindsight stupid but I only went 5 miles and Was very careful, nothing bad happened either. Stopping was a little scarry though.
Not saying do it or don't or that you can't. Just please understand all the risk. Understand how to connect everything and secure the equipment on the trailer properly before you do. Double check everything. Even when I tow the camper I do that. I even do it at every rest stop we stop at.
Another thing is backing up is difficult if you never have with a trailer. I tow so infrequently I still sometimes have trouble and it takes several tries. Maybe try pulling the trailer empty first so you get some practice.
Of course if you seen one of my recent posts, I might not be the best person to give advice. Apparently I'm dangerous going forward not even towing.
Point is we don't want you, your truck, your friends tractor or anyone on the road to get hurt.

 

Nice job securing the trailer in the second photo. Too bad he didn’t think like that when driving.

 

Let’s not forget the skills required to back a boat down a ramp.

https://www.google.com/search?q=boat+ramp+accidents&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

 

I love watching boat ramp videos

 

I’m a fairly capable boat launch guy, but there was one time I was launching the boat right in front of a bar patio full of people (Mississippi Pub) and I have to admit I was a bit nervous. I pulled it off in style. I can’t say the same for another guy that tried the same thing in front of a crowd at the same location with myself on the patio. Pure comedy. I’ve been there.

The Mississippi Pub launch in Inver Grove Heights, MN is straight and flat but exceptionally long.

The hardest launch I’ve down was at union lake in rural southern Minnesota. It was so steep that my tires were skidding when I applied the brakes. It was also curved, very narrow, and lined with trees. Some real joker designed that one. Part of my problem was that my trailer had surge brakes and AFAIK they don’t work in reverse. So I had 2300+ pounds dragging me down the slope

 

Worst I have done is fish lake in Eagan. Its a electric only lake, so I bring my little boat and small trailer. But the ramp is over 190 feet long and single lane.

Yeah surge brakes can be a pain sometimes. There should be a pin or something to keep them from locking in reverse, I think it goes off the reverse light signal in the trailer plug. But half the time it doesnt work right.