Is a V6 4runner enough to pull a 20 foot seacraft?

[jtnole02]

I am thinking of buying a 20' potter built and want to make sure that the 5000LBS is enough? The specs on this forum says 1600 LBS for a 20'. After adding 1500LBS motor, gas, ice and gear I will be looking at 3100LBS. Since this would be my first boat, I'm not sure if this is realistic.

Any feedback would be great.

[NoBones]

I see people pulling 27 ft boats down I-95 with
Jeep CJ7's!
Pulling is one thing. Stopping is another.
Personally, 1/2 ton minimun for safely pulling a 20 SF.
Capt. Chuck pulled his 23 SF with a full size Bronco,
but had the death grip on the wheel while under way.

See ya, Ken

[workinpr0gress]

I see people pulling 27 ft boats down I-95 with
Jeep CJ7's!
Pulling is one thing. Stopping is another.

j/k I don't use the wrangler for towing more than a mile or so to my buddy's shop or boat ramp...Between my motor, low range (4-1) and gears (4.88), and having a 5 speed its great for sliding the boat on and off the trailer .....Anyone ever move trailers around on a wrangler/cj with a front hitch....WoW. When I was a kid the marina I worked at had a old beat cj7 with a 401/3speed/gear to gear transfer case , it had a front ball and man talk about packing the boats in tight for the winter.

When I use the Cherokee its very interesting being it's a single axle trailer but my no means scary, full on fuel towing a heavy goofy overdone trailer I can get up to 65 and hold it through a moderate grade, over 70 It falls on it's face and burns fuel like a space shuttle...

With tandem and brakes in good working order on the trailer and vehicle you should be fine with the 4runner. IMO t-tops and tongue weight are huge factors on lighter duty tow rigs, and again brakes

[Grisk]

3/17-3/21 pulled a '76 20' SF from south FL to upstate NY with a '98 4Runner 2.7 I4 5spd. Too soon old, too late smart. I wouldn't recommend it. Short hops to the ramp OK. Interstate? Nope. My .02.

Tim

[McGillicuddy]

You'll be fine if the Toy is a five speed and your trailer is a single axle or aluminum. But if its an automatic and a steel tandem trailer, you'll be beating up your transmission. I use a T100 to pull my 20' Seafari and I feel it more than I care to. Keep in mind if your hitch is rated for 5K lbs, you should limit yourself to 4K lbs. Don't forget to add the trailer weight if its not already in the 1500 lbs figure...

No Bones' point about stopping is the biggest concern.

Great first boat choice! go get it and worry about pulling it later

[SeaPlusPlus]

I pull my 74' 20 with my 01' Tacoma Prerunner 2.7L I4 (3500lb tow rating) and I have no trouble around town. Not a very "hilly" city, and I don't break any land speed records but gets up and down the ramp with no issues. Overdrive off and take it easy and haven't had a problem.

[nestorpr]

I pulled my 20' Seafari with a 2004 V6 Tacoma Pre-Runner and it performed beautifully, good acceleration, good stopping (no brakes on trailer) and OK economy. I always towed in TOW and had a heavy hitch (class 3 or 4, can't remember) from U-Haul.

[Fr. Frank]

I used to pull my Seafari with a '95 4Runner 3.0 V6, no problem. I pulled it to the Keys and back several times, a round trip of 994 miles each time.

However, I agree that pulling it isn't the problem, stopping it is. Make sure you've got working brakes on your trailer whenever the tow is more than 50% of the tractoring vehicle's weight.

[RS]

I tow my 20ma with a 2002 Xterra V6. I generally tow for about an hour each way and have taken the rig 800+ miles to fish in NC.

I have no problems with it.

[Seacraft84]

Yes it would be enough. I would pull my 23' with a '99 Tacoma Prerunner 2wd. Would pull it up the ramp and down the road. Now i would never have to get on any major highway, only maybe 35mph, but it did fine as long as you paid attention to other drivers.I have about 200,000 miles on it now and tranny still shifts smooth. But later on bought a Tahoe to do the towing.