Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Experiences towing with a 4.6 Tundra?

My 2006 Tundra with the 4.6 tows my 4400 lb trailer over Mt Hood without much trouble but not at the speed limit. I don't think your rout will be any steeper.

That's a heavy trailer! Hauling a D4?

One too many 0's methinks.

My 2000 Tundra 4.7l 4x4 tows 5,000 lb without a problem, but haven't tried that in the mountains.

Pulled three similar loads from Phoenix to St. George with my previous 4.7 Tundra. Steep mountain roads. Plenty of power. Just be reasonable downhill as with any heavy load. Good luck!

Isn’t it a 4.7L?

I tow my 20’ boat all the time with mine. I’m in the weight range your trailer is in I believe. It does fine. I’d recommend turning overdrive off when towing in the hills; the tranny will run cooler. On that note I do have the towing package on mine which includes a tranny cooler. Mine is an ’06 and I think they did upgrade the brakes towards the end of the first-Gen run. The brakes are not awesome for towing. I expect your trailer has surge brakes? You’ll want them to be working ok.

But,but, but, I keep hearing how Tundras aren't rated as 3/4 ton but they are
built like one!


3000# ain't crap. Trailer brakes are darn nice but not nessary.
Having them doesn't offset having a brain.
Watch temps if it is hot, an auxiliary tyranny cooler is never a bad idea on a tow
vehicle. Probably not necessary on a Toyota. They never break down.

As previously mentioned, and according to my transmission guy, keep it in tow/haul mode - if you like your transmission.

Once in a while might be ok. A trim carpenter around here wore out one in no time. His Ram diesel is still going years later but ate a transmission or two as well.

If your weight is accurate you'll be fine. I pulled a 5500 boat all over the damn place with one for a few years. Gas mileage and power were lacking but it's a 4.6l. The truck handled it fine.

You can pull 3000 pounds with a minivan without a problem.

Oops!

2010 was the year Toyota replaced the 4.7l, 271hp max towing of 6500 pounds with the 4.6-liter, 310hp, tow up to a healthy 9,000 pounds.

Classic campfire.

OP asks about a 4.6. Now we are on pre-2010 4.6’s (which never existed in a tundra), and 4.7’s (different engine than a 4.6) both 1st and second gen tundras (which are totally different sized vehicles). To further clarify the OPs question can we get some feedback on the T100 please, either size V6 would add more colorful info to the discussion……

Your transmission is going to hate you.
If the truck has the tow package it has the trans cooler—which is a great thing.

Plan on 35mph with your foot down and in 2nd or 3rd gear on the steeper part of the passes.

Good trailer brakes and controller are a necessity. Don’t let the occasional towing flat lander tell you any different. Pull the wheels off the trailer and check the brakes. Keep it in the lower gears on the downhill side.

10k ft altitude means ~10-15% less hp compared to sea level for a normally aspirated engine. Thinner air means lower density and reduces cooling effect significantly. Vehicles that operate just fine in 110 degree Texas weather overheat at 80 degrees at 8k ft in altitude while climbing the pass. Often.

Lol……

How's this for classic Campfire?

Never owned a Toyota.

You'll be fine. Run it.

Agree about the brakes. Mine were FUBAR from salt on my trailer when I bought the boat, and I used it that way for a while, then completely rebuilt the hubs/brakes with stainless Kodiak parts, so I’ve experienced it both ways. Brakes= better.

My first-Gen with the 4.7 has no issue holding 60 mph, granted at lower altitudes, with steep sections of the Coast Range; did it just the other day because we finally got a calm patch in the ocean and it was time to slay some lings. If the OP is talking about a first Gen truck, which I had ass-u-med because most of the later ones have the 5.7L around here at least, brakes are the main weak point for towing. And yes, use the “OD off” button. In overdrive the tranny will be using the torque converter up the wazoo which equals heat. Heat bad. The 4.7L loves to rev anyway. Just drinks gas when it does.

Tundras are beloved in the PNW. A lot of guys tow way heavier than 3k with them routinely. Especially the later models. The 4.7 and 5.7 drivetrains are proven excellent.

Now how the new hot-rod small displacement V6 holds up is still TBD.

OK, one more time:

I've had both the 4.7L and the 4.6L. THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT ENGINES AND HAVE DIFFERENT TRANSMISSIONS. The 4.6/6 speed replaced the 4.7/5speed in 2009 (2010 model year) and was available until I believe the 2019 model year.

Towed with both, both will handle well over 3000lbs, but that much weight will wear out your truck brakes fast if you don't have trailer brakes.

IMO - the newer 4.6L with 6speed transmission is the better tow vehicle. The older 4.7/5 speed did have an overdrive lockout that helped, but it tended to "search" between gears more than I liked. The 6 speed has a Tow/Haul setting that actually changes shift points, holds it in lower gears longer before shifting to improve performance, and improves engine braking.

Does nobody just slow down, run in 4th or 5th and keep the tach at about 2000-2250 for pulling with a gas motor?

Minimal if any shifting then.

Do the manual shift thing and keep the transmission in a gear that gets you to that 2k mark at highway speeds.

Of course I am speaking about a 5 or 6 speed here. No experience myself with the newer 8+ speed transmissions.