Towing Escape 19 with Toyota FJ Cruiser

[Dave Walter]

Ist post here. We are planning on purchasing an Escape in very near future and were thinking of the 19. We currently drive a 2011 FJ Cruiser with 5000 lb towing capacity and were wondering what others may think about the ability of this truck to tow the 19. Any comments would be appreciated.

regards
dave

[escape artist]

Hi: ice-breaker... I just hope you're not planning on using it as an ice-breaker!!! LoL
I'm sure someone on the forum is towing with an FJ. At 5000 lbs. and with the proper hitch you'll be fine. Sounds like a good combo to me. BTW WELCOME!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[fudge_brownie]

The Toyota FJ is about as close a clone of the 4Runner as you can get. The chassis and engine are very similar, transmission is a bit different and of course the body style is different. Larger turning radius on the FJ and the FJ has a wheel base 4 inches shorter (all depending on the model years you are comparing) Maybe because I own one, but I think the 4Runner maybe the most common tow vehicle I read about on this forum, I would be surprised to find someone towing a 19 with a FJ simply because they are not as popular.

That said, I think the FJ will perform nicely. With a GCWR of 9,000 lbs it will be able to handle an Escape 19. However there are a number of things to watch. The FJ is higher off the ground, that will affect handling and the hitch height. I am a believer in towing packages, factory installed is the best but it can be done aftermarket. Some packages include oversize radiator, tranmission cooler, overize alternator, 7 pin plug, hitch and brake controller ready. I do not use a weight distribution hitch on my 4Runner, I have not felt the need for one as yet. They do help in handling and safety.

[JeffZ]

You could opt for the 'high axle lift" option on the Escape that should help a little.

[GaryH]

Hi & welcome! We have an '07, 17'B & tow with an '07 FJ. It's a good combination. There have been times when i have to look back to remind myself that i am still towing! We don't use a weight distribution hitch & haven't felt the need for one, it handles just fine. I wouldn't think that the extra 2' in length would make much difference. Lots of power & towing capacity. One thing though.........don't go to Toyota to get a hitch/wiring installed, you can get a better deal elsewhere.

[float5]

Hi, Dave! Welcome!

As Paul said, the 4Runner is close to your FJ. There are some big differences in the numbers, however, for whatever reasons. While your towing capacity is 5000, I am guessing that you must subtract everything you put in your vehicle from that. In other words, you do not really have a 5000 towing capacity. Vehicles are rated very differently even within the same company. The 4Runner has a GCWR of 11,300. Yours is 9000? Where did that 2,300 lbs. Go? Apparently, any people (maybe above the driver) and cargo and gas have to be subtracted. There is no such subtraction with a 4Runner.

A 19' Escape has a 4000 capacity and a number of other owners have used about all of it or are over the capacity. They might sometimes be just under for towing and over when parked and using it.

My number one rule is to have quite a bit more curb weight than loaded trailer weight. You will be right up there by that. You could possibly try to squeak through on the capacities. It is your choice to do that.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

My number one rule is to have quite a bit more curb weight than loaded trailer weight.

Kinda curious as to why you say this, Cathy. I haven't heard this before, and have pulled lots of trailers that outweighed the truck by many times. Granted, this was with a tractor/trailer combo. My F250 is only 6,409 lbs dry, yet is rated to tow 12,800 lb, and I am near this total weight quite a bit with a construction dumping trailer I have (GVWR is about 20,000 lb). So long as the trailer has adequate braking it is no problem. The 19 with 4 brakes, properly set, will have no problems stopping itself.

You are right on regarding ensuring that the GCWR is not exceeded, too many people only consider the trailer weight alone, then put WAY too much weight in the vehicle. That is weird about the FJ's capacities, that you could pull a trailer weight of 5,000, yet have no room left for any cargo weight at all.

[float5]

Jim, I read that suggestion in different places and I thought it was a smart one. I think U-haul even tells people that they should not use any of their equipment to tow a load that has greater weight than the tow vehicle. That is just common sense, it would seem to me. Of course, we are often referring to your normal passenger cars when discussing fiberglass trailers, and U-Haul may be also. The towing situation is not the same as for some trucks.

When you talk about the towing capacities of some trucks, no doubt you can often tow more than the vehicle weight where the much bigger loads are concerned. One thing though --- apparently many capacities for trucks have it in the fine print that you can only tow those big loads with a weight distributing hitch. Without one, you have a much lower towing capacity.

Similarly, manuals often are not rated to tow. Sometimes though, there is a rating for the manual and one for the automatic with the manual being much lower. Think it has something to do with messing up the gears!

As for you-can-tow-but-no-cargo, that is very common in the ratings. I am not sure that it is seen in the truck ratings the way it is in normal passenger vehicles. Often need to subtract just about everything in the tow vehicle. Some companies have gone to allowing a few hundred pounds in the calculation instead of having to subtract everything beyond the driver.

In 2013, this will all be made much simpler with a standard towing test battery that Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Nissan and Toyota have agreed to implement. We will see. They are subjecting their vehicles to very precise conditions and tests to be able to rate and compare them. The towing capacities will no longer be just anything the company wants to claim.

[Dave Walter]

Wow! Thanks for the fast and helpful responses. I had posted a similar question about towing a trailer with my truck on an FJ Forum, and the response there was that I should not have any particular difficulties. Your responses seem to support that conclusion.

With respect to a trailer hitch, I had a factory hitch and wiring harness installed before I purchased the truck, so there is not going to be any need to install a new hitch. I will be installing a brake controller with the trailer, as the canoe trailer I have been towing to date does not have its own brakes. Will also take a good look at need for a weight distribution hitch at time of purchase.

regards
dave

[gbaglo]

When I got my RAV4, the "factory" hitch was a Class II. They brought a tech in to install an "after market" Class III.
The WDH requires a Class III.

baglo

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

When I got my RAV4, the "factory" hitch was a Class II. They brought a tech in to install an "after market" Class III.
The WDH requires a Class III.

baglo

That is good to know. Will have to check mine.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

When I got my RAV4, the "factory" hitch was a Class II. They brought a tech in to install an "after market" Class III.
The WDH requires a Class III.

baglo

Neglecting tongue weight and towing capacity restrictions, what other differences are there between a Class II and III hitch? Is a hitch with a 2"x2" receiver size always a minimum of Class III?

dave

[Vermilye]

The main difference is the size of the receiver opening - Class 2 - 1 1/4", Class 3 - 2".

More information on the differences at Reese.