towing TOYOTA T100 1997 User Guide

127
CAUTION
The total trailer weight (trailer
weight plus its cargo load) must
not exceed the following. Exceed-
ing this weight is dangerous. If
towing a trailer over 907 kg (2000lb.), it is necessary to use a sway
control device with a sufficient ca-
pacity.
Two-wheel drive models
3RZ-FE engine 1814 kg (4000 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine 2359 kg (5200 lb.)
Four wheel drive models 2268 kg (5000 lb.)
The gross combination weight
(sum of your vehicle weight plus
its load and the total trailer
weight) must not exceed the fol- lowing.
Two-wheel drive models
3RZ-FE engine 3629 kg (8000 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine 4173 kg (9200 lb.)
Four-wheel drive models
4309 kg (9500 lb.)!
The gross vehicle weight must not
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) indicated on the
Certification Label. The gross ve-
hicle weight is the sum of weights
of the unloaded vehicle, driver,
passengers, luggage, hitch and
trailer tongue load. It also includes
the weight of any special equip-
ment installed on your vehicle.
The load on either the front or rearaxle resulting from distribution of
the gross vehicle weight on both axles must not exceed the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) listed on the Certification Label.The trailer cargo load should be
distributed so that the t ongue load
is 9 to 11% of the total trailer
weight, not exceeding the exceed-
ing the maximum of the following:
Two-wheel drive models 3RZ-FE engines 181 kg (400 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine 236 kg (520 lb.)
Four wheel drive models
226 kg (500 lb.)

128
However, if towing with a fifth wheel
trailer, the cargo load must be dis-
tributed so that the tongue load is
19 to 21% of the total trailer weight.
Never load the trailer with more
weight in the back than in the front.
About 60% of the trailer load should
be in the front half of the trailer and
the remaining 40% in the rear.
HITCHES Use only a weight carrying hitch de-
signed for the total trailer weight. Toyo-
ta does not recommend using a weight
distribution (load equalizing) hitch.
The hitch must be bolted securely to
the vehicle frame and installed accord-
ing to the hitch manufacturer's instruc-tions.
If using a fifth wheel hitch, the center
of the king pin must be forward of the
axis of the vehicle's rear wheels, and
installed according to the manufactur-
er's instructions.
The hitch ball and king pin should havea light coat of grease.
Toyota recommends that the trailer
hitch, except fifth wheel hitch, be re- moved when not towing to prevent in-jury and/or damage by the hitch in
event of a rear end collision. After re-moving the hitch, the installation area
should be sealed to prevent entry of exhaust fumes and mud.
Do not use an axle-mounting hitch
as it may cause damage to the axle
housing, wheel bearings, wheelsand/ or tires.
NOTICE
BRAKES AND SAFETY CHAINS Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable
federal and state/provincial regula- tions.
A safety chain must always be used
between the towing vehicle and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should cross
under the trailer tongue to prevent thetongue from dropping to the ground in
case it becomes damaged or sepa-
rated. For correct safety chain proce-
dures, follow the hitch or trailer
manufacturer 's recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight exceeds
453 kg (1000 lb.), trailer brakes are required.
Never tap into your vehicle's hy-
draulic system as it would lower its
braking effectiveness.
Never tow a trailer without using a
safety chain securely attached to
both the trailer and the vehicle. If
damage occurs to the coupling
unit or hitch ball, there is danger of
the trailer wandering over into
another lane.!
TIRES Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated.
The trailer tires should be inflated to
the pressure recommended by the
trailer manufacturer in respect to the
total trailer weight.

129
TRAILER LIGHTS
Trailer lights must comply with federal,
state/provincial and local regulations. See your local recreational vehicle
dealer or rental agency for the correcttype of wiring and relays for your trail-
er. Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each time
you hitch up. Direct splicing may dam-
age your vehicle's electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights.
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer with a new vehicle or a ve-
hicle with any new power train compo-
nent (engine, transmission, differen- tial, wheel bearing, etc.) for the first
800 km (500 miles) of driving.
MAINTENANCE If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will re-
quire more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the Own-
er 's Manual Supplement/MaintenanceScheduleº.
Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately
1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving. PRE-T OWING SAFETY CHECK
Check that your vehicle remains level
when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has
an abnormal nose-up or nose-down
condition, and check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspen-
sion or other possible causes.
Make sure the trailer cargo is securely
loaded so that it cannot shift.
Check that your rear view mirrors con-
form to any applicable federal, state/
provincial or local regulation. If not,
install the rear view mirrors required
for towing purpose.
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will
handle differently than when not tow-ing. The three main causes of vehicle
trailer accidents are driver error, ex-
cessive speed and improper trailer
loading. Keep these in mind when tow-
ing: Before starting out, check operation of
the lights and all vehicle-trailer con-
nections. After driving a short dis-
tance, stop and recheck the lights and
connections. Before actually towing a
trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing with a trailer in an area away
from traffic until you learn the feel.
Backing w ith a trailer is difficult and re-
quires practice. Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to
the left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to move
the trailer to the right. (This procedureis generally opposite to that when
backing without a trailer). Also, just
turn the steering wheel a little at a time,
avoiding sharp or prolonged turning. Have someone guide you when back-
ing to reduce the risk of an accident.
Because stopping distance may be in-
creased, vehicle-to-vehicle distance
should be increased when towing a
trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow at least one vehicle and
trailer length between you and the ve-
hicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing and loss of control This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden accelera-tion. If your vehicle has manual trans-
mission, prevent excessive clutch slip-
page by keeping engine rpm low and
not racing the engine. Always start out
in first gear.

131
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because in-
stability (swaying) of a towing ve-
hicle trailer combination usuallyincreases as the speed increases,
exceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) may cause loss of control.
Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long down-
hill grades. Do not make sudden downshifts
Avoid holding the pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could
cause the brakes to overheat and
result in reduced braking efficien-
cy.
! CAUTION Getting
more kilometers/mileage from a li-
ter/gallon of fuel is easy-just take it easy.
It will help make your vehicle last longer,
too. Here are some specific tips on how to
save money on both fuel and repairs: Keep your tires inflated at the cor- rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See Chapter
7-2 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing greater fuel consumption.
Avoid lengthy warm-up idling.
Once the engine is running smoothly,
begin drivingÐbut gently. Remember,
however, that on cold winter days this
may take a little longer.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic, it
is better to turn off the engine and start
again later.
Avoid engine lug or overrevving.
Use a gear position suitable for the
road on which you are travelling.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop-and-go driving
wastes fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping andbraking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or take
advantage of through streets to avoid
traffic lights. Keep a proper distance
from other vehicles to avoid sudden braking. This will also reduce wear on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes needless
wear, overheating and poor fuel econ-
omy.
Maintain a moderate speed on highways. The faster you drive, the
greater the fuel consumption. By re-
ducing your speed, you will cut down
on fuel consumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on the
engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too

134If the engine will not start, your engine
may be flooded because of repeated cranking.
Turn the key to STARTº with the acceler-
ator pedal held down. Keep the key and accelerator pedal so for 15 seconds and
release
them. Then try starting the engine
with your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If the engine does not start after 15 sec-
onds of cranking, release the key, wait afew minutes and try again.
If the engine still will not start, it needs ad-
justment or repair. Call a Toyota dealer or
qualified repair shop for assistance.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 sec- onds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and wiring systems.
To avoid serious personal injury and
damage to your vehicle which might
result from battery explosion, acid
burns, electrical burns, or damaged
electronic components, these instruc-
tions must be followed precisely.
If you are unsure about how to follow this procedure, we strongly recommend that you seek the help of a competent me-
chanic or towing service.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid
which is poisonous and corrosive.
Wear protective safety glasses
when jump starting, and avoid
spilling acid on your skin, cloth-
ing, or vehicle.
If you should accidentally get acid
on yourself or in your eyes, re- move any contaminated clothing
and flush the affected area with water for at least 15 minutes. Then
get immediate medical attention. If
possible, continue to apply water
with a sponge or cloth while en
route to the medical office. CAUTION
!

The gas normally produced by a battery will explode if a flame or
spark is brought near. Use only
standardized jumper cables and
do not smoke or light a match
while jump starting.
NOTICE
The battery used for boosting must be 12 V. Do not jump start unless
you are sure that the booster batteryis correct.
JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE
1. If the booster battery is installed in another vehicle, make sure the ve-
hicles are not touching. T urn off all un-
necessary lights and accessories.
2. If required, remove all the vent plugs from the booster and discharged bat-
teries. Lay a cloth over the open vents
on the batteries. (This helps reduce
the explosion hazard, personal injuries
and burns.)
(b) Starting a flooded engine (c) Jump starting

146
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice. In consultation with them, have
your vehicle towed using either (a) or (b).
Only when you cannot receive a tow-
ing service from a Toyota dealer or
commercial tow truck service, tow
your vehicle carefully in accordance
with the instructions given in
ÐEmergency towingº in this part. Proper equipment will help ensure that your vehicle is not damaged while being
towed. Commercial operators are gener-
ally aware of the state/provincial and local
laws pertaining to towing.
Your vehicle can be damaged if it is towed
incorrectly. Although most operators know the correct procedure, it is possible
to make a mistake. To avoid damage to your vehicle, make sure the following few
precautions are observed. If necessary,
show this page to the tow truck driver.
TOWING PRECAUTIONS: Use a safety chain system for all towing,
and abide by the state/provincial and local
laws. The wheels and axle on the ground
must be in good condition. If they are
damaged, use a towing dolly.
If your vehicle needs to be towedÐ

147
Two-wheel drive modelsÐ
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck From frontÐ
Manual transmission
We recommend using a towing dolly under the rear wheels. If you do not
use a towing dolly, release the parkingbrake and put the transmission in neutral.
Automatic transmission: Use a towing dolly under the rear wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission from the
rear with the front wheels on theground, as this may cause serious damage to the transmission.
From rearÐ Place the ignition key in the
ACCº position.
NOTICE
When lifting wheels, take care to
ensure adequate ground clear-
ance for towing at the oppositeend of the raised vehicle. Other-wise, the bumper and/or under-
body of the towed vehicle will be damaged during towing.
Do not tow with the key removedor in the LOCKº position, as thesteering lock mechanism is notstrong enough to hold the front
wheels straight while towing.
(b) Using flat bed truck
(c) Towing with sling type truck from front
Follow the instructions for towing from
front in (a) Towing with wheel lift type truckº. Four-wheel drive modelsÐ
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck From frontÐ
Manual transmission:
We recommend using a towing dolly under the rear wheels. If you do not
use a towing dolly, release the parking
brake, put the transmission in neutral
and the transfer in H2º.
Automatic transmission: Use a towing dolly under the rear wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission from the
rear with the front wheels on theground, as this may cause serious damage to the transmission.

148From
rearÐWe recommend using a tow-
ing dolly under the front wheels. If you do
not use a towing dolly, place the ignitionkey in the ACCº position, put the trans-
mission in neutral and the transfer in H2º.
NOTICE
Do not tow with the key removed or in the LOCKº position when
towing from the rear without a towing dolly. The steering lockmechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheels straight.
(b) Using flat bed truck
(c) Towing with sling type truck from front
Follow the instructions for towing from
front in (a) Towing with wheel lift type truckº.
All modelsÐ
(d) Towing with sling type truck from rear
NOTICE
Do not tow with sling type truck. This may cause body damage.
30200R01
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to one of the emergency towing
eyelets under the front of the vehicle.
Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it and operate the brakes.
ÐEmergency towing (type A)

149
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard-surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and brakes must all be in good condition.
CAUTION!
Use extreme caution when towing
vehicles. Avoid sudden starts or
erratic driving maneuvers which
would place excessive stress on the
emergency towing eyelet and
towing cable or chain. The eyelet
and towing cable or chain may break and cause serious injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specific- ally intended for use in towing
vehicles. Securely fasten the cableor chain to the towing eyelet provided.
Before towing, release the parking brake
and put the transmission in neutral
(manual) or Nº (automatic) and the trans-
fer in H2º (four-wheel drive models). The
key must be in ACCº (engine off) or ONº
(engine running).
CAUTION!
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual.
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to the emergency towing hook
under the front of the vehicle. Use ex-
treme caution when towing the ve-hicle.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it and operate the brakes.
ÐEmergency towing (type B)

150Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard-surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and brakes must all be in good condition.
CAUTION!
Use extreme caution when towing
vehicles. Avoid sudden starts or er- ratic driving maneuvers which
would place excessive stress on the
emergency towing hook and towing
cable or chain. The hook and towing
cable or chain may break and cause
serious injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specific- ally intended for use in towing
vehicles. Securely fasten the cableor chain to the towing hook provided.
Before towing, release the parking brake, put the transmission in neutral (manual)
or Nº (automatic) and the transfer in H2º.
The key must be in ACCº (engine off) or ONº (engine running).
CAUTION!
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual.
Before emergency towing, check that the hook or eyelet is not broken or
damaged and that the installation bolts
are not loose.
Fasten the towing cable or chain se-curely to the hook or eyelet.
Do not jerk the hook or eyelet. Apply
steady and even force.
To avoid damaging the hook or eyelet, do not pull from the side or at a vertical
angle. Always pull straight ahead.
ÐEmergency towing hookor eyelet precautions (four-wheel drive models)