6th gen vs 5th gen 4Runner decision

[6gencurious]

5th gen transmission will get hotter that then 6th gen. we towed our 4000lb teardrop last year with a 2023 5th gen through the mountains it was getting up to 255 degrees did the same trip this year in the 6th gen it never got hot like that.

I just finished a 4,500 mile trip towing my 2,500 pound teardrop from New York to Colorado with a 2022 SR5. How did the towing between the two generations compare? I feel like the five speed transmission was really working hard in the mountains and a few extra speeds may have helped.

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[JoeYota4Runner]

Can you put an aftermarket tranny cooler?

Isn't a transmission cooler already installed with tow package models ?

 

[jimmyzshack]

I just finished a 4,500 mile trip towing my 2,500 pound teardrop from New York to Colorado with a 2022 SR5. How did the towing between the two generations compare? I feel like the five speed transmission was really working hard in the mountains and a few extra speeds may have helped.

it's night and day difference, the 5th gen needed more gears they where so spread apart.

 

[TrdProGirl84]

I’ll be honest. I’ve never had the 5th gen. But I almost went for one a year or two ago, but decided to wait and see if the body style will change again. It did so I jumped on it

 

[jblack]

If you're getting a 6th Gen and are taking it off-road, just know that the transmission overheats on slow uphill climbs and you'll have to keep it in 4L or manually shift it.

Slow offroading should always be done in 4L
The transmission has 8 speeds for goodness sake
Because of the low down torque of the engine some people are just keeping it in 4H because they dont have to stop and put it in neutral and shift to 4L
The torque fools them into thinking its OK to do
Its not folks
4Hi is for roads
Slow off road stuff needs 4Lo

 

[Gunnison]

Slow offroading should always be done in 4L
The transmission has 8 speeds for goodness sake
Because of the low down torque of the engine some people are just keeping it in 4H because they dont have to stop and put it in neutral and shift to 4L
The torque fools them into thinking its OK to do
Its not folks
4Hi is for roads
Slow off road stuff needs 4Lo

Thanks! Did you just say 4Hi is for roads? I hope you mean dirt roads, of which I am talking about.

 

[jblack]

Thanks! Did you just say 4Hi is for roads? I hope you mean dirt roads, of which I am talking about.

Yes dirt,gravel,snow covered anything where one would be going at a normal road speed but needs extra traction
Anything truly offroad that has to be driven at slow speeds
Difficult terrain,slow tracks , mud
Steep climbs and descents
4lo

 

[Gunnison]

Yes dirt,gravel,snow covered anything where one would be going at a normal road speed but needs extra traction
Anything truly offroad that has to be driven at slow speeds
Difficult terrain,slow tracks , mud
Steep climbs and descents
4lo

Yes these are the dirt roads I am referring to with this issue. Roads that I can get up fine in my Honda Accord but my 4Runner overheats.

 

[John2112]

Yes these are the dirt roads I am referring to with this issue. Roads that I can get up fine in my Honda Accord but my 4Runner overheats.

If your 4Runner is overheating you might want to get the cooling system checked, did some desert running in mine at well over 100° and mine didn't.

 

[jblack]

Yes these are the dirt roads I am referring to with this issue. Roads that I can get up fine in my Honda Accord but my 4Runner overheats.

So you take your Honda accord on slow uphill off road climbs?
You have to specific about what sort of climbs you are talking about
Steeper than found on public roads?
If so a climb in dirt that steep cant be done with a Honda accord it doesn't have the gearing or the traction

 

[Gunnison]

So you take your Honda accord on slow uphill off road climbs?
You have to specific about what sort of climbs you are talking about
Steeper than found on public roads?
If so a climb in dirt that steep cant be done with a Honda accord it doesn't have the gearing or the traction

I have! It got me over the Smoky Mountains once the back way off road to Cataloochee. Great little car. And yes not steeper than a public road or anything a non-4WD can get up. The traction isn’t so much the issue as small road obstacles like rocks and things and also narrow blind corners you have to slow down for and simply can’t zoom up. This isn’t super technical stuff. I have been testing this here in California with both cars.

Yes I can switch back and forth to 4L every time I need to slow down or just keep it in 4L and go slower but I shouldn’t have to is all I’m saying. This also happens on paved roads as mentioned which the dealer advised me again to switch it into tow mode which also didn’t work; I had to switch it to S to keep the gears down, which I also shouldn’t have to do.

 

[Gunnison]

If your 4Runner is overheating you might want to get the cooling system checked, did some desert running in mine at well over 100° and mine didn't.

They checked everything and the transmission cooling system is fine. It’s most likely a software issue.

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