tiarenae

First thing you need to consider, those specs are cut in half if you don't use a weight distribution hitch, so effectively without the hitch you have a tongue weight limit of 365 lbs and towing limit of 3500 lbs. Now at the risk of angering many I would emphatically disagree that your current TV is really adequate having owned two Toyota trucks in the past, an 01 Tacoma DC (V6) and an 04 Tundra with the 4.7L V8. Had that last truck for over 10 years. There is no other way to put it than to say it was a gas guzzling gutless wonder regardless of what the specs state. Also the torque values you mention I believe are a bit high, which should be barely over 300. My gut instinct is Toyota is very ambitious in their specs based upon my own experience. Our first camper was Coleman pop up we towed with the Tacoma. It was a wretched miserable experience, but somewhat better with the Tundra. From there we bought our second camper an 06 T@b, still a micro lite but heavier by some margin than the Coleman. Fully loaded perhaps around 2000 lbs. For long trips, again this was a miserable gas guzzling towing experience there is just no other way to describe it. But as long as the trips are an hour or so you can probably put up with it though. Cross country or into the Rocky Mountains no way with an Elite II. If this isn't enough, getting the thing going is one thing, stopping is another entirely. Our Tundra or Tacoma did not have rear disc brakes and to this very day Toyota still doesn't install them on the newest Tacoma or at least the ones I've seen on the road. I suspect your 05 4 Runner doesn't have them either. Keep in mind fully loaded you will be hauling some 6000 to 6500 lbs behind you plus what ever you put in the 4 Runner, i.e. people, gear, ice coolers etc. Relying strictly on the brakes in the Oliver is risking disaster IMHO. We actually get better gas mileage with our F150 with 3.5 EB engine towing the much heavier Oliver Elite II than we did with the T@b Tundra combination and the towing experience itself, even with a camper literally 3 times the weight of the T@b is on an order of magnitude better. Cutting to the chase I am a firm believer that one cannot have enough tow vehicle versus getting by with the least amount of tow vehicle available. Getting down the road is one thing, doing it safely is another issue altogether. Hopefully you find this helpful. I will be adding a WDH if we decide to order the Elite II. We are definitely not in a position to be considering a new TV at the same time as the new trailer. Oliver seems to think we'd be fine...but they also want my business. We do travel light and will not be adding many of the options like solar or even a microwave, TV or radio. I'd be surprised if we topple 6,000# BTW, the cover of Trailer Life shows a new Tacoma towing the Elite II. The review was favorable. Torque ratings are spec on the '05 4Runner Sport Edition V8, don't know know how they come up with that. I also run heavier springs in the rear as well as the air bags. We also don't travel the miles others do, normally staying within 5 hours of home. Thanks for your input.

Before I even consider an Oliver Legacy Elite II.. I wonder whether I will be good for awhile with my current TV? My 2005 4Runner is a 4.7L V8 Sport Edition (only 76K miles) with full time 4WD and 270 horsepower and 330 lb/ft torque. It is a body on frame vehicle but sort of a short wheel base at (110") It has a frame mounted hitch, tranny cooler, brake controller and Firestone airbags in the rear springs. I also have larger A/T load capacity tires than standard. The specs say the 05 Sport Edition model can tow 7000# with a 730# tongue weight. I currently tow a Casita with a 420# tongue weight and about 3300#'s fully loaded. I have no issues towing it now with sway control.. but do not use a weight distribution hitch (which I would consider) Any input would play into our decision to order.

Been there..Done That.. LOL.. did I mention I have OCD?

I'm a current owner of a 17' Casita SD named OCD (Obsessive Casita Disorder) I had the pleasure of seeing two Oliver Elites at a rally in southern Ohio and fell deeply in love. I never thought I would sway from my beloved Casita but we may be considering Oliver since a job change and move south might be in our future. We want to try full timing and would need more room than the Casita provides. I'm here to learn and investigate as much as I have from the other fiberglass forums I belong to.