Anyone tow with an FJ or H3

[AirTool]

Does anyone tow a modern Nautique with an FJ Cruiser or Hummer H3?

Currently I have a 99 Navigator and a 99 2 Door Tahoe. They pull my 206 nicely.

I'm looking at buying one of these smaller vehicles and wonder how safe they are to pull such a heavy boat.

Comments welcome.

Airtool

[jos]

RE: Anyone tow with an FJ or H3

Not your answer. But.
Ford Explorer 4.0 not suited, for towing a SAN210 combo of 5000lbs.
2006 Subaru Forester 2.0 non turbo & hand gear, excellent towing those 5000lbs, drove it to Swiss alps twice.
1985 Mercedes G-klass GE280 automatic, excellent towing, the automatic is very solid. No heat.
The Explorer had 3 oil coolers on the tranny, my opinion, just a car for the show.
Also had a 1999 Landrover Defender 90 TD5, thats a clutch and a left foot i think you dont even on a caterpiller, so that was a quick exit. Landrover however did the best on fuel.

[Andrew]

RE: Anyone tow with an FJ or H3

Air Tool, ur name isn't Andrew is it?
i ask because i am a 2dr tahoe owner trying to decide between a FJ and H3!
i would imagine that the FJ and H3 would perform about the same as the 2dr. they each have less torque, but roughly the same amount of horsepower. so, u'll have to get into the gas a little more on hills and takeoff will be slower, but once you get going it will be about the same. the stopping power will be much different though. the 2dr tahoe braking system is dangerously under powered, so u'll see a world of difference between it and the newer suv's. I personally am leaning closer and closer to the H3 alpha. it is quite a bit more $$$ but i have to believe that it would be well worth it. i will gaurantee that the alpha will outperform the navigator and tahoe.

i don't have any personal experience with either vehicle, but i have done a little research, so take that as you may.....

[MNSuperAir]

RE: Anyone tow with an FJ or H3

Not sure if this helps, but the towing capacity on the H3 is only 4500# unless you get the V8 then it is 6000# and the FJ is only 5000#. Not sure the H3 without the V8 would be very fun to drive towing a boat. How far do you plan on towing on average? If your just going a few miles to the ramp then either would be no problem.

[jjackkrash]

I pull our 206 with a 4.7l Sequoia and 6.5k towing capacity. It does great. Our 2000 Isuzu Tropper with a 3.5l engine and 5k towing capacity--not so great. The boat pushes the Trooper around and really loads the engine. I am betting (without personal knowledge) that the FJ with a 4.0L and 5k towing capacity would be somewhere in the middle, towing wise. Test drive it and let us know.

[TRBenj]

I would think the FJ would tow your 206 just fine. The FJ is a derivitive of the 4Runner and Tacoma, and both my V8 4Runner and my buddy's '06 V6 Tacoma tow my '90 (which is only a few lbs lighter than your 206) very nicely.

I have no experience with the H3.

[wakecrashin]

The H3 with the Inline 5 I would say NO. The V8 Yes. As far as being able to see out of the H3 is a different story. Squatted down windows/ seat position makes it a bear to see out of.

For reference... I pull my 07 210 with my 03 Land Rover Discovery with a 4.6L with @250hp and it does fine. I thinkg alot has to do with a.) the tires.. thicker tire wall and smaller wheels(on Fj and H3) make the truck more unstable b.)suspensin and solid frame

NO expert here, just my input

[DWhitt]

I really like the FJ, I test drove one recently. Just driving down the road I could tell that the short wheel base would be a real problem if I had a boat in tow. I personally would never tow a boat with the FJ for that reason alone. I'm looking for a Sequoia now, I just need to sell my MINI first.

[chris196]

I think the comment about wheelbase is very important. When it comes to judging whether something can tow safely, engine size/power is just not near as important as brakes and wheelbase.
I tow a 196 with a 96 tacoma pickup. It has a 3.4L 190HP/225 torque engine.
It handles the boat fine. It certainly works hard on hills, but the boat is under control and I can stop fine (I have drum surge brakes)

Now, I don't tow it a bunch, but when I have to it does the job.
The truck is rated to tow 5000#.

[horkn]

I would think the FJ would tow your 206 just fine. The FJ is a derivitive of the 4Runner and Tacoma, and both my V8 4Runner and my buddy's '06 V6 Tacoma tow my '90 (which is only a few lbs lighter than your 206) very nicely.

I have no experience with the H3.

i agree,

I have an 04 4runner, and the fj has the frame of the 4runner, and the 4.0 v6 of the base 4runner.

Our 4runner is a 4.7l v8, but it has absolutely no issue pulling my nautique. I think its rated at 7k tow capacity.

the 6 is almost as peppy as the 8, only when towing a heavy load will the 6 show a little weakness, but I relly don't think you would have an issue with the fj.

the H3, well, it is based off the colorado, and that thing can barely get out of its own way.

Now if you get the H3 Alpha (the v8 one) it should be fine.

[AirTool]

Wow!!...thanks for all the comments. I hadn't looked at these vehicles in two years. I didn't know there was now a V8 in the H3. It only makes sense to me. I couldn't understand why not when I first looked at them. 5 cylinder....I thought. Is this truck from Audi?

Ditto the wheel base comments. My 206 often wags my 2 dr Tahoe to the point of being a bit scary. Mainly at high speeds...never when braking. The heavy tongue weight helps. My old i/o was lightly loaded on the front and it was even worse. The navigator didn't know either was there....uphill...downhill...speed bumps etc. The only time I notice the boat behind the Navigator is a quick acceleration after a hard brake when the brake cylinder bangs back into shelf position.

Some more thoughts...my barn doors and the lift up gate on the navigator both open with the boat attached. I wonder if the gates open on the H3 and FJ w/o hitting. What a PITA that would be.

AirTool

[wakecrashin]

I have a wide wide swing out door my discovery and it open all the way. The H3 I know you would have anny problems with.

Audi??? the H3 is a GM product

NOw that I think about it, my GMC 2500hd used to pull my PS190 and I do remember it being kind of bouncy in tow. My disco def has a shorter wheel base, but a much stiff suspension, and I think the ride quality would be better in the disco than the GMC.

[NAWTEAK]

from what i know the FJ is based on the Prado (Lexus GX470 in the US), they tow nice. my prado is super solid and easily does a 210 with full crew with a V6.

[AirTool]

Audi??? the H3 is a GM product

Audi had 5 cylinder 20 years ago...everyone wondered why if I recall correctly. Henry Ford said engines should have an even number of cylinders.

My comment was to be funny....What was GM thinking?

AirTool

[bkhallpass]

If I recall correctly, Volvo also had (has?) a five cylinder. BKH