Towing with Gen 4 auto (rear shocks etc)

[Cedrico]

In Australia.. East Coast.

Hi, I'm moving House and have a few trailer loads to move 400Klm..
My 1MZ Vienta Gen4 has 230KL and runs great,
but sags badly with trailer load,
or even with PLG gas full.

Any recomendation re:
Heavier springs in the rear to prevent sag ??
I am happy to replace the shocks .
I will DIY

It also seems to need a sway bar..
Is this a good thing for Gen4 front or rear ??

Any idea what is max weight I can tow with the car..
hey thanks..

[hodgoes2001]

Originally Posted by Cedrico

In Australia.. East Coast.

Hi, I'm moving House and have a few trailer loads to move 400Klm..
My 1MZ Vienta Gen4 has 230KL and runs great,
but sags badly with trailer load,
or even with PLG gas full.

Any recomendation re:
Heavier springs in the rear to prevent sag ??
I am happy to replace the shocks .
I will DIY

It also seems to need a sway bar..
Is this a good thing for Gen4 front or rear ??

Any idea what is max weight I can tow with the car..
hey thanks..

I found that my camry was the same before i put a set of king spring under it...

they are worth about $200 on ebay for a full set all around...

most front wheel drive cars suffer from this though...

since most of the weight is normally up the front..

[redgtxdi]

I can't say positively that it would affect the V6 exactly the same, but if you install Monroe Quick Struts in the rear you *should* sit higher and not compress nearly as much as with stock.

I've loaded my 5sfe down full of people and a full trunk but it still didn't squat. I'd presume it would do the same for the V6 version too.

(caveat: I'm not a fan of Monroe's quality control so just be aware. The concept is great, Monroe's execution of the concept is hit & miss)

[carsrus]

Taller springs would be an option, or doing the double spring setup. Go to a junkyard and find a smaller spring that will ride on the inside and then the stock camry spring on the outside. Ive seen it done but I cant attest to how long it will last.

There are also spring spacers. Basically they go in between the coils and prevent them from compressing. Very simple to install.

[Safari Wagon]

I believe the max towing weight was the same for the Gen3 and 4 Camrys - 2,000 pounds total tow weight and 200 pounds tongue weight.
You may want to take a look at how you are loading the trailer and if the actual trailer can be re-configured. Load the trailer and put the tongue jack on a scale to get the weight. You should not be exceeding the 200 pounds. The tongue weight should be between 5 and 15% of total tow weight. If it is more, you can load heavier stuff in the back. Moving the trailer axel forward will also reduce the tongue weight - this may be easier (and certainly cheaper) than replacing the car's suspension.
I'd replace all springs / struts and put in some spring spacers in the back.
Take a look at my towing thread for more useful information - Towing with Gen 4 auto (rear shocks etc)