You cannot upgrade your towing/payload beyond what is stated on the sticker. That’s a legal mandate and if you’re pulled over and checked you will be cited.

Engine displacement doesn’t have a lot to do with towing. Coolers, braking, frame, and electrical control systems all play a factor as do your suspension (axel, shocks, springs and any control arms/trailing arms) and steering systems.

The 4Runner is an old platform, but it’s important to remember that Toyota probably didn’t want to equip it and rate it beyond the current payload due to people being able to step up to a Tacoma which is largely the same but made for towing and hauling more than a 4Runner. Even though the Tacoma also isn’t the best at towing and payload.

For a lot of the OGs on Reddit it got worse after the whole AMA Victoria thing. That was really when Reddit went downhill. Before that Reddit was amazing with AMAs that kept you refreshing constantly to be live in the chat, and posts that were funny and discussion that felt a bit more meaningful.