Towing with Toyota Tacoma??

[Longhorn]

side wind has rolled over loaded tractor trailers on the highways. does that mean that they are not safe? it has to do with common sense and experience I agree, but to say that it should not ever be done is just not so.

Your right...gonna go charge up the batteries in my camera...

 

[teeroy]

too bad these guys weren't on snowandmud, maybe these wouldn't have happened?

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq_ZVwobRXY[/YT]

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzcHoAPjv8w[/YT]

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uIfmdZoi6M[/YT]

how about a dually duramax pulling a holiday trailer?
[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwOqARlw1EI&feature=related[/YT]

 

[Toyboy]

Time to chime in here! lol

I own a 2004 Toyota Tundra. Not one of the new big ones so it is between the Tacoma and the new Tundra in size. It is rated for a 6500lb trailer but I would not tow anything over 4500lbs. The reason is the truck only weighs 4500lbs. I have towed way over the limit (8000lbs)and right at it and I will never do it again as it pushed me all over the place and if the traction wasn't good I would have been in the ditch for sure. Not to mention when it rains when you are out camping and cant get out of the bush and back on the road.

Also I have the 4.7 L V8 and I am down to 100kmh climbing hills with 4500lbs behind it in 3rd gear.

You are also not as much under your max as you think.

400lbs for the bikes
300lbs you and your man
500lbs tongue weight of 5000lb trailer
= 1200lbs and that is with no gas or gear

If you try to tow a holiday trailer i would stay at less than 3000lbs dry.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[-LadyDirt-]

I am completely aware that there are more factors then just ensuring i am under my manufacturer rated limits, I appreciate the cautions and all that because yes we will be first time trailer owners...but not first time users/towers. We tow my Mom's 27ft beast with their hemi and even I know how dangerous it can be at times...its not an ideal set up, and believe me we are taking EVERY precaution possible to make sure we are getting the best set up for my truck as possible, and still getting a comfortable and suitable trailer for our needs.

So I kinda just want to hear from personal experiences with this truck, and towing a smaller, lighter travel trailer. Aside from the potential dangers of hauling ANY trailer with any vehicle, and all the precautions that anyone pulling a trailer should take, I want to know what things people have to say about this particular vehicle, and the towing experiences they've had with trailers within 1000lbs from the max capacity....if that makes any sense?

 

[Bogger]

I used to tow an 18ft with a nissan pathfinder and was within about 100+/- lbs of my limit...

Stabilizers were 100% necessary.... with them it towed just fine, without was scary.

Mileage sucks, 80km/h up some bigger hills, but it got the job done and was close enough to legal...

 

[-LadyDirt-]

Time to chime in here! lol

I own a 2004 Toyota Tundra. Not one of the new big ones so it is between the Tacoma and the new Tundra in size. It is rated for a 6500lb trailer but I would not tow anything over 4500lbs. The reason is the truck only weighs 4500lbs. I have towed way over the limit (8000lbs)and right at it and I will never do it again as it pushed me all over the place and if the traction wasn't good I would have been in the ditch for sure. Not to mention when it rains when you are out camping and cant get out of the bush and back on the road.

Also I have the 4.7 L V8 and I am down to 100kmh climbing hills with 4500lbs behind it in 3rd gear.

You are also not as much under your max as you think.

400lbs for the bikes
300lbs you and your man
500lbs tongue weight of 5000lb trailer
= 1200lbs and that is with no gas or gear

If you try to tow a holiday trailer i would stay at less than 3000lbs dry.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks Toyboy..this is the kind of feedback i'm looking for..

We will not buy anything over 4000lbs dry (5500 gvwr), this is our absolute max we will go to. We have 3 potential trailers to look at...

2001 Thor Wanderer Lite 23ft - 3580 lbs dry
2007 Roadrunner 18ft - 2600lbs dry
2008 Pioneer Spirit 22ft - 4000lbs dry

Right now.. we are really liking the 2001 Thor..its big, spacious, has the layout we love and a smokin deal...

The Roadrunner is ideal for the weight, but its really cramped..but still a nice little trailer

The Pioneer is my Dad's trailer, its been used once since new, and he's basically willing to GIVE it to us..its not perfect, but it has tons of great options.. a little on the heavier side....

 

[JaySimon]

In that case, why don't you load up for a weekend of camping with your dads trailer, scale it, and find out exactly where you sit as far as legal goes. Given that it is the heaviest unit you are looking at, it would give you a better idea of how much wiggle room you have. Payload for an access cab tacoma is 1300#, that would mean the tounge weight of the trailer would need to be ~300# to allow room for bikes etc.

 

[Toyboy]

It would depend on how much you plan on towing it?

I would go for the two lighter ones if it will be more than once or twice a year.

I would also recomend an extra leaf spring in the back or air bags and would definately want equalizer bars on the hitch.

Gas mileage will suck but thats normal when towing. I get 17-19mpg empty and like 13mpg towing 4-4500lbs.

I regularly tow 3500lbs at 120kmh up hill or down if i add another 1000lbs-1500lbs it makes quite a difference to the power going up hill.

Hope this helped.

TB

 

[doorfx]

Thanks Toyboy..this is the kind of feedback i'm looking for..

We will not buy anything over 4000lbs dry (5500 gvwr), this is our absolute max we will go to. We have 3 potential trailers to look at...

2001 Thor Wanderer Lite 23ft - 3580 lbs dry
2007 Roadrunner 18ft - 2600lbs dry
2008 Pioneer Spirit 22ft - 4000lbs dry

Right now.. we are really liking the 2001 Thor..its big, spacious, has the layout we love and a smokin deal...

The Roadrunner is ideal for the weight, but its really cramped..but still a nice little trailer

The Pioneer is my Dad's trailer, its been used once since new, and he's basically willing to GIVE it to us..its not perfect, but it has tons of great options.. a little on the heavier side....

You got your advice FROM a tacoma driver telling you to stay under 3000lbs and you are still not listening.

 

[Bogger]

watch the axle placement on the thor.... Mine was a thor wanderer (not the light) and was 4300-ish lbs.... overall weight wasn't the issue but tongue weight was, just something to be aware of... was an AWESOME trailer

 

[-LadyDirt-]

You got your advice FROM a tacoma driver telling you to stay under 3000lbs and you are still not listening.

This is a "recommendation". and obviously you are the one who isn't listening becuase he doesn't drive a Tacoma, he had a Tundra 5 years older than my Tacoma..

HIS recommendation is to stay under 3000lbs, ive had recommendations to stay under 4000lbs.. our max that we will even attempt to pull is 4000lbs..

Do you get it?

 

[JaySimon]

You're pretty lucky that one of the units is your dads. Might as well hook it up and go for a cruise, then you will know just how well it handles in a controlled situation. Would make your decision 10X easier for sure.

 

[-LadyDirt-]

In that case, why don't you load up for a weekend of camping with your dads trailer, scale it, and find out exactly where you sit as far as legal goes. Given that it is the heaviest unit you are looking at, it would give you a better idea of how much wiggle room you have. Payload for an access cab tacoma is 1300#, that would mean the tounge weight of the trailer would need to be ~300# to allow room for bikes etc.

We definitely considered this, but are currently keeping our options opened to trailers a bit lighter. Not sure if access cab or quad cab is different but yeah I think I saw somewhere my payload capacity is 1350 lbs? I have the quad cab TRD Sport. So what is "legal" and how is legal limit determined with towing?

It would depend on how much you plan on towing it?

I would go for the two lighter ones if it will be more than once or twice a year.

I would also recomend an extra leaf spring in the back or air bags and would definately want equalizer bars on the hitch.

Gas mileage will suck but thats normal when towing. I get 17-19mpg empty and like 13mpg towing 4-4500lbs.

I regularly tow 3500lbs at 120kmh up hill or down if i add another 1000lbs-1500lbs it makes quite a difference to the power going up hill.

Hope this helped.

TB

It's hard to say, we go camping anywhere between 4-8 times a year easily. This is kinda why we are in need of a trailer..the tent just doesn't cut it anymore especially when your biking in the bush for 3 days...We are definitley try to stay as light as we can..no question about it. That's why we aren't jumping on my Dad's trailer just yet. Equalizer/stabilizer bars are definitely a must for us...this we have already considered. Would have to do some towing first before we decide if we need to make any other extra adjustments like springs/airbags. My truck is a lease, so I have to be careful with that kind of stuff, not gonna lie I wont have this truck forever..Good chance I will be upgrading within a year or two if needed..

watch the axle placement on the thor.... Mine was a thor wanderer (not the light) and was 4300-ish lbs.... overall weight wasn't the issue but tongue weight was, just something to be aware of... was an AWESOME trailer

This one we want to look at is 3580 lbs dry.. and what kind of things are you looking for with axle placement? I know I have to stay within 300-400 lbs with tongue weight. Although i'm not sure what the tongue weight is of this one yet..

 

[Bogger]

your axle placement will help determine your tongue weight.... the further back the axles the more weight on the hitch. Like I said mine wasn't the "light" and was a little too much for my silverado LT... the light may have much better axle placement and be ballanced....

Whichever you choose, good luck with it, we loved our trailer but ended up selling it and going with a camper so we could haul the flat deck...

 

[TylerG]

Thanks Toyboy..this is the kind of feedback i'm looking for..

We will not buy anything over 4000lbs dry (5500 gvwr), this is our absolute max we will go to. We have 3 potential trailers to look at...

2001 Thor Wanderer Lite 23ft - 3580 lbs dry
2007 Roadrunner 18ft - 2600lbs dry
2008 Pioneer Spirit 22ft - 4000lbs dry

Right now.. we are really liking the 2001 Thor..its big, spacious, has the layout we love and a smokin deal...

The Roadrunner is ideal for the weight, but its really cramped..but still a nice little trailer

The Pioneer is my Dad's trailer, its been used once since new, and he's basically willing to GIVE it to us..its not perfect, but it has tons of great options.. a little on the heavier side....

if your dads trailer is such a good bargain, why not look at upgrading from the tacoma to a Tundra?

 

[JaySimon]

We definitely considered this, but are currently keeping our options opened to trailers a bit lighter. Not sure if access cab or quad cab is different but yeah I think I saw somewhere my payload capacity is 1350 lbs? I have the quad cab TRD Sport. So what is "legal" and how is legal limit determined with towing?

Access cab is the one with the small back seat, quad cab is the 4 door model.

GVWR for the double cab is 5450
Curb weight for an auto is 4145 (4065 for a manual)
Payload is listed at 1150# Payload= Passengers,equipment, luggage and cargo
The quad cab configuration ate up a bunch of your legal payload capacity unfortunately.

So you need to add up the total weight that you will be hauling, dogs, bikes, people and the tongue weight of your trailer, this needs to be under 1150 to be legal. I'm sure you could get away with a bit more and it would handle okay, but you would have troubles if you encountered DOT. You will need air bags, that is no question.

In the end, with everything packed/bolted to into your truck, it can't legally weigh more than 5450#.

A lighter trailer may be the best option. Given it is a lease, you might be wanting to think about going easy on the drivetrain... or you may not care, but it may be something else to think about.

Pulled all the specs on the 09 from

 

[-LadyDirt-]

if your dads trailer is such a good bargain, why not look at upgrading from the tacoma to a Tundra?

Upgrading to a bigger truck isn't an option at the moment. Yes, my Dad's trailer is a great deal, but its not the most ideal trailer.. we love the Taco and want to keep it and just hoping to find a suitable trailer that it will tow without too many worries. It's a lease, so I will have the option to turn it in and upgrade in a year or two. But there are lots of reasons why I dont need, or want a bigger V8 truck right now. I'm sure we'll find something, but size/money is a huge factor and its just finding the right trailer for the right deal.

 

[Bogger]

an older Boler trailer would be ideal for you.... and some of them are freaking nice, more room than one would think for a little thing and they are V6 minivan towable, (under 2000lb) so your truck would have no issues...

1973 Boler 1300 - Edmonton Travel Trailers, Campers For Sale - Kijiji Edmonton Canada.

or something newer like this...

2007 Fun Finder X 189FD - Alberta Travel Trailers, Campers For Sale - Kijiji Alberta Canada.

 

[Bogger]

1977 Trillium trailer. Very light, 1300 lbs. - Alberta Travel Trailers, Campers For Sale - Kijiji Alberta Canada.

 

[funtimes]

All great options, buy a little smaller trailer and then upgrade when you upgrade the Truck.