Taco Towing

Hello Everyone, I'm new to the forum. I tried a search function but didn't really see what I was looking for.

I'm the proud new owner of a 2011 4 cylinder 4x4 access Cab SR5 5 speed. I friggin love the thing. It's just an amazing truck.

Has anyone here towed a boat with their 4cylinder? I know it says it's rated to 3500 pounds, but I'm just looking for actual real experience with doing it.

If you did tow a boat what kind of boat is it? I have no delusions of a 20foot center console, but what about 18 foot aluminums? like a lund? Do you find the tacoma pulling say 3000 pounds COMFORTABLY? or is 2000 kinda the area where the truck can really handle pulling okay?

 

Haven't pulled a boat yet, but I pulled a jet ski (~800 lbs.) in my truck loaded with gear, and it pulled like a champ. I feel that it would pull 1.5 to 2k pretty well, beyond that I couldn't tell you.

 

Depends what you mean by comfortably. It will do it safely but you will have to downshift and won't be able to maintain cruising speed going up hills. I've towed 2000lbs and it was fine; I would tow 3000 but wouldn't expect it to go anywhere fast.

 

I have basically the same truck : 2010 prerunner sr5 5 speed
I tow a 16 ft. basstracker with 40hp outboard. Don't know the exact weight, but I feel like its a load back there, especially going up the mountain. Of course the ultragauge shows the mileage going to crap. However made a 350 mile trip to Destin towing a motorcycle (550 lbs) on a small trailer, and got 21.8 mpg.

 

a general saftey rule of thumb is to keep it under 70% of tow capacity. Sure you can max it out but that is never good for it. For 4 bangers they do pretty well. I had an almost 1000 lb flat trailer on my 2.4 and could hardly tell it was there. Im proud of the taco haha.

 

i tow a 2500 lb boat plus gear, a couple miles to the ramp and back on the weekends!

 

bump, im looking to get a boat for next summer and wondering how my 4cyl 4x4 could handle 3,000 or so lbs. i know its not going to win any races, but dont want to destroy it either, clutch is my main concern. being 4x4 i can use 4lo at the launch.

 

I just moved a couple hundred miles and made about 8 trips towing a loaded 8' trailer and the truck loaded to the max. I'd guess a couple of the loads were 3500-4000 lbs and most were well over 2500 lbs. No problem! Just keep in mind that you're going to run a gear lower than normal, keep the rpm's up and the go-to gear is 3rd on very steep inclines. I had no problems whatsoever keeping highway speed.

That little 4 is amazing!

 

I tow my sail boat with it, but the entire load isn't more than 300 lbs. sometimes i forget its back there.

 

I tow my 18' SeaRay ski boat with my 2.7 auto. Weighs around 3000lbs loaded up. Acceleration is snail-like but it pulls at 60 on the freeway and up moderate hills fine, but bogs down on steep grades. Launches & pulls the boat out without spinning and I don't have any kind of diff lock. The 2.7 is adequate, just don't expect to get anywhere in a hurry.

 

I am looking for a pull behing camper to tow behind the 2007, 4 cylinder, manual transmission, 4+4.

I am wondering how much it can weigh and still be safe and fuctional. Normally, a camper is loaded another one third of it's weight with contents (usually 500/600 lbs). Can I pull a 2,000 trailer (plus 500/600 lbs) with this vehicle. What mods (transmission cooler) would be necessary, if any.

I have only owned for a month and I am very pleased with the vehicle. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

 

Anyone on here towing a side-by-side (like a Rhino 660) and trailer with a 2.7L? We are considering getting one and while I know the wife's Jeep Commander can tow it no problem... would like to tow it with my Taco too if needed.

Thx.

 

My grandparents towed an old 15' or so wooden boat with their volkswagen bug and it did fine. I'm sure your tacoma could tow more than you think.

 

Some crazy responses here IMO, I wouldn't tow anything over 1500 lbs max with your truck. Anything more is just pushing it.

 

i wanted to pull a tow dolly with my sc300 attached to that.. the tow dolly isnt more than like 250lb im guessing and my SC is about 3800.. soo like 4500lb max and thats just pulling not alot of weight in the ball.. should i be okay?

 

Sloooow on the start, and a little struggle with steep hill starts but other than that its like a champ.

 

haha nicely said sir!

 

Great stuff guys! Thanks for the responses?

 

What do you guys think about pulling a 2600 pound pop up camper from maine to georgia? I have a 2009 2.7 auto, never towed with it yet, have to put the tow package on it yet. Should I get a tranny cooler for this long of a drive? I have no doubt it would be ok towing this around the local area, just wondering about the long distance commute.

 

On the same token, the 5 lugs sit lower and suffer less from wind resistance, along with the fact that they weigh a few hundred pounds less to begin with.