My little 5 lugger is Gittinsum!

Towed this home today. Went about 8 miles with A LOT of wind. Did ok but I wanna see how it goes down the highway soon.
Im guessing im somewhere in the neighborhood of 4500lbs.

 

4? 6? Factory tow package?

PHM
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That would be the 4cyl. V6 does not come in regular cab.

 

Yes 4cyl. No tow package but I added the fat Bob aal and 4.56 gears. Towed it 140 miles now and has done great other than a little weak on long grades

 

I have towed both boats but neither of mine r that big. Now for the that's what she said jokes.

 

A sailboat and it's cradle on a flatbed trailer. I would guesstimate it at about 6500 lbs. total. Tow at night, drive about 45 mph, for about 50 miles, twice per year. Electric brakes on the trailer so I would have to install a controller.

I am just pondering how my five lug Base automatic would react to that? <g> Oh; and there is a pair of air bags on the rear springs.

 

Whoa! that's a lot! stock gears? Man I don't know about that

 

Yes; dead stone stock except for having air bags in the back and 235 Michelin tires all around.

A lower final drive ratio for towing (or whatever) assumes that you allow the truck to shift up to the top gear in the transmission (not including OD). So how about if I leave the trans in 2nd gear? Isn't that the same thing? In other words: the final drive ratio will be pretty low.

It's just a thought. The known-safe alternative is to just rent a U-haul box truck twice a year and tow the boat with that. <g>

I used to have a 1971 Toyota pickup. My friends all laughed at the baby-truck but that little SOB was some kind of tough bastard; I can tell you that. You could overload it to death and it would just hunker down and take off with it. If the tires had traction - it would tow anything. Four speed, 2WD, an engine with 22 in the number I think. Rough, tough, all metal interior, just a little animal all around.

I got out of tubocharged 7.3 liter diesels and into this 2007 2.7L Tacoma - so I was a little cautious about the little guy. <g> But I have found it pretty much the same way as that long-ago 1971 was. Prettier and cushier by far than my 1971 but it seems to be tough as nails anyway. I overload it, tow heavy trailers with it, and in general run the poop out of it - but it just shrugs it off like: is that all you've Got? <g>

PHM
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"A lower final drive ratio for towing (or whatever) assumes that you allow the truck to shift up to the top gear in the transmission (not including OD). So how about if I leave the trans in 2nd gear? Isn't that the same thing? In other words: the final drive ratio will be pretty low."


I think that would work if you had the revs up during your acceleration. But would you be able to get up to speed? I dont know. I think the strain on start up will be the same no matter what gear you are in. Then you will only be able to go what ever speed 2nd gear will let you with out OVER revving but Im no tranny guy thats for sure.

 

Lower gearing is especially useful to preserve your clutch/trans when leaving a stop. Picture starting unloaded in 3rd gear, lots of slip to get moving. That is what pulling 6500 lbs will feel like in first gear.

I have 4.88s in my JK Wrangler and it could pull a building in 1st gear. Stock it was 3.21s and it could barely move itself, forget a trailer.

I've pulled my 1000 lbs fishing boat/trailer with my stock 2.7. Couldn't feel it at starts, but it needed a downshift on the highway at any hills if I was below about 72 MPH.

I wired in a 7 pin trailer harness and brake controller for my eventual small travel trailer purchase, but I doubt the clutch will be happy yanking that from a stop at only up to 3500 lbs. I don't think it'll ever see 5th gear either if I leave the gearing. I'm eyeballing 3.73s and stock size, or very close to stock, tires.

 

I was thinking about it wrong. But you're right - the lower rear axle ratio would lower the ratio across all the gears. It would be like starting off in second with my stock gearing. Oh well - I can alway rent a u-haul to do the towing. <g>

PHM
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