Towing capacity and payload capacity.

I have a question regarding when you are towing a trailer what are the limits of how much you can load into the bed of the truck?

I know that the tow capacity (2nd gen tacoma with tow pkg) is something like 6500 pounds and the payload capacity (4x4 d-cab) is something like 1380 pounds.

So for example could you tow a trailer weighing 3000 pounds and still load the bed with 1000 pounds?

 

Yes-Kinda. There should be a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating too- And that should be the crub weight+payload+fully loaded trailer. Don't forget that payload includes passengers too....Not just crap in the bed.

Edit- Good call about the tongue weight... but 1000 + 10% of 3000=1300...Payload capacity.

You'll notice it tho...Low gas mileage, Longer stopping distances.

 

Negative. You have to take into account the tongue weight.
There is a gross combined weight rating(GCWR). It is lower than the max ratings for payload and trailer. I'm not sure what the actual value is.

 

Do some research on GCVWR.

Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating.

This is the total amount of weight combined including the weight of the truck, people & cargo, along with everything you're hauling and towing. I believe the Tacomas (with tow package) have 11,100 GCVWR.

 

******EDITED - TYPED QUICKLY, GOT IT WRONG

Don't forget GAWR - Gross Axle weight rating.
As long as you are under GVWR, GCWR, & GAWR at both axles, you are okay.
As a simple rule of thumb, with no (WD) weight distributing hitch, deduct 1.5X the tongue weight from AXLE capacity, with a distributing hitch, deduct 1X tongue weight. So with a 6000# Trailer with a WD, you can still load 700# lbs in the truck, remember, that is cargo & humans, not just cargo. So with a heavy trailer, basically you can only have people in the truck.

SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION!

 

OK. So if I understand everything correctly.

Tongue weight is basically 10% of what ever the total weight of the trailer and the cargo you load in it. So if payload cap is 1380 and and you are hauling 3000 pounds subtract 300 pounds (10% of 3000) from the 1380 payload cap leaving you with 1080 payload still to go for additional stuff in the bed, weight of driver, and weight of anything else you have in the truck.

GCVWR is the total of truck, payload and whatever you are hauling including the trailers weight combined. So basically add up all three and make sure you are under the GCVWR cap which if Janster is correct is 11,100 pounds. Can anyone confirm this number?

A little lost on the math regarding GAWR. The figures in the example looks like 10% of trailer and cargo and not 1.5x for WD hitch or 2x for non WD. If I am correct the example (for WD hitch) would be as follows. 1.5x tongue weight of a 6000 pound trailer would be 900 pounds leaving only 480 pounds for payload or since it looks like the example rounded up payload cap to 1400 pounds 500 left for payload.

Also, thank you guys for the info on this as I had no clue how hauling a trailer calculated into what could still be loaded into the truck and the bed itself. Could be useful info to be added to the Towing Bible post as anyone who is going camping with a trailer or the such is bound to throw additional gear in the bed of the truck.

 

Tongue weight is applied as a leveraged force on the rear axle. 300# at the tongue, = almost 1.5 times that amount on the rear axle, and some weight removed from the front axle. So it only adds 300# to the curb weight, but far more to the axle. Same idea if you loaded all the weight in the rear of the box.
A WD hitch spreads the weight, and I should have said the WD actually puts 1X, not 1.5X at the rear axle. A WD hitch essentially centers the tongue weight, somewhere around the rear axle. It also transfers some of the weight back onto the trailer axle(s)

 

Here are some calculations I have made that others might find useful:


Weighed my 2011 Tacoma today.
Double Cab
4x4
V6
SR5

No other options. Truck is new and just off the lot. No tools, random junk, etc in the truck.

Full tank of gas: 21 gal (21gal x 6.1lbs/gal = 128lbs)
My dressed weight: 160lbs


Total weight on scale: 4400lbs

Total dry weight of truck (measured on the scale minus my weight and the weight of the gas) = 4,112lbs

GVWR (per Toyota) = 5450


That gives me 1050 to play with once I am filled up and by myself.

That doesn't leave much payload once I add in a friend or two, gear, etc. I can only imagine that TRD offroad will add additional weight.


I intend on adding a truck camper, which weighs in a 660lbs dry. That leaves me with 450lbs for everything else. It's going to be close.

 

Trailer loading affects tongue weight. Calculations are just a guide. Take what you plan to tow to the truck scales and measure the weight on each axle. Make sure you get one axle on each weigh plate, or you won't get an accurate weigh.

 

I too wish to put a slide on camper on my new (to me) Taco. I'm curious where you got the 660 lb camper. It looks like the lightest weight slide in hard shell non pop up I can find so far is about 1050 lbs. For me the entire reason I finally got a truck is that this will be my A to B but I'm of sufficient age with arthritis that setting up camp is not fun anymore and I don't want to be stuck to civilized camping and like camping in bear territory. So hard shell camper it is but I didn't want a full size truck due to gas and carbon emissions that were unnecessary. Advice?

 

Bringing this back from the dead for anyone asking about GCWR for 2nd gen Tacomas. According to this document the GCVWR for a 2006 V6 Tacoma Double Cab Prerunner/4x4 is 11,100 lbs w/ Tow Package(11,000 lbs for Access Cab models) Pretty sure it's the same for all year 2nd gens. 2006 Toyota Tacoma Engineering (beechmontdata.com)

 

Does anyone know what all of this means practically speaking in real life

for example
Trailer is carrying things, probably tongue weight
Truck can also hold things in the bed, payload

they say the two axles of a trailer are stronger at holding weight in a bed

Does that mean if you are towing there is a recommendation to place heaviest items in the trailer rather than in the bed, basically playing a part in how you draw out what you put where?

Ie perhaps a rule of thumb heavy in trailer light in bed?
Heavy in truck may also cause rear sag messing with hitch height

Uhaul told me put heaviest things in front of trailer not middle over axles
Sounds like this could make tongue weight too high

they also told me $25 to torque one nut
Guys hood was like this, had one tooth. Not sure his tongue weight.