Towing with a four cylinder

Currently towing a 1600lb camper with a 2003 2WD Tacoma 2.4L, 5 speed, equipped with a Class III hitch, Firestone rear air bags, & 7 pin connector. The pickup handles the load OK, but keep the speed under 60MPH and don't use 5th gear much because of additional wind resistance towing the tall travel trailer.

Thinking about buying a boat rig weighing 3000lbs. Most of the time will trailer the boat only 5 miles from the house to the lake.

Interested to find out if other people tow loads this heavy with a 4 cylinder Tacoma, manual transmission, and how the pickup handles the load on the road & pulling the boat out of the water on paved ramps.

Update: Going to install 4:10 differential gears for towing.

Had a 87 Toyota pickup with 2.4L & 4 speed. It pulled the camper fine, the speedometer was reading 10MPH too fast and did not have a tach. Believe the previous owner replaced the differential gears in that truck. Really liked how it pulled loads.

Post in tech section:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/te...ing-pinion-gear-set-question.html#post5429182

Thanks,

 

Hey Bill
You mentioned putting 4:10 gears in your Taco, I've been trying to locate a source to buy a good set of 4:10 gears (other than Toyota) for my 2010, 2X4, 2.7L , 4 banger Taco w/auto Tranny. I pull a small POP-UP camper and feel like I'm laboring the Engine alot and causing a lot of extra shifting and possible damage to the tranny. I think a set of 4:10s would help alot..
Can you or others reading this give me a little help on locating these gears ?
Thanks
greasyfinger

 

Have not had the gears installed yet, but East Coast Gear Supply in NC can help.

 

Thanks Bill
I'll check it out. I'm also thinking of installing a Thorley Header on my Taco for a little extra push. Good luck with your the trailer toting.

Greasyfinger

 

Update, finally purchased a boat/trailer rig and very happy with how the Tacoma tows it. Decided to go with a lighter boat/trailer rig than mentioned earlier. Got a 155HP Sea Doo Speedster 150 that probably weighs in around 2000 lbs wet with trailer/gear. The Tacoma tows the heavier Sea Doo rig easier than the 1600lb TT because of the additional wind resistance of the TT.

Towed the Sea Doo 700 miles earlier this week from New York to North Carolina. The Tacoma got 20MPG at an average speed of 65MPH on interstates.

Will not change the ring & pinion to a 4:10 ratio for now.

 

Good to hear of your success towing the SeaDoo. Nice looking truck and jet boat there! You may have a 4.10 axle in the truck already, I know the 4x4 tacoma with the 4cyl engine come wioth 4.10 axle. I had a simple '86 Toyota pickup (2dw, 4 cyl. 5 speed manual) and it towed a 17' boat just fine as well. Good vehicles!

 

Thanks!

Really like how the Tacoma tows the new boat.

The aluminum camper weighs about 1600lbs compared to the 2000lb boat, but with camping gear the Taco is probably hauling close the same amount of weight in both situations.

Don't tow the camper over 60MPH and cannot shift to 5th unless going down hill. Mount two Kayaks on the pickup shell in hopes of reducing the wind resistance of the camper, plus we like to Kayak anyway ! That might be helping, but can't really get much use of 5th gear towing the camper @ 55 to 60MPH @ 17MPG. When towing the boat can cruise in 5th @ 65MPH easily @ 20MPG.

When I'm "not" towing anything the Taco gets 27MPG at average speeds of 70MPH and 29MPG at average speeds of 65MPH on the interstate. Most of my driving I do "not" tow anything. If I changed the differential ratio for better towing will probably reduce fuel economy when I am not towing. Guess I can't have everything.

Got the following info from:

http://www.new-cars.com/2003/toyota/toyota-tacoma-specs.html

2003 Tacoma 2.4L and 2.7L with 5 speed manual:

Differential ratio with 2.4L "2X4" is 3.583

Differential ratio with 2.7L "4X4" is 3.909

It appears to be the same 5 speed tranmission/ratios in the
2003 2.4L & 2.7L Tacos from the above site.

 

Carry a Camplite 5.7 with my 4 and auto. Same thing, keep it in third and cruise all day at 2500 rpm at around 58-60mph hardly shifts down and you can her a pin drop in the cabin.

 

Like the looks of the CampLite truck campers. Do you have a photo of your rig?

Just got back from a camping trip in the NC foothills with the Taco/CampLite rig and very pleased with the Taco's performance in the foothills during the last couple days. A friend followed in his late model V-8 powered Nissan Titan towing a 3500lb camper, and he thought the Taco performed well, too!

Bandit's Roost Campground NC:

 

I've towed 2580lbs with my 2.7 5 speed Tacoma. It is a second gen, but I don't see why the smaller first gen would have trouble. I rarely see 5th gear towing unless I am on a down grade or super flat ground with no winds whatsoever. Just take it slow, towing should not be a race no matter how much power you have. Amazes me how many guys in diesels blow by me doing 80-90 pulling a 5th wheel, idiots is what they are and they obviously didn't pay attention to the laws of physics.

 

The more I tow with the 03 Taco 2.4L and 5 speed combo, the more I like it.

Used to tow with a 87 2WD Toyota Pickup with 2.4L & manual transmission. Really liked that truck, too. It's the reason I purchased the Taco. Had several guys wanting the 87 when I finally sold it. The first guy in line bought it and "really" likes it!

 

Here is my set up. I've had them all. Class C, A, B, This thing is the most versatile. Just the perfect set up for me at this time in our lives. Go any where get into ant thing!!

 

How does it do pulling the boat up the ramp?

 

Nice looking rig!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No problems pulling the 2000lb boat/rig out of the water on a paved ramp. Have not tried it on a dirt/gravel ramp, yet.

Nick, just noticed you're at Huntersville. I'm located at Denver, NC.

 

Ah yes - I'm on the other side of the lake. Just sold my boat back in May...

 

We had 3 boats over 30 years ago and was ready for another one when we got the Sea Doo jet boat. The photo of the ramp was taken at Cowans Ford GC next to #4 green. It's about 5 minutes from home.

 

Did you go all the way to NY to get the Sea Doo? I thought there was a dealer over here in Cornelius. I looked at them several years ago. Love the jet propulsion system for getting up on the beach.

 

Thanks!
Many of the CampLite campers are 98% aluminum making them light & durable. The Taco handles the Camplite well with Firestone airbags installed on the rear differential with 20 to 30 PSI.

 

There is a dealer in Cornelius NC, but was looking on ebay and a NY dealer had two 155HP Speedster 150s for sale. The auction ended without a winning bidder. Gave them a call and worked out a deal. This is our first Jet Boat and very happy with it on the lake. Breaking in the engine right now and have not had it over 30MPH so far, but it's supposed to go 50MPH WOT.

Really like how this boat tows and how easy the four cylinder Taco pulls it out of the water.

 

How did you like Bandit's Roost? That's on our list for next year.