The Tacoma Towing Bible

ya, my boat is only a 14ft aluminum, i can pull it around myself so im sure my truck can, lol. I don't really need the tow package but just curious to if i have it or not. I do have a hitch receiver and a built in plug beside it but not sure if its a 7 pin, ill check tomorow. As for towing in 6th, i was thinking the same thing that on flat stretches of road im sure it would be fine but i was reading the manual and it said never to tow in 6th so i just wanted to know if it was a definate don't.
Thanks everyone

 

I went thru this with my 1998 and my 2004. I tow detail trailers daily and always had a problem with my trailer lights. I had to change my clutch fan, the metal part that bolts to the fan is green on the tow package. Then this is IMPORTANT!!!!! I wasted time and money buying wiring kits from trailer supply stores, from auto parts stores. On 95-04 Tacomas on the back wall (drivers side) look for a black converter box mounted to the wall, wires from that box plug into to the main wiring harness under the drivers seat. Then extend to the rear of the truck to plug into the trailer. This is a Toyota only part that costs $140.00 but you'll never have a problem with trailer lights again! As for the rear of the truck, I just added air bags so it rides good daily and when I tow my trailers I just air up the bags to eliminate the rear from sagging. And I always turn my overdrive off when towing! My brother went thru 2 tranny's in his chevy towing a 22 foot boat to the river on weekends and the shop told him not to ever use overdrive while towing.

 

Phantom and Tiger covered most of this for you already, but I'll just chime in to clarify a couple of things.

The factory towing package can be identified as has already been described. You can also check the voltage to the pin in the 2 O'clock position as you look at it. With the truck running and your positive volt meter lead on that pin, and your negative lead on the receiver or bumper or some other good ground you should read between 12.8 and 14.5 volts or so. That will indicate that charging circuit is connected, and if you have power there then there is a REALLY good bet that it is a factory tow package truck as most people never connect that pin aftermarket.

As for using 6th. You can use any gear you want in a manual truck when towing. It is an Automatic Transmission that needs to be kept out of overdrive. Be prepared to have to down shift to 5th or even 4th on grades and hills, faster than when running solo, but you will do no harm to your tranny using 6th gear when it is appropriate to do so. You should be good to go with your 14' boat, tow package or not on this truck. Then only thing you'll need is the 7-round to 4-flat trailer plug adapter. (I assume that your boat trailer uses the boat standard 4 flat plug) You can try aftermarket on this if you want, but make sure it fits and latches into the 7-round plug. I went and purchased the actuall Toyota adapter from Toyotapartspeople.com because I tried to use the Ford adapter from my father's truck and it would not lock in, so instead of dicking with it I just bought OEM, and at most I think it cost 2 bucks more than a universal maybe fit piece at Wally World.

 

1st off..Thanks so much for doing this. Im sure there are 100 times the amount of folks who read this and dont post that feel the same way.


OK just bought a 2008 Toacoma with the tow package. Along with a 5x10 cargo trailer.

Here is what Toyota says comes with the tow package.


V6 Towing Package [2] includes: Class-4 towing hitch, transmission oil cooler (automatic transmission models), supplemental engine oil cooler, heavy-duty battery, 130-amp alternator and 7-pin connector with converter

From reading this... I understand I should keep this in 3 when pulling the trailer when loaded. I see everyone talking about a tranny cooler, but how good is the stock version. I plan to tow this about 6-10 times a year.
(1 - 2 times a mth)

In other comments. I came from a frontier and have noticed the brake pedal MUCH stiffer than any other truck. Is this normal and can this be adjusted.


One more thing..I went to a few stores to buy a locking hitch pin, but no matter which brand I bought, its a hair too short. Anyone have any good sources for a locking pin.

 

The v6 auto is a 5 speed, I drive a manual, so I am not sure how it is labled, but just keep 5th locked out when towing, I dunno if that means there is an O/D off or overdrive off switch, or if you just put it 4 instead of D, or how the auto works, but so long as you find the right button or lever combination to keep it out of overdrive than you are good to go.

The stock trans cooler should do you fine with a 5x10 with occasional towing. If we were talking about a 6500 lb travel trailer being pulled every weekend from memorial day to labor day, then you might want to consider a bigger unit or even another unit to suppliment the factory cooler.

The class IV hitch has an extra plate welded all the way around the hitch pin holes, that is part of what makes it a class IV instead of a class III and part of what gives it it's extra strength. That said, I believe that I read somewhere that there are class IV specific locking pins, though I've never gone out looking for them myself. I use a "J" type locking pin, which essentially looks like a capital letter J and was originally designed to make use of the smaller secondary hole on some aftermarket receivers, to put pressure on the drawbar and or keep things like bike racks or luggage platforms from swaying. I already had one of these and it turns out that it was long enough to make it through the extra metal on the class IV hitch.

Looks like this,


And is available here.

As for brake pedal feel, I have nothing constructive on that, I don't remember if I even thought anything about the brake pedal feel when I brought this truck home, but I suspect it is something that you will get used to, but maybe post that question specifically in the second gen forum.

 

Funny thing is I found out my old locking pin didn't fit either, I used it on a Class 3 before. I would like to lock up my WD hitch so it doesn't get stolen when camping.

 

I had the same trouble with mine. The one I used on my 3/4 ton Chevy was too short to fit on the new Tacoma. I did find one from Reese that was just a touch longer (long enough). I bought it at Pep Boys for $25 I think. It does come with a matching keyed pin lock for a standard trailer coupler.

 

Indeed, I went with the Wally-World start kit.
My old receiver was welded into the receiver of my old truck.

Despite what the picture on the box above shows, it came with a locking pin like this.

It's about ¾" longer than needed.

 

Hi i have a 2002 v6 four door trd auto tranny taco..with 91k miles. i just got a hitch put on it. im going to be using it to tow my 5X8 utility trailer with a ramp. im not sure of how much it wiegh snce i bought it used.. but what im going to be towing with it is my 354 pounds gsxr crotch rocket bike. so total weight is under 800 pounds.. the trailer feels pretty light. what i need to know is do i need a tranmission cooler? and do i still use the over drive when im towing this? and what is the max weight i can tow where is would be safe on my tranmission without getting a tranny cooler. Thanks so much for your time.

 

That is what I have as well. I think I got it for something like $25 on sale at Wal-Mart 3 years ago. I have had it through a Suburban, a Liberty, a 2.7L Tacoma, and now my 4.0L Tacoma...

It fits PERFECTLY in the storage area behind the driver's side back seat in the Double Cab! I love it.

 

I would think that you would be okay in Overdrive as long as you aren't pulling any big hills really fast.

You can take your trailer to a transfer station (Dump site, recycle center, etc...), and they will weigh it for you for a small fee. The other option is to go to a truck stop that is slow, but because they weigh much heavier loads it won't be as accurate (if it registers at all).

Cheers!

 

but do i still need a tranny cooler? and what would be the max weight u can tow without having one. thanks

 

3500 is the max without tranny cooler, oil cooler, and class 4 hitch. The rest just help.

 

I wonder if the supercharger adds or takes away from towing capability? I could see it adding because it would add torque and hp making it easier to tow but I can also see it reducing it as it adds a lot of heat and pressure to the cylinders.

 

Oh okay.. then i should be good then.. thanks guys

 

Plus the fact that most places want your truck to be heavier than your load if renting a trailer so the tow vehicle can keep the trailer under control. I have the tow package V6 so I'm able to tow 6500lbs, but U-Haul didn't like the fact my truck was lighter than my load. Had to get them to check the door tag to realize it was 5450lbs instead of 4400 or something like that. Their computer didn't even register the 4700lbs listed on the Toyota website. I was still 30lbs under the estimated weight of the load, but they let me slide saying "well, it's only 30lbs....."

 

That's ridiculous. I just tell them that I am towing a VW Beetle, and they don't give me any grief.

 

lol We told them we were towing a Ford Fiesta the second time.... Then loaded a 79 Ford Ranger at my buddy's house.

Oh, and we were over 30lbs with a Chevy Lumina.... So thus the Ford Fiesta. Doesn't help that the U-Haul auto transport weighs 2,000lbs by itself.

 

Yeah. They told me that towing a Jetta would require me to use a tow dolly. I was pissed. Half the reason I was towing with a full length trailer was to avoid the wear on the Jetta!!!

I told them to get me a full length trailer, or I was going to go somewhere else.

I used the transport from Houston to Farmington, NM. Towed it behind my 05' Jeep Liberty CRD. I got 18 MPG!!! I can't wait to drop that engine in my Tacoma.

 

Technically there is NEVER a way to blanket statement that is ok to tow with an auto in overdrive.

You can tow with an auto in overdrive, but you must be constantly monitoring your truck. Listen to the truck and watch your tach.

If it starts hunting back and forth between overdrive and direct drive, you are doing transmission damage, plain and simple. Keep an eye on it, if it starts to hunt, and by hunt I mean shifting from OD, to direct, back to OD, back to direct, you'll be able to feel and see it when it starts happening. Immediately take it out of OD. 2-3 of those back and forth hunts in a 5 minute period is already building up heat that can damage the tranny. So on flat ground you will likely be fine, (You still have to pay attention to the truck)but on any kind of grade, up or down, anticipate and take it out of OD, your transmission will thank you for it.