The Tacoma Towing Bible

Hey thanks. Know it has to be there!

 

Will be joining the towing world in a couple months. I know how to tow, have towed, etc. just nothing this size with the Tacoma (have only towed maybe 1500 lbs so far).

Great thread right here.

I ALMOST (so so close) brought this home Saturday but decided to wait a couple more months.

3180 dry weight.

I have the tow package and whatnot but in the next month I was going to add:

1. Get rid of rear lift blocks and add a Deaver or whatever spring pack.
2. Firestone Ride Rite airbag kit
3. Trailer brake kit.

Any other suggestions? I wanna do this shit right. Safe and sound.



Eco Camp 20 footer:

 

May not need the airbags with a Deaver or other leaf pack would be my guess. Maybe hook it up, see how it handles, and then decide if you want to spend the money.

I had my leafs rebuilt by a local company with a rise to account for a steel bumper later, and I can throw 800lbs in the bed before it sits level. That's less that the 650lb rating for the tongue weight limit. Wish I'd had them when I towed vehicles for a buddy 4 different times.

So with my new leafs, I wouldn't drop money on airbags. You might not need to either.

 

Hmmm.....OK. I wondered about that.

I don't want sag and I definitely don't want the ass end higher than the front either.

I think tongue weight with this trailer is 450 lbs??

 

If you have a couple months before you get the trailer, get the rear springs (deavers, dakars, or re-build the factory ones), then pick up a few hundred pounds of something you could use. Wood pellets, salt, sand, mulch, top soil, your buddy's free weight set... See how it sits like that, maybe even through in more than the 450 to cover tongue weight and gear. If it sags or bounces too much, then you know you need the airbags. If not, then hold off until you get the trailer. Then at that point if you feel it would be beneficial get them. Otherwise one less thing to spend money on, and to potentially go wrong later.

 

Good deal. The rear springs are a must anyway, trailer or no trailer I really need those.

So that works. I'll get those first then haul a ton of stuff and see what I get.

 

I just bought a 2014 DCSB 4wd WITHOUT the tow package. I added a class III hitch and the factory trailer light harness. I'm towing twin Kawasaki Ultra LX jet skis on a double trailer (galvanized). Skis are both ~ 1000lbs and the trailer is ~550lbs.

Should I have trans and oil coolers installed? I only tow about 20 miles max. Guam is a small island.

 

I installed the B&M 70264 Trans cooler on my 03.Easy install and in my opinion I think all Tacomas should have a trans cooler towing or not!

 

Yeah, your block lift in the rear is doing nothing for load capacity or sagging. I'm going to assume it's just a block added to the factory shit springs, so you get all of their failings at a higher elevation. Rebuild or replace them and you'll see a world of difference. :thumbup:

With mine I get less wheel hop, smoother ride, they absorb bumps better (still have spacers up front and factory shocks at 120k), and no nose in the air with a load in the bed. It was like a new truck with just the rear springs changed and nothing else done!

 

YEP!!!!!! Shit springs on shit blocks.

I wanted to get this done a month after putting the lift on but money went different ways so I put if off.

Getting a trailer - theres no way i'm towing it with blocks in the ass end.

I can't wait for the smoother ride. Been putting it off for way to long.

 

'12 Taco 4x4 trd off road w/tow package, just traded in a 2k lb popup for a 3k lb travel trailer from camping world. I got a wdh and sway bar and seems pretty level , haven't gone too far, but, seems a touch bouncy. Do I need air bags or a spring upgrade (got the 3 leaf factory springs)

 

With the appropriate weight distribution hitch, you may not need new springs or airbags. If you plan on towing anything over 5k, the 2013 owner's manual says that a WDH is required. Owner's manual also says that a sway control device is required for anything over 2k. Your model year truck may have different specs.

 

Ok, well, just had a local truck place here in panama city order the firestone air bags, they are gonna install tomorrow for 500 bucks total.

 

I just looked at a 2013 Cruise Lite. How you like it?

 

love the cruise lite so far, although i haven't towed it far, just from the panama city dealership back to the campground. I love everything about it, so much more room than my pop up a-frame that i traded in. nice interior design, plenty of light, 2 skylights, 6 bright lights, queen sized bed, incredible amount of cabinet space.

 

I got more looking to do.

Thanks for the input.

 

So....I'm thinking a new spring pack , screw the ride rite kit (at least until trial tow of new trailer) get rid of the rear blocks. Probably need new longer shocks.

So checklist:

1. 6" spring pack/remove rear blocks
2. New set of rear shocks
3. Trailer brake system
4. Some sort of Weight Distribution Hitch



Anything else?

 

I strongly suggest some towing mirrors. I couldn't find any strap-ons that worked to my satisfaction so I went with ProEFX replacement mirrors. They are basically made with the full size Dodge mirror with a Toyota bolt pattern and Toyota wiring to plug and play the turn signals and electric adjustments. You can look at my pics and/or do a search on the forum for "ProEFX". Not cheap, but best solution I could find 2 years ago when I traded my pop-up for a travel trailer.

 

I just upgraded my popup to a 3000 pound travel trailer. I got a weight distribution hitch and sway bar, but, seems a bit of a bouncy ride, so, I am getting the Firestone air bags installed today.

 

Yeah I definitely need some mirrors. I hate not being able to see.