For the non believers :) Towing 6500 lbs

Hey guys,

I bought a 2012 tacoma knowing that i'd occasionally be using it to tow my rockcrawler around and this weekend was the first time I got to put it to the test.
Rockcrawler weighs 4100lbs, trailer is 2k and camping gear etc. put me right at max tow capacity. I am using a prodigy brake controller and have firestone riderite airbags in the back.
Here is the load:


Verdict:
Truck kicked @ss. I kept it out of 5th gear and put the auto shifter in 4th the whole time. On the highway it would maintain 4th without shifting back and forth between 3 and 4. I could easily maintain 75 mph (about 3k RPM) and avg'd a little better than 10mpg. There was one beast of a mountain I went up and dropped to 65mph and hit 3rd a couple times but it did great.
I definitely couldn't haul ass like my buddy with the eco-boost or the duramax but nevertheless the truck surprised me.

 

nice!

do you have any problems stopping? i tow my rockcrawler on a 16fter using a Tekonsha P3 controller quite often. and like you say, tows great and the power is there. but the stopping/braking sucks, for me anyways. im always weary of not being able to stop in time during panick braking situation so a stay way back from being behind anyone. i am also re-geared to a 4.56 ratio which makes it a little easier to tow. i think the re-gear helps me stay in gear between 5th and 4th more constantly when compared to having stock gears.

here's my junk

 

Sick rig...s....lol.
Stopping was no problem but I didn't have any panic stops. If I manually start pulling the lever on my brake controller, once I get to 3v I can feel it slowing my truck pretty decent, then around 10V the tires damn near are locking up. I only have brakes on 1 axle but did just service them and put new magnets on.
Your yota is sick though, what are your specs?
Mine is an 85 runner, blown 5vz-fe swap, 39.5 iroks, 4.7 duals etc.. Here is my build thread:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyo...field-recovery-blown-5vz-fe-40deez-metal.html

 

Pretty much the as yours, 86 turbo with a 5vz-fe swap on 39.5" krawlers

 

I tow nearly the same weight, braking sucks on hills, and obviously snow/rain...

 

I hauled my rig back from the trails following a buddy with a gas 3/4 ton. When we stopped get some food on the way back he was upset to find out I was getting better mileage than he does. The Tacoma is a surprising tow vehicle.

I'm surprised that the OP was towing at 3k rpms though. I tend to keep my truck when loaded and in 4th no higher than 2,500 rpms if I can. Has anyone else done much towing at 3k rpms?


Old pic of my rig shortly after I got it.

 

I usually tow in 4th around 65 MPH, so what ever RPM's that is, over 10k towing miles

 

I feel like this thread should be retitled Show of your 2nd Gen towing your Old school pickup Rock Crawler

 

That is around 2,500 rpm then if you are still stock geared. That is how I usually tow also. I don't have that many tow miles on this truck yet; but at the rate I'm towing it won't take much longer.

I really need to get an electronic brake controller and a trailer with a brake axle. Stopping without a trailer brake can get fun in a horrible kind of way.

 

Agreed!

My taco does fine towing the horunner. I was coming down a 2 lane highway yesterday and people kept getting in my damn way goin' slow. I run between 65 and 70 mph in 4th at about 2500-2700 rpms with 265/75/16 tires and stock gears.



Unfortunately my Prodigy P2 brake controller quit working yesterday, Luckily I was close to home and kept it slow. It has power but doesn't recognize the trailer being hooked up, and displays "NC" when I pull the manual lever.

 

I was just towing my 1st gen with my 2nd gen in my parents yard because its broken (and im too broke to fix it) wish i got a pic for this thread!

 

I towed a 2nd gen with my 2nd gen Saturday after Dbronzo bent his spindle. There might be a pic of that popping up soon.

 

The Taco didn't like it but it got the job done.