Gen 3 Towing Thread

Scroll back up to post #33.

 

Do you plan to take the trailer to a scale at some point to get accurate weight measurements of the whole trailer and tongue weight? I've been let to believe that the dry weight quoted by most manufacturers are rarely correct (and usually they are understating the actuals).

 

Yeah, I went back and read rest of the way through. How hard was it removing the panels without the clip tool? I wouldn't want to accidentally break any of them.

 

The kick plate on the floor board doesn't require any special tools. There is a plastic nut holding it to the floor that you can unscrew with your fingers. Once the nut is off, just lift the plate off the stud and pull it away. The picture I posted with the arrow pointing to the location of the wiring harness connector is a view with the panel off. The jumper cable I ordered plugs into that harness connector on one end and the other end plugs into the P3 controller.

Removing the small cubby holder (some call it a key holder, some a place to put gum wrappers) was as simple as using a small screwdriver to go under the lip and pop it out. I then cut a hole in the back of the cubby holder so the wires could come through, popped it back into the dash, connected the controller to the jumper through the hole and pressed the controller into the holder. It's a tight fit but holds the controller securely without breaking anything.

Some more details are here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/trailer-brake-controller.398124/page-5#post-11518030

 

aggie77 is that cobra yours? I'm building a car trailer with electric brakes to specifically haul that same car to the track (H2R). I also have a 2008 Shelby GT500 rag top.

 

I used to be. I built it in 1994 and sold it in 2005 to someone in Lake Tahoe when we moved to Massachusetts. Now that we've moved back to Texas I kinda wish I had it again. It was a Lone Star Classics kit. I chose them because they were initially located in Keller about 5 miles from my house at the time. They moved a bit west to a building at Hicks Airfield later and have since been sold to Ultimate Classic Cars. It took about 3 months to build and another month in a body shop for prep and paint.

Mine had a 428 mated to a top loader out of a Cobra Jet and a 9" with 31 spline axles. The latter was probably overkill as the car only weighed 2,500 pounds. The bottom end was built up by a racing shop and I did the top end with a Crower cam profile for a wide torque band. Harland Sharp roller rockers and Edelbrock aluminum heads and intake that I ported and polished. On a chassis dyno it developed 450 lb-ft of torque starting at 2,000 RPM and topped out around 500. When autocross racing I rarely had to shift - I could use 1st or 2nd on most any course. The original gears in the pumpkin were 3.00 and I could get to 60MPH in first gear. I changed that to 3.73 and it was too scary to drive and eventually compromised on 3.33. It would run the quarter in the low 11s at 128MPH with street tires. I had to run 91 octane pump gas and it got 10 MPG at best. Regardless, it was fun to drive.

 

Oops, missed that. Thanks.

 

You're just using the truck brakes, correct? Thats my normal setup with my 2nd gen and I don't feel it needs a trailer brake controller and brakes installed on the trailer.

 

I may be wrong but think the owner's manual recommends a brake controller when towing more that 1K pounds and a WD hitch over 5K.

 

I was mistaken. Here's a snip from page 171:

 

here is what I tow...

 

I'm glad i'm not the only one who tows a big ass TT with my Taco...Nice TT...

 

Its not that big 26 foot. Dry weight on the inside of the door is 4800#

 

I have a 244BH KZ Sportsmen, dry is 4400#, overall length is 26'5"...Packed for a trip is 5600# tanks empty...I noticed your from Worcester, where do you normally camp? we go up to your area occasionally to Pine Achers...

 

I find pine acres expensive for what it is. But you really get what you pay for. We really like Moose Hillock in Lake George NY, lots do do for the 10 and 5 year olds, they have a location in NH too. We don't really go anywhere specific, kinda spur of the moment. KOA mystic, We have been to Fishermans Campground in RI, my parents lived on Great Island for years. I like to be near the water, since they put the pools in at Bourne Scenic park, we like that... My wife runs the spartan races, so we chase her around newengland in the summer. River bend in Oneco CT, isn't bad. We really just go anywhere...

 

Have either of you taken your trailers to a scale to have them weighed? I haven't seen a lot of trailers that were very close to the dry weight.

Thx

 

Us too, we really go everywhere and anywhere, OMG I can't believe you said Moose Hillock...my wife and I absolutely love both of those locations, they are by far the best campground around, that is our preferred. We only go to Pine Achers for a quick weekend get away, and yes you are right, very expensive...This year we are headed to Niagara Falls / Canada for a week and Vermont for a week, and many long weekends...

 

No not yet, that is on my to do list before the first trip this year...

 

Or have either of you towed them up Mt. Washington? Used to live in Uxbridge.

 

Oh YEAH, been up to the mountains in NH, Main, and Vermont...The truck does struggle a little but it does it...I usually need to down shift, but the truck does it like a champ..