The Tacoma Towing Bible

Only $90?

 

I Bought this Harness on Amazon a while back and after installing this harness when ever i would hit my left turn signal it would randomly sometimes make my ABS and TRAC Light come on.... after i uninstalled i have had no problems with it at all... any ideas of what i could do to fix this or the reason behind it? or do i just need to order a new one?

 

I'm trying to decide which controller to get for my tow-package-equipped '14 Taco. I don't know if maverick491 is still active on the forum, but would love to know what he thinks would be a good choice among currently available controllers. This statement was pretty strong: that controller was "the only one practical for our trucks." This was written in 2007, and I'm thinking there must be a good choice out there among currently available units. I searched through this thread but didn't find a real answer. It would be good for this thread as a reference to have that I think.

Draw-Tite makes an Activator III again, but it's clearly not the unit that shows in maverick491's pics. Has no remote, looks really basic. Trying to find NOS of the old version is seeming pretty pointless. You search on Activator III and you see the one they are making now.

Proportional or Time-delayed? Since space is so cramped, and proportional units need to be mounted close to level it seems like time-delayed would be the way to go.

Discuss!

EDIT: From maverick491's profile:

maverick491 was last seen: Oct 21, 2015

 

Go here and read this: http://www.etrailer.com/faq-brakecontroller.aspx

 

Has anyone wired in a 7 pin on a 1st gen?

 

I mounted my tekonsha voyager underneath my (6mt) parking brake handle. Never once get in my way yet still reach the manual lever.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/trailer-questions.418643/

 

I'm new to TW. I have a 2016 SR5 4cyl. (yes, I realize it's not built for major hauling). I've looked through your compilation hitches and wiring suggestions, which is all very helpful. However, I couldn't find any suggestions for the 2016. It appears that there is a connector just waiting to plug trailer wiring in to. There is also a snap on cover over a hole in the bumper for trailer wiring. Does anyone know if there is a wiring adapter made to fit that hole?

It appears that this bumper support bracket is plenty stout to hold a receiver.
Is there a receiver tube that is made to bolt on here?

 

This has probably already been covered somewhere but is it necessary or better to be in 4wd while towing?

 

On road?
Absolutely not, 4x4 is for low traction only.

 

You only ever want to use 4wd on-road if you are on something slick. Regardless of towing or weight carried.

I have used 4hi to pull a trailer up over a snowy pass (which I don't recommend), but it was on road conditions that would have had me using 4wd anyway. As soon as I drove far enough down the other side of the pass that the road was just wet, shifted back to 2hi.

There is never a reason to use 4wd on dry pavement (or wet if not frozen). But if you're hauling a boat out of a slippery boat ramp, a trailer up a snowy/icey road, etc then use it just as you would when not towing.

 

For those that pull multiple trailers or don't want/can't mount a controller in the cab this is a great solution. Wireless between the tow vehicle and trailer. Simply plug in the controller to DC power (cig lighter) in the cab. I used it first with a Subaru that was wired for 4-way only. They make a 4-7 way kit for those circumstances. Using the same controller in the Tacoma now without the 4-7 conversion. All I had to do is mount the trailer side box and plug in. Literally 10 minutes.

 

i know people out there have put the air bag suspension kits on their Taco. Can I hear from some of those guys? I am not concerned with the weight or my towing ability. I am attempting to make my Taco handle the current trailers with a better attitude. I tow a 3800 lb alluminum bay boat (it makes the SR5 with the tow package squat like a female dog), I also just purchased a 7x16 enclosed for the bike and my wife's Smart Car, (once again, I am not concerned about if the truck will tow the weight, it will.) I just don't want it to squat so low. Any input or advice?

 

Sounds like you are an ideal candidate for the air bags. I like them. I can maintain a reasonably comfortable ride with them aired down, and if I am towing or hauling I can inflate them which also improves the handling when hauling the added weight. I don't see a downside to the airbags.

 

I got bags for my T100 when I started hauling a 4400 lb trailer. Great solution. When I sold the T100 for a Tundra I transferred them to it to help carry a 1200 lb truck camper. With no load you air them down to 5 lbs and the truck rides like normal.

 

Thanks gents, I am ordering them this week.

 

You'll love them. They are fairly easy to install and make adjustments for load easy peasy.

 

I haven't been able to find a post that addresses this on taco-world, so here goes.

Have a 2014 with tow package, so it has the backup camera in the tailgate handle that shows in the stereo screen when in reverse. Is there a way to extend that system to a third party camera I could mount on the back of my travel trailer? I won't bother if I can't integrate it with the truck's existing backup cam setup. I want to be able to plug in a connection from the trailer when I'm trailing so that it will use the trailer's cam, but when I'm not pulling the trailer I'd like for the truck's existing setup to work exactly as it does now.

Anybody done this, or know of how/if it can be done?

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YXeH1SJQiXs

 

I looked into this and I am quite sure I know how to do it - I just haven't completed it yet.

When you remove your tailgate you need to unplug the camera cable. The connector is just up behind the bumper on the pass side. Unplug the stock camera and let 'er hang. Get a replacement connector (this is where I stalled out) that matches the feed coming from your tailgate camera, and wire the new connector to a new camera. Easy peasy Japanesey. As for the connector, you may remember seeing a 4 pin plug in the glove box in a plastic bag. That was the plug you hook up to the harness if you have unplugged the camera, to keep dirt and shit out of the harness. You can actually pull out the rubber plugs from the 4 pins on the connector, insert the necessary pins, and use this as your connector. I, unfortunately, was unable to find the appropriate pins to fit. Toyota wanted something like 15bucks per pin. not kidding. I would have just ran the wires from the new camera into the new (compatible) connector. When you hook up the trailer all you would have to do is unplug the stock camera from the harness behind the bumper and plug in your trailer's camera. Then of course you have a cable running a long way back to the end of your trailer, or you get a good wireless one.

That was the solution I started to pursue. I even found the wiring diagram somewhere that indicated which pin on the connector was responsible for which wire.