Pulling a camper

I'm looking at campers around 4100 dry weight. Has anyone pulled a camper with the V6 Tacoma?

 

Lot's of folks have. There is a towing thread in the 3rd gen section.

 

Thank you

 

Found here-https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/gen-3-towing-thread.413026/page-28#post-12920983

 

I would suggest a full size truck or a lighter trailer. 4100 lbs dry is really pushing it with a Tacoma. I tow my A Frame camper that weighs about 2500lbs and I wouldn't recommend towing anything over 3500lbs on a regular basis with a Tacoma. Nothing against the truck, but it is not designed to pull heavy loads.

 

It would be maybe once a month pulling it and no steep grades. I thought about trading for the tundra.

 

I'm sure you will get some feedback from folks who tow that much weight , good luck and stay safe!

 

The first time I pulled a trailer with my 16 Tacoma I traded it in the next day on a tundra. The trailer and the load on it maybe weighed 3k. The 3.5 motor is a joke. I don't pull trailers that often but paying 36k for a truck that can't pull a trailer is freaking ridiculous.

 

That's not what I wanted to hear

 

I can't figure out what to do. A lot of people say it can pull with no problems and other people say it can't. I'm up in the air with what to do about it. I love my truck, bit I really want a camper.

 

Most people with the manual transmission seem to say it tows good while the auto not so much. Then again, I think some people have too high expectations for this truck. When I tow, my priority is to drive safe, not fast. Even with a small trailer I get into the right lane, cruise at or below posted limit and just enjoy the ride. If you tow regularly, I would go full size.
The 3.5, despite what some people will say, is a corporate platform motor designed primarily for car applications, not truck. While it is tuned different than car application it still behaves like a car motor.

 

If it doesn't do the job I guess I'll trade it. I'm not getting a camper until spring.

 

I also have a 15 4 runner and it pulls the same trailer with no issues.

 

Its rated at 6800. Some people want to pull that load at 70mph up the Rockies with 4 people at 200 lbs, say it won't do it, bitch and say they are going to a V8.

 

I wouldn't tow anything over 4000lbs camp ready with the Taco if you want any kind of performance going up hills/mountains. I have found that it tows my camper ( 3300lbs +/- camp ready/ 3500lbs wet camp ready ) fine on the road. 65MPH 4th or 5th gear depending on terrain.

Consider the maneuvering you will have to do once you are at the destination. Backing up a hill during a turn with a full tank of fresh water for example. It has been at the camp grounds that I have found to give the Taco its biggest challenges. I have just started to always put it in 4 low once in the campground so I have a nice low gear to do my maneuvering in and have ample power combined with low speed to get the trailer into its spot . YMMV

Also don't forget you have to get all that weight stopped as well.

 

If you had not used the letter "a" in that sentence i would have guaranteed that BlueT hacked your account...

 

I live in GA so I won't be towing up any huge mountains plus I will not be carrying water. I really don't want to trade it in.

 

Check out a scamp, casita, or scamp fifth wheel...

 

It will handle it on flat surfaces going 55-60mph. Take your time and use the proper hitch setup, oh and be sure to hit the ETC button as well while towing. I wouldn't go any higher than that for long periods of time though. Some people up here love to draw quick conclusions and draw things out when it isn't needed. Check the towing thread posted earlier before listening to some of these replies. There are people that actually have a 16 and tow with it. Listen to them before the ones who don't have it.

 

Mine is the 2016 V6. I can't figure out if it's good or not. To many people saying things both ways