towing RV with no towing package

I have a 07 4x4 4.0, without towing package. I'm looking at towing an RV that is close to 6000lbs. I am planning on adding the tranny cooler and class 4 hitch (not sure if i need to bigger alternator and battery). I would like to upgrade to a stiffer suspension, any ideas?? new leaf springs and or shocks and coils? If anyone has a similar situation or information please let me know.

Thanks,
Seth

 

Is that the GVWR or the dry weight. If it is the GVWR you should be ok. My camper is 5800 Gross weight but we don't get close to that when fully loaded. If that is your dry weight no way you could get that loaded and still tow safely. As far as the suspension I just have the TSB and will be getting Bilsteins and air bags for the rear suspension. I found the air bags on autoanything.com

 

yea, the dry weight is 5700lbs. I forgot to add I will only be pulling the trailer once maybe twice a year, so there will not be continual stress from towing all the time.

 

I'm not sure- and am by no means a towing expert...BUT...Your truck is prolly rated for like 3500 pounds of towing capacity so pulling a 6000lbs trailer isn't a good idea.

The weight rating for a truck is based on so many things- axel, suspension, brakes, battery, alternator, hitch and reciever- so if you are going to put all those things into the truck to take it to the right weight rating then go for it.

And towing gods- Please let me know if I'm wrong.

 

Thanks for the info guys, yea I was going to add the tranny cooler, hitch, maybe be bigger battery and alternator but I ended up getting a great deal on a heavier trailer, couldn't pass it up, so I will have to get someone else to tow it anyways.

 

Maybe rent a truck??

 

Don't forget to think about stopping the load too. That was the toughest part of towing for me. The tacoma engine and drive trains are tough as nails, but the rotors and calipers are too small for a heavy load. Just my 2 cents

 

Not just the tranny cooler, but an oil cooler too. Don't want the engine overheating on you! Bigger alt and battery are probably added to help power trailer charging systems and electric brakes. Does your RV have those?

Keep in mind the tow package includes a class 4 hitch, 7 pin harness, prewired for brake controller (with pigtail to plug one in), oil cooler, tranny cooler, bigger alt, bigger battery.

You really should have bought it with the tow package. Lotust over on TN didn't and is/was trying to build up to the factory tow package on his own and was up to around $1500 in parts IIRC and that didn't cover everything! Granted, some of it may have been Toyota parts so if you can find aftermarket for less that would help.

Either way, you're looking at laying out some cash for parts and labor if you don't do it yourself.

 

Here's some info from Lotust after doing what you want to do:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t238482.html

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t213622.html

 

Ah yes, here is Lotust's OEM oil cooler nightmare.... You've been warned...

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t240841.html

 

I caught up to this thread late but from someone who tows a travel trailer that's about 5000# fully loaded you're looking at way to much trailer with or without the tow package. If as you stated the DRY weight is 5700# then you'll be closer to 6500-6700# once you're fully loaded. You MIGHT be able to tow it if it's only you in the truck and absolutely nothing else but there is no way you can tow that if you add gear in the bed or carry passengers. The Tacoma is a very good vehicle but I definitely wouldn't want to go much more than my loaded 5000# weight. You'll HATE the tow experience.

BTW I don't think you can get the factory Class IV hitch after the fact as it's bolted on before the bed is put on. The aftermarket hitches are only Class III and are only rated for a 5000# tow rating. Don't forget that at least 12% of the total trailer weight needs to be on the tongue so for sure you'll be wanting a weight distribution hitch with at least an 800# bar rating.

 

God I hate that phrase!!!! You must be a member of the RV.NET forums as well because all the "big boy" truck guys say that as well.. what a crock.

A trailer with that weight should have it's own brakes and therefore you need a good brake controller. The brakes on the Tacoma are rated to safely stop the truck at it's GVWR. The trailer brakes are also rated to stop the trailer at it's GVWR. Sooooo a properly adjusted brake controller AND proper driving techniques and you should have no problem at all stopping the truck/trailer even if you're at the max GCWR of 11,100#

 

I tow a 4000 Pop-up with a NON-TOW package DC Prerunner.. Every other weekend, for about a year now, 16k miles. no problems, never overheated, voyager brake controller and sometimes I get that feeling like I can't stop in time too.. but You are towing a good amount of weight and need to take distances into account. 5000lb+ and 10ft high would probably scare the sh** out of me...

-Sam

 

A class IV hitch is what it is. It doesn't matter who puts it on or when. If built and installed correctly, it will be capable of its rating. As well, any trailer that heavy should have a weight distibution system. As well, Uhaul / Valley has a hitch capable of 6000# distributed. So either that or the Toyota hitch.

 

Doesn't really matter if you get a class 3 or 4 hitch from the aftermarket. The truck will not be rated to use the class 4 to haul 6500lbs without the added features of the tow package from the factory. Sure you can slap a U-Haul class 4 hitch on there without the oil and tranny coolers the factory tow package includes, but it's your truck to damage. Not to mention the bigger battery and alternator to help power trailer brakes if you have electric ones.

 

As piercedtiger said.. you're not going to get the full rating anyway without the tow package. By the way.. there is a HUGE difference between a Class III and Class IV hitch. If you're claiming that you can use a Class III and push it to it's max rating to reach 6000# by using a WD hitch then IMO you're someone I don't want on the road with me. The factory Class IV hitch can only be purchased as a factory hitch due to the fact that it is bolted on before the bed is mounted and has mounting points under the bed that are not reachable without bed removal. It also allows the frame of the truck to better be used for towing heavy loads. A bolt on Class III doesn't have near the strength that the factory class IV does. A class III w/o using a WD system has a 5000# dead weight ability with a 500# tongue rating. A class IV has a 10000# dead weight ability with a 1000-1200# tongue weight rating. I certainly would rather have the Class IV when towing a trailer that was 6000#. You would be pushing the limits of the truck instead of risking hitch failure.