How does the Tacoma really do towing???

I know what the towing specs say but I want to hear about your real life impressions if you've used your Tacoma to tow a camp trailer weighing in around 5500 lbs. is it a dog or does it do ok? How's the ride and stopping power? I've got a '17 Off Road with tow package. Looking forward to hearing about your experiences towing with your TRD!

 

No issues here at 5000. Flat, 55mph.
I cannot vouch for hilly terrain.
Trans temps not affected at all.

 

This good,:https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-towing-accident.508279/page-4#post-15935796

 

Just a pic with 1000's of what if, maybe if, i think happened.
I have seen worse in F-150's and semi's.

3rd gen taco steel is stronger than 2nd by a wide margin.
2nd gen wouldn't have been near that good.

 

There's a huge thread about towing....

I've towed a decent amount. It will do it. Gas milage will suffer. Big time. If you are towing a lot and heavy.... get a different truck. But same could be said for any gas powered 1/2 ton full size. If you are towing your 5500 lb camp trailer up the Ike Gauntlet 20 weekends a year it's probably not what you want. Going camping a couple times a year and whatnot, probably just go for it.

Get a brake controller. Don't be in a hurry. Tow smart. Zero issues.

 

I pulled a double axle camper. Mainly flat terrain. To be fair truck was fully loaded and trailer was fully loaded. It did not do great. But it did the job.

 

I tow simular weight and have hills , gonna use higher rpm's but it holds well in my case .. try not to drive over 60 mph , always keep a nice gap with vehicles in front of me on steep downgrade and only stab brake unless you really need to stop. Also I like to use s mode works surprisingly well

 

This could be helpful.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-mods-to-improve-towing.507173/#post-15924987

 

I look at ETC as a tow haul mode. Drop it to 4th or 5th dependent on speed an go. I haven't towed anything real heavy. But that is what I do.

 

On my 2nd 3rd gen. 2016 was loaded AT TRD DCSB towing 22ft Hi Lo, 4250lbs dry. Only issue was backing into reverse S uphill in my drive; tranny would get very hot. Also gearing down to hold speed on long decline brought me closer to the Lord. Maybe a good thing... New 2017 DCSB Quicksand TRD MT should do the trick. Putting in P3 today, HiLo has dual axle and electric brakes. Towing HiLo at 60-65 on flat would net 15 or so mpg routinely; see dips on fuelly below. Pictures of my HiLo somewhere in earlier part of 3rd gen towing thread August 2016. HTH. Safety valve of 10% to 15% of max capacity says 5,500lbs should be max towing weight for this critter.

 

While I don't disagree with the concept, I'd wager the published number is not the bleeding edge, but one that already includes a safety valve provided by an engineer. At the request of a risk attorney.

 

My 2017 does fine pulling our loaded 20' single axle camping trailer up our local mountain grades (4000 lb GVWR and about a 4.7% average grade over 28 miles). I have an electric brake controller and do downshift on dry roads, but definitely take it at half impulse speeds only. I use a hefty combined weight distribution and anti-sway hitch on it, and since the trailer is a "Baja Edition" Jayco, which means it has a higher profile due to its flipped axle, I'm curious to see how it will handle crosswinds out on open roads. Luckily, California has a 55mph trailer towing speed limit, so idiots don't honk if I'm going less than 65 with it on the freeway like they do in Nevada or Utah where it's a 80mph free for all.

 

It a gonna do just as good as any six cylinder with 275 hp that weighs 4500 lb.

 

I know this is an old thread, but searching for something else and saw it and thought I'd share...

This is three full grown Beefmaster mamas, probably close to 1,500 lbs each. It was about all the truck wanted, I kept it on the feeder, so not over 55 mph. I think I can do a fourth, but that would be the absolute limit.

 

I would think that 3 cows @1500# plus the trailer weight gets you to about 6000#, so you're only 400 from the limit as is. That's a good load for a Taco.

 

I haven't carried or towed any loads past 3k lbs. While towing less than that, so far no issues. I think anymore than 3k lbs. your really going to know it while starting to make these engines work hard.

 

It tows, that's about it. Not good at it, not the worst. The gearing is for gas mileage, sucks for towing.

 

Idk, depends what your towing, if aerodynamic, fairly heavy, or not. I've towed my 2k boat, and my 5x10 utility trailer with over 1500 lbs in it at times...haven't seen worse than 19 mpg. Plenty of power when needed. I can imagine towing over 3k lbs would start to suck, but i didn't buy my truck for hauling that.

 

I'm about to find out how this works out. Driving from CA to NH.

 

I have a similar setup. ECT and S4 or S5 and you will be fine. MPG will be around 12 MPG if you keep out of the boost. 70 MPH is about as fast as you should go, after that the MPG will drop down to single digits. 70 is more than fast enough towing anyways.

Going over mountains, let her sing, and trust me, she will sing.