Gen 3 Towing Thread

Towed my buddies subie WRX last week in the snow with no problems at all. Truck towed it like a champ! Kept forgetting the trailer was even there before we put the car on.

 

Have aluminum single axle enclosed motorcycle hauler/camping trailer at 2500 lbs loaded. Had 2012 Highlander that towedit well. TRD Pro does it much better! More stable, more fun! If you’re sensible about your load, Tacoma’s tow great!

 

From what I've found you want to be 10% tongue weight for single axle and 5-8% for tandem axles. That what's been working for me.

 

Ok, I'm hoping all my brothers and sisters with more experience towing can help me out. Three questions below for a future tower.

I'm purchasing a Carolina Skiff. All said and done B/M/T/F will be right around 3000lbs.

I'm only planning on going regularly 15 miles to my local boat ramp...may go further but norm will be short trips in town.

1) Manual says (p. 172) - If gross trailer exceeds 3000lbs. recommended double axel trailer....well a single axel comes with the boat. So first question is wil a single axel be ok?

2) (P. 173) If gross trailer weight (~3000lbs.) is over the unbraked trailer weight (1000lbs.), trailer service brakes are required. Do I really need a trailer with brakes? Only going a norm of 15 miles in town.

***Unbraked trailer weight is 1000lbs. (P. 176)***

3) (P. 173) If gross trailer weight is over 2000lbs. a sway control device with sufficient capacity is required. Any recommendations on a sway control device?

Thanks, Dan

 

1) IMO single axle should be fine for what you're doing.

2) Breaks are a good idea. Safer, easier on your truck. Also required for trailers weighing that much in most states (didn't see where you're located?)

3) Again IMO, but sway control is probably overkill unless you end up traveling farther distances regularly. My experience has been that boats are much more aerodynamic than say a travel trailer and less prone to sway dangerously in the weight range you're planning on.

 

Dan: By law a trailer over 3000lbs, used on passenger vehicles require trailer brakes, most trailer axels on trailers that are not designated heavy-duty /comercial are rated at 3k,lbs. Max. If over that a trailer will have a second axel that has brakes on the second axel (normally the front one). So in answer to your question if it does not have more than one axel you should be 3k or less. It is recommended to have minimum 10 % of axel weight on hitch. (300lbs) This helps the trailer not sway, also use the proper ball height mount to keep trailer level as possible. (Lower front of trailer is better than higher) This Also Helps prevent sway. If you need to you can always load you gear in the front of the boat to put weight on the hitch. If you do that you should be ok. I tow a utv all the time, about 2k on the axel, and about 500 lb on the hitch, trailer level, tows real good,does not sway. Just remember the extra weight will make it harder to stop, so drive accordingly. Hope that helps.

 

The boats dry weight is 1660.
Trailer I'm just guessing is around 750....probably less
Motor is 400.
Fuel will be around 170.

This is where I'm getting my total weight of 2980. So the boat is only 2230.

All the Carolina skiffs I have seen all come with single axel unbraked trailers....just asking about brakes because the Toyota Tacoma manual speaks about unbraked trailer weight.

 

My previous boat (17' Boston Whaler Outrage) had a single 5k lb axle trailer. Total towing weight was 4k-ish lbs. My trailer had brakes, but it was probably the worst surge brake system I've ever used. My 2017 DCSB V6 towed it with no sweat. Braking and maneuverability was not an issue.

My new boat is 5k lbs total towing weight and rides on a tandem axle 7k gvwr trailer with disk brakes and surge brakes with electric over hydraulic capability. Trailer brakes are absolutely required when towing this much with a Tacoma.

 

That motor must be grunting hard when you take off with that load. If you mash the pedal, will it squeal the tires?

 

your Gross vehicle weight rating is your curb weight and payload combined? Why dont they add up?

 

It actually goes and stops great. It's ability to maintain speed without revving to the moon is where it lacks. Haven't tried mashing it from a dig with 5k lbs behind me. I don't think that's covered under warranty. Lmao

 

Do think you would break something if you did? I can’t imagine what. Mine just sqeals the tires so I guess tire wear. Lol

 

If anyone wants some weight/tow ratings I put this together. These are only right for 2016 limited in Canada. You can alter the template to fit your truck tho

 

Unless you have a CVOR, your max combined wt is 4500 kg or 9900 lbs.
at least in Ontario it is.

 

Almost forgot. Also, that 4500 kg must be on your ownership and every year it will cost you almost $300 for your plate sticker.

 

I don't want to find out. Torque converters are mysterious things.

 

Those numbers are just the trucks ratings.

 

That is for the truck itself. You can exceed that number for a truck and don't need a CVOR if it is for pleasure use strictly (non-commercial). Truck can be up to 6000kg (13,227 lbs). Otherwise you would need a higher class licence than a "G".

 

Yes.

 

The gen2 tranny was also used in the tundra so I know it’s heavy duty.