Towing a travel trailer that is 27'6" and weighs 4546 lbs

What are the two model numbers you are considering.

My trailer dry is 4300 and about 22 feet long. I would not go any bigger than that. Almost 28 feet is way too long. You are going to get shoved all over the road every time someone passes you. You will not like it.

 

I have a boat that weighs 3750lbs with fuel and a total length of 25' that I tow nearly every weekend to a lake or river in the summer. Stability wise and handling I hardly notice it's there but my double cab long bed sport's engine definitely knows it's there and struggles to pull it. The trailer has hydraulic drum brakes to assist with braking so that definitely helps. The furthest I have towed it was about 100 miles one way mostly hilly highway traveling at 65-70 mph. I typically average around 12 mpg when towing this thing. So like some have posted here I think you can pull it but you will wish you had a full-size truck to do the job. For me, a full-size truck wasn't an option because of my daily commute.

 

Just stay under your axle weights and GVWR and you’ll be fine with some common sense. You’re either insane or a fool to think Toyota would overstate tow capacity in today’s litigious society. Toyota is fully SAE J2807 compliant.

 

I understand but I think more of it is that the OP signed up today and it’s he is only 2 posts in, didn’t research anything.

 

The truck can tow it fine (assuming you have a tow package). The tow rating already has had saftey margins factored in. Just keep it under GCWR. Now if you can tow it that is a question of your skills that I can not answer.

 

I'm towing a 22 foot toyhauler with my 2013 double cab 4x4 sb. It weighs 3400 dry. Once it's loaded for the weekend with water, gear, and bikes, it's heavy. Even though we can tow 6500lbs, the trucks don't like it. heading up any grade, I'm pushing over 4000rpms at 55-60mph. I've also installed a brake controller, I have a wd hitch with sway bars, and I regeared my truck. I wouldn't want to tow anything heavier that's for sure.

 

Well, that is a good point.

 

No

 

when you factor in the drag of a trailer that tall at 60 mph youre likely WELL over 6k lbs, though that would help with braking a bit, but it will make hillclimbs and starting from a stop really rough and cost you a lot in fuel, and transmission/engine wear.

 

I wouldn't personally want to tow something with that dry weight regularly. But then I'm in Colorado and nearly anywhere I go with my camper is up steep grades. If you are more flat and don't do a ton of long steep climbs it probably wouldn't be too bad but that's a fairly large trailer for the Taco.

 

@norris has it exactly right. His rig is the max practical size I would ever want for a Tacoma.

Look for a smaller trailer. Look for one with a low height to reduce frontal area. Weight is some of the problem, but wind resistance is the major killer on these giant travel trailers.

Also, in my experience, you fill the storage space you have. It happens to me all the time. With a giant trailer like that, you will be filling it with hundreds (likely well over 1,000) lbs of stuff. You're getting pretty close to the maximum towing capacity then.

You might be able to tow it still, but you will be running 4K RPM and barley make 65 MPH on flat ground. All while getting 8-10 MPG. If you get in to the mountains, you'll be running 6K RPM making 45 MPH up hill.

Personal rant here, I don't understand why people want to camp in something that big. I see so many people sitting in a camping spot, plugged in or running a generator, and everyone is inside watching TV. Why not just stay home? On the other hand, if you go minimalist and get a trailer that is smaller and has less features, it is much more enjoyable to tow and camp in. Only be inside to sleep or cook and that's it. You don't need much room to do that in.

 

Agree. I like our pop-up tent trailer. It's nice to have somewhere to go during bad weather. Also nice to have a heater as it can get really cold here at altitude even in summer. I don't get the generators. I've been looking at a solar setup to keep batteries charged but that's about all I'm concerned with since the battery is needed for important things like the furnace.

I wouldn't mind a smaller travel trailer though either. It would keep warmer than the tent trailer and less setup time.

 

I went through this a few years ago and ended up getting a Sequoia. Once you add the weight you’ll be adding into the vehicle (people, etc.) and weight into the camper, you’ll want to be below the max 6400 tow capacity and have some cushion left over in my opinion. You want your vehicle to be in charge. And there is definitely the total weight and length of the camper to consider, gross weight, etc. There’s what you can do on paper as far as maximums, and what you should do. Also cruising at highway speeds, wind resistance etc.

A good camper that’s not a pop up, would suggest an Rpod. I went with a hybrid Roo. 19 feet long but enough room. I still tow it with the V8 but intend to try it with the Tacoma to see how it handles. Hard to go back from the 5.7 v8 though. Amazing engine. Never complains.

 

We have a big assed trailer too. I have zero illusions of whether or not my taco can tow it. I downsized from the Tundra knowing that we were trading in the BMF. Me and the kids don't even sleep in it anymore, we sleep in our hammocks, the wife sleeps in the camper. I just need to get it from my house to the dealer once the snow melts. Even with the WD hitch with sway bars, I do believe that trailer will sink the rear end of the truck at least 2-3 inches

Edited to add:

LOL

 

If I got a TT to tow with the Taco, it would be something like this:

http://www.coachmenrv.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=63&ModelID=2991#Main

The nice thing about that one too is it has a lot of room for cargo capacity.

 

I haven’t read everyone’s rely so apologies if this is redundant. I have a ‘16 sport dbl cab that is regeared and a lot of extra goodies. Last summer I towed around a 14ft travel trailer 2500 lbs dry weight and it sucked! Going over some passes in Colorado we’re brutal. I was probably in the range of 3k lbs on the trailer and 500 in/on the bed at the end of the day. I dreamt of a tundra the whole trip

 

I have a leveling kit, so squat is exaggerated. Getting some Timbren bump stops to level me out. Only "travel" about 30 miles at most. Lots of camp sites near me. It gets the job done without issue. Weight distribution hitch with sway bar, and a good brake controller are a must have.

 

What model is that at 3400lb? Every SandSport I looked at was 4800+

 

proper taco size trailer for us.

 

If I had the money I’d get an R-Pod.
Small function little guys and they are abundant in the PNW.
http://www.forestriverinc.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=228&ShowParent=1