6MT Towing 3rd

Tacomas weight up to 4500#, and can tow 6800#. 1.5x as much.
F350 can weigh up to 7700# and tow 18000#. 2.3x as much.

Id rather be towing a Tacomas max payload than a 1 tons max payload. Apples to apples, trailer brakes, ect.

Either way if you manage to do something wrong and get sideways, the tail wags the dog. More so in a 1 ton.

What precisely do you mean by control?
Brakes will always perform much better than engine friction, and be more controlled (abs doesn't work with the engine).
In either case I can't imagine solving a situation with more speed (its not a motorcycle), so it doesn't really matter what gear you need to limit yourself.

 

Engine braking will be useful on long downhill sections. Relying on brakes alone will overheat them and you will have no brakes if you abuse them.

 

If you let off the gas you get better engine braking and if you need to accelerate pushing down on the gas will actually do something in 4th, rather than bogging out in 5th or 6th. I know it isn't a diesel so there no Jake option, so engine braking isn't a replacement for real braking, but it can still help if you need a more controlled and gentle slowing down or to help going downhill without riding the brakes.

Also in trailer sway condition, a small acceleration in the tow vehicle while also tapping only the trailer brakes (using the manual control) can help straighten it out. Like pulling out slack from a rope by pulling on both ends to keep it tight. So there's where more speed can solve your situation.

 

THis poll needs an "Whatever works" option. I use all the gears. It can cruise along in 6th gear at 70mph right at it's maximum load if the road is flat. Sometimes I'm in 3rd at 4500 RPMs to get up a hill.

About 6500 loaded with fuel and all the stuff for a weekend on the water. No problems at all on the open road.

I am going to do the 2LO mod though because backing it up and turning it at the top of the boat ramp needs LO range to save the clutch and the 4x4 binds up on me. In 2LO for those conditions it will be much more nimble.

 

Yep that's why 6 spds have a lever nifty little device that allows you to chose how much engine braking you want.

Yes I would kill for locking hubs and a stick on the floor. Lazy peoples front drive system. My old 97 I just left the hubs locked in the winter just clicked it into FWD when needed only extra thing it turned over the new ones was the front drive shaft.

 

Added your suggestion to the poll

 

I'm not talking about sway a properly loaded trailer won't sway. I'm talking about losing it on a soft shoulder or an iccy curve. I shift long before my engine bogs down and when I feel I need more breaking. My last job before I retired after 15 years commuting totaled about 470,000 miles. My Tacoma was a retirement gift to myself so far I have been a good 25,000 miles towing with it. The last load I pulled with my old dually Dodge diesel 5 spd before I sold it was 16,800# I used it to haul lumber for contractors I have never owned a vehicle with an automatic so I guess it's safe to say I have a little experience driving sticks for the last 52 years.

 

The Tacoma is rated to tow appx one and a half times its weight. That is very conservative considering an F-150 that weighs 200 lbs more than a Tacoma is rated to tow 10,000 lbs. From my years of experience towing heavy loads with the Tacoma, this truck is under rated. The only thing i find inadequate is the rear suspension. Another leaf or two would have been much better.

 

No matter what you do or how perfectly loaded you think you have it, there's always a chance something can go wrong or unplanned and sway could be introduced. That fact that you say this worries me some. You should always be prepared for the unexpected. As I like to say, always be alert and ready for anything when you are driving because there are tons of idiots on the road, and that doesn't exclude you or me.

Didn't know I was talking to old man stick here. So that makes you the only expert? Hint: You aren't the only old guy on the internet or these forums, even though some days it may feel like it.

Oh you're one of THOSE guys. OK, I can see there is not going to be any changing your mind, so I'm going to stop here.

 

How well does it pull your camper

 

I bought the camper in the fall and pulled it back home from Minneapolis which is a eight hour drive. Pulled great at 65mph and fifth gear and sometime sixth. The TT before this one was a Jayco Sylark which was two feet shorter and 1K lighter and the new trailer pulled very similar.

Picture of trailer traveling to new owner this spring.

 

The manual says do not use 6th gear because of engine braking not transmission capability. I use 6th gear when road conditions warrant it without any problems. Flat and straight roads in FLA are the reason.

 

Ok thanks lookin at a woodrock 2304ds with weighs 5300 I believe

 

The 2304ds comes in at 5654lbs dry. Add the cargo capacity of 2,000lbs and your way overweight for the Tacoma. You should be looking for a trailer with a dry weight of around or under 4,000lbs then do the math and make sure your not over the GVCW.

 

Ok thanks

 

The only other thing I would have is dish’s and cloths it’s just me I work pipeline and going to start traveling in the winter so it’s just me

 

The 5654lbs is the dry weight and doesn't include a tank full of fresh water, propane, batteries and your stuff. Even if you were very careful you would still fine yourself over the GCVW and that's the number the insurance company and the DOT is going to be looking at if you get stopped or have an accident. For example my 204RD has a dry weight of 4,000lbs and can carry a max of 2,000 lbs so you would think I would be fine with a truck rated at 6,400lbs. When I calculate my GCWR I find that I am just under by only 40lbs in my worst case scenario. The problem is the low payload of the Tacoma. If your not sure what GCWR YouTube it, there are some very good videos explaining how to calculate it and why it's important to make sure your not over.

https://youtu.be/qwFLOBrADBs

 

Just noticed your running a 4 inch lift with 33s. That isn't going to work well towing a larger trailer.