Safe camper towing weight.

Hello all, I own a 14’ V6 4x4 double cab Tacoma and need some clarification on safe maximum camper towing weight. I have read the towing bible and understand that the max towing weight for this truck is 6500 lbs and I know about the tongue weight and extra equipment and such. I have a pop up camper now and am looking to move into a closed camper. In talking to dealers and camper repair people there are differing opinions on the weight range of the camper that I should purchase. Most of my trips are within two to three hours of my home and I live in blue ridge mountains, so the terrain is challenging at times. Some say that I should buy in the 4000 to 4500 lb. ranger, and some say that up to 5500 lbs. is safe so, I’d like to hear from some of you that have experience with different weight campers so that I can make the best informed decision.

 

I’ll be honest with you, get the lightest weight you can.
The Tacoma is not a heavy hauler by any means.
Don’t ever listen to a salesman. He’s selling you a camper.
Probably has a buddy that can sell you a new truck, once he sells you that heavy camper. Lol

If you are an Auto, put it in 4th and leave it, trust me.
Unless it is completely flat and you are not at a head wind, then you might try 5th.
Yes, you’ll turn more rpm in 4th. But your Trans will thank you.

I love my Tacoma trucks. But they never have been know for towing.


Yes, you can pull 6,500 lbs. But only if your truck is completely empty for the most part.
I believe 4.0 with towing package is rated at 11,000 lbs combined weight rating. (Truck + Camper + cargo) Cargo adds up in weight FAST. Really Fast.

My personal experience was with a 3,500 lbs pop up camper.
Plus a bunch (too much) cargo. Was not a fun experience.
I was at probably 5,000 lbs or more in trailer weight + cargo.

 

Agree with the above advice. Go as light weight as you can for your wishes. RV dealers are some of the biggest liars in sales. Check with other campers about which dealers to work with and ask them about their repair service. I tow a 17 ft hybrid around Central Va and it comes in at 3500 with nothing added in. Good Luck with your purchase.

 

Get a weight distribution hitch, load the trailer properly, don't get a single axle trailer, and load your stuff in the trailer and not the tow vehicle so you don't end up overweight.

I tow a x213 with a 4,500lb dry weight and we are anywhere from 5,000 to 5,500lbs loaded. Most of my towing is above 4,500ft elevation and we go over passes between 6,500 and 7,500 ft. The truck does fine if you're not afraid to make it work, have reasonable performance expectations (I have no problem maintaining at least 55mph, even in the passes but sometimes wound out in 2nd to do that), and drive accordingly.

 

How big of a camper are you trying to move up to? My dad has an 18' KZ Sportsmen Classic that I pulled through southern Ohio last year. 2800 lbs Dry. I have stock suspension, trailer brakes and weight distribution. Pulled completely fine but you could feel it back there. These trucks can do more than what i did (See @stickyTaco post above) But it depends on what you need and make sure it's within range. I would definitely listen to people on here and the trailer bible over anyone at a dealership though.

 

Here’s a picture with mine pulling. She’s squatting but I had gear in the back seat and some random gear in the camper. Nothing crazy though.

 

I agree with everything said so far and I have experience with towing what I felt was the limit for the vehicle. I’ve been towing a camper for many years and have a pretty good feel for weight relationships, but hearing from others with similar knowledge, is always a help. I had an 01’ Tacoma 4x4 with 216,000 miles, that I was pulling my present camper with and I felt that it was maxed out. I gave that to my son and bought the 14’. We want to move away from the pop up style camper to simplify the set up, tear down and the entire camping experience. I know that dealer are more concerned with selling top dollar rather than my comfort and safety and when I go to buy something like this, I do my homework first, the see a salesman for floor-plans and options only.

 

I tow a 2017 Startcraft Satelite. 17ft long, dry weight 3250lb. Fully loaded around 3800-4000lbs without water. Im driving a 2015 TRD sport. Stock everything. I tow with a Weight disto hitch and a sway bar. I have absolutely no issues towing my set up. I tow through the Pocono mountains all the time and accelerate up hill without any trouble. I did just add Sumo springs this week, just because I want a little less sag in the rear. Most people that tell you a tacoma cant comfortably tow 4000lbs has never done it or did it once and it scared them. Im not saying go buy something that is going to max out your towing capacity , but 4000lbs is no issue. My suggestion is to find a friend that has a camper that will allow you to hook up and take it for a spin to see how it feels.

 

I tow a 2018 Keystone Passport 25’ weighing in at 4810lbs dry. We’re probably around 5100lbs packed to go. Honestly that’s probably the max you’ll want to comfortably go in a trailer behind the Tacoma. I have a WDH and the trailer has tandem axles. I’m comfortable with it and the weigh it tows. Mileage sucks at 8mpg but it’s lifted 3” with 285’s so it is what it is. Make sure you use a brake controller and take your time. Bad things happen when you’re in a rush. You should already know that being you’ve towed before though. I’m also running Dakar springs in the back with the lift so it rides like a dream with them.

 

I'm towing a 25' kz sportsmen, 4750 dry - 5700 loaded for a trip to Nova Scotia, from RI 800 miles. Using a Hensley weight distribution, Honestly I have NO Problems with towing, I have been all over new England and I have had great towing experience. But remember, it's how you drive that will allow you to have that good towing experience. No hot rodding, drive slow and carefully, remember your family is in the truck too and others around you want to stay safe. So tow what you feel comfortable with. With my set up I hardly even know the travel trailer is behind me. As long as your truck is set up properly, you will have easy towing. Good luck and happy camping.

 

These replies are precisely what I was after to reinforce the knowledge that I already had before this post. I thank al who have weighed in and will welcome all who’d like to offer more.

 

On your tacoma go as light and small as you can while meeting the camper use you need. I've towed with my Tacoma and my K2500 suburban.

Tacoma is a mediocre tow at best even with a lighter weight camper. Add a cross wind/headwind, heavy stop and go traffic and it quickly turns poor. Now, having said that the suburban and the campers are gone and my Tacoma works fine for the rest of my needs.

Regardless get a good weight distributing hitch, learn how to set it up and then adjust the height and preload to match your truck/TT. And set your brake controller gain properly.

 

Sumo springs leveled it right out. Towed nice as well. Got rid of about 95% of any porpoising.

 

All the posts are great advise. I towed close to the max weight trailer and it does it at 8-10 mpg with a weight distribution hitch and a trailer brake, but.... not the safest thing to do. After a year my rear diff needed rebuilding and new wheel bearings too. I had OME Dakar springs and a one piece driveshaft. Anything you buy go to a certified truck scale and weigh it - most if not all the trailer stickers seem to be estimates and are always on the light side. Add camping gear, water, food, clothes, propane, battery, then waste and you go up 1500-2000 lbs - yes really! Max gross weight of trailer and truck you have to add gas, people, and anything in the bed so easy to go over gross after hooking that trailer on loaded. Tacoma will tow but there are down sides. Now you know.

 

Great post, thanks.

And a great thread, thanks OP @Mytacoma01 I've been looking for the same input/advice.

 

How do you mean that? If you load the truck and pull an empty trailer, the total weight is the same (Gross Combined Weight) as loading the trailer and pulling it with an empty truck. There is a max towing weight (6500 lb. or thereabouts), so it might seem you'd want to keep part of the weight you would otherwise be pulling, in the truck itself rather than loading the trailer with everything.

The manufacturer has specs for the empty weight of their equipment, meaning no fluids and no gear that isn't part of the trailer. Take that number and add 750-800lb. to account for water in the holding tanks and all the stuff you'll put in the trailer when you go on your trip. Compare that weight to your max towing weight limit. Then take the loaded weight of your truck (including full tank of gas and all passengers) and add it to the weight of the trailer to get your Gross Combined Weight, which has to be equal or less than Toyota's spec for what cab you have. I'd try to stay about 750 to 1000 pounds less than max towing weight with the loaded trailer.

 

The truck has a payload capacity. Putting 500lbs of gear in the trailer is not the same as carrying 500lbs in the bed. That weight in the trailer does not equal a 500lb increase in the weight of the truck (if loaded properly) and it will have an impact of the handling of the truck since the weight is usually added in the bed, further upsetting the weight distribution over the axles.

This is why people claim this truck needs airbags when towing. The problem is they are at or very near the payload capacity of the truck. Even with the stock leaf springs my truck would sit level when the weight distribution hitch was set.

When towing the trailer truck I'd rather max out my trailer capacity and only add 600lbs of tongue weight to the truck vs carrying 400 lbs of gear in the truck and only having 500lbs of tongue weight. If someone really wanted to take the time to weigh everything out they could load 1,000lbs onto an empty travel trailer with no change to the tongue weight.

 

I just bought that same trailer and was a little worried! Good to hear.

 

I sometimes tow a bike trailer, & occasionally use a hitch mounted moto-carrier. I've recently added a relatively large RTT, and have noticed some sag in my leaf springs w/o any added weight on hitch.

Trying to understand the way hitch load works; if I upgrade my leaf pack, does that allow for greater weight on the hitch itself, or just overall load in the truck?

 

I pull a Forest River Sonoma 167BH, 3200 dry and 3600-3800 loaded for camping depending on the type of trip. I would feel comfortable going up to 4500 loaded but I would not want to exceed that. Also, I'm pulling with the access cab which is a better platform for towing if I understand correctly.

I don't have a power concern it's just overall stability. The biggest issue I have is brake fade in steep long hills. The braking on a trailer this size is not nearly as strong as in the bigger trailers... I experience fade that concerns me. Sure I could upgrade components but I'm looking to upgrade to a Tundra or F150 as my 09 Taco has 165k on it.



I sit level all loaded up with the WD hitch