Towing

Hey guys! I have a 2012 4.0 V6 Taco. How well does yalls tow? I pull an 18 ft Nitro bass boat. Seems to do ok except for hills. Should I worry about messing up tranny or anything?

 

Tacoma V6 should have the tow package (Trans cooler, 7 pin plug in and a receiver hitch) and is rated at 6500 lbs. If you do not then 3500 lbs.
The tow package Tacoma will pull that boat with no problem use 4th gear not 5th (overdrive) so the trans will stay cooler and 65-70 mph. On flats you can put in 5th but you will feel the lockup converter locking and unlocking and trans downshifting into 4th if under a load. Faster you go the lower your mpg. Get used to stopping as doubt you have any brakes in the trailer and distance goes way up. I upgraded to drilled/slotted rotors with z36 truck pads that helped but still longer distance.

 

So you can still run 65-70 in 4th? The truck just doesn’t like the hills in overdrive. I’ve had a few people tell me to just tow in 4th.

 

The owners manual tells you to tow in 4th as well.

 

Ok thanks

 

How much does the boat, everything in it and the trailer weigh. Saying it is an 18' boat doesn't tell us much. But more than likely you'll be OK. Even though most of these trucks are rated at 6500 lbs around 4500 is a more realistic limit and I doubt you're over that.

You can run as fast as you want, but most trailers aren't designed to go over 65. Trucks and cars have been around for over 100 years and most of them never had OD. Some had 3 speeds, some 4, some more. OD lowers your engine rpm to theoretically improve fuel mileage and in some situations does. But it also greatly reduces power. And in many situations you'll get better fuel mileage by staying out of OD.

As a general rule don't tow in OD, there are times when pulling light when it may be OK, but when in doubt just don't use OD when towing or hauling loads. In fact I quite often shift out of OD even when not towing. In mountains the truck runs better and will get better fuel mileage if you stay out of OD. Even around town where road and traffic conditions mean speeds over 45 aren't going to happen I shift out of OD.