Towing

I've been on here for some years now, and lately I've seen a whole lot of towing questions for the Tacoma. It seems to me, that a whole new generation of owners are taking the truck thing in for the first time. I have been lucky enough, or not, to have towed with a wide variety of vehicles, big pick ups. small tow trucks, small pick ups and SUV's.
It's good to see the newer towers ask questions, but they get hammered on by the forum, probably making them not ask for advice anymore. Which is a shame, because towing is one of those things that take seat time to get a hold of mentally and physically, hooking, backing, braking down hill, is all a very defined processes, learned, not taught.
Unfortunately, the Tacoma isn't the ideal set up for towing at max weight, but does it well enough with the features that the truck offers, that being said, it seems a lot of people are asking to tow like 8 to 10 thousand pounds with this truck, while it will do it, and do it for years and years, it's that one time, that one time out of a million that you have to panic stop for whatever, car wreck in front of you, kid on a bike, anything.
When towing under the 6500 lb limit, there's no real problem, get that weight up to 8 thou or more though, no matter your braking system mods and brake controller, that weight will push you truck right off the road in the line the trailer is going. Towing isn't about you and your truck, it's about you keeping your truck from killing others in a truly bad traffic situation, it's your fault when you smash into someone because you can't stop or control your truck.
Sorry to rant and rag, but I see a lot of towing questions in here lately.

 

Limits are there for a reason

 

If you are towing 3,000 lbs and you lose your trailer brakes (connector falls out, broken wire, blown fuses) you are not going to stop it in a timely manner! I have no doubt I could pull 10,000 lbs or more but frankly I think 6500 is about is about 2000 lbs too much for a truck that weighs 4450.

 

@Gearheadesw
Can I flat tow my 03 2.7L 4wd taco ?

 

Neutral on the transfer case, yes.
But I.m leary of flat towing, to many things turning that need lube from running engine.

 

Anyone who tows 8000 to 10000lbs with a Taco further than across a parking lot is a not very bright idiot. Not only will major drive train and suspension components on the truck meet an early demise and fail but you endanger everyone else on the road around you.

 

i think the hammering for asking questions is that there are several pinned posts right at the top of the towing page that answer ALOT of questions that are asked. is it wrong, yes, but at the same time when the same question is asked 15 times in a day it frustrates some of these people.

 

If there is anyone I would love to rag on, its the sales guy at Camping World that has no qualms against hitching up that triple axle airstream to some novice's brand new Tiguan. As long as I get my commission, who cares what mayhem happens off the lot, right?

 

Absolutely...tried telling me that our Sierra 1500 could handle a 15k 5th wheel (I was looking for bumper pull in the 5-6k unloaded range since limit is roughly 10k)

we went window shopping elsewhere

 

A lot of the info on the pinned posts is over a decade old.

Time for house cleaning. While I and others appreciate the advice there it's tough to think it is relevant when the references are all for first gen trucks and other dated references.

Hence the questions.