Towing To The Max

Interesting. So, with a GCWR of the 2018 Tacoma @ 11,360lbs, a trailer weight of ~5,300 + payload & curb weight of ~5,435lbs = ~10,800lbs which is 95% of the maximum GCWR. That's a high number but I don't see how you got that it is overweight. I'm looking at a smaller trailer anyway. In any case, thank you for that towing bible link. I will check it out!!

 

Have you ever towed long distances near max? It’s a gruelling and exhausting ordeal. You’re going to be happy with your decision to get a smaller trailer. You don’t want to limit yourself from where you can or are willing to go, I.e. “I can’t go on that trip because the hills are too big” or “we can’t go there because there’s no water and I’m at max with my water tanks empty” etc.

 

Somewhat but like I said in my first post, we are only interested in going to campgrounds with all the necessary hookups and only within 50-100 miles.. maybe 150 miles tops. We are not boondocking. We will not be hauling bikes, kayaks, firewood, kids, bikes, ...anything. We are simple campers. But I totally agree. One of the deciding factors to go a tad smaller was the safety aspect of going from Parker to Buena Vista for example where I'd have to cross the continental divide which is a decent grade. I'm sure I could make it in a heavier setup too but not sure if that's smart.

 

My truck's around 6k lbs when loaded up, which is over GVWR. It's a DCLB loaded out with armor and a full camper top buildout. My build thread's here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/hammerhead-build-camper-build-and-adventures.671016 if you want to see how that adds up. My trailer loaded is around 4k, maybe a bit heavier. That puts us at 10k lbs, which is still under the ballpark you're in. Here's the factory info for my trailer: https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers/wolf-pup/16BHS/1330 My suspension is updated to handle the weight with Dakar heavy leafs, Sumosprings, and 700lb coils up front, so handling is fine. My brakes look great after 50k miles (~10-20k of that towing) at less than half wear. The brakes are clearly fine for a 10klb total setup if you run a well-adjusted brake controller (get the Tekonsha P3 - you need it to be able to manually and easily brake the trailer).

A few anecdotal thoughts based on my experience that don't support you:

• Even if you don't add water - adding a tank of propane, beer, everything to cook with (grill, pots, pans, plates, utensils), clothes, destination-specific things (bikes, fishing rods, beach stuff, etc), more beer, leveling blocks, a drill and batteries and basic tooling for an RV, water / sewer / electrical lines, food for a week, the pile of bedding your wife insists we need in a camper, various soaps / laundry detergent / jar of change, etc - it all really adds up. Our underbed storage is FULL and so are all our cabinets. Like you, we want to do "what everyone loves to do, have their cake and eat it too" That means packing everything, and not stressing when the wife wants to pack the kitchen sink. Just smile and nod, and put it under the bed where we'll never use it that trip. You can't do that with your assumptions.
  
• You won't be able to see around an 8' trailer. That's half of why we got a 7' trailer. You need tow mirrors for a rig that wide, and backing it becomes a huge hassle. I'd get a 7' wide model.
• I get 10-12mpg towing around 65mph. That's abysmal. I was in a hurry driving home late and went 70-75 for a while once and got around 9mpg. My trailer's only 7' wide, but it is lifted with a spring over axle swap and full size tires... An 8' wide trailer will be just as bad. My buddy with an F250 tows a bigger trailer than me and gets 14mpg towing. Jokes on him though, I have like 45k in my Taco with all the mods included and his shitty F250 platinum bullshit was like twice that stock and got stuck last time it snowed, so maybe this isn't all bad, just be ready for the mpg.
  
• Since I have no sway bar on my truck, I won't swerve to dodge regardless of whether or not I'm towing, because my truck would NOT pass the moose test (google that if you don't know what it is). If someone cuts me off and I can't brake in time, I will be plowing through them for my own safety. With my armor and lifted ride height, that means their crumple zones are going to get absolutely destroyed if they're a small vehicle. I carry high insurance limits to help offset this. I also run a dash camera for that reason, and never text and drive. If you're near the limit with the Taco, you should consider the same - swerving means that trailer WILL try to pass you while tipping over, leading to a jacknife and a very expensive accident.
  
• I reverse down a steep, curving, off-camber hill to park my trailer behind my driveway. If it's wet or I drop a wheel off the driveway, the ABS does not work properly and the front wheels lose traction, skidding while I'm trying to turn down the hill in reverse. I have to manually brake the trailer using my brake controller to prevent jackknifing. It's a controlled maneuver and no big deal now that I've done it a bunch, but wouldn't happen if my trailer were lighter. Similar happened when I was backing down a 3 ton gravel load. This would probably still be a problem with a full size though, so I'm not sure if its a negative. If anything, it's another suggestion to buy a controller you can easily actuate manually on the fly.
  
• My transmission fluid was toasted when I checked it awhile ago. The factory cooling was insufficient for my overweight truck. I actually think offroading was the problem, not towing, but really I have no way to be sure. Either way, I flushed and added an aftermarket cooler. Your Taco is a 2018, make sure it at least has the factory trans cooler, and get some sort of way to monitor your trans temp.

A few anecdotal thoughts based on my experience that support you:

• The third gen DCLB has a lot better manners for towing than a short bed or than earlier gens simply because it's bigger and longer. A third gen DCLB has almost the same wheelbase and width as a 1st gen access cab Tundra, which would be ok for towing the trailer you linked. The main difference between that Tundra and a Taco for towing comes down to braking and suspension at that point. Simply put, you don't have the braking capacity as a full-size, and your suspension is softer than a full-size. There's no way around that, and in my opinion, is your main reason to be cautious when towing near the limit.
  
• I have no weight distributing hitch. Sway has never been an issue because my ride height is matched with the trailer. I have had a couple of incidents where it got a bit of a wobble, but a quick and gentle swipe of the manual brake actuator on the P3 straightened out the trailer immediately. You need to make sure your ride height is matched - and doing so with the properly-configured WDH you're looking at is the easiest solution to that, so you're on the right track.
  
• I have had a couple of panic stops over my trips so far, and with the brake controller properly dialed in, there was no concern. No one died or got sued into oblivion
  
• S4 + ECT + right hand lane at 60-65mph is no big deal for hours on end, even over the appalachian mountains. Keep it slow coming into big downhills, because you will cook your brakes. The mountains near you are more extreme in their topography, so take those downhills slow and you'll be fine.

I think you should get something a bit smaller without a slideout. You see tons of old travel trailers out there, but none with slideouts. They're prone to failure, leaks, and hassle, and they add a TON of weight.

 

I would agree to find something under 4k lbs.... closer to 3 would be ideal.... Firestone riderites are the way to go. Spent the 300 and install it yourself. Not hard. Couple hours on the garage floor isn’t that bad. I ain’t ever worried about mpg when towing. I can hook up anything and still only get 11mpg’s!

 

Probably the BEST post to-date in this thread. Thank you for the detailed info.

 

You will be a lot better with the R-pod & conservative driving.
With a WDH some SumoSprings & a good brake controller your towing experience should be similar to mine. When you setup your hitch make sure you scale weigh each axle individually to get the most balanced setup. I used a Fastway e-2 trunion Mount WDH. It required 2 adjustments to get optimal loading. First completed installation by measuring & after weighing each axle was able to dial it in further.
The owners manual requires sway control be installed for trailers weighing over 2000 lbs

 

Agreed and it's likely what I'm going to pull the trigger on.

 

Rpods are still 8' wide. I'd get a Geo Pro or a Micro Minnie before and Rpod if you want a fiberglass side camper. The Minnie and Geo Pro come with features most small trailers don't have. The Minnie has more insulation than the Rpod too, giving you a longer camping season.

I always recommend a Wolf Pup, but I'm biased, our 16BHS has been a great first trailer. They're a good bit cheaper than an RPod too - ours was $14k including tax and all fees. If you have no kids, the 16HE is awesome, the bed is MASSIVE, it has no slideouts, and the layout's great for a couple. A friend of mine has the 18TO - they're a couple and love how open the layout is with the giant slider out, but I'm opposed to sliders because they're hefty. My house is spacious, I don't need my trailer to be spacious.

The Geo Pro, Rpod, and Wolf Pup all are Forest River - expect the same build quality for each regardless of cost. The Minnie will be a bit better build quality.

 

Escape 5.0 5th wheel.

 

I think we passed each other at a gas station both gassing up. I had a boat on mine.

 

you are only adding 100 pounds of stuff to the trailer? how is that possible? food, bedding ,clothes, supplies will add up fast and certainly be over 100 pounds.

heres what i can tell you from my personal experience. i had a 2017 offroad double cab long bed. towed a 5500 pound (loaded) trailer with it. (husky centerline WDH).. while i didn't necessarily ever feel unsafe in it (truck stopped and handled decent), the truck took forever to get up to speed, damn engine just seemed to scream at highway speeds and what i didn't realize at the time was it just beat ya up when towing that trailer for some reason.. only thing i can guess is the high rpms and how slow to speed and on inclines it was. i towed 10+ hours with it a couple of time and was fine but seemed just worn out afterwards.. in the long run we needed more room and i wanted more payload capacity so we traded the tacoma in for a full size truck with a V8 and max tow package. i can't believe how much more comfortable and relaxed it tows. did 13 hour trip this past june and man what a difference have the right truck for the job made. i wasn't worn out after the drive, truck can do inclines with ease and i can get up to speed in under 2 miles, i can use cruise control now and its just a lot more pleasurable experience with the right truck.

 

I think you're being unrealistic about both the trailer weight and tongue weight. If the dry trailer weight is 5168+200 lbs for cargo you need to figure 13% of that as tongue weight. 5168+200= 5368. 5368X.13=697 lbs tongue weight You also need to add a weight distribution hitch for trailers over 5000 lbs which is another 100 lbs. So figure closer to 800 lbs on the hitch, not the 550 lbs you calculated. With 1150 lbs available payload that only leaves you 350 lbs for other cargo in the truck. And if the dry weight is 5168 I can promise you that you will end up with more than 200 lbs in the trailer.

Yes, a Tacoma will pull that trailer, but you're pushing things right to the limits. At best you're going to go slightly over payload even if you just pull the trailer with nothing else in the truck. I think that around 4500 lbs total weight in the trailer is a more reasonable maximum for a Tacoma. At that weight you still have the ability to carry gear and passengers in the truck.

 

https://youtu.be/XrIcdyCpLq0

In case you haven't seen it. This may shed some light on your question.

 

You also have to consider payload. Tow capacity is how much weight the truck will PULL. PAYLOAD, is how much weight the trucks suspension is rated for. Virtually all 1/2 ton and smaller trucks will be over payload long before they get to a trailer that is over tow capacity. Even a lot of 3/4 ton trucks.

 

My numbers came out a little different to yours. One thing to consider is the Max Combined Rating, at 11,240. At 11,240 less the gvwr of 5640 you get 5600. So the trailer maxs out at 5600 if you have a full payload. My truck is the same, and my payload came out to be 950 using Toyota’s chart and being the GRN305L-PRFSHA. That 950 includes gas, occupants, and tongue wait. So if the trailer is at 5600, with The minimal 10% tongue wait, then you have 560 lbs on your trucks Payload. With a 950 max, that doesn’t leave a lot of room for any passengers.


I copied this from another thread I contributed to:


Here are your towing facts straight from the Manufacturer, and then doing the correct math for a Double Cab Manual Transmission Short Bed(my truck):

2018 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 Weight and Towing Capacites

Model GRN305L-PRFSHA


Curb Weight: 4650 LBS

Maximum Payload: 950 LBS

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): 5600 LBS

Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR): Total is 6190 (Never can be reached without going over)

· Gross Front Axle Weight Rating 2910 LBS

· Gross Rear Axle Weight Rating 3280 LBS

Gross Combined Weight Rating(GCWR):11,240

MAX GVWR with Trailer= 5,640 LBS

Maximum Towing Capacity without max Payload 6400 LBS

Max Trailer GVWR of 6400 with a tongue weight ration of 12% leaves enough weight of a driver weighing 182 lbs.

These are all of your weight specs. This does not account for how you drive, and the comfort you need. I personally would rarely need a large truck, and if this is the case I would rent it. For instance, I might be getting hired to tow a large boat from Florida, and in this case I will rent a 1-ton truck. I might only tow 7,000 lbs once a year, so this doesn't justify me purchasing a large truck in my opinion. Now towing 5600 lbs is more common, and I am able to do this without going over specs per manufacturer and DOT laws.


I’m not opposed to maxing out the correct numbers. In an emergency situation it doesn’t matter if you have a big truck or small truck, you just need to have good reactions.

 

No disrespect but if you read my original post, I included the payload numbers for the truck. but am now looking at a smaller trailer now but that doesn't change payload a whole lot.

 

Don't forget that maximum ratings (tow, cargo, etc) are like fuel mileage. They are calculated based on optimum [unrealistic] conditions in order to generate the highest numbers to achieve the best marketing. In other words, to achieve the manufacturer's posted fuel economy, you pretty much need to be going downhill, in neutral, with a tailwind and having a child driving. Likewise for towing, if you're towing a flat deck trailer across the prairies on a windless day, you'll be able to tow maximum, but going up and down hills, dealing with cross-wind, hauling something taller than your truck? I would NEVER go more than 75% of maximum, and ideally closer to 66%.

 

Wonderful post. Thank you.

 

Fantastic point here. Another good reason to go light. The trailer I'm looking at now is about 70% of max tow. Still slightly heavy but I won't get sweaty pits going over the continental divide