Towing Over IKE

Hello fist post so I apologize if this is wordy,
Soon To be Owner (hopefully) of a 2021 Off-Road. I don't know if people here watch the channel, but there is a youtube channel called TFL Truck that tests towing over I-70 through the Eisenhower tunnel, and call it the IKE Gauntlet. They did the Toyota, it didn't do well, it had like 20 brake applications. Well turns out, that is the path I take to get my snowmobiles into the mountains. Total towing load would be about 1400 pounds, (lets say 2k to be safe, 150miles one way of pure uphill and downhill towing). Should I be worried about the auto tranny, brake fade, or engine wear? Seems like between the high rpm of the Tacoma, the drum brake rear, and the lack of trailer controls, towing might not be the best idea on a regular basis.
Thanks A bunch guys,
Anubis

 

Welcome to TW!

I tow a double axle, 4 snowmobile trailer regularly to my trapline. I usually carry 3 snowmachines and sleighs, and other gear, so a bit heavier than your set up. I have an occasional big hill to climb, but generally more flat.

You will be fine, just make sure to have good tires, don't try to pass others and take it easy. It is important to that your trailer sits level, so either drop or raise your ball as required.

 

Install trailer brake controller and brakes on the trailer, tow in 3rd Smode (manual mode), 4 Dedicated winter tires.

 

https://www.carry-ontrailer.com/how-to-tell-if-cargo-weight-is-distributed-properly/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mW_gzdh6to
https://www.theengineblock.com/critical-towing-techniques-during-winter/

 

Does the use of S-mode help add engine breaking downhill? A question from flat Indiana.

 

Part of their testing process is seeing if the computer/transmission will automatically downshift and engine brake for you given a set speed. The Tacoma does not do that so you should use S-mode and manually select lower gear as needed to engine brake. This is on top of the great advice given by previous posters regarding general towing safety.

 

Yes, no, and yes.

Yes, Smode holds the tranny in gear so it does not upshift.
No, Smode will not cause the engine to break.
Yes, Smode will help with engine braking.

 

I think in the Ike Gauntlet video that S-mode and ECT power mode were not used. That might limit break applications downhill.

 

Ive done small sections of that road with my camper. I jumped on 70 at copper mountain (was camped just below independence pass the night before) then jumped off just short of the tunnel to head into breckenridge. 3200 pound trailer, it does fine in the hills. It is equipped with brakes though, which I absolutely needed when stopping on a downhill grade.

 

I consider downhill braking applications to be bogus in their test, simply just downshift a gear manually if your overrunning the speed you want to hold. Been doing it for yrs on my 06 tacoma while towing a 3100 lb travel trailer.

Automatic transmissions are not that smart in downhill situations, don't expect them to magically choose the right gear for your current load.

 

Tacoma's are great little trucks, however they are not meant for towing more than a small lawn mower IMO. Buy a half ton if you find yourself questioning towing anything.

 

1400 pounds is awful light for 2 snowmobiles (but I've mostly had Yamahas ). Think your guess of around 2k is much more accurate. I've also never seen a small snowmobile trailer with brakes.

 

Much appreciated for the info, thank you

 

Tocamas tow just fine within the boundries they are rated for. Why else would they put such numbers on the rating?

 

Wasn't the TFL test towing something like 5,000 lbs? Between that and not limiting the gear with S-mode, I could see having to apply the brakes a fair amount. I've only towed through the mountains in TN (obviously not the same as the Rockies, I know) and it was right at 3,000 lbs and I thought the truck did great. On some of the longer grades I would occasionally need S3 going up and I used S4 coming down and it did pretty well at keeping a consistent speed. I rarely had to apply brakes and half the time it was to maintain distance from the car in front of me. I think at 2,000 lbs, you'll be fine.

My advice would be the same as many others have suggested:
- Make sure the trailer is set up properly and get a trailer brake controller if the trailer is equipped with brakes
- Use ECT and S-mode
- Keep it slow and steady. Towing at high speeds isn't the best idea, regardless of vehicle.
- Don't be afraid to let the engine rev. That's where it's making the most power.
- Good tires are always a good idea

As long as you're careful and keep the speed reasonable, I don't see where there would be an issue. You could always get something like a scan gauge to monitor transmission temps, if you're concerned about that.

 

I’ll second that. Compared to my half-ton Silverado it’s obvious that the Taco is not built for long-haul, loaded towing. Just as a quick example the radiator on my Taco is probably half the size of the one in my Silverado.

I just returned from a 2,000 mile road trip from So.Cal. to Moab and back flat-towing an off-road car which weighs 2,800 LBS. in the flats my Taco would have handled it fine, but anytime we climbed a long grade (and there were many; we took a bit of a meandering route both ways) I was happy to have more power and more braking then the Taco can provide.

That said I do think the Taco is great for light-duty towing, but if you’re going any long distance over tall passes on a regular basis, you may want to look elsewhere.

 

Each winter I head north from South Western Ontario to Timmins, Ontario with 2 sleds (one of them a heavy 4 str Yami) in a Triton TC118 enclosed aluminum trailer. Two of us in the truck with all our gear. I tow in S mod, 4th gear, with ETC on. I don't think the hills I encounter are as big as yours, but I haven't encountered any hill that the truck needed to downshift from 4th. I've not found I needed trailer brakes. Don't under estimate rear drums. They work great on the Taco.
Summer I tow a travel trailer GVW max of 4000lbs. I tow in S mod, 4th gear, with ETC on. Between Sault Ste. Marie & Thunder Bay there were a few hills that it had to drop into 3rd to maintain 80KPH. (50 MPH) I have WDH & brakes on this trailer.

 

Coming from someone who has a 3/4 Cummins and a taco. I'll never tow what Toyota rates these truck for. Riding bump stops and constantly downshifting, revving to 5k to maintain a safe speed isn't what I call ideal.

 

You would think they would test using the manufacturer’s recommended settings... not a fair test if they’re trying to pull in overdrive gears.

 

Actually, there would be a lot of applying the brakes decending down that pass without trailer brakes and controller. Then you could factor in the unpredictability of mountain weather and it could get scary really fast. Born and raised here and I've been over and down that part hundreds of times. Seen it evolve over the decades and also have seen my fair-share of scares there to. Seen 3 semis hit the runaway truck ramp and about 100+ mph. Don't get caught with pants down and I'd get a different trailer. Life is to precious (referring to OP).