Towing Jayco Jay Feather

Haven’t gotten the chance to tow a travel trailer on my 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road.

lm currently looking to rent a Jayco Jay Feather (details below) and see how it does.

What tips do you guys have for a first timer?

FYI: Truck is pretty much Stock.

 

You're definitely smart to rent first!
Many are focused on weight alone, sometimes length, but the frontal area (drag) is a big part of the equation.
Good luck

 

Ought to work. Do you have a WD hitch?

 

Get a brake controller wired up, give yourself plenty of room for the increased stopping distance. Watch your fuel economy and stick to that speed range. ECT on and S4

 

Trailer brake controller and an empty parking lot to drive it around in and get used to turning and stopping.

 

A) make sure you have a brake controller installed.

B) if the rental doesn't provide a WD hitch, get one of those too.

C) take it slow, ECT mode on, shifter in S4.

D) don't forget the s'mores.

Have fun!

 

I do not have a SW hitch, is this highly recommend? I just saw the price on them! Do you have one you recommend?

 

Yes, I’ll definitely have to get a brake controller? Is there one you recommend?

 

I’ll for sure have to practice before I hit the road.

 

Didn’t know I would need a SW hitch, is this something you highly recommend?

I’ll bring some s’mores and drink!

 

This is a baby truck with a v6, you are not going to like towing anything over 2500lbs loaded with it. the tail will be wagging the dog, weight distribution hitch or not. Ski

 

Tekonsha or something like that is what I have. It’ll be an Amazon favorite. I had it in my 4Runner and just bought another plug and play connector for the Taco. Just take it slow and easy and it will be fine. I towed a nearly 5000 lb pop-up camper with the 4Runner, it wasn’t fun but it was doable taking my time. Your fuel mileage will make you want to cry though (I’d get 7-9 mpg sometimes lol). Especially a trailer with more wind resistance, side winds suck too and will push you around a bit. The weight distribution hitch helps with wind too. I never had one but have towed with one, they make a difference but I wouldn’t bother if I was just renting it for a trip. Just take your time, you want to avoid having to make any fast stops/maneuvers.

 

It's not required but highly recommended. It can be a literal lifesaver. Because you are renting I would recommend not getting too fancy. A basic 500 pound round bar with sway control should be enough, and easy to install / take off the trailer. I see them on Amazon for between 200 and 250. If you ever buy your own and want to upgrade, they are also easy to sell, too.

 

Sorry, but this hasn't been my experience. I've towed 3500lbs with a 2021 DCLB trd sport. Fully enclosed trailer, similar frontal area to this rv. Truck handled it fine, no such situation of the tail wagging the dog. I've towed that exact trailer with everything from a dually f450, to a ford ranger. Tacoma did just fine, 2.7k rpm on flat ground, 4.5k rpm on the hills.

 

Op, I'd think with a WDH you'd do just fine. It'll run at about 3000 rpm on flat ground and rev on the hills, but it'll get up to speed and handle just fine. Allow some space for stopping.

 

That's a nice trailer. Someone that I work with has one and they really like it a lot.

 

Redarc! Super clean install when you buy the adapter switch.

 

Your setup must be not set correctly if you're towing a tandem axle trailer and the tail is wagging the dog. I tow a 4800 lb camper and never had that experience with a WDH.

 

Here’s a pic of mine during install.

I bought the filler plate precut for the redarc off of shapeways. You can also get a switch blank that’s a little cheaper.

 

You're gonna notice the trailer behind the truck. It's not going to be white knuckle, but it may be an unsettling feeling if you're not familiar with towing since that trailer is towards the upper limits of what is reasonable to tow with a Tacoma.

Reasonable is very different from max rating. I would for sure never tow with anything near max rating behind my 2nd gen. A good rule is to keep the trailer under #4000 dry and under 26' in overall length. The short wheel base of the Tacoma isn't conducive to towing longer than 26', just my opinion.

You'll need a brake controller, WDH, and a set of extension tow mirrors at the bare minimum. I feel the stock suspension is too street biased to really help with towing so a WDH will help sag and handling.

It's good the trailer is a dual axle. It will track and tow better than a single axle. In my experience, a 6000# dual axle trailer tows a lot better than a 3500# single axle trailer.