Towing capacity

what's up!? i'm looking for a little insight from you fine folks!

I was under the impression my tacoma (2012 SR5 double cab) would tow 6,500 lbs.

My wife and I are looking to buy an Ultra Lite camper ... 3,350 lbs.

I entered my VIN # on the toyota page and it says this under towing:

• TO V6 Tow Package - Factory

We don't plan on towing it more than 2hrs one way, just to local state parks here in SW Ohio. Hoping that aside from some crappy gas mileage, it won't have any issues w/ this camper*!

* camper comes w/ weight distribution system and sway bar

thanks!

 

ok ok, I think that I am good to go...

i just popped the hood and have the transmission cooler, which from what i'm reading is a dead giveaway.

 

Along with 7 pin electrical plug in and tow hitch

 

yeah you are good.

Just note, thats a DRY weight, add water, gear, equipment etc and things add up QUICK. Ill be the trailer pushes up close to 4500+ lbs loaded. The taco will do it but dont expect to win any races. Trailer brake controller is a MUST.

 

thanks so much!!

i have the 7 pin connector!

any rec's on a trailer brake controller???

 

I prefer the slide lever style.
It’s just easier to slide the lever than find the buttons in the dark.
It’s all personal preference, pic the one you like best.

This should help when you go to install it.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-tacoma-towing-bible.4031/#post-35022

 

I got the primus iq because I'm a cheapass that doesn't need a P3.

It works well.

 

The placard on the Driver's Door jamb should have your towing capacity.

Be aware, the WDH adds weight to the hitch and camper. Water, food, gear, cookware, dishes, .......etc all add weight to the rig. Anything in the truck is cargo, passengers, luggage, bikes, food, dogs, cats,......... all add up to cargo weight.

Know your limits, know your weights.

Very easy to blow past weight limits for towing and cargo.

Suggest to only use 85% of the limits.

 

I purchased the Prodigy P2 over the P3 since the P2 has a wider range of angles it can be mounted at. Depending on where you want to mount, this can make a lot of difference. And don't forget to buy the correct pigtail if you go with Prodigy. They are sold separately, but totally worth the 20 bux to make the unit plug directly into your trucks connector under the dash. Makes install a 15 minute job.

 

right on! we don't pack too much and probably won't fill the water tanks, as most sites have a water hookup available. 85% seems like sage advice! .. we are upgrading from a heavy-ish pop-up. excited, but terrified to pull it at the same time. heh.

 

thanks for this! looks like an incredible resource!

 

A hardside will have alot more wind resistance than the folding camper.

Be prepared for cross-winds. They can be brutal.

 

I’ve pulled 6,500+ with the taco on flat roads. Acceleration? Pff. But once you’re up to speed the truck does just fine. Just give plenty of space for braking.

Going up a slight grade and it’s almost pedal to the floor.

 

Wow....cool.... Wish I had a petal from a flower to make the truck more appealing. I just step on the throttle PEDAL.

 

Alex said it, Not a big deal if slow getting started, a big deal if slow getting stopped. When all is good it's fine, when it's too late it's not fine any more. Always give yourself more stopping space than you need.

 

When they rate these trucks at 6500 lbs that is under ideal conditions with no other cargo in the truck and with only a 150 lb driver in the cab. In the real world when you start talking about a driver and passenger in the truck along with 200-300 lbs of cargo around 4000-4500 lbs is a sensible limit.

If you ever find a situation where you NEED to pull a heavier load closer to the 6500 max then it would probably be OK for the occasional short distance tow if you're careful not to overload the truck. But I'd not plan to pull much over 4000 lbs on a regular basis with a Tacoma.

 

Lol fixed it for ya

 

Here's how this works......Man buys ultra lite trailer and pulls it with Tacoma. Tacoma struggles, but, pulls trailer.
Couple (wife) decides that camping is so enjoyable and more camping amenities - larger bath, kitchen, would enhance the experience, and a bigger RV is needed. Now you need a bigger truck. Now the family grows and more RV space is needed....and a bigger truck......and so it goes.....been there done that LOL

 

Pretty much this. I think a lot of these people would be happier with a timeshare cabin than the rolling apartment blocks that pass for campers these days. I admire the luxury that goes into them, but I don't possess, nor do I understand, the desire to own one. For all of those comforts, there is a spirit that's lacking IMO.

Example: On my last trip in my little bitty trailer I woke up at 5 AM because I heard something rustling below my window. A small herd of 6-ish does and a single buck were moving through the campsite, not 3 feet away from the trailer, right as first light was just starting to push away the mist, and there was just the tiniest hint of deep red on the horizon that's slowly advancing on the violets and blues. Its magical stuff like that where you don't reach for the camera, you don't try to explain what that feeling is or for that matter have any kind of active thought in your head at all - it's just you, experiencing the moment, getting to hear the first bird chirp of the day.

I think that people who insist on having the 30 foot slide-out with the leather sofa and 65" satellite TV, they never experience that magic. Those trailers, while indeed very nice, they do the exact opposite of embracing the surrounding scenery. They work to isolate you from it. Whatever it is that people get out of that kind of trailer, it's something that I hope I'll never fully understand.

 

None of that goes away because I no longer sleep on the ground. Yes, for some it does. When you've been camping for 40 years and reached a point in your life, where you can appreciate some of the finer things that life has to offer, the magic is still all around. All you need to do embrace and appreciate it. I have pulled my "rolling apartment block" from Bangor to San Diego, the Grand Tetons to Key Largo, hiked glaciers, wilderness trails, ancient ruins etc, finishing the day with a nice hot shower and home cooked meal in my very comfortable RV.

That's not necessarily accurate but I appreciate you opinion. Whatever you believe, my appreciation of my surroundings probably mirror yours.