New Member in need of help with towing capacity

Im going to try and find a 2004 V6 with a 5,000 tow capacity. I think this is the best solution for me. Then if i add some extra features like tundra brakes, break control, sway bar i should be good to go. Anyone care to comment on their opinion? Do i need to make any upgrades to suspension or just make sure my shocks and springs are good?

 

Any particular reason you would stay with the Tacoma?
Or not buy a least a 2nd Generation Tacoma?

The 2004 won’t have any more power than your current truck.
It will only have the ability to keep the truck at better operating temperatures.
Other than engine and /or transmission “protection”, you aren’t really gaining anything that will help the truck in it’s ability to tow tow heavier weight.

Is the Tundra an option? They seem to be just about as reliable as the Tacoma.

I’ll even toss in the idea of looking at a late 2010+ Ram w/5.7
We have 3 of these trucks in our family currently.
They can be found for just about the same price of the Tacoma.
Tacoma trucks are insanely high priced right now.

 

My trucks tow capacity is 3,500. if i get a truck with 5,000 that gives me 1,500 lbs more that i can tow right? with the trailer im looking at this would put me comfortably at around 85% of my GCWR. And i'm happy with that.

The reason i want to stick with a 1st gen is because ive had so many ppl tell me how great these trucks are and that they can outlast newer generations and they are simply just built better. If there are any feeds on this topic i would love to read them!!! Im not the type of person that likes to spend a bunch of money every few years on a new vehicle..Ive never owned a lot of money and paying off my truck took a lot of dedication. Ive owned my truck for over 11 years now and i am very attached to it and had never imagined selling it until a few days ago!! I had intentions of keeping it forever!! So if im going to buy a new vehicle i want to be confident that it is the same quality as my current truck...

I could be talked out of my stubborn opinion of owning a first generation if anyone would care to give me some really good reasons why a new gen is better or a tundra. The most important thing to me is a vehicle that lasts!!!

 

Here’s a kind of different opinion based on many many years of experience. Towing with an older truck with high mileage is a recipe for problems and disaster. Mileage and age are the killer of vehicles. The higher the mileage and miles the more you can expect for things to break, fail and go wrong. It’s just a fact. Tacos are known reliable and dependable vehicles but are not bulletproof and plenty of things go wrong with them. Just look at all the questions about mechanical problems on this website. If I am planning to tow long distances which puts major stresses on vehicles I want something newer and lower mileage. It’s a major bad situation to be 500 miles from home with a trailer and have your vehicle break down. When it happened to me I was in the middle of nowhere Nevada and had to have both the truck and trailer towed and spent several days getting it repaired. I had it happen once, ruined the whole trip and was quite expensive. A newer lower mileage tow vehicle doesn’t guarantee you won’t have problems but it makes it less likely. I do not think a 1st gen with lots of miles is the best idea when it comes to towing. I know you love 1st gen, but for towing a trailer long distances, there’s better choices. Just my 2 cents worth.
Buy the newest, lowest mileage tow vehicle you can afford. And be sure to match the truck to your needs not just your wants.

 

Yes! I love your opinion and you are absolutely right!!! What if i found a first gen with low miles on it? I suppose i would like a brand new truck and trailer but thats simply way out of my budget at this point in my life... My reason for buying a camper is to move out of my house in live in a trailer at a park or property somewhere.. (hoping i will have less bills and will be able to actually save $ for buying a house or whatever, basically tired of throwing my money away for rent) So im not necessarily traveling all over with it..

i most definitely have concerns about my truck breaking down in the middle of nowhere that why i want to make sure i am as prepared as i can be for safe travels.. Things break in newer vehicles as well it just happens sometimes... Thats another reason why i feel so safe in a tacoma they run really well.

 

Over all, I would say the 2nd Generation truck is very near in reliability as a 1st Gen.
The 2nd Gens can suffer from 4WD issues, but that’s mostly due to the fact Toyota chose to do away with the manual transfer case. (The actual gear shift for the 4WD).
Also, the first 2 years (05-06) can have head gasket failure.
But there are quite a few guys with close to/or over 300k miles now.

I would not pass up a 2nd Gen for a 1st Gen if towing were my priority.
The 2nd Gen has the 1st Gen beat by quite a bit here.
I also wouldn’t pass up a larger more powerful truck for a 2nd Gen, if I were buying it for towing.

I’m betting a 3rd Gen is not in your budget. And I can’t recommend it.
As the few I drove were all early models w/auto transmission.
It felt like it had less power (it doesn’t) and shifted gears a lot.
Shifting gears frequently and towing doesn’t go well together in an Auto.
And is inconvenient in a Manual.

This doesn’t mean the 3rd Gen isn’t a good truck.
It is, It just wasn’t for me. Some say the newer models have improved.

As for the Tundra.
Google “Million mile Tundra”

Plus, even the larger engine Tundra seems to be very reliable.

If you are stuck on Toyota. My preference would be.

1. Tundra
2. 2nd Gen Tacoma
3. 4Runner - Late 4th Gen.
(Maybe a 3rd Gen Tacoma)
4. 1st Gen Tacoma

 

I like your idea but living in a trailer that small full time and you’ll go out of your mind. To live in a trailer simi comfortably you’ll need something much larger. I had a 19’ trailer I used as my hunting trailer. I kept it at my duck club. I would stay in it up to about 10 days at a time. I’ll just say it was not a good way to live. When the weather was bad and I couldn’t be outside I’d go crazy. You won’t have room for much of anything. Also the holding tank for the toilet is quite small and you will have to get it pumped every couple of days (unless you can get a permanent sewer hookup). That could be a real problem. Lots of other problems too. You might want to consider a plan B .I know where you are coming from but a small trailer may not be your best option.

 

I couldn’t imagine living full time in a camper with no sewer hookup.
I didn’t like stay in places with JUST power. I gotta have my water. Lol
When we had our camper, I didn’t even want to camp in the winter.
It didn’t have the winter package. I was afraid of froze pipes. (Never did have an issue on the few times we did use it in the winter) But I was nervous.

 

Yeh, and if you are living in a tiny trailer full time and your daily shower consists of 60 seconds of warmish water in a microscopic sized bathroom things will not seem bright and rosie.

 

This really helps a lot thank you Soo much for taking the time to write this I really appreciate it. I will Google m

This is wonderful advise!!! thank you soo much for taking the time to write it! i will google million mile tundra.. thanks

 

I plan on having hook ups. i wouldnt last too long with only 11 gal of fresh water. But yes, tiny camper life might be tough.. My plan was to try it out for a summer and then go from there. I go back and forth on the idea and some days i think its a great idea and other days i think its the dumbest idea ever!! I'm having a hard time being happy where i'm living right now and i want to move but i don't know where i want to go. im feeling pretty lost!! Once the pandemic started i lost about 35% of my income so i decided its time to move!! I really don't want to move somewhere new and decide i dont like it(already did it once).. So i thought if a had a mobile home i could try a place out and if i don't like it then i would move on to something new. All I know is i'm happiest when i am out in nature so i thought a camper might work for me until i find a place to call home. My plan B is to have some money saved up so if i don't like camper life i can bail and rent a home somewhere. once i find a place to live then my camper will be for recreational purposes and hopefully down the line a can afford a better set up.

 

Yes this sounds miserable with no water!!! i plan on having hookups wherever i end up!

 

Agreed!!!

 

Just wanted to thank all of you for your help! i have learned a lot thru this site!!!

I'm thinking about upgrading to a 2006 v8 tundra or 2009 v6 tacoma.
tow capacity on the tacoma is 6,500 and the tundra is 7,100. That's only 300 lbs difference.. so i'm assuming they are pretty similar.

however the GCWR on the tundra is 11,800 and the tacoma is only 8,100... That's a 3,800 difference!!!

does this seem right? or am i getting the wrong info?
tundra is v8 4.7 4wd double cab Ltd.

(i've decided to get a bigger trailer as well. originally wanted trailer under 2,000 now i'm looking at one around 3,000 dw)

 

I’ve had Tundras and Tacos , like them both. But the one negative thing I’ll say about the Tundra is that the MPG lousy, really lousy even when not towing.

 

One way to measure tongue weight on a lighter trailer is to use a fat person scale, usually less that $50 and do weights up to 550#. I use one for my 3500# (loaded) travel trailer that I tow with a 2015 Tacoma 4.0.

Also, sway bars you might want to consider an Andersen WDH, weight distribution hitch, which also has anti-sway. It uses chains so you can back up without bending the sway bars...

Finally, I have been full-timing in my 17" Casita for the last 2+ years & love it... Last spring and summer I spent up in Maine, where covid was very low. Currently in CT holed up for a little longer before resuming travels to warmer places.

 

Under $40, works well
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Trailer-To...r-Boat/192874481388?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

You could always go rent one of these for a day and get a feel for what it is like to pull 2000lbs with your current truck or one you are contemplating. They weigh 2000lb empty.

I pulled one loaded completely with my 06 Tacoma 4 cyl 5 speed manual and after that I knew that truck was not a good match for that amount of weight. The truck wasn't even capable of 60 mph on flat ground but that was with near 2800lbs total pull weight. The Tacoma was rated for 3500 lbs.