new Tacoma new trailer

Hi All,

I recently traded in my 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 for a 2021 Tacoma OffRoad double cab short bed. The Jeep didn't cut it on our first trailer trip, so based on friend's recommendation, we upgraded.

Just passed the first 1000 miles. After decades of turbo manual cars, an auto truck is a different experience. I have to stop watching stadium truck racing...

Slowly customizing to meet our needs. Removed the safety labels in the cabin. Working on debadging the exterior. Put on leatherette seat covers. Working on a custom dog cover for the rear seats.

Starting on the trailer integration. Have to be able to move it tomorrow.

 

Welcome to TW

What are you doing with the trailer?
Towing it?

 

Welcome to TW!

 

I bought a Palomino Revolve EV2 all-solar trailer. 21'-9". Single axle. Has the Baja option (lifted with off-road tires). Base weight is 4100. Max weight is 4980. Max tongue weight is 580.

Towed it 1000 miles with the Jeep in mostly 100 degree days. It was a miserable experience. Crawling up hills with windows open and ac off. Doing downhills with ac on max watching engine temp all the time. We have 2 Huskies. They were cranky the whole trip...anything over 85 degrees inside and they were catatonic.

Our plan is to go out for 3-4 day trips once a month until we figure out the bugs. Then try to get out more often. My wife makes jewelry and wants to attend shows everywhere. We'd use the trailer as a base station / workshop. The solar letting us boondock in town rather than having to stay in an rv park.

Reading the towing threads (read them before buying the truck) again and again, I'm questioning whether we are under-trucked. I'm hoping a transmission cooler and helper springs along with some lightening (rear seats in truck, trailer needs some mods, etc); we can make it work.

We probably should have got an Airstream, but money and solar was a strong motivator.

 

First tow is about 8 hours from now. The trailer brake controller install was stupidly easy (taking off the driver footwell panel and holding the Kenosha connector in one hand while playing "Where's Waldo?" with a flashlight...it's right in front of you).

Mounting it is a bigger issue. Probably going to velcro it to the floor until I can figure out how to attach to the center console. I already bash my knees on the stock dashboard, the typical mount location will not survive.

Going to wing it on the trailer mirrors. Jeep mirrors were useless too.

The trailer was delivered unable to charge from the solar cells. So we have to take it in for warranty repair.

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld

 

Wow. That’s a lot for the Tacoma.
It’s rated for it. But in my experience, anything north of 3,500 lbs is less than enjoyable.

I wouldn’t have chosen a Tacoma for that trailer. But you already have a Tacoma, so pull on man. Let us know how it goes.

 

First 55 miles went well. About 50mph on freeway at 2200rpm or so. S4 & ECT. avg 15mpg. brake controller worked as expected. Need to make some adjustments. Towed at 35mph up a decent hill.

Its better than the Jeep. So we'll keep working on it.

 

That’s surprising that it was better than the SRT8.
Isn’t it a 5.7?

Anyways, good to hear. And S4 w/ECT was a smart move.
It will keep you up there where these trucks make more power

 

Should of purchased a tundra … Tacoma is capable of towing but not very well .

 

srt8 is limited to 5000lbs tow & 500lb tongue weight. We were over on the tongue and too close on max weight. The Jeep was going to need alot of work to be a successful tow rig

 

Tundra is hard to find at the monent. Sold out everywhere. I wanted a diesel originally, so paying diesel price for gas didnt make much sense

 

A 465hp 6.4 tows worse up hills than a tacoma.

holy shit i never thought ide see the day.

 

You might consider installing Tundra brakes and maybe getting a tune on the engine.

 

Trying to stay stock until verification of upgrade needed.

Adding a scan gauge or similar monitoring system is on the list. I have a couple bluetooth/wifi obd2 units. Have a couple old devices. Just need to get them talking and find a mounting place.

Replacing 2x4 trailer jack pad is next up. Ordering the flip jack foot.

 

The Jeep kicked down and ran the rpms high up. The taco just grunted a bit and kept going. To be fair, the Jeep was in need of alot of delayed maintenance having spent almost its entire life in the high desert as a ranch truck (would not have been my first choice, either). We bot it stupid cheap because maintenance. But still it worked hard the entire trip, much more than expected. Every 2 hours we stopped for a premium gas half tank fillup and a long stop in the shade.

Jeep was wife's vehicle. She's still sad it's gone. But really liked the tow experience this morning, so it's all good

 

Welcome!