The Tacoma Towing Bible

You should be fine. Are you driving mountain regions? Upgrade the trans cooler to a larger one and get a gauge to monitor temps. If you really want to be comfy towing it get something bigger and with a v8. I can still use my tacoma to tow but but we now tow with an infiniti qx56 so the family could be ore comfortable, dogs included. Our trailer is 27ft 4600lbs empty somewhere in the 5-5500 when loaded. We never fill the tanks.

 

Hello
Towing question, I have a 2005 Toyota Tacoma trd v6 tow package. I have a 22ft 3500 double axle utility trailer. Want to pull a can am mx3 max x rs turbo. Both together I am thinking 4800lbs. And I believe I read it can tow 6800lb what is your opinion ?

 

Even with 4x4, you should be well within legal and safe towing. But you should do a little tongue scaling to see where to put the Can Am on the trailer for optimal (10-15%) tongue weight.

 

Question on tongue weight if anyone doesn't mind clearing this up.

So I understand the Tacoma is limited compared to the usual tongue weight percentages with most trucks. 9-11% of the trailer weight for tongue weight. Okay. Well I see also 9-11% of the trailer weight up to a max of 660 lbs based on the max tow weight. So we want weight on the front to avoid sway. I understand that, but what's the reason the TW is based on trailer weight specifically instead of a combination of that and the max structural weight rating?

Example, you're towing a trailer w/ cargo weighing in at say 4000 lbs giving you a tongue weight range of 360-440 lbs. What's to prevent you from having a tongue weight of say 500 lbs (12.5% TW) which is obviously above the 11% for that trailer but well below the structural limit of the towing vehicle? I feel like there's a specific reason for this but I cannot find an answer to this question anywhere.

 

I have a 2010 TRD 4x4 Access Cab with the towing package, as far as I know. It has a hitch and trans cooler, which look factory. I am moving this weekend and am wondering if I can tow my car on a uhaul dolly, which looks to be 750lbs. It is a 2018 Honda Civic and it weighs about 2900lbs, according to Google. The drive is about 20 miles, mostly highway and a few slight inclines. Thoughts?

 

It will be fine but for only 20 miles wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to just have a friend drive you back to get the car or uber it.

 

Yeah, probably so, but I don't have any friends. Guess I'll pay someone to drive me and pretend to be my friend for 20 miles.

 

I have a Hopkins trailer light harness coming in for my first gen tacoma

The install instructions link in the first post is down, was it reposted anywhere please?

 

Here's a document I found concerning GCVWR for 2nd gen Tacomas (particularly 2006 model year, pretty sure it's the same for all 2nd gens) Scroll down to the CAPACITIES section 2006 Toyota Tacoma Engineering (beechmontdata.com) According to this document the GCVWR is 11,100lbs Double Cab with Tow Pkg

 

12k lbs rating. It’s a suspension airbag and some heavy poly/rubber bushings. They aren’t carrying the load just absorbing the impacts.

It’s been an absolute pleasure to use over the last year to move and haul stuff. Barely feels like I’m towing sometimes.

 

Check out this post on a thread where a similar question came up. I quote and link several sources that explain the 10-15% max trailer weight rule for hitch mounted trailers.

 

I wish there was a function to search a single thread. So what are the new recommended towing capacities after all the upgrades? I have an 06 tacoma with the I4 engine. I'd like to be able to trailer my car to the track about 3 hours away, just once a month, but even with upgrades, still seems like it would be asking too much.

 

Thats alot for the 4 banger.

 

Towing a 6x12 Uhaul 2,500 miles in a few weeks. Stock ‘18 TRD OR. Curious as to how much drop of a hitch (if any) the group recommends for this trailer.

 

I'd go to the yard and crank up the trailer until it was level or .5 - 2 degrees nose down then measure. from the ground to the coupler. Level to slightly (.5 - 2 degrees) nose down is how I like to tow. Take your ground to coupler measurement and see where your Taco sits and you have your answer. Plan on checking the trailer tire pressure and torque the trailer's lugs as well. Some yards are excellent and check all these things, others don't.

 

***First towing experience***
I recently towed a 12x6 U-Haul trailer behind my 2015 TRD Offroad from CA to MI, ~2,600 miles. We were moving so the trailer was FULL. We took the flatter route via NM, OK, MO. Before the trip I changed my engine oil and rear diff fluid so they would be fresh. Trailer was definitely loaded too heavy in the front. I suspect the tongue weight was somewhere north of 600# but I didn't weigh it to confirm. The weight of the trailer and the other stuff in my truck compressed the rear leaf springs to about 3/4" between the rubber bumps and the frame. Pretty sure I was overloaded. However, I kept to 55-60 mph the whole way and was totally fine. The nose of the truck was sticking up a little bit and I was bouncing around more than usual, but I only rarely bottomed out on the largest of pot holes. I kept the transmission in 4 (no overdrive) and had plenty of power. I could easily overtake semis going up hill. Would I repeat this endeavor? No. Was it totally doable? Yes. Maybe I can save others some anxiety about towing large things for the first time. Cheers!
Oh, my rear leaf springs do squeak something fierce now. Need to go do that fix with the inter tube soon.

 

Happyp1rate, glad you made it safely! Sounds scary to me.

 

My new (to me!) camping trailer. 2015 Casita Deluxe to go with my 2015 Tacoma. Needs a bit of tweaking(customizing to fit our needs), but all-in-all great shape!

 

FWIW I have a 3rd gen and tow a boat, but mad respect to the OP for writing this in general.

 

Has anyone here have a 4.0L V6 PreRunner 2WD with tow package and towed a uhaul vehicle trailer (not dolly)? If so, can you please give more details about your weight and what you were towing. I am trying to understand if I am able to tow my 1981 FJ40 on a trailer with my V6 2015 Taco:

What I have: 2015 Prerunner 4x2 4.0L V6 with factory installed tow package/class IV, Bilsteins, etc.
My Taco GVWR is: 5400lbs
Added extras on my taco: Full rack, running boards 100lbs
Uhaul Trailer is: 2200lbs (empty), 5290 max load
My FJ40 wet weight (with no cargo) is around 3500lbs
Hitch weight: Maybe 50lbs
Max Tongue weight: unknown

So that is ~5,700lbs if my general math is correct. I see a lot of contradicting info at times that it makes your head spin (and yes have spent hours reading all these threads and FAQ). Uhaul calculator is the devil and was created by some demon from another planet.

I just want to know if someone has towed a uhaul car trailer with my same Taco and if so, tell me more.