How do I increase towing performance?

Lol

You got me, it sways like mfer lmao

 

I’m glad you have a unicorn. But let’s not give this guy bad advice because he might not have a unicorn.

 

With that logic, I probably wouldn't even attach the safety chains or use the safety pin! I mean, it latches just fine! Probably don't need the seatbelt either - you don't really get propelled in random directions under normal driving conditions.

 

It’s not the weight so much as the wind resistance.

 

Which model? They typically have good wind resistance being low and thin.

 

Ok I think someone explained that already but I can't remember how the wind resistance affects the truck. It's just for like being pushed and pulled around in my lane from semis flying past me right? If I drive slow and get the WDH I'll be ok with a ligther TT right?

 

As someone who uses his Tacoma like it's an F350 dually... I'll start by agreeing with the folks saying get a bigger truck. If you love your Tacoma, know it's not going to like it's life over the next 10 years dragging around a big trailer every other week for hundreds of miles at a time. I need my truck to last a couple more years, then we will be buying something like an F450 and just keep the taco for lighter duty use (I love my Taco and want to keep it, too).

But back to just towing a big-ass trailer anyhow... yeah, it can be done, you just gotta be careful (and that isn't always enough). For the WDH, I'd definitely suggest doing that. Sway-control, I think that really depends on each particular setup. A double axle tracks a lot better and doesn't get whipped around as much it seems, where a single axle is more likely to get blown around and really follows the ruts in the road. Also, the weight of your truck makes a big difference. When I used to try towing my sister's 7x14 enclosed (empty) trailer around, it was HORRIBLE in a stock truck. Got pulled all over the place and couldn't even drive up hills on wet pavement. Now that my truck is grossly overweight, it tows much better, but the wear and tear on my truck is BAD. I don't use a weight distribution hitch, but I think the only reason I can get away with that is the tongue weight is already counter balanced by my ridiculously heavy front bumper + winch. I've also found a canopy can help with towing, it seems to cut how much wind smacks the front of the trailer. Doesn't negate it, but helps.


And if you think I'm exaggerating about using it like an F350...




And honestly, the above was stupid, no matter how well it towed (did excellent). The below shot was taken in the parking lot next to a gas station, where the leaf spring decided to break. Thank God it wasn't 10 minutes earlier on the freeway.

 

I got a quote on the E201 TB. I got them to come down on the price like another 7k after what they had it down from on the msrp.

 

Wind resistance is mainly to do with the front face of the trailer that is pushing against the wind in the direction you travel. The wider/taller than your truck, the worse drag you will get. An empty 2000 pound enclosed trailer is WAY harder to tow than a 5000 pound open loaded car hauler.

 

He wants to learn the hard/expensive way, we've all been there. Hell, I'm still there in different arenas of life. He's also under a time crunch, so selling one truck and buying another while researching and buying a trailer is probably a lot to swallow. Especially a truck he is attached to. Besides, he might actually be "ok" if he is towing around TX and not CO, still not the towing experience I would want, though. No matter what you do to a Tacoma, it will never tow as well as a stock full size. If he gets on a scale with all that armor and wants to stay within GVWR/GCWR, I think his trailer options will get very small.

 

Yeah, all good points. I'm definitely aware of the downsides to this plan and I fully accept that risk. That being said I'll just downsize the TT and go from there. I'll be the first to admit this is not the most practical or logical solution but it's the one that lets me keep the truck. If the truck blows up I'll just get a tundra and go from there.

 

One of these? 4,200lb = 540lb tongue +/-

https://skistruckrv.com/inventory/T...E201TB-Rockville-IN-62ed500bcd3a6c1d4c1b96b2/

 

Yeah. I'm going to have to take some stuff off the truck to make room for the extra weight on the payload if I want to travel with anyone but I have ~700lbs of payload capacity left for it right now atleast. Still need to weigh the truck to get an exact number.

 

Get a Heavy Duty truck and don't overload it.

 

Hell yea! Giddyup cowboy!

 

I thought tacomas were heavy duty trucks

 

Technically Tacomas and 350s/3500s are all "Light Duty", lol.
Medium is like 450/550/650.
Heavy Duty is like a Semi.

 

I use to drive a 650 box truck for one of my old summer jobs. Those things are fun to drive but glad I don't own one.

 

Get a semi.

 

Company I work for just bought a set of Western Stars. Tractors came equipped with all wheel drive on the fly, diff locks, crawl mode (for using the spreader trailer) and an automatic transmission with adaptive cruise. The machine could off road better than my Tacoma.