Reflecting after 3 Years of Owning and Towing

First post, long time reader.

After reading so many posts about towing, trans temps, weights, suspension, etc. I feel in debt to the community.

This post is my contribution.

TLDR, the Tacoma is great all around. Even for towing. It is not the biggest, the strongest or the most capable. It is a mid sized truck that does well for what it is.

I bought the Tacoma after lots of research. I needed a truck that had the right balance between being a passenger vehicle for around town and serve as a tow rig for a travel trailer. The Tacoma wasn’t the biggest truck, the most powerful, or the least expensive. Yet, Tacoma checked all the boxes and was built by a brand with a history of long term reliability.


The Truck:
2020 Tacoma, Double Cab, Short Bed
Off Road, Limited with Technology Package

Modifications:
Factory Parts Added:

• Predator bars
• Mud Flaps
• Rubber Floor Mats
• Bed Lights
• Pro Grille

Aftermarket:

• Red Arc brake controller
• OBD2 reader and app
• Curt Better Weight OBD2 reader
• $171 Sherline LM1000 Sherline LM 1000 - Trailer Tongue Weight Scale - 1000LB
  Sherline LM1000 scale (for trailer tounge weight)
• Roadmaster Active Suspension set at 25%
• Curt weight distribution hitch 17499
• Desert Does It front driver seat jackers
• Long True 4589 ATF radiator (removed small factory unit)
• Pro grille camera adapter and radar plate
• Someone help me out with @username license plate mod that helped with rear camera backup glare/whiteout

The Trailer:
2020 Geo Pro 20 FBS

• Dry Weight 3440#
• GVWR 4400#
• Scale weight 3840# (loaded up for 1 week camping trip, no water in tanks)
• Tongue weight 550# scaled before WDH (Sheline scale)
• Tongue weights 400# scaled with WDH (Curt OBD2 scale)
• Always weighed loaded, why weigh empty?
• 21 foot length
• Removed x2 lead acid batteries and replaced with x1 lithium ion

Weights - Tacoma + Trailer

Tacoma Limits and Factory Specs:

• Curb Weight 4425#
• GVWR 5600#
• Towing Limit 6400#
• GCWR Limit 11360#
• Payload Limit 1175#
• GAWR Front 2940#
• GAWR Rear 3280#

• CAT Scale weight 5200# (two adults, toddler, dog, stroller and miscellaneous items in bed)

Trailer Weights

• CAT Scaled Towing 3840#
• CAT Scaled Gross Combined Weight 9540#
• GAWR Front 2640# CAT scaled
• GAWR Rear 3060# CAT scaled

• Shearline Tongue weight 550# before WDH
• CURT OBD2 Tongue Weight 400# with WDH

What does this tell me? WEIGHT ADDS UP QUICK! It also tells me that I only have a few hundred pounds to “grow” in terms of axle weight and overall GVWR.

The Tacoma seems to handle this weight and trailer very very well though. Err - that is after some the suspension and ATF modifications.

Suspension and Experience with RAS:

Before the RoadMaster Active Suspension (RAS) the Tacoma suspension felt too soft when towing. Every time I went over an uneven bump in the road, or bridges, the suspension would become unsettled and take too long to feel planted again. Like Grandma’s old Buick on very tired springs and shocks. Many using the term - Porpoise. That is exactly what the suspension felt like. The RAS resolved all of this. Uneven road surfaces are resolved much quicker. There is no porpoising anymore. The suspension flexes, returns to neutral. Without the trailer, the RAS continues to make the Tacoma feel more planted and ready for whatever the mall parking lot throws at it.

Looking back at some measurement notes:

DF - driver front
DR - driver rear
PF - passenger front
PR - passenger rear
WDH - weight distribution hitch
Measurements in inches

Factory height:
DF 35 DR 36
PF 35 PR 36

RAS height @25%:
DF 35 DR 37.75
PF 35 PR 37.25

RAS (h) @25% w/Trailer no WDH bars:
DF 35.25 DR 35.5
PF 35.25 PR 35.5

RAS (h) @25% w/Trailer w WDH
DF 35.25 DR 36
PF 35.00 PR 36

We can see that unloaded the RAS raised the rear about an inch and a quarter. Loaded with the WDH the RAS returned things back to factory heights.


Temperatures - Hot at the Convertor, Cooler at the Pan

I bought the OBD2 Veepak dongle and setup an app to read the automatic transmission fluid temperature at the pan and the converter. Towing in S4, with or without ECT the factory setup was just fine. The converter temperature would fluctuate rapidly between 194F and 230F depending on how I would drive the truck and trailer. That doesn’t bother me much. But the pan temperature would get up to 220F too often for my comfort on just flat freeways or slight inclines.

Long grades would quickly bring the pan temperature up to 220F - 230F without much effort. Going slower in a taller gear or running the truck in a lower gear with less throttle didn’t seem to make much of a difference. I needed more cooling power.

I bought the Long True external ATF cooler (PN# 4589). I chose to remove the factory cooler and keep the plumbing the same. I went ahead and did an ATF drain, fill, and then the ATF warm-up fluid check procedure. As a result ATF temperatures are consistently 20F+ cooler. While the converter temperatures still easily get to 220F, they rarely get to 230F anymore.

On our last trip up the US 395N to Mammoth up the biggest grades, the converter still go to 230F. The pan? Not about 205F. During a nasty headwind up a slight grade in the Mojave desert with 110F ambient temperature, the pan temperatures rarely got above 200F.

Flat, grades, headwinds - 200F at the pan in S4 at 62MPH is what I now consistently expect. With the added cooler size, 220F at the pan is now the exception not the norm. 194-200F at the pan is now the norm.

For those that tow, I highly recommend the RAS and bigger ATF cooler. Now that we have modified experiences discussed, what about the rest?

Brakes -just barely up to the job. Wish they were bigger and more confident inspiring when towing or not.

Chassis/Frame - I don’t feel uncomfortable with this trailer. The single axle trailer and shorter wheelbase of the truck are working against me. A tandem axle trailer or the long bed Tacoma would be more ideal and help smoothen out the overall experience. Any bigger or a trailer I sense I’d have a tail wagging the dog situation. Semis passing or strong cross winds I feel marginally planted. Marginally meaning any longer of a trailer or heavier and again - tail, dog. The Curt WDH helps a lot.

Transmission - definitely benefits from the cooler yet overall I would say I’m not pleased with the trans. Beyond the gear hunting everyone talks about, the transmission leaves me with the impression that it’s swallowing a giant multi vitamin anytime I ask it accelerate quickly while towing (freeway on ramps).

Engine - plenty of power under most conditions for this size and weight of trailer. Towing the trailer up and down the California coast, the infamous US 5 Grapevine, the Eastern Sierras, the engine happily eats the miles in 4th. On the steepest grades I may have to reduce speed to 40 MPH in 3rd but I can hold that speed with very little throttle. Most grades can be tackled in 4th between 50 and 62 MPH. It really depends on how comfortable you are with higher RPMs and your speed. Personally I would rather allow the motor to relax and take my time up the grade. The only times I felt the Tacoma truly lacked power were under the most extreme conditions, going up very steep, long grades with good to strong headwinds. Those moments left me wanting more low end (2000 RPM - 3500 RPM) power. More power is available from 3500+ RPM but then the transmission is downshifting to 3rd or 2nd making for a noisy and uncomfortable ride stressing out the the driver and truck.

Mild gains could be had from an ECU tune for not too much coin, or more moderate gains from a very expensive supercharger option.

Conclusions
Overall the Tacoma is adequate as a tow pig; 7 out of 10. Before we get outraged at a modest rating let’s first address that the Tacoma is a mid sized truck. It is not the biggest, the strongest or the most capable. It is a mid sized truck that does well for what it is. The Tacoma has met expectations. With so much thought and energy focused on how the Tacoma behaves while towing I suppose I could dedicate some words to its non-towing behavior.

For the other 80% of the Tacoma’s time on the road - I love it. I’m pretty comfortable and relaxed driving around town. Everything is laid out well in the interior. The interior feels basic and necessary in a pleasing minimalists sort of way. While the Tacoma is no race horse, it’s power and shifting feel fine driving speed limits. Emphasis on driving the speed limits. If in a rush and trying to do 70+ MPH then the transmission’s uncertain shift points show up. A tune, I keep reading will resolve this. When I get to my destination the Tacoma parks like a coupe; effortless. The turning radius for a truck is incredible. As a grocery getter I love this truck.

In conclusion the Tacoma gets the job done.

 

Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?

 

Yep Tacoma does just fine towing 4K or so.

 

Bookmarking for reading material….next time I need to take a big’o dump after eating at the buffet.

 

Super nice write up!! Thanks for taking the time to do this!! Very helpful information!! Don't let the jealous ones discourage you. Happens here a lot. Regards Scott

 

Absolutely, the TLDR responses are from jealous people. Though I'm curious, Scottie...what exactly do you suppose they're jealous of?

 

Perhaps they're jealous of someone who has a grasp of the English language. Good info OP!

 

Sounds about right based on my experience. That is about as much trailer as I'd want behind a Tacoma. I'd pull that but not much more. But most 1/2 tons will pull it a LOT better and get better fuel mileage doing it. Your conclusion that the Tacoma is "adequate" is spot on.

Everybody dogs on the transmission. The transmission isn't the problem. The 3.5 engine and the rpm's it needs to get power is the problem. The transmission is always struggling to keep the engine in its power band. That engine needs 4600 rpm to get its torque. It isn't going to hurt anything to push the skinny pedal closer to the floor, get the rpm's up where they need to be and let it run in 2nd and 3rd gear. Doing this is easier on the engine and helps keep the transmission cooler.

 

Never understood anyone buying a Tacoma for dedicated towing. For around the same price you can have a much better truck meant for doing so.

 

My experience, towing, there is far too large a gap between 3rd and 4th. I could not maintain speed in 4th, but 3rd would require such little throttle input, it would cramp my foot to drive.

 

These threads crack me up. If you have to lock 5/6 gear and run at high rpm. Plus your mileage drops 6 to 8 and possibly more mpg. The Tacoma is struggling to pull. I've owned two Tacoma's and they don't tow trailers well. Will they do it, yes but not well. Nothing compared to a full size truck 1/2, 3/4, and 1ton gas, diesel, or even hybrid (powerboost) which I own now. Can't even feel trailers, that the Tacoma had a hard time with.

 

"I needed a truck that had the right balance between being a passenger vehicle for around town and serve as a tow rig for a travel trailer."

To the OP:
I think you got the right truck for the right reasons.

Wouldn't re-gearing to 4.88s or 5.29 help with trans temps and drivability during towing?

 

It's quite simple sir. Someone with only 6 posts does a spectacular write up to benefit the forum community on a perticular topic which holds interest to others. And then there's others with mega posts that just want to trash someone like that. And thank god he didn't add a picture !! No need for you and I to split hairs - but it's just my opinion here. Now I scored 2 more posts, and added zero information regarding trailer towing. Regards Scott

 

Thank you for posting this. It was informative and thoughtful.

 

I'm gonna be pulling a smaller bass boat around a bit during spring, summer and fall. Its roughly 2000 lbs and was a bit worried on how the Tacoma would do.

 

You are right in what you heard about a tune. It will completely change the driving experience and it will tow better. I have not done much towing with mine, but have pulled a #3500 boat around and it does it with ease. Yeah it doesn't have the surface area like your travel trailer, but I didn't need the ECT button either.

Nice job on the write up too.

 

Why so many Richards here?

Nice write up and thanks for sharing your info

All tho I aint gonna read all that, holy moly

 

I feel pretty much the same way. I’ve owned 2 full size trucks and they do tow better but they both had the same issue for me. When you unhitch, you’re stuck with a full size truck. With both of them I would end up walking out of the house and just rather take the car. I never feel that way with the Tacoma. Towing only makes up 1-2% of what I use the Tacoma for so it’s a great balance.

 

I've already got a full size truck to pull my 19' boat, and without mirrors I wouldn't even know it's back there. I bought the Tacoma because I needed a second vehicle and decided a "smaller" truck would work out better than a car or suv. The Tacoma pulls the boat just fine though no mistaking it's back there. Like Da Voke stated, mine is not a dedicated tow rig but handles it when needed. It certainly works better on hunting and fishing trips down 2 tracks than my full size truck would.

 

I've pulled up to and dare I say a bit over rated max and haven't had any issues pulling around town and on the highway.I don't pull heavy load often so didn't want a full-size. I've got the sumosprings on the rear plus load leveling bars on the hitch. Also have an ECU tune. Anything's better then hauling oak rounds with my Acura 2-door sedan I was using prior though I guess..