Towing experiences

Something must be wrong with my truck, it works hard pulling an 800lb atv on a 300lb 5x8 trailer up hills. I can't imagine towing the rated capacity, nevermind 1500lbs over.

 

Is it working hard, or is it noisy (i.e. revving high)? These are not the same thing.

It's a little counterintuitive if you're not into engine design, but at higher rpms the engine is actually under less stress to perform the same work.

Higher rpms = more power strokes = lower pressures = less stress

No one should be expecting to tow anything at 1500-2000 rpms in these trucks. Let it rev and relax.

 

And in the second paragraph I told OP to get a brake controller, but u-hual trailers have their own hydraulic brakes. I originally didn't catch that OP intended to use a trailer with surge brakes, so sentence structure is a touch off on my original reply, but nowehere did I say send it it without any kind of trailer brakes or at the least without a second thought.

There is nothing sketchy about it if you do the proper setup and weight distribution.

 

Guy, you said 8000+ is doable, and to give extra space if towing without brakes. Implying it's okay to tow that amount without brakes.

You have some crazy judgement, or you're lying about being a truck driver, because no one with a CDL (who presumably drives for a living) should be so brazen with the illegal driving activities you claim to do...

 

I get that, I'm a gear head and don't expect any DOHC engine to be torquey down low but looking at the hit my fuel mileage takes towing that or even just throwing a 500lb snowmobile in the bed makes me say it's working hard. I think Toyota's poor choice in final drive ratio only makes matters worse.

 

OP is using surge brakes, they are not known for being useful when going down slopes while gently riding the brakes or when slowing down slowly in general because they need some momentum between the tow vehicle and trailer to activate, and on the other hand they can activate quite harshly if you brake hard suddenly. Why is everyone taking that one sentence as it own thing when it is true, give extra space when towing anyways.

Nowhere did I say drive without trailer brakes.

Even had written a second paragraph recommending a electric brake controller... which is useless on a u-hual trailer, but left it there because I do recommend it for trailers with electric brakes.

 

Both of the ones I rented from them, the driver's side fender folded down so you can open the door to the car.

 

As it’s an original Bug model, be sure to take the rotor off the distributor if you are parking it overnight at a hotel. VW’s are popular to steal these days and too easy to hotwire. My Westy bus and our neighbor’s bug got stolen that way

 

I have pulled 6000lbs of rock + weight of trailer, twice, my first and last times. Did well but felt sketchy as heck!

 

Should've mentioned, previous towing experiences have been with diesels....

Appreciate all the input. Now I just need to figure out when I'm heading up and if I take my daughter with me.

 

That's an excellent suggestion. It's been a long time since I have had a bug, forgot about the simple anti theft solutions. I'm hoping to make this an up and back trip. Probably going to take a lot longer going home than I'm anticipating.

 

If you're used to diesels then you're going to have to do a major reset on expectations. Some people can't handle a truck actually feeling the weight and having to adjust driving techniques (and the planning and 'work' required.) Good luck.

 

Old pic of my TRD Off-Road 6MT towing a Honda S2000 (around 2800 lbs) on a U-Haul trailer (2210 lbs). Pulled to the track and back (500 miles total) that also includes some inclines and declines.

You’ll be fine. You don’t need a trailer brake controller for this trailer, as the U-Haul trailer has its own surge brakes.

Whenever you want to accelerate harder, you’ll have to rev the truck out because the truck makes its power on the higher end.

I got 13-14 MPG that trip. Expect around that amount or lower depending on conditions

Reversing the trailer may be annoying. You’ll have to slip the clutch a lot because the reverse gear is tall.

 

It'll be fine. I just need to remember to let it rev. Thanks

 

Why wouldn't you use a 6.0/6.2 V8 as the tow vehicle instead of the Tacoma? Unless it was inop for some reason.

 

I've seen a Tacoma towing a Tahoe locally and wondered the same thing, it made no sense to me (even if it wasn't over the weight limit).

 

GMC's Displacment on Demand failed on both of them, the 6.2 sounded like it like the active lifter froze and was machining the end of the cam lobe off and the 6.0 active lifter did explode, and some how did it in a way that it dropped the entire valve into the combustion chamber. Thankfully the 6.0 was just a friends a truck, so not my problem.


Even then, why not use the Tacoma?

 

The U-haul auto transport is a very well engineered machine, easy to load, easy to secure the car and they tow very nicely. With a rear engine Bug the tongue weight should be about perfect with the car all the way forward.


I towed 3 1960's full size Fords a total of 2500 or so miles this year, loaded you will want to stay in 4th gear maximum. At freeway speeds the engine is well in the power band so hill climbing is better than expected.
70 mph is 3400 rpm and about 11.5 mpg, the engine doesn't seem to mind.

As the unloaded trailer has almost no wind resistance you can use 5th or 6th gear at freeway speeds downshifting as needed on grades.

As others have said backing up with the manuals tall reverse gear is tough, plan accordingly so it is minimized.