Girl Taco owner - new to towing! Need advice and experience, please!

Backing up is an important skill, as @Sprig notes.

A tip that might help (with apologies if it's completely not needed) is to back up by steering with one's hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. That way the direction one turns the wheel is the direction the trailer goes.

Practice is good. As much as I've towed, I still hate doing it!

 

The trailer in Grass Valley comes with a WD hitch and sway bars. You got into some technical stuff (which I appreciate even if I don't quite understand it...) so I am hoping that the fact that I am absolutely committed to towing safely and with as much enjoyability as possible, I will get everything suggested.

You mention the air bags being a money suck - ok nevermind, according to ChatGPT - the cost of airbags is WAY higher than add a leaf leaf springs...I think that is my decision made for me - but what will my truck feel like when I am NOT towing with extra leaf springs?

 

Wow - that is dramatic! Steep learning curve but I appreciate how important loading is now! Do you think it is worth it/wise for my to buy a weight safe hitch?? I didn't even look up a price yet but I guess my other choice is to eyeball it using the method you mentioned. I DO NOT EVER want to experience that saying stuff lol

 

The springs leafs not loaded are going to be stiff.
I personally have never had any problems with bags but always maintained them I never had a shop install them, never off-roaded with them It was always just used for the tow.

 

Thank you - I am aware of the bottom of the steering wheel "trick" but I'm not sure my brain will be since I normally don't steer that
way. Only time will tell and I sure cant wait for the day when I have muscle memory around all of this!

 

I was hoping someone had mentioned this very important point.

If a trailer has the majority of it's weight behind the axle then it will naturally want to sway increasingly.

Here's a good example video where they move the weights from the rear of the trailer to the front.

[Edit: I see someone beat me to the punch posting this video ]

 

apparently, there are whole threads related to this very question! Maybe I start with the cheaper alternative and save up money for air bags later?

 

If the cheaper version is what you can do at the moment then it's a good choice. It's better than nothing!!
But I will say again buy and cry once.
In the end it has saved me money but I've also been in the same where I needed to save.

 

I miss Grass Valley and my. Friend so!!!
It was so beautiful up there and so is she

 

You may be fine without airbags or AAL depending on how well the weight distributing hitch works. If you're going to start with either (add-a-leaf or airbags).. I'd recommend a 3 leaf AAL life the one offered by Headstrong.

 

Go slow. If people are tailgating or getting pissed ignore them.. you're living the dream. Use S-mode to control which gear you're in and do not wind the truck up above 4500 rpm just to get there a few minutes faster.

 

Beautiful trailer! Have fun!

That’s alot of weight for a Tacoma. It can do it, but it’s not a pleasant driving experience.
We bought a similar size trailer in 2020. I had a 2014 Tacoma. Towed it from Phoenix to SoCal and used it for two weekend trips.
It was pretty miserable towing.
Family wanted the trailer… sold the Tacoma for a full size. what a difference. Didn’t even notice the trailer when driving.

Honestly, if you’re committed to that much towing, be open minded to a more capable vehicle. The Tacoma can do it, but you wont be able to relax.

Get mirror extensions, sumo springs or air bags, backup with your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel.

Kids out grew the trailer, sold it. Immediately sold the F150, back in a Tacoma.

 

The 2 to 3 day window with baptism by fire sounds like a good approach. Planning on a short first day may help. Sounds exciting and fun!

 

Do I think it's a bad idea, no, but I also think they aren't needed when you tow the same thing all the time. They are great if you tow something different all the time, but the same trailer with relatively the same cargo loads once you find that sweet spot you'll likely never look at the scale again.

Since your trailer comes with a WD hitch I would see how well that works first before diving down the suspension rabbit hole. Yes, we all like buy once cry once, but we also don't like spending money only to find it wasn't needed.

With that said, upgraded springs don't always mean rough ride. Will it be rougher than stock? Yes, but everyones idea of too rough is subjective. I installed RXT option 2 leaf springs in my truck (1.75 inches of lift with 200lbs in the bed), even with zero weight I found it rode perfectly fine, but others have complained about a spine jarring ride with the same setup.

Airbags seem to be hit or miss for the Taco, and again, subjective. A lot of folks still report a very harsh ride when they air down to the recommended 5psi when unloaded.

Hook up to your trailer, get the WD setup properly, test out your cargo loads and see how it sits and handles. Take easy drives around home. Start out slow and steady, get used to how it feels, then work up to highway speeds as you get comfortable. If possible, have someone who is familiar with towing to try it out. If you find you need to address too much sag or poor handling then look into suspension. You're already ahead of a lot of people with a WD hitch with sways.

 

Ok I covered a few driving, maneuvering and safety things. Now just a couple words on tow mods or additions, equipment. I wouldn’t add or change any equipment (with one exception). Pick up the trailer tow it home and tow it around for a couple days before you decide what you need or want to change. It may tow just fine the way it is. If you discover things you are uncomfortable with or don’t like then address those things. Then decide what mods or changes can mitigate your concerns and go from there.
In any event I don’t think you will need air bags. Possibly beefier rear leafs but not air bags.
The one thing I think you should look into now is new shocks. I’m guessing the shocks on your 8 year old truck are original. If they’ve been replaced then ignore this. If they are original then I’m sure they are over due for replacement. Original equipment shocks are good for between 50,000 to 100,000 miles. Beyond that they need to be replaced. Most people seldom think about their shocks but they are critical to everyday safety driving and especially towing. You don’t have to go fancy or expensive for replacements. The general recommended replacement shocks for original is Bilstein 4600’s. They are far superior to originals and way upgraded. They are the same as 5100’s that people constantly recommend but are for non lifted trucks.
I currently do not tow a travel trailer (use to but not currently) but I do tow a 3500+ boat/trailer. I drive a TRD Sport 4x4. I have Bilstein 4600’s and I did install slightly upgraded rear leaf springs. I tow my boat, use to tow a travel trailer and I go off road often on hunting and fishing trips. Everything works great, I have no need for any upgrades or mods.
One last thing, if you haven’t recently had your brakes inspected or replaced be sure to do so. Definitely want good brakes when towing.

 

The WD hitch and sway bars are clutch. You many not need any suspension mods (though new shocks are always a safe buy). Have them show you setup on it, the included hitch will have very positive impacts on your ability to tow safely if it's setup right.

When in doubt, heavier duty suspension is rarely a bad purchase when towing/hauling like you are

 

Google's Gemini saved me a minute here...

Yes, an AAL (add-a-leaf) will generally stiffen a truck's ride when it is empty, as it adds an extra leaf to the suspension spring pack, which increases the spring rate and results in a less compliant ride with no load on the truck.
Explanation:

• Spring Rate: The "spring rate" refers to how much force is needed to compress a spring a certain distance. Adding an AAL increases the spring rate, meaning more force is needed to compress the suspension, leading to a stiffer ride, especially when the truck is not carrying a load.

Considerations:

• Load Capacity:
  While an AAL makes the truck ride stiffer when empty, it is designed to help maintain proper suspension geometry and prevent sagging when carrying a heavy load.

 

I have always considered air bags the cheaper alternative. They only get expensive if you want a full on board air system where the bag air pressure can be adjusted in the cab. Air bags can easily be inflated with a nice bicycle pump, saving 2/3 or more of the cost of some complete systems. Just make sure they each have an individual valve, some people plumb both to a single valve, and this can cause a LOT of added sway.

An add a leaf should only be added to a healthy leaf pack for best results. Meaning if your leaf springs are already worn out, you are better off getting a heavier duty custom leaf back, versus a new Toyota leaf pack + an add a leaf.

Depending on how heavy duty you go, the ride could be decent unloaded, or it could feel like you don't have rear suspension. That's pretty much how mine rides, as I went extremely heavy duty for my camper, planning for it to be on the truck 90% of the time. I seldom drive unloaded, so you absolutely don't want to go that extreme.

I think you should give it a go with just the weight distribution hitch for now, and see how it goes. And as for balancing the load, I've found it's usually pretty obvious. I've loaded up and started driving only to find the front of my truck wanting to wander all over the road, barely able to steer. This was from my trailer being loaded too much at the front, greatly increasing my tongue weight, and lifting the front of my truck. By moving load rearward on my trailer it made a massive difference. This is where finding out where your water tanks are can help you out. Sometimes it can be safer to drive with some water weight to help balance you front to back. Or it might mean you really want empty tanks when towing.

 

Everyone has given you excellent information. Don’t rush to make any changes until you have towed enough to understand your needs.
You will do fine! Just be calm and enjoy your first tow as if it was any other new experience.
I have been towing since 16 yo (1962) from utility trailers to 29 ft 5th wheels. From the Pacific Coast Highway to I95 Maine to Florida and Alaska to Monterey Mexico. I only need to camp out in two more states to have made all but Hawaii. You’re going to have a great time! I’m only envious I am too old to start all over. I still learn something every time I tow.
My current rig is a 2015 Taco DC TRD lifted and armored with a Super Pacific in the bed towing a 17’ Casita. It is vastly different from any other rig I have had. Still learning from it after owning it for 3 years.
Enjoy your life!

 

As a ex truck driver I can say that the #! Thing i see is people going to fast and not allowing room to adjust or change lanes in an emergency! Speed kills!
#2 mirrors are very important so find a good quality set of tow mirrors that don’t shack so bad you can’t see through them
#3 load or weight distribution is a great idea, and if you need helper springs or air bags by all means get them.
#4 everything you load up in the truck lowers weight/ towing capacity even your weight, topper weight, luggage, all lowers you trucks capacity, most don’t keep that in mind.
#5 if trailer has breaks make sure they are adjuster properly! Electrical breakers should be adjusted for the load you’re carrying in the trailer. Surge breaks check to see if break fluids full and again on your first stop recheck it.