Unnecessary worries towing over hills?

http://pressroom.toyota.com/article_download.cfm?article_id=2643
Go to page 5.

3500 lb on the bumper
5000 lb on the hitch
6500 lb on the hitch with the tow package

 

bigmooze,

You can add an aftermarket transmission cooler pretty easily. B&M, Hayden and others sell for $50-100(US). With the load you expect to pull, you are probably alright with your current set-up. But a cooler would add a level of confidence.

If you do add a cooler, be sure to add the extra transmission fluid as well.

 

OK thanks, I'll bear that in mind. It would add the extra confidence.

Thanks for the link, that's awesome. I used the advanced search on the Toyota Press Room site to find the same document, but for the 2009 model. Same specs from '09 to '10 (as I suspected). That puts my mind at rest.

Towing 3200 lb with a 5000 lb limit is much more conservative than with a 3500 lb limit

 

I towed a U-Haul vehicle trailer with an old Celica on it from Texas to Missouri, my guess is about 3500 to 3600 pounds at least (car is about 2600, and those vehicle trailers are stout, plus the inside of the car was filled with stuff, lol). My 2WD no-tow-package did fine even on the hills in Missouri. You should be just fine. Only got 14mpg though.

 

Pretty amazing even the bumper step hitch can tow 1.5 tons, isn't it?

 

meet your bumpstops?

 

Maybe a little

But that was over crappy Oklahoma roads that send you into a resonant frequency. Speed adjustment takes care of it.

 

We got back from our fishing trip yesterday. I'm very impressed with the way the truck pulled the trailer up the mountains along I-80 into western PA.

We were staying just north of Waterville so I took I-75 south to the Ohio turnpike and I-80 into Pennsylvania. The truck held 100 km/h without issue in 4th gear. I allowed the truck to get to 110 km/h on hill descents and 4th gear was great for maintaining that with the gas pedal. I got used to giving a little more gas going into the hills to prevent a slight slow down nearer the top - I didn't want to frustrate the semi drivers behind me too much. The trailer brakes were handy for taking the edge off steeper hill descents nearer the campground.

Just changed the oil and gave everything a look underneath the truck, everything checked out OK.

I burned 360L of fuel for the whole trip. Towing the camper I was using about 20L/100km, quite a bit more than the 13L/100km I average normally.

Overall, the trip was awesome. We caught plenty of trout, drank a few beers and had great weather. I also saw another Tacoma driver in Waterville, we both agreed that there isn't much our trucks have not been able to do based on the hobbies we both had .

 

What is the normal range for the operating temp of the transmission oil?

 

I am about to do some extended towing for the next several months over varying terrain, probably about 10k miles in total. The trailer does not have appreciable frontal area (popup camper), but will tip the scales around 3500lbs.

SO my question is this - at what RPM does the 4.0L V6 torque coverter lock up in each gear? I used to have a Jeep Libby Diesel and there was no doubt when it locked up - the rpms dropped by about 500 and the engine quieted down. With the taco, I have no idea when it locks or unlocks. It is just too smooth and quiet.

Anybody have info on the cruising rpms I can expect lock-up at? E.g. the Libby would lock up in 5th at 2250 or so and drop out of lock at about 1950. Same info for the taco would be invaluable.

TIA

-Smeg