Grey Wolf 21RR Toy Hauler with 2013 Limited 4.0L Taco with extras....

ok, I will be ordering the 679 cooler as suggested. Do you have a link or model number of a "trans body upgrade" for the taco and I will look into that as well.

I notice in your sig you have braces and rear sway bar, is that for towing or some other reason why you installed those?

Thanks

 

This has been a good read with plenty of good info and opinions. I have been towing my rig (see sig) for 2 years now with my stock 08 ACC 4.0 w/ tow package. THe last time I put it on the scales it weighed in at just under 4200#, well under the limit of the Taco's pull max.. I have pulled this rig from the DC area to northern Maine, Ohio, Pa, WVA, North and South Carolina and several trips to other states in between. I will be dragging it to northern Vt in a couple of weeks. My point is that my truck and equal-i-zer brand WD hitch set up have worked flawlessly for many miles of both highway and back road pulling. I know I am not near the weigh of the OP's rig and I am glad that I am not. I have always used the 80% rule when hauling with any vehicle over the past 20 years. Do the math, figure out what your MAX weigh will be for your TT and your cargo weigh of the truck(often forgotten) then do not go over more than 80% of the GCVW for you rig ( I beleive teh GCVW for the Taco is around 11,400lbs). This leaves you a little leeway for towing and it can help reduce possibility of litigation in the event you have an incident by not being overloaded. Watch your weight carefully, it adds up fast.

In my experience towing with the Taco and my set up I have had no white knuckle experiences. My set up tracks very well and the adjusted braking system on my rig will stop my loaded rig very efficiently. There has been talk here about the truck weigh to trailer weigh issue and yes the Taco is a light weigh truck but the max trailer to truck ratio is appx. 1.5/1 w/ an unloaded Taco. An F350 with a 18,500lb trailer would be around 1.9/1. Is the F350 safer? or the Taco? All depends on who you ask. As stated in some comments it would seem the F-350 is more dangerous, numbers don't lie. Both are with in their specs.

Tow what you are comfortable with and remember the safety of your family and of those on the road around you. Try it, see how it works and if you need a different set up change up..

WD set up and air bags: When you are setting up you WD system you should have little or no air in the air bags. Your WD hitch should be adjusted to remove most of the sag from the rear and reduce the rise on the front of your TV. If you have the air bags aired when you adjust the rig you will only be reducing the rear sag but not transferring weight to the front to put weight back onto the front wheels and reduce front rise. Airbags are mostly to reduce rear sag when you have a loaded cargo area or using a ball type hitch with no WD.

Here is a pic of my rig set up with my 380# bike in the bed. notice the rig is level. with only about a 1.5" of sag in the rear and .5" of rise in the front.


Your trans: Take care of the trans. Putting a large cooler will help but may not be absolutely necessary. My truck has 42K mile an it and as stated I have been pulling a bit with it. The Toyota trans interval on my 08 is 50K for towing, I believe the new trucks is less. I changed my fluid last week at 42K mile and it was ready for a change if not a little past due. I had a flush and fill. I will do it next in 30K mile.

This is the fluid, it should be a nice red, it is burnt and most of the red is gone.


I asked my trans guy about the stock cooler and thought it was sufficient saying the fluid also goes through the radiator as well. One nice thing about the auto trans in the Taco is that it is overbuild for the truck It is the same trans used on the 4.7L Tundra and is rated for use over 300ft/lbs of torque. Just take care of it.

Be smart, set the rig up correctly, and drive safely. Most of all have fun! If towing is making things hell, consider a different set up. Don't push the envelope.

 

This is the CAT Scale with my Can-Am Spyder and Yamaha R1 in the back including 1 battery and 2 x 20lbs propane tanks full. The water tank is empty though.

 

How did it feel pulling to the scales?

 

Wasnt bad.

On the way towing it back to my house (I went up hills and down hills, but I dont know the grade) my ScanGauge 2 read the trans temp from 180-242, mostly staying in the 200-210 range. Without the toy hauler it red average of 160ish.

I didnt go over 65 mph and up hills that speed dropped some because I didnt want to floor it and make the MPG go down to 5 LOL

My first trip to the track is at the end of this month up in New York (about a 370 mile each way trip from where I live).

Then the weekend after that trip I have another trip up to PA (on the PA Turnpike with a ton of hills and mountains) so that trip I am more worryed about.

 

wow, you have more balls than I do. I started my toy hauler search just like you did except I started wanting the 19RR. I ultimately decided it's just too damn big for the Taco. I ended up getting a all aluminum hauler from VRV that weighs 3400 lbs. dry. The Taco pulled it okay around town, but when I got on the freeway I got some sway and the up and down front to back pushing and pulling. Long story short, my Taco is for sale and I bought a F150 to tow. I really hope you can make it work, really I do. I'm still sick to my stomach that I have two new trucks and am selling the one I really want to keep. Good luck and be safe.

 

You're pushing it there then... IIRC ATF pretty much reaches its limit at 250 degrees F. I'd probably say get as big of a cooler as you can get and change that fluid often. Even then, don't expect the legendary Toyota longevity out of your tranny.

I just googled this up for you, it's 240 not 250 degrees that stuff starts breaking down
http://www.tciauto.com/tc/trans-life-expectancy/

Man I love my 5 speed haha

 

I do have the bumper to bumper platinum service with $0 deduct for the truck incase anything happens.

I thought I read that the a reply from Toyota themselves said it was a little over 300 degrees F.

I do plan on doing the trans cooler though

 

I'm going through exactly what you are with my Yukon XL and my 30ft Trailer. In my research, I've found anything over 230 and the ATF is breaking down.

 

I just ordered the 679 cooler and will install it this weekend.

 

My parents have a 24ft Four Winns boat that weighs I think around 8000 dry with trailer (probably closer to 8500-9000 with everything we had in it, fuel and water were empty but lots of stuff in storage compartments). We towed it about 700 miles up to Chamberlain, SD for a family reunion with Dad's suburban (had the 5.3 and 4 speed auto, 7400 lb tow rating) It didn't read trans temps like the new one does but it struggled all the way there. That trans never quite felt the same after. Not sure on the longevity though as he traded it shortly afterwards for another one. He loves them though, he's had a 99 Tahoe and then an 03, 05, 07, and now 09 Suburban.

Just thought I'd share since they are similar vehicles

 

The scan gauges work on some GM vehicles similar to tacomas. I have a 40kGVW transcooler and my trans temps stay under 180 while towing, but I'm pulling about 7400lbs. And that's really pushing it, that's right up against the tow rating of 8200 with 4.10 gears and the 5.3. Prior to the transcooler I was over 200, towing on flat ground. Flushing the trans and putting a new filter in there will help bring back some of the tightness, but rebuilding with stronger components is the correct fix.

Sorry to deviate from the OP.

 

I just finished installing the 679 Trans Cooler in series to the OEM Tow Package trans cooler.

 

How did you mount the new additionial 679 trans cooler?

 

With the included ties through the AC cooler and Radiator.

 

I will be selling my truck after much debate.

I pick up my new 2013 F-150 Platinum with Ecoboost, Max tow package, 3.73 Axle Ratio/w electronic lock, SuperCrew, 4x4 later today.

Dang and I really liked my modified Taco!

 

I'm sorry to hear that Omega, but I think it's the smart thing to do.

I'm not saying "I told you so", because I didn't tell you that the truck wasn't capable. But I will say that it built my respect for the cumulative knowledge of the forum members here because many of them predicted this outcome.

Good lesson for all to learn, IMO.

 

I did the same thing, traded my Taco in for an F150 Platinum. A note of caution though (too late now as you probably have the F150). Max Tow will net you a very impressive 11,000lbs (somewhere around there), but as it turns out the Platinum and Limited edition F150 has the lowest payload capacity of all the F150's. It is somewhere around 1300lbs. If your pin weight of your trailer is around 500lbs, with your family and and extra gear in the bed of the truck you will find yourself very close to max payload. It will however pull your trailer with no issues whatsoever. The extra room in the F150 and all the conveniences of the Platinum (cooled seats? oh, yes) make it a very nice cruising vehicle.

I never thought I would love a Ford after having the Taco, but it is a really nice truck.

 

Omega congrats on your new truck. I looked very hard at the F150 and Tundra before buying my Taco. I just didn't want to deal with a large truck as my everyday driver, so I have seriously limited my RV options. I'm looking at Trailmanors and Casitas.

 

Wow, with those big lights and the extra transmission cooler you really restricted the air flow to your main engine coolant radiator. Have you noticed the engine coolant temperature running hotter than normal? That is while you had it and before the F150.