Towing track car

I bought my Tacoma back in 2008 but just joined the forum because I have a question about towing and am looking for some advice. My Tacoma is a double cab V6 4X4 with the towing package. I do about 8-10 track events a year with my 2017 Grand Sport Corvette (previously a 2002 Corvette and a 2002 911 Porsche). I drive to and from the track with my car and I said I would hold off on getting a car trailer until I was far away and had a major break down. Well, I was at Watkins Glen 3 weeks ago (about a 5.5 hour drive away) and the engine blew. So, I am planning to get a trailer that will weigh about 6000-6100 lbs when loaded with the car and gear. I know that this will be within the rating of 6200 lbs, and it sounds like most folks do not feel it is an issue to tow under the rating weight, but I am concerned about gas mileage, going up hills and safety. I will be trailering about 6000-8000 miles a year and do not want to be overly on the "edge" on a Sunday night after an exhausting weekend on the track. On the other hand, it would be nice not to have to buy a new Tundra. I am looking for thoughts, experiences and recommendations!!

 

Welcome to TW


I thought 2008 had 6500 pound towing specs. Do you have a 7 pin connector and trailer brake controller? You want those fitted.

Gas mileage will suck (8 to 10 mpg). Take it slow. Going uphill engine power limits you. It's going downhill and realizing you don't have the braking capacity.

Ditto for sway, much easier to keep it slow, and lightly tap trailer brakes when on the road.

I had a similar weight (FJ40 on a trailer) but used a 2500HD Chevy Cab for towing.

I know that "Sunday night, need to be home," but much safer to take Monday off and take your time getting home. Great time of the year for Watkins Glen.

Nope to buying a new Tundra. You want a good 1000 "easy" miles on the drivetrain before towing. If you were doing this twice a month, I'd say buy the Tundra.

 

Find a nice used Tundra and eliminate a bunch of stress.

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld

 

Yes, the weight limit is 6500 lbs. Someone on another post had indicated 6200lbs., but I checked the owners manual and it is in fact 6500lbs. Also, I spent Sunday night at the track at my last 2 far away events (VIR and WG). Therefore, I agree it is MUCH better making it home on Monday mornings, although there will still be those occasional Monday meetings that will need to be attended soon.

So, it sounds like the early consensus is to bite the bullet and buy that used Tundra .....

 

Well, the reason I said that earlier is you will be right on the ragged edge. Any variation in terrain, weather, etc etc. will make a long ride with that load miserable.

While a Tacoma is the physical size of the full size trucks of yore, it doesn't have the same DNA.

 

6500lbs doesn't mean anything, "tow rating" is a sales and marketing bullshitting tool that doesn't mean anything to what your truck can actually handle. It's a misleading number that people think is the end all be all but it actually means not a single hill of beans to the tow capacity of your truck. You need to know the tongue weight of the loaded trailer, the weight of the passengers and gear in the tow vehicle and the GVWR of the vehicle. The GVWR will be a number specific to your truck that you can find on the sticker inside the door on the door jamb. In almost all cases, depending on the trailer, you will be far in excess of your GVWR with a 6000lb trailer. You can actually be in excess of your GVWR with a 3000lb trailer. What the automakers do by publishing generic "tow ratings" is borderline criminal. A car hauler at 6500lbs can very well be out of the capacity of a full size truck with a "tow rating" of 8000lbs. GVWR is the key.

 

Yep, don't be this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miE3MOcqn7E

These little things are worth their weight in gold. You want 10% of the weight on the hitch.

$149 Sherline LM 1000 - Trailer Tongue Weight Scale - 1000LB

https://www.amazon.com/Sherline-LM-1000-Trailer-Tongue/dp/B007REJTGI

I'm super cautious, but I like 3/4 ton for towing or a dually one ton with a horse trailer.

Tires eight years old, look fine, replace them. Much better to be complaining about the price of tires in an AC-cooled shop than alongside the road with your second blowout!

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Drive carefully and keep it at the limit and you should be fine.

 

Welcome to TW!

 

hey there welcome to tw!