Travel trailer/tacoma help?

My 2013 Tacoma pulls my 17 foot Casita loaded to the gills without much effort at all. Its generally about 3,000 pounds loaded with a 350 pound tongue weight. I installed a trans cooler and carefully watch the temps via a scan gauge, but I feel that this Tacpma/Casita combination is the most satisfactory trailering experience we've had in twenty years of towing.
My mileage in the summer and fall averages about 14mpg. I think its the aerodynamics that make the most considerable difference. Good luck and have fun.

 

Looking at a tundra for towing and the inside room. The v6 is ok but not made to pull a loaded 25 footer.

 

We just got done (December '14) with a 5000 mile trip from texas to las vegas, over to the California coast and up to Portland. From there we traveled east thru Idaho, Wyoming and then down thru colorado and back to Texas 3 & 1/2 weeks total. We have a 17" Casita and a 2013 Tacoma 4x4 V6 SR5 & factory tow package. The truck is absolutely stock with no mods or WDH. We traveled comfortably at 70-75 on flat roads and were able to maintain 60-65 up relatively steep grades if we wanted. We did not use overdrive at all on the trip and kept the RPMs around 3000 when cruising (higher for the grades). We were very comfortable and not any more fatigued than when we drive without the trailer.

You will not have any issues.

 

You didn't by any chance get your Casita used in Bryan, TX did you?

 

Taco93,

I'm in the same position as you, in that I'm starting to look around for a travel trailer. I've decide that I'm going to limit myself to 4500lbs total trailer weight, although the present considerations are more in the 3500lbs, 19ft. range. Admittedly, I'll be camping solo so I don't have a great need to go larger or heavier.
I would never consider purchasing a larger truck just to tow a travel trailer unless, of course, you're flush with money. Prior to buying my Tacoma I looked at the larger and more powerful F150 and the Ram, because I liked them. Boy, did I want one of them. But, the more I thought through the decision the more I decided I didn't really need either of them. In fact, I came to the realization that I couldn't really use either of them.
I settled on the Tacoma and glad I did. It does everything I need it to do. Along the same line, will that trailer you're looking at do everything you're going to need it to do or, like the F150 and Ram, is it something you really want but don't necessarily need? In all likelihood, you're going to need a larger truck to pull that trailer comfortably. How much will you need that larger truck while the trailer sits for a majority of the year?
Just some food for thought and I hope it helps in your decision making.

 

We daily drive our Tacoma, and tow our trailer half a dozen times each summer. Ours is a 2011 Keystone Hideout 19flb, 4200lb dry, just over 5000lbs on the road with 1/2 tanks.

Would a Tundra pull it easier? Yes.
Would a Tundra cost more every other day that we don't tow? Yes.
Would a Tundra come in handy just in case a space shuttle needs another ride? Yes.
Do I need to have the biggest, most powerful, longest, loudest, and most expensive truck in my neighbourhood? Nope.

 

I pull a 21' Kodiak TT, 4200# unloaded. I have a WD hitch, brake controller, 4 leaf spring pack, and tow package. It tows ok on the flat, but struggles up in the Smokies. Gets there as long as I am not in a hurry. Big rigs passing are not much of a problem if I see them coming and move far right lane. I get 12-14 mpg, mostly in 4th gear except OD on long downhills. If I knew this truck's weaknesses (rear end gears and leaf springs breaking) ahead of time I probably would have gotten a Tundra. Otherwise, I love my Taco when I am not towing.
Just did my 60K transmission flush/fill per the instructions here on TW. Use my Ultra-gauge to get the temp right. Set for another 60K!