2009 SR5 Adding Tow Kit: What to buy?

Hey Guys/Gals... Just put a deposit down on a 2009 SR5 Double cab short bed with low miles (58K). It did not come with a hitch unfortunately.

What should I be putting on there for hitch and wiring? I want the whole kit and needs to work with my brake controller. Will the lack of a factory tow package be a problem?

Will I need this for a smaller RV trailer?
http://www.etrailer.com/Transmission-Coolers/Toyota/Tacoma/2009/D13503.html?vehicleid=2009759841

I will be towing this

http://www.colonialairstream.com/preowned-rvs/9319a/

2,717# Axle Weight, 295# Hitch Weight, 3,012# Dry Weight.

Thanks! Spencer

 

You can get an aftermarket transmission cooler - and it is a good idea. I did not have a tow kit on my wife's 4 cylinder Tacoma, so we ended up trading in for a 2009 TRD sport double cab with a short bed that does (used). The trailer place I bought our camper from was cheaper than the Taco dealer to get the tow package stuff installed. I got a Weight Distributing Hitch (WDH), anti-sway bar, brake controller, 7 pin electrical connector. The hitch and transmission cooler were on the truck already of course. The truck has a prewired hook up for the electric trailer brake controller, so adding the controller is easy.

Your camper is a bit larger than ours, but only slightly. The "new" V6 truck tows it very well.

Since you just put the payment down, it might be too late, but negotiate with the dealer on adding the towing kit as part of the price of the truck, and you might get a much better price than you will get after-the-fact from their service department. I got new tires thrown in on the used truck this way.

 

I appreciate the response. I let that one go, and got a 2012 DC SB with the towing package. and glad I did! Tows beautifully. Much more stable than a 2010 Liberty.

 

Great! about to go hook mine up for a little outing!

 

I use a tekonsha p3 brake control. You order the harness adapter. I also suggest a scan gauge 2 to watch the tranny temps. If you open up the trans to add a cooler make sure to use Toyota "ws" fluid, or do a full flush and go amsoil. Consider a flush on the cooling system. Upgraded brake pads aren't a bad idea either. @ 58k, it's not a bad idea to do all of this anyways. Make sure they changed the plugs too. These 4.0s get new plugs every 30k. SR5 trucks might have a weaker rear set of springs that might need changed or a set of airbags. Others will chime in I'm sure. NEVER TOW IN OVERDRIVE!!! These things all come from experience and pain. I just changed all of my fluids in my sequoia with 70k to prepare for a trip at the end of the month. Luckily this is also the secret to unlocking the 300k miles trapped inside every Tacoma

 

Had not heard the thing about teh spark plugs....got to go research that!