2005 Standard Tacoma Towing Help

HI, I have a 2005 Toyota Tacoma with no towing package, just a standard truck. I want to be able to pull a 10-12ft trailer with 2 motorcycles in it so that would be around 3000 - 3500 lbs. I do not have a towing hitch and would like to get one, so is there anything special to look for and is it safe to tow with this truck without a towing package? Also without any upgrades is there anything I would need to get in order to connect the lights together or anything? Is everything wired and waiting to be hooked up or is this going to be a hassle? Thank you so much to anybody who answers.

 

I highly suggest a class 3 hitch and you can purchase the wiring harness at napa Auto Parts. If you look at the manuals 3500 is your max allowable weight.

 

What?!? Manuals don't have a lower towing max, do they?

 

Yeah, my towing capacity is 5000lbs, and I'm a manual.

Maybe you're thinking of 4 bangers

 

You have a 2001.
2005+ have essentially two ratings;
1) WITH tow package, around 6500 pounds give or take.
2) WithOUT tow package, 3500 pounds.

The crazy thing about the lower of the two, is that it applies to *everything*. That means 5-lug, 6-lug, xrunner, 4-cyl, 6-cyl... EVERYTHING, regardless of the fact that the vehicles obviously have different abilities. The 5-lug and xrunner both very obviously have lower capabilities from any of the others, including the 4-cyl prerunner/4x4 which have bigger wheels and brakes.

 

While a 2" receiver hitch is nice and convenient, it is not essential unless the trailer can't be adapted to the height of the bumper.
Regardless of what people say about the bumper being "a flimsy piece of sheet metal", it is actually a very solid hitch and crash beam.

I will refer you to the part on the following diagram labeled as "4":
http://toyotapartsestore.com/2012-t...on_standard_trans_speeds-body-bumper-8512805/

Most people don't realize that there is a solid hitch in there and only conceptualize on part "1".