2014 Taco 6400lbs tow capacity

First post in the community!

Just purchased a 24 foot travel trailer (19 ft box) with a dry weight of 4200lbs. I don't plan on loading it up with water, just some gear top keep weight down. I have a stabilizer hitch and anti sway bar.

Although I know the tow capacity is 6400lbs, Im still nervous about pulling so much weight and especially going down hills and stopping. Anyone hauled a similar trailer that can offer feedback?

Cheers

 

Congrats on the purchase.

Some thoughts...
• The type of trailer AND the weight determine what kind of hitch, brake, and sway control you need.
• A 4200# lawn mower on a flatbed trailer is not affected by the wind. However, a 19ft box trailer will act like a giant sail. And the closer your trailer weight is to the max towing capacity, the greater the probability of towing issues will be.
• You're going to need a good weight distributing hitch rated for at least 6000#. This will allow you to: A) Adjust the height of the ball up and down to level out the trailer. B) Add load distribution bars. C) Add sway control, if you need it.
• You'll also need to add a 7-pole electric brake connector AND (probably a "proportional") electric brake controller. After (approx) 2013 Tacomas came factory wired for the electric brake controller. This is going to save you a lot of time, but not much money. When you buy your controller, you'll need to also get a short (12-24") pigtail from the controller maker that plugs into the Tacoma on one end and the controller on the other.


► Remember that the trailer weighs as much as the truck, so you don't want to "cheap out" on any of this. A quick search of "trailer sway" on YouTube will put "the fear of God" into you very quickly as far as the dangers of sway are concerned. "Sway" is nothing more than wind having a greater effect on the trailer, then it does the truck (which is exactly your case). When that happens, the trailer (with its greater weight and sail area) starts to steer the truck !!

► With a trailer that size & weight, if you are going long distance on the open road AND/OR going where cross-winds are known to frequent, then you'd have been much better off with a "fifth wheel trailer". Those are nearly immune to sway, which is why people use them.

► Lastly, remember this. The internet is a funny place. You may get hundreds of well-meaning responses, but some of them are going to be from people who may not drive their big trailer any further than a mile from their house. Their experiences are NOT going to be the same as someone who drives cross-country. Lot's of nice people have towing experience; you need to discern who has relevant towing experience.

All the best.

 

You don't mention trailer brakes. It does have them, right?

And you don't mention your towing experience, nor the conditions (other than weather) you'll typically tow in. Distances, terrain, speeds, etc.

Read @NGeorgiaTacoma's response carefully. He has it right. All those factors matter.

 

Thank you for your responses.
The trailer is a 2015 Springdale by Keystone 189FLWE, and it does have the brakes.
I have towed a pop up in the past, but obviously, that is much smaller and lower profile than a travel trailer.

Almost wish I didn't sell it after reading all this...

I don't plan on going super long distances with the trailer all the time, but would like to go from Phoenix up to San Diego and up the coast.

Did you install your own brake controller, or should I take it in to a professional?
I do have a hitch and weight distribution bars, as well as an anti sway bar from previous owner.

Did anyone change their brakes on the Tacoma to a "beefier" brake system?
Also, how can you tell if you have the tow package from factory or after market? I have an small extra radiator for the tranny i believe and

Thanks, DAN

 

• Installation of the brake controller is easy on a Taco with a V6. On those trucks, Toyota already built in a lot of the wiring. If you have the "Tow Package" and the 7-pin connector is already present near the hitch, then you literally only need to pick the correct controller for the trailer's weight (and number of brakes), buy a short pigtail to go between the controller and your Taco harness (the controller maker offers these), then plug it all up and make the electrical adjustments to the controller.

• Adding the electrical connection to the trailer brakes and then getting the controller properly adjusted IS your beefed up brake system. Of course with a monster like that, pre-trip inspections of all the brakes (trailer AND truck) and tire conditions are mandatory. There's no such thing as an impromptu "pop up the coast" anymore. In one purchase you went from Little League (likelihood of experiencing an inconvenient blow-out) to Major League (likelihood of injury to someone dear to you). [Maybe a bit extreme, but you get the picture.]

• You could just as easily run into cross winds in the flat Phoenix desert as you could off-shore bursts along the coastal highway. Wind is wind. You have to get properly hitched and be HIGHLY aware of what's happening to the 18 wheelers in front of you. Your forward speed is going to determine the time you have to react.

 

Don't be afraid if you are running wd hitch and sway control you will be fine, don't get in a hurry and don't make any sudden movements. I tow 2 trailers all over southwest Colorado and Utah and I have no problems at all.