Is a 29.5ft trailer too much for my tacoma?

I have a 2011 DC with tow package. Wife and I was looking at getting a Jayco Jay Flight 26BH that is rated at 4980lbs dry but also at 29.5ft. I would have a truck brake controller and the weight distribution/sway bars. I would not be towing with any water in the tanks. Is this too much camper?

 

Get a smaller camper or more truck

 

No way I would tow a trailer that big with a Tacoma. You also have to take into consideration the weight of water, propane, clothes, gear, etc. which adds up. I towed a 19’ 2004 Airstream Bambi with my 2004 Tacoma. It was under what it was rated for and the Tacoma still struggled. So I upgraded to a 2016 Tundra which would have no problem towing the trailer you’re considering.

 

Wouldn't attempt this at all. I looked up towing capacity for a 2011 and it comes out to 3500. Not only would you be 1500 over capacity but I'm guessing your tongue weight would be correspondingly high, which at best is going to crater your rear suspension or more likely just break something. To give you an idea I've towed ~4K on my 2017 which has the tow package and is factory rated at 6400, and it struggled. Not to mention that was a 24 foot and 29.5 is a world of difference.

Think of it this way, what are you going to do if a strong wind comes along? At some point the mass of your truck starts to really matter vs. the load behind, even if you had infinite horsepower. You want a full size for that trailer.

 

This.
That is a whole lot of trailer for a little truck, regardless of weight. You catch some cross wind and you will be in for a fight for sure.

 

With the tow package it’s the same as your truck.

I’ve towed a 24’x8.5’ flat deck trailer with drive down ramps and five sleds on it and the truck handled it fine. Overall length was probably about 28’ and weight was about 4500lbs. Obviously took more gas to get moving and up hills but it did it. Gas mileage drops to about 10mpg. It’s not something I would do on a regular basis with this truck and definitely not with a giant wind break of a travel trailer but the truck can do it.

 

Doing it and doing it safely are two different things.

Towing something out of your capabilities is like banging a hot chick with an STD, you know you want to, but don’t want to suffer the consequences.

 

Id haul it....
...out of the parking spot so a full size truck can hook up. Im usually one who says a Taco can haul at its max and be fine, but the weight on that is pretty high and the profile of it will have the ass end of the truck dancing if a grass hopper farts next to it.

 

Ok, but as noted in the later part of my post, it's not just about horsepower and haul strength, wheelbase and towing vehicle weight are also a factor. The Jayco would basically be a 30 foot sail hanging out the back of your truck in a crosswind, and you don't want to be fighting that with ~4K lbs of truck and a short(er), narrow wheel base.

There are a lot of well featured 22-24 trailers coming in around 3-4K GVWR that would be a lot less risky. And why go all out on a trailer if you have to be on eggshells with your truck? My advice would remain either revise the trailer or the truck, one or the other.

 

I wasn’t disagreeing with you really, just pointing out that it is possible and in good conditions the truck handles fine. As I said I wouldn’t tow that much on a regular basis and especially not a travel trailer with the extra wind drag and side area to catch cross winds.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. I told her we need to find something smaller and lighter or buy a bigger truck. May revisit the camper purchase idea down the road at some time.

 

I drove past a f250 in south Dakota that got flipped from the trailer catching wind and pulled everything off the road.

Consider renting an RV. Then you just get to enjoy it and not have to maintain/store anything

 

Silver lining right there. "I love you so much that we must buy a new truck."

 

They say marriage is an institution.

 

Yep. 2x

 

Most Tacoma's on the road are rated for 6400-6500 lbs. But... about 4500-5000 lbs is a more realistic limit. And a 4900 lb TT will be a lot heavier than 6000 lbs once you get it loaded.

The problem isn't pulling it, but your payload. All trucks are somewhat different, mine is rated for 1200 lbs. That is the total weight the trucks suspension is rated for. It includes passengers, tongue weight, and cargo. A 5000 lb trailer is going to have about 650 lbs on the tongue and a WDH adds about another 100 lbs. In my truck that leaves less about 100 lbs for everything else after I factor in our weight.

I wouldn't pull a 30' trailer with any 1/2 ton out there.

 

There's more to towing than weight. I've spent most of my life seeing things like this.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2xa2e9


Pick up a sheet of plywood on a breezy day...