Just bought a trailer....

Good news. But think twice before buying a Tundra to tow. The payload is weak. My Tacoma had better payload numbers. There are better choices.

 

thats a no brainer. should always use a WDH with sway control...

the biggest problem is going to be payload. my 2017 tacoma was only rated at 900 pound payload. hell just the family and dogs came real close to that, then add tongue weight and you are over..

will the truck tow it? yes. mine towed our camper which is about 5500 pounds loaded and never felt unsafe but was always up in the rpm's and took forever to get up to speed. just not a very good truck for towing anything over like 3000 pounds. it will do it but its not happy about it..

we ended up trading the tacoma in for a 2019 GMC half ton with the 6.2 and max tow package. holy cow what a difference. the half ton does not wear you out driving like the tacoma did. suspension holds it better and i can actually put stuff in the bed without being over payload...

i liked my tacoma for the most part but it isn't really made to be a tow vehicle for anything that large and heavy in my opinion. maybe run to depot and throw a few sheets of plywood in it, throw a quad in the back but thats about it.. real towing requires a bigger truck...

 

lol.. some of them are heavy as hell... i may grab one of these this year. much lighter an everyone who uses them seem to rave about how nice they are.. https://andersenhitches.com/Catalog/andersen-nosway-weight-distribution-hitch.aspx

 

looks like that thing is 4685 lb. empty and 6645 pounds loaded. way too big for a tacoma.. my trailer is 1000 pounds lighter and it towed it but definitely wasn't happy doing so..

better pack real light.. that 1960 lb. cargo carrying weight is way too easy to meet and exceed,,,

 

Depends what trim. 2WD SR5 low options get decent payload

 

I recently just bought as well and have learned fast that not all hitches were created equal. Make sure you find a hitched rated at 6000lb max and an appropriate toungue weight to suit your set up.
Also for the anti sway there are 2 types I've seen a friction style and and a cam style spend the money on the cam style and dont forget your trailer brakes dont activate unless you have a brake controller. Curt manufacturing has a good website. Also check this video for cam style.

https://youtu.be/RrbmjUs1Mrw

You will tow it fine not to worry.

 

Well, compared to what?

 

About the same as other similarly spaced half ton. The spec sheet below shows less payload but not by much.

 

Most of the GVWR numbers are bullshit and incredibly inconsistent since there is no standard for it, much like sell by dates on food. Technically a first gen Tundra has more payload than a second gen but the second gen handles more weight better in every way. Better brakes, 10.5 R&P, better springs, etc. 3/4 tons similarly get bs ratings to stay under 10k total GVWR so that registration is easier in some NE states and end up with 2000 lb payload ratings even though they are 100% identical to the one-ton SRW truck that have an extra 1800 lbs of GVWR over the 3/4 ton. Or for more shenanigans, the fact that prior to 2003 and SAE J2807, f250’s and DRW f350’s have the exact same GCWR

 

I only commented because of the multiple references to upgrading to the Tundra. Comparing trim levels is tricky. Think before you just default to Tundra is all I'm saying.

https://www.autotrader.com/best-cars/top-7-light-duty-pickup-trucks-payload-capacity-241420

 

I agree, if you want to totally disregard specs, just get whatever you like.

 

Yes. Its kind of hard finding a sweet spot with the brake controller. Maybe its my brake controller but it almost as a "on/off" feel. I will try playing around with a middle ground but just seem to find it.

 

I had the p3 brake controller in my Tacoma. Worked great. Never really had to adjust it much.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P17NXQ/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_8L6DEbX9V9EF3

 

I recently had my trailer down at the shop and at some point I had inadvertently turned up the brake controller to where it felt ok driving but when you were coming to a stop (5-10 mph) the trailer brakes would clamp down suddenly and make stopping a real PITA.

 

I’ll spare you the ensuing troubles... go get yourself a Tundra (or whatever full size you like) and never look back.

The Tacoma is everything but an ideal tow rig, especially at the weights you’re looking at.

 

lol

 

There’s a lot of good advice on here. Personally, i now subscribe to the 80% rule when it comes to towing. So, here’s my experience:

I’ve been towing around a RPod 179 for the last year, put almost 30,000mile on my 2019 OR truck. My CGVW is about 82% w/ my junk, the dogs, and my trailer.

I started off w/ a wd hitch and brake booster. I spent a month or so traveling from Seattle WA to Southern CA - down and back up highway 101 and 1. In the tight curves on 1 and anytime in the mountains, I felt loose, but never got worried. Slow and steady. When not towing in the Mtns the transmission hunted for gears both up and down.

After that trip, I added Terraflex tow/haul shocks and went up the ice field parkway in Alberta CA. Those shocks made a huge difference in handling and ride comfort. I never felt worried. Again, in the mtns, even when I wasn’t towing, the transmission hunting kinda drove me crazy.

After that trip, I went w/ 5:29 gears and headed down to Texas from Seattle. It was like driving a different truck. Especially when I wasn’t in the mountains. When not towing on standard wheels & tires, it can feel like a race car at times.

All told, the upgrades definitely helped.

 

Not even close.

 

stock they sure feel under geared thats for sure.