Need Towing Advice:'17 Taco w/Tow Pckg + 24" ft trailer 4000 pounds

Hi, I looking for some advice about towing with tacomas. I have never towed anything with my truck. I have a 2017 Tacoma Automatic double cab with a short bed and tow package. I read that the Tacoma tow capacity is 6,000 pounds.

I looking at buying a 24" travel lite trailer that has a dry weight of 3,215 LBS and a GVWR of 3,995 LBS. Will my Tacoma be able to handle this trailer? anything you recommend to making towing easiler? will my Tacoma have the uphill power, etc? anything I am overlooking? Should I consider a lighter trailer?

If I have to go lighter I was considering a 19" travel lite that has a dry weight of 2,088 LBS and a GVWR of 3,725 LBS.

I would probably use once or twice a month. Not heavy use at all.

any advice or input would be appreciated.

 

Consider a travel trailer that tops out loaded at about 3200 and you will be golden.

 

so you think ill have issues at 3,995? I appreciate you response

 

You'll be fine. There are things you can do to make it a much better drive though. Like make sure the trailer has brakes and add a brake controller to your truck, get a weight distro hitch, E rated tires, air bags/stiffer springs in the rear, and most of all remember to drive like you have 4K pounds behind you (i.e. start slow, give as much room as possible to stop, stick to ~65-70mph tops, etc).

 

I have towed a 2200 lb dry 17 ft TT for 9 yrs now, and its been fine, I am about 3200 loaded, brakes could be better, but overall I am happy, with the way it tows. I tend to go thru pads and rotors every 2-3 yrs, I am using supersprings, TA/Ko 8 ply tires, RS9000 shocks which are large, for stability. All I run is a sway bar on the trailer.

 

You will be fine, just get a good brake controller

 

I have a 20' travel trailer that has the same GVWR and mine tows it pretty well. It's going to work hard on steep grades but I've been though the Appalachians 3 times with it and still out did the big rigs. You'll need a good brake controller for sure and probably what to consider a sway control and/or weight distribution hitch. Most likely you'll need to stay 4th gear or lower (S4 if automatic).

 

any recommendations? I was thinking Tekonsha Prodogy RF about $380.00

 

Fwiw I towed my 18ft car trailer with my 09 all the time no problems. I towed 5500# twice with that truck and it’s heavy and uncomfortable but never sketchy. I wouldn’t tow half that regularly with my 19. Iv had 3-3500 back there once or twice and it’s not fun. There’s no power down low it’s all up high and that’s not fun for towing and it’s just too light. My little fishing boat tops at 1500# with a weekend camping gear and it tows fine.. I wouldn’t tow much more then 3000 tops with the 3rd gen, to me it makes the drive miserable and if I were towing a camper it should be stress free cause I’m going camping lol.

 

I run the P2 Prodigy its fine.

 

Prodigy p3 is good

 

Tekonsha's are nice. That's what I've always ran on my trucks in the past. Many on here like the Redarc controller, I have no experience with it.

 

I'd recommend some rear suspension upgrades, either new leafs, air bags, or sumosprings. My truck porpoised pretty badly on the stock leafs at about 3500#.

 

As long as it's proportional and a reputable brand you're probably good. I've had the Tekonsha Primus and Hopkins Insight previously, now I'm running the Redarc because it mounts easily.

 

Will the dealer let you test drive/pull?
Also consider exposed surface area, a half a foot wider and taller is just that much larger of a sail, especially behind a small truck.

Traveling maxed out plain sucks! I grew up traveling with my parents, and their friends, one of course was the maxed out guy. Arguing with his wife that wanted to buy antiques and gifts, constantly stopping to check tires, stopping to buy small amounts of heavy items like soda and water, driving slow,,, oh it still haunts me.

A miserable drive to and home will ruin the vacation in between. Keep it small and light, your smaller option is already on the big side, for the Tacoma. Just my $0.02

 

Buy a Tundra.

 

Rent or borrow a trailer and play with it. Get some rock or topsoil or whatever to get the feel for it. Go uphill, downhill, curvy roads, highway, etc.

 

Consider a sightly smaller trailer. The Tacoma will tow 4000lbs no problem, and if driven right, will not harm the truck. However, it just doesn't do it that well. I regularly tow my 19' TT (fully loaded 3700ish) and it's a bit of a struggle in headwinds and uphills. That's with 4.88 gearing, OVTune, and Dakar springs.

It's not the weight alone, but the actual shape of the trailer, meaning, towing a loaded flat-bed trailer that's 4000lbs and sits below the tailgate will tow immensely better than 4000lbs that sits high and wide like a TT.

I'm seriously considering selling my beloved Geopro and getting a pop-up. Pop-up's are pretty damn good these days with most of the amenities of a TT, and with the right maintenance, will last as long.

 

I towed a loaded car hauler, pretty near if not 6,000 pounds, through the mountain passes from Layton Utah and Las Vegas Nevada with my 2017 TRD Sport. To be honest, going over the first little overpass headed for the I 15 South I was going to abort the mission. I didn't figure I could even hold 50 mph on the flat little lone get up those mountain passes. I didn't even want to think about the down grades. Well, let me tell you, the further I went the more I learned about this little truck. I was finally using the ECT and Sport shifter for their purpose. I was actually able to easily hold 60 mph up everyone of those grades. Going down, I was using the gears to control the speed. I ran the shoot just South of St George and only taped the brakes a few times. The motorhomes were on their brakes probably 5 times as often as I was. I was actually laughing out loud in amazement.
I think I understand where you are coming from in comparing your 3rd gen to your 09. I did have to find the power band and get use to the 4000 plus constant rpm roar. Surprisingly this dang thing got a little over 12mpg making that haul. I wouldn't go out and buy a 5,600 pound, loaded, travel trailer for this Taco to pull around, however, it is great to know that it is capable of doing it.

 

The frontal area of the trailer is just as important as the weight. Firstly for drag, second to see around with a smaller truck. If you are talking about the model below, I think the long nose has that covered.
I feel like these trucks are really comfortable up to around 4,500lbs, which also helps keep them under GVWR with proper tongue weight. Above that and I would probably upgrade to a bigger truck.

A brake controller and a load distribution hitch are a must. Also, you'll probably be in 4th gear all the time on the highway, so be mentally ready for that



I also made a video that may help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKMJdwJWggI

This is our camper, I pull it with a lifted truck on 35" tires with 4.88 gears and it does fine. I think it's about the max I would want to pull though.
https://coachmenrv.com/travel-trailers/apex-nano/213RDS/3551