Parents want to Tow Tahoe with Tacoma.

Truck info: 2004 V6 Auto Tacoma
- 256,000 miles.
- REESE 6,000IB hitch & 5" drop adapter thingy.
- 4-pin trailer plug, no brake controller
- 5100s with 112-620 Eibach in Front.
- 5100 with lift shackle (set at 1.5") + HS 3-leaf Progressive add-a-leaf
- Factory overload leaf removed.
- 285/70/17 tires.
- Tundra Brake Upgrade
- Stock-like Radiator with built-in transmission 'cooler'.
- Stock 4.10 gears.


Parents want to tow a Tahoe Q8i boat from Northern Alabama to North Carolina, the drive is roughly 9.5 on-road hours through Chattanooga, Asheville on mountainous interstate.

I'm finding the weight to be 3500 ib + however much the trailer weighs. 21.6' boat.
The trailer is a tandem-axle with surge brakes only on 1 axle.

I am telling them:
- If they buy a lake house & boat things, they need to go buy a Tundra (or other vehicle capable).
- This trip would absolutely destroy the truck's transmission/motor.
- Unsafe


They are upset, because they bought the truck 17 years ago "to be able to tow a boat". This truck has never towed anything heavier than a uhaul + mattress before.



I've tried to include relevant information.
Would this trip be safe or possible in current configuration? Am I being too cautious / ridiculous?

Thanks

 

No brake controller and no trailer brakes, is a good enough reason not to do it

 

Anything over 2000lbs really should have 7 pin with trailer brakes. My province it's law.

 

Most boat trailers use surge brakes. Traiker brakes are a must.

Not sure if I would tow on a 250k engine either.

 

No transmission aftercooler ?
Yah , I think you are making a wise decision by not towing with the old beast .

Throwing the book at you


https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-tacoma-towing-bible.4031/

 

Need trailer brakes........ can’t say this enough as people don’t care what your towing and how slow you’re driving!!!

 

Thank you for your responses.

I imagine they'd be willing to equip a brake controller & auxiliary transmission cooler. Even with these modifications I would still be concerned, weight alone.

Ultimately it's their truck & decision, anything else I can bring up that will make them change their minds? We're the stubborn sort.

 

Nobody wants to tell you to go against your parents. Maybe do a small practice run as long as you have trailer brakes, might not be to bad. Are you just towing one way and leaving it.

 

I tow 5k.... just gotta know what you’re getting into and prepare yourself....

 

Eh. I mean it's the difference between it going fine, them wrecking the truck or renting/buying something that's safer. I don't want the truck to tow anything heavy at all. If they tow it once, nothing's gonna stop them and they won't think they need something safer.

5k is a bit different for a 1st gen than a 3rd

 

Asking quite a bit from an old truck with a quarter of a million miles on it...

 

Small update, the boat is a Q8i. The internet says the dry weight is 3500 pounds.

The trailer is a tandem axle trailer, with surge brakes on one axle.

So 3500 + 1000 (guesstimate for trailer) + fuel, water, lifejackets, anchor, other garbage.

And that will put it above 4,600 pounds. Above the 80% capacity (4k ibs) mark lots of people have been saying.


My dad is convinced dry weight includes the weight of the trailer.

But it's still less than 5k! So it's gonna be fine, guys!

OP has been updated.

 

Add a nice big transmission cooler! A transmission temperature gauge is nice to have too.

 

The dry weight does not include the trailer. I’m thinking a tandem trailer may be more like 1500 lbs. The dry weight is without trailer, and without any fluids or accessories. The total weight may be closer to 5000 to 5500 lbs. If this is a one time tow to where ever and they are leaving the boat there then I might attempt it, probably wouldn’t but I’d contemplate it. If multiple times then forget it. They need a different truck. If they can afford a nice boat like that and a lake house then how can they justify going cheap on a tow vehicle which may endanger themselves and other people. Doesnt make sense to me.

 

Another thing, the max tow capacity for a 2004 is 5000lbs. You exceed that. Very bad idea to tow that boat with that truck.

 

I had an 18 foot tri-hull with an 85 hp Mercury outboard that I pulled with a 1999 Tacoma. No brakes on the trailer. The lake was ten miles away on a flat road. That thing pushed like you would not believe. They want to go on I-40 to Asheville? That is steep both ways. That plan won't work.