Looking for advice (pre-purchase)

Big rigs are passing you going uphill at 80mph? They can't maintain 55mph on what we call hills in GA. What kind of big rigs do y'all have out there? lol

We took my Tacoma from GA to AZ to UT then CO and back and never had any issues maintaining speed, even going up and over passes on I70. Big rigs were right lane and MAYBE 45mph.

 

Forget the Taco

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX5lzqzZ2Do

 

Then you haven’t been there haha. You don’t know what your talking about . I was surprised those big rigs tailgates me as my speed went down to 70 so I have to keep up . Hate when they pass me. So unsafe

 

I tow a similar boat (19' fiberglass ski boat with 150hp outboard), it weighs in right around #3500 with fuel and trailer.
I originally towed it all over California and Arizona with my 1st gen TRD OR and it did the job. Though I didn't realize how truly sketchy it was until I towed the boat with my new to me 2nd gen TRD Sport.
The 2nd gen handles it wonderfully. I imagine the 3rd gen will be much more comparable to my 2nd gen experience.

 

OP, there are zillions of threads on this topic. Google search is your friend. The search function on the site is not nearly as good. The answer to your question is subjective and you’ll get different answers depending on who you ask.

 

they're ~$15000-$50000 cheaper where i am, so....F-150's, for example, range from ~$56000 up to ~$95000. Tacoma's are in the 40s.

 

I was just there a few weeks ago. Anytime big rigs were in the left lane, they were holding up traffic. Going down passes they maintained speed, but up the passes? Not a chance.

I don’t think I’m the one that doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Anybody else seeing big rigs running up Vail Pass at 80mph?

 

My personal experience is that I have an 18’ fiberglass boat with 115hp outboard that I estimate to be 2300lbs combined with the trailer. I upgraded to a Tacoma because by 2001 Subaru Forester was not up to the task and I’ve found the Tacoma to be a great solution. Do I feel the boat behind me? Yes. Do I have to slow down a bit? Yes. Do I have to shift more? Yes. Do I have leave more room for braking? Yes. If that doesn’t bother you, you’ll be fine; otherwise YMMV.

EDIT: you’ll be happier with the auto as far as pulling the boat up a steep boat camp or maneuvering it in reverse. The 1st and reverse gears on the 6mt are too high forcing the use of 4lo or the 2lo mod. On the flip side the 6mt gearing is better than the auto once you get moving.

EDIT: and definitely get 4wd if you intend to pull it up steep slippery/sandy/muddy boat ramps. Even with the tongue weight of my boat, the truck can be helpless to 2wd. Good tires could compensate. Concrete ramps haven’t been a problem

 

Full size trucks have always been significantly more expensive when I’ve looked too.

 

Up any ranked grade?





On the plains? Yeah I see them go 90. And you know what? If the idiot heavy haulers want to run fast, I let them pass on by. It's more dangerous to keep them on your ass than to just let them get on with their day. I drink my soda, hang out in the right lane, and watch the tailgaters in the left rage at each other for reasons they don't even know.

It's amazing how much more relaxed I am after discovering that I don't have to pass everything in sight. I probably lost some years from the stress of left lane driving.

 

of course non. Vail pass speed limit is only 65 mph lol.

 

Oh yeah, there are some that drive like that around here. But even a small hill slows them down. I’m not saying they don’t drive fast. I’m saying they aren’t blowing by people going up mountain passes lol.

Or maybe I just didn’t cross paths with any that could during that two week trip.

 

They weren’t doing that either lol. Not uphill at least.

 

You are a lying ba@#$& lol

 

I don't tow at the moment, so asking for my friend and me... would trailer brakes be of help here?

 

I also don’t believe a big rig that goes 80+ up a hill and tailgates cars, I drive 30k miles a year never seen this yet

 

My advice is 65 mph 3500lbs shouldn’t be a problem at all. I’m looking to buy a ski boat and weighs at almost 4000 with fuel and extras and I’ll be towing it with my 3rd gen Tacoma. I know it won’t be as nice to you compared to a full size but will do the job.

 

Yes definitely for the type of weight we are talking about. My trailer is quite old (1999) and has surge brakes that work ok, but probably not as good as electric brakes (no experience).

 

lol If you say so bud.

 

probably, yeah. i'm under the weight requirement here, and good luck getting even a used trailer right now..f**king covid...