Towing a Bassboat

Just Purchased my first Toyota, 2011 Tacoma PreRunner SR5 Double Cab. I will be towing a 17 foot bass boat as often as possible!! Is it safer to tow in D or 4 with this model truck? My boat weight is close to 1500 pounds total.

 

Any hills? Mine struggles pulling out 21 foot bass boat it's heavy with the trailor too. Is use 4

 

1500 lbs total boat, motor, fuel, gear? or is that just dry? That seems light for a bass boat. I've got a 15 ft aluminum boat, probably 1500 lbs total, including trailer and can't even tell it is behind the truck. I just tow it in D. If I'm in a hilly area and it is shifting a bunch I will kick it down to 4.

 

i pulled a 285 stratos with a 150 yammy...no problems

 

You mean something like this ??????
In D all day long.
If you get in the hills then in 4 but flat towing on the roads I never have to.

Let the truck talk to you. It will let you know what it needs

1500 pounds is nothing

 

I towed my buddies 19 ft Triton. City/highway, OD worked fine. Fairly flat roadways. Gas mileage dropped a little, but not terrible.

 

I hope I get to test it out tomorrow. My boat is small, only 17 feet with a 75 HP outboard, dry weight is 1100 pounds so maybe I under estimated the weight, maybe closer to 2000 pounds total with motor and fuel and gear everything?

 

if it shift in and out of od alot use 4th gear, if not od will be fine.

 

Also, sometimes I will put it in 4 when taking off from a stop to keep it out of OD while accelerating. It will sometimes shift into OD while I am still accelerating and seem like it is lugging. Once I get up to a cruise I shift back into D.

 

Never had an issue with my 18' fish and ski and it has two motors hangin off the back. Drive mine in D all day long and put in 4WD when im pulling out of steep docks.

 

I have the same boat and tow it with mt 1st gen on 37's with no problems. I have a 5 speed and can pull it over Donner summit in 5th. I think 1500lbs should feel like nothing to a 2nd gen Like Mike said above let the truck tell you what it needs if it feels sluggish drop it into 4.