2019 4 Cylinder for Towing ?

Ok new guy picking up a light weight camper trailer Not my first! Weight 3179 shipping Wt. We pack light, only 5 gals of water.

Thinking of a used Tacoma 2019 with under 20 k miles, tow package but only 4 cylinder 159 Hp. We are taking under 200 mile trips, and are in no hurry to get there.

So what are people towing with the 4?

PS I love my Jeep 2017 2 Door Sport but I need a small pickup and the Tacoma looks perfect!

Thanks in advance, located in lowa, yes I know about editing my signature.....

 

4 bangers top out at 3500, its the wrong truck.

 

Get a V6.

 

You can tow an empty bigtex 14' trailer and look dutyful with a 4banger Taco...

But towing is much better using a 6cyl and up...

 

Too much trailer for that truck

 

FYI I towed a 17 ft fiberglas camper trailer at 3400 lbs with 1/2 ton Silverado and small v8 to Alaska and back. Three weeks plus on the road up and down mountains, slow on the mountains but nothing to be concerned about.

I was hoping to hear from Tacoma owners who have actually towed with a four. A google search off the Forum turned up lots. Seems those here missed the part where I posted the RV weight I was planning on towing.

 

Ok forgetting the 4 looking at a v6 with 4WD and towing package. Are there issues with a 2013?

 

yes its 7 years old

 

'13 is arguably one of the best years.........

 

It has only 28K and some sort of extended warranty. Sorry its not a new required 2021 or a 3/4 ton RAM with a Cummings diesel that gets 8 mpg.

 

My comment was dead serious. Clearly you missed my profile.

My '13 has 33k, so you may have found a puff that will do a nice job for you.

Be sure to study the extended warranty carefully before considering it to have any value. A Toyota warranty is good. An aftermarket warranty is shaky, a dealer warranty is usually uber restrictive

Good luck!

 

I did not intend my comment to you, but for the folks who always want you to buy the biggest truck on the market!!
Here is the deal on the warranty,,,, I think. Going to look at it this afternoon. He purchased 3 years ago from a Toyota dealer certified pre owned. I am guessing he opted for the added extended warranty and I am hoping I can transfer it. Its got the V6 and 4WD which my son greatly recommended. Plus all I have had for the past 15 years or so was 4 WD, Silverado's. I am fed up with GM and wanted another PU and this Tacoma looks perfect.

 

The 4cyl will tow it but it will be very slow to do anything. A 3/4 ton diesel will get better gas mileage towing than the Tacoma does empty but you obviously don't want/need a huge truck. The 2013 with the 4.0 V6 is a good match for that size trailer.

 

Well it turns out there is no warranty, so deal is off.

 

I have, I took this experience when I suggested to get a V6 instead.

 

I tow a 16 ft Casita with a 2016 SR5 access cab 2.7 auto.

Trailer specs:
Dry wt. ~ 2100#
Hitch wt ~ 300#
Travel wt ~ 2500 - 2800#
GVWR = 3500#

Most of my towing so far has been in the southeast. The Tacoma has pulled the Casita very well. I typically tow around 60 mph and average 19 mpg. It has no problems towing at 70 mph and mpg’s only drop to 16 - 17 mpg when I do.

The 4-cylinder does not come with a tow package. I installed a class IV hitch receiver and 7-pin wiring with a Prodigy P3 brake controller. I have not installed a transmission cooler, but plan to if I stay with this setup. I monitor transmission temperatures with a Scan Gauge II and with the way I manage the transmission I have never seen temperatures above 190 deg F.

I tow in S5 with the ECT Power off and manually downshift as I approach a grade to keep the torque converter locked to keep the transmission fluid temperature from rising. Typical range is 160 to 180 deg F, depending on ambient conditions. I do not drive with cruise control because of the transmission’s bias towards lower gears and higher engine rpms. At 60 mph in S5, the engine is turning around 2000 rpm.

We recently towed the Casita over to eastern Alabama, near Cheahah Mountain. There are some stretches of road in the area that are 6% grade and a couple miles long. Although we only towed the Casita on grades that were probably half that, it was enough for me to wonder how it will perform when we travel to more mountainous areas. I had to shift down to 3rd gear to maintain 50 mph over some of the grades. It’s my understanding that the torque converter only fully locks in gears 4, 5, and 6. Therefore, on a long grade requiring 2nd or 3rd, I expect I may see transmission temperatures above 200 deg. F. I’ve been wrestling whether I want to upgrade tow vehicles for something more capable or add a transmission cooler and just enjoy the view in the slow lane up any mountain passes we encounter.

Regarding your proposed setup. I agree with others that if the dry weight you cited was a published value as opposed to a scale weight, the actual trailer weight is likely higher (and likely above the Tacoma’s 3500# tow rating). Even if you pack light, you will need to check your weights against the payload, tongue, CVWR and GCWR limits of the Tacoma. Depending on cab and engine configuration, the Tacoma payload ratings can be surprisingly limiting, particularly if you plan to carry passengers and gear with you. Check the door jam sticker to see the payload rating of your specific vehicle.

I will close by saying I love my Tacoma. Ironically, the access cab 4-cylinder has the highest payload of the Tacoma’s at 1500#, which is actually higher than the door jam payload sticker of most Tundras. I’ve always understood I would not be winning any races with the 4-cylinder. Mine was the first year of the 3rd gen and I did not want to buy a 1st year 3.5 V6. I will say the new 6 speed automatic transmission and 4.30 rear end ratio in the 3rd gen does a better job of keeping the 4 cylinder in its power band than the earlier generations with the 4 speed automatic and 3.90 rear end. I believe both of these improvements help it tow better.

Hope this helps with your decision.

 

Yes Egghauler we towed a Casita like yours from Iowa to Alaska with 2009 Silverado small v8, no EQ hitch just anti sway bars. No issues at all, a little slower on the mountains but we did not need to set speed records. I am sure a 4 cylinder would not make that trip. Took the ferry over to Juneau, stayed in campground there about a week, mosquitoes so bad, and do not feed the bears and we saw lots. Moose and grizzly all over even near this sides of the road, the Alaskan Highway.