4500 lbs camper too much?

I've towed ~4500lbs worth of box cargo trailer from Missouri to Arizona with my truck. It was pretty miserable. You feel like you are wringing the engines neck to even do 65mph on the freeway, and god forbid if there is wind or hills lol. Plan to stop often for gas (I averaged 8-11mpg) and if you're going through hills use the far right lane cuz you will need it. Probably most importantly though is you have to really plan out your braking, your distance to stop will increase drastically even with trailer brakes.

 

You're hitting the road full time with a 28ft travel trailer @4500 pounds (5500 fully loaded) and want to tow it with a Tacoma. Sounds like you haven't thought shit out. Concerns? yes, a lot of concerns!

I love the big on safety part, but you haven't even bothered to read the door jam sticker it seems

 

The factory tranny cooler is junk. I tow a 14 foot jayco. The problem isn’t the weight of the trailer it’s the fact that they are parachutes behind these trucks. I’ve got a big aftermarket cooler, redarc brake controller, torque pro gauge, air bags, and a weight distribution hitch to tow my trailer. Is it all needed? Maybe not. But with one that big you will need all the help you can get. First pic is without bags and WD hitch second is with.

 

looks so good! What hidden winch do you have?

 

Thanks! It’s a @usoffroad
They are actually having a group buy on them right now.

 

Also curious what trans cooler you went with? And was it plug and play?

 

I went with the B&M 70268 if i remember right. There was a little bit of plumbing and stuff to do and I made some brackets to mount it. It comes with some brackets but depending on how you want to mount it, you might have to make some. I left it inline with the factory cooler.

 

I do it all the time and put no one in danger. My Tacoma is rated to tow up to 6900 pounds. And does it safely with a WDH anda top of the line brake controller

 

Have you ever driven up and back down the back side of Red Ridge pass in Colorado or down the westside of Aspen Lake in CA?

 

It would be fine for short trips here and there, towing that much trailer regularly would give you gray hair. It’s exhausting.

You have to consider the length of the trailer and all the wind resistance. It’s going to boss the truck around big time. The tail is longer and heavier than the dog so to speak.

 

I've done it twice in the last month, over 6500 lbs.

 

At what elevation, and grade going downhill?

 

You're fine at the weight you are looking at. Stop listening to a bunch of people who have zero experience towing a travel trailer with a Tacoma or expect the Tacoma to tow like a 3/4 ton diesel.

Our trailer is 23ft and 4,500 dry/5,500 loaded. I don't have airbags but I do run a WDH. Most of my towing is going up or down the mountains. We live at 4,500 ft and every trip takes us over passes ranging between 6k and 7,500ft. Just make sure the trailer is properly loaded and you don't carry a bunch of extra gear in your truck (pack it all in the trailer). You will also want to watch your transmission temp if you have an auto.

 

Elevation less than 1,000. Grade over 20*. I stopped in the middle of that 20*.

My truck's brakes are not stock. Stock gears with 37" tires, automatic, and a Pedal Commander.

 

Nice set up. Realistic expectations, a key mod or two for the specific job at hand, and intelligent driving help.

 

Stock gears with 37s? How's that working out for you? These trucks were not designed to tow 6500+ lbs up and over a mountain that is 12K+, you will burn up the transmission going up, brakes will fail going down.

 

Is that a chicken in your profile picture? I can't tell I don't have my glasses on.

 

Nice setup, but your drivetrain will eventually fail. Good luck and drive safe.

 

Works f_____g fantastic.

 

Don't they all eventually fail?