GVRW

Just thought I'd share my experience with weighing my 2015 DCSB while looking at a few travel trailers.

I have an ARE shell, Prinsu rack on the shell, and a low profile winch bumper with 10k Evo Warn winch.

Didn't think too hard about GVRW when trailer shopping, just the trailer weight. I thought I wanted to keep the trailer weight under 5k and I'd be fine.

Weighed the truck at the CAT scale with me (168 lb), my wife (120 lb) and a full tank of gas.

5020 lbs.......

Once I added the tongue weight of the trailer I'm over.... we were thinking 500 tongue weight but I've learned that most of the time the published number isn't real life.

I love my Tacoma, but as most have said on here..... it's not meant to tow 90% off the TT's out there.

moral of the story is that stuff adds up on these trucks!

Got my trailer deposit back and will be figuring out plan B.

Not even and room for dog or cargo!

 

Pretty common.

But good for you in checking it out and backing off.

 

Yeah, Bill. We loved the trailer but just knew the numbers don't lie. Better safe and enjoyable than white knuckle. Been there and done that.

 

I've been there!! Smart man.

There are some 19 ft trailers in the 3000 lb dry weight range out there even a few bunkhouse (BH) types with 2 bunks, a dinette and a full or queen single axle.
I had (note past tense) a 26 ft that loaded went up from 4500 range up to 6000. Would pull it but ate my rear bearings. Not that fun of a tow. Then my 3000 boat was a cake walk.

For some stupid reason I was looking at trailers again in 3000 lb range then did some calcs and a really bad move dollar wise.
You will double your gas use so half the mpgs hear that sucking sound. Then when not in use storage fees for most people. Lots of fees now some up near $100 when on the road/night and even Walmarts are stopping all rigs from staying. Then that initial 10-15k at a minimum up to mid 20s. I loved dumping the pooper too. If you visit anyone on your trip at their home lots do not allow trailers in the street overnight even. Then in summer you need that AC on as you are in a metal can/box so a plug in or generator. So add it all up and hotels sure are cheap and the driving easier and faster. I go off on lots of forest service roads/trails so when I get way back in there (trailer would never make it anyway) my old tent for a day or 2 works.

Bottom line for others is trailer rentals are very cheap starting at $100/night so rent a few times before you drop all that money and find it was not really what your expectations thought. You can rent close to where you are going also and save all that gas too. Then sit down and do the math! Soon there will be a ton of used trailers hitting the market sold in 2020-2021 but many paid close to double the price as before the pandemic which inflated the hype and price.

 

Muddog, you're so right!

 

It's the accessories that are hurting you. A stock Tacoma should be able to tow 4500 lbs, 5000 if you load carefully. But not the advertised 6500 lbs.

It's not just Tacoma. I hang out at the F150 forum. There will be someone posting there about once a week trying to figure out why their 1/2 ton truck is struggling to pull their new TT. Payload is almost always what bites you in the butt and when that is factored in virtually none of the mid-size and 1/2 ton trucks will actually tow what they are rated for. FWIW, some Tacoma's will tow more than some 1/2 tons.

Even 3/4 tons run into the problem. I have a buddy who bought a 3/4 ton F250 with the 6.7 diesel to pull a 10,000 lb box trailer. The engine would move the load at 80 mph without breaking a sweat, but his truck was way over payload with 3 adult men in the cab. He pulled it a few times before deciding he could make do with a smaller trailer.

 

https://www.timeouttrailers.org/