How do I increase towing performance?

I went to a dealer and they tried to sell me a TT with a dry weight of 6,000lb. I didn’t trust him as I am a mechanic that lives within specs.

No pro knows everything about all vehicles. You have to advocate for yourself.

The pros at Toyota say a sway control unit is required. I believe them and what’s printed in the user manual as gospel, especially over some guy that gets paid $25ph.

 

This is a shop that gets paid to sell and install wdh! Lol They happen to have been in business over 20 years. I don't know what else I can tell you.

I've taken 15 trips and they have all been safe and smooth.

 

Same for the 2nd gens as well. This is straight from my '08 Owners Manual.

 

The right way to answer the question is to go way your truck with and without the trailer. If you see a large weight transfer off the front axle you need a WDH to correct that.

 

I'm at 3500 so all good. I do have a brake controller.

 

@TexasTacoTuesday any rv shopping today?

 

15 trips isn't a whole lot of experience, if I'm going to be honest.

I run a pop-up trailer that is a few hundred pounds lighter and about half as tall, and there have been times when a surprise crosswind has slammed me. It doesn't happen often, but I've been hit more than once where it took some quick response and heavy muscle to squash the trailer's countersteer before it got to an out-of-control situation. Again, that just was on a pop-up. I have somewhere around 30k miles logged on that little trailer alone, which I don't consider to be a heck of a lot.

I don't run a WDH either (Mostly because I need the extra articulation in the last few miles of where I go), but I acknowledge the risks of doing so, and adjust my highway driving to accommodate. I'm with the others. Trust the engineer that wrote the spec over the floor associate that sells the spec.

 

FYI the Anderson articulates very well. Recently did some FS roads that had deep burms running diagonally across the road, probably a 4ft deep ditch over 20 ft of travel. No need to unhitch or adjust the WDH, nearly took the stabilizers out on the rear it was that steep. It’s lightweight too, 60lb. I have semis come past my 21ft box doing 20mph quicker than me and have nearly zero push pull.

 

Buy a tundra. That’s what I did knowing we were buying a larger travel trailer.

 

a tundra is going to be a much more comfortable tow vehicle. but you could make it work with a taco with a smaller trailer.

 

That’s not what that says…a 3500lb requires a sway control hitch according to Toyota.

 

This is ridiculous. For all the towing you will be doing and the weight you’ll be towing I just don’t get why you insist on doing it with a Taco. That will be a major PITA. I love my Taco but for towing heavy and towing a lot (you say about 500 or so miles every 10 days that’s 20,000 to 25000+ miles a year) that’s crazy. Look at all the hoops you have to jump through so you can maybe tow what ever trailer you decide on with the Taco. Get a truck you can really comfortably tow with and then pick out your trailer.
If you just absolutely have to tow with the fucking taco then at least first rent a 5000lb or so trailer and tow the crap out of it for a few days or tow it for the first month of your new job. See what it’s like, then you’ll know if Taco towing is for you and you won’t be out a load of $$$$ and find you made a big mistake. You are never going to get a consensus here re towing with the taco.

 

This could not be stated any better. The Tacoma is a best case scenario tower. Add any headwinds, hills, etc and it’s not a fun time. Don’t make the same mistake I made and buy a trailer because of the size or weight not realizing it’s true limitations.

 

Just wait until you get to the part where people argue over hitches. It gets even better!

 

Many of you have already touched on this, just because someone has had some luck towing with a questionable payload, (over recommended), does not mean you are ok. When you push that gray area or go across the payload line, you have to consider how much weight your truck can handle taking evasive action on the highway, slick conditions and high winds, among others. Yes, I agree you should slow down and make adjustments while towing, but things do not always go perfectly on a road trip. Sway bar, brake controller are great mitigators as long as you stay within payload. Credit to you for reaching out to TW for info, but I am def in the camp of more than a few here that what you are looking for requires a different platform than what the Tacoma can provide.

 

Like I said I have the unicorn, no sway hitch needed.

 

FIFY

 

Just got back from a different dealer. Found a nice new 2023 Escape TT within 50 miles of my parents house. It's a little heavier but it's just an insane deal that I'm not sure I can pass up. They marked it down 20k and are throwing in a free WDH, maintance plan, and a good warranty. It's also really big and spacious on the inside. If I fully loaded it (which I'm not even sure I can do with what I plan on bringing and adding to it) it'll weigh 4,200 lbs.

 

Yeah, you and everyone else have convinced me to go lighter. I don't want a 5,000lb TT anymore, plus the tongue weight won't work with my payload capacity since I have steel bumpers. But I do appreciate the advice.

 

That's a nice tundra. Sadly I never imagined I'd be living in a TT when I got it at 19 y/o. I didn't even think I'd be an engineer either but things seem to change in unexpected ways. Now I'm just too invested in my Tacoma. I'd rather downsize the TT then trade in the truck.