How much can my truck tow? I'm confused by the manual.

Be a stand up guy and don’t hitch up that thing to your Tacoma. You ‘ll appear to be brilliant when you tell your in-laws that your truck is not rated to tow it because there’s too much tongue weight. Plus, if you did try to tow it you’d need a weight distribution hitch but that would just add to the already over tongue weight. There’s more reasons not to but you get the idea. Just tell ‘em the truth.

 

6,800 pounds is the most mine has towed so far. The brakes are upgraded but the truck still weighed less than what it was towing.

You either gotta be crazy or be a poor decision maker but being both helped me. Lol

 

You too huh?
I ain’t admitting to nothing.
Only thing I’m saying is, the truck will tow a lot more than it wants to stop.

 

My experience is, the truck will hate 5,100 lbs.
Do NOT use 5 gear if you have an Auto Transmission.
You will probably want trailer brakes, or drive at a crawl.

If your truck is a Manual. Backing up can suck. These truck have a highway gear for reverse.

Other than that, take pics.

 

One thing you -do- have going for you is the extended wheelbase of the long bed.... But trust me: if you have to make a quick stop of even less force than classic panic stop flavor, at just about -any- speed, that 5100 lb, 30' trailer is going to try to continue on a straight line and push ahead right through you. It better have good brakes that are adjusted correctly between the controller, truck and the trailer.

 

It really does not matter how far you tow it you can get into trouble in less than a 1/4 mile.

 

The listed tongue weight of 870 lbs is with the trailer loaded to max GVWR. With an empty trailer his tongue weight will be 500-600 lbs. Well within the Tacoma's ratings. The empty trailer weight is 5100 lbs. Once again well within his tow rating of 6500 lbs. The Payload on most Tacoma's is 1000-1200 lbs. As long as he doesn't carry any other passengers or cargo in the truck he will be well within the payload rating. If he has a brake controller and WDH he is good to go. No reason at all he can't tow that trailer. But even without either of those I'd still pull that trailer for a one time short tow. No way I'd tow that trailer once it is loaded even with my F150, but he's not trying to pull it loaded.

Trailer brakes are great, but not required in most places with trailers under 3500 lbs; 5100 just isn't that much more. I've pulled 3500-5000 lbs without trailer brakes in the past. I'd advise driving slow and carefully. Without trailer brakes you don't want to be on the interstate doing 75 with that much behind you. Keep the speed around 35-45 mph and you'll be fine. Trailer brakes don't even engage if you're under 25-30 mph anyway. If driving slow enough not having the brakes is a non factor. They wouldn't engage even if he had them.

And all a WDH does is keep the trailer level. It doesn't reduce the amount of weight on the hitch. The WDH would make for a better pull and less sway at high speeds in windy conditions. Not a factor on back roads at slow speeds.

 

Weight distributing hitches equalize the load evenly on the frames between the towing vehicle and the trailer and definitely reduce the load on the ball: accomplished by hitch chain on a hook you adjust, connected torsion bar(s) between the two vehicles, and traditionally an analog, lever-adjustable friction sway control brake included in the mix. When it is set correctly, the result is a level tow at the ball: no rear sag on the tow vehicle, no downward dip on the trailer hitch frame on the ball. i.e.: the weight on the ball is shared distributed/evenly by the frames of the two vehicles.

 

Maine says 3000# brakes on all wheels. My electric trailer brakes work just fine at any speed you maybe thinking surge brakes. Yes a WD hitch is a big help. My 2011 Tacoma has the tow package I don't know about the newer ones but under the "harsh ride" I made Toyota replace the rear springs guess what it had another leaf in the spring pack. My camper loaded is about 3500# and 17' with brakes on all 4 wheels I have no doubt I could pull 10,000# but I'm sure as hell not going any where on a public road with it. 3/4 of a ton is not a not a "little" added weight would you put that in the bed of your 1/2 ton truck?

 

45% more is not much more... 5100lbs is over the weight of the truck.

Cmon man.

 

Don’t do it. That’s 3/4 ton truck territory

 

Tail wagging the dog creates a similar image.

 

A WDH distributes the weight between the tow vehicle front and rear axles. It keeps the steering from getting squirrely.

 

Spot on explanation that last post on hitches and clearer than I was trying to explain it. Thanks for posting it!

 

Damn with a WDH or airbags no problemo. Just don’t take it off any jumps. Ride the bump stops

 

H frame and a motor, good to go.

 

I feel like the original post really begs the question of what the in-laws plan on towing this thing with, if they're asking you to do it with a mid-size pickup...

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. Due to the tongue weight issue I said they should rent a truck and they're doing it this weekend. As pointed out the tongue weight is a little high PLUS I don't have the tow mirrors so it was just easier to have them rent something. They understood.

As for why they bought this huge trailer with no vehicle capable of towing it.....your guess is as good as mine. They may end up parking it permanently at a campground I guess. Again thanks for all the help!

 

Good call. Tacomas are great trucks but not built for towing. My PreRunner with the tow package didn't even make your original list.

 

FWIW, (OP) I think you made the right decision here. I believe that the Tacoma is built and engineered for towing and it's not just window dressing and/or marketing to sell trucks. That said: I'd add: >within reason<. I believe your truck, properly set up and balanced (hitch, trailer brakes, mirrors etc) can capably tow a trailer: just not this particlar one. If I was buying a Tacoma with the intention to tow, I would also definitely be choosing one with the long bed/long wheelbase.

I would also add that even if I had no intention of towing so much as a pop-up, if I was buying new the box for the towing package would be checked: It's a bargain considering all/what is included.