I tried to tow and it sucked

I had a travel trailer that I purchased with a river property.
Trailer is in OK shape.
The trailer is 2003 Wilderness Yukon 829S. Dry weight by the documentation is about 4500lb.
I did discover the gray tank was nearly full (oops, glad it survived the winter), but that would add no more than 350lb and there was very little 'junk' inside the trailer.
My experience was not positive. After adding air to the tires to recommended 50PSI, and adjusting the break controller to be less sensitive and not pull me when I break, I started climbing up the hill.
I had to downshift into 2nd gear to climb a relatively steep grade in the mountains here. I am not sure what the grade is, but here's a picture from google map below (this is about 5 miles one way, I did a round trip)

Is my experience expected? Will it really struggle this much in the hills? We are in Appalachians mts, so grades like these are pretty common any way you go.

I have towed things before, but never a travel trailer.

 

You might be towing more than your truck is rated for? Look at your manual and see what your towing capacity is? That will make all the difference. Also fill up with the best fuel for steep uphill grades.

Hope this helps...

 

From the towing bible, and google confirmed

The 4.0L V6
236 hp @ 5,200 rpm
266 lb.-ft. @ 4,000 rpm
Max. Towing capacity 6,500 lbs.
Max. Tongue weight 650 lbs.

 

I think most would agree that max capacity isn’t enjoyable, and you’re probably near the comfort limit when not in the flat lands.

 

Some uncomfort is expected any time you tow. Going into 2nd gear to move uphill is a high level of discomfort (and not particularly safe, as I was going maybe 30MPH). Normally I come up/down the hill in 5th or 6th 50-70MPH, depending on what side I am on.

 

Well you will see 2 different schools of thought on Tacoma towing. The first will say how awesome the taco is for towing and the 2nd will tell you the truth

Anyway towing with any vehicle close to max sucks. Imo the taco is over rated though. While it may be 'safe' to tow its very unpleasant even well below. At least at the elevations i towed regularly, going through the mountains. 2500'ish popup was a huge suck fest. There's no way i would have tried towing an actual TT. The taco is a fine little truck for what it is, but it's a pretty poor 'truck'.

 

He's right. I own a lot of toys that I tow, none of them exceed the Tacoma tow rating. The heaviest is my boat which is probably 4000lbs, but also a 7'x14'+5' V nose snowmobile trailer which is probably 3800lbs loaded with both sleds and gear. Both suck to tow with a compact pickup. I would get less than 9mpg with the sled trailer and if it snowed the lack of weight and wheelbase made it a horrible experience. With a full size it's a joy and I get 14mpg on average. In snow, rain or even wind it is monumentally better. Everyone has different thresholds of what they deem acceptable however, I can appreciate that. But for me, I tow my sleds, 4 wheelers and boats many thousands of miles every winter. If I was moving a trailer once or twice a season I might struggle with a compact. For anyone towing on a regular basis, they would be better served with a more capable tow vehicle.

 

Judging by the fact that you are worrying about power, it would seem that you have an inverted sense of the relationship between speed and safety.
In fact, slower is safer.

If you are going to crash, the faster you are moving when you crash, the more death and destruction follows from it.
Nobody ever died in a crash at 0MPH.

You are also more likely to crash at a higher speed, since the faster you are going, the more inertia you have to overcome for correction.


Now here is the thing; weight alone doesn't even come close to explaining what you've experienced. I've been around the Appalachians, sometimes pulling some decently heavy loads, and sometimes doing so with vehicles that are actually smaller than a Tacoma. There is a real nice climb on I77 up into VA from NC, for instance. I once pulled 5000 pounds up that with a Suzuki Vitara, took 3rd gear and passed about 20 semi's, yet you're having a hard time with similar weight with a much more powerful vehicle....

Your problem is more about aerodynamics than about weight. It is scary as heck to pull something that is large and not too heavy, because it drags you back, and because the wind will kick it around all over the place. In a heartbeat, I would take something that is twice as heavy (even over the limit) over something bulky like a camper. The large bulky loads are especially dangerous when you're moving fast because of this. With a compact but heavy load, you don't have the problem with the wind or with aerodynamic drag, all you have to deal with is gravity and inertia, and those are predictable and easy to deal with.

 

I have some doubt aerodynamic have a lot of effect at 30mph. Also, we are in the woods on a one lane state highway (meaning trees surround you and hang over you). The factor of wind is relatively minimal. My safety comment was concerning one lane highway, and somebody's inability to pass you if you're going 30mph, especially if they can't see you on winding roads.

Since the original posting, I have towed the camper completely empty (w/o the water) for about a 80 mile roundtrip on larger highways that were a lot more open (took it to repair shop). The towing experience is a lot better on moderate inclines (once you get on flatter ground) and I can see how many Taco owners are OK with towing on average.

Nonetheless, I have decided I don't want to tow the camper with the Tacoma on a regular basis, but get a more capable vehicle instead if I'd plan to tow.

 

TACOMAS ARE GREAT FOR TOWING!!!

Said NO ONE EVER who has actually used a Tacoma to tow anything substantial. It’s just not a full size truck. I love mine!!!! But my last three trucks were 2500’s one Deisel the rest big gsssers. I got rid of them when i stopped towing and haven’t looked back. But if it’s gonna be a normal thing. The Tacoma just isn’t the right vehicle. (Or the camper needs to be smaller)

For the record i towed a 23’6” mini lite 3500lbs ish. 350 miles for my parents with my 2010 Tacoma. It was ok... but no big hills.... i HATED not having tow mirrors though could see out around the camper and those Reese clip on ones sucked....

 

And yet the sailing ships used to explore the world in centuries past somehow managed to use aerodynamics to travel all around the world. I promise you that with a very large surface, aerodynamics play a huge role, even at 30.

... eh, well if you're going 30, and they're passing you at 50, then there is a speed difference of 20, and they're around you after only being in the opposing traffic's lane for a hundred yards. If you're going 47 and they try to pass you at 50, then the difference is only 3, and they could be in the oncoming lane for a very considerable amount of time before they're past you enough to return. So if they absolutely can't stand it and must pass you, its easier and safer to pass you than if you were going faster. And they don't actually have to pass you at all. And how can they NOT see you when you're an 8 foot tall and 8 foot wide off-white cube? So sorry, your position doesn't hold water. There is nothing dangerous about going 30.

If it makes you feel more secure -- just try to remember that you aren't actually any safer now.

 

Most people die in a crash at zero miles an hour. Almost nobody dies while they're still driving along doing 60; it's the sudden stop that gets you.

 

Funny guy.

 

I might not be, other people might be.

 

Wind drag sucks the life out of my 6spd AT. With a roof rack full of camping gear, I get 5 fewer miles per gallon.

 

While I doubt that very much, the point is... just drive safe.

 

In all seriousness, Tacomas aren't great tow vehicles. When I had my '10 it towed a trailer full of firewood just great as long as I kept the weight around 2 tons or less. But much higher than that and she'd struggle on the hills.

 

Well, obviously... after all, it takes at LEAST 350 hp to haul a bag of mulch home from HD.

 

I'm old school and would never tow anything more than 75% of rated capacity. That's 4,875 lbs fully loaded. Even then I think that's a lot to ask of a V6 Tacoma.

 

Didn’t see if you’re lifted or running larger tires, armor, etc. But all of those would magnify what others have said above even more.