Just bought a trailer....

So I know there have been tons of threads on towing but I am still confused about the actual capability of our Tacomas and what is safe. I just purchased a 2020 Rockwood Mini Lite 2508BH.

https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers/rockwood-mini-lite/2508BH/3838

I have a 2019 TRD OR 4x4 my max towing is listed at 6400lbs and hitch weight of 640lbs.

Hitch weight of the trailer is at about the limit for the Tacoma. I was going to tow with a weight-distribution hitch, would that offload some of the tongue weight or does that only redistribute the weight on the axles?

I wanted a smaller trailer but the wife insisted we needed the space.... hope I don't need to go get a Tundra

Thanks in advance for the input.

 

640 = 10% of the max towing. What this means is that you should always have 10% of your towing load loaded on the hitch. This is to ensure when you brake, the trailer doesn't pick the truck up and you lose braking performance.

The load distributor from my understanding only aids in sway and lift up during braking. I can't speak to them since i've never personally used them, but I hear they help.

640 pounds on the hitch is your limit.

Note that the truck will pull much more, but the rear suspension and especially the braking capability need to be considered.

The trailer you picked is within the ratings, just don't fill it with shit. With its full cargo carrying capacity (CCC) you'll be over the limit, so keep that in mind.

After pulling that much weight, you'll wish you had a tundra haha

 

Tundra time!

The weight distribution is a good idea, but ideally you want to be more in range of the trucks capacity.

It does many things, it spreads the weight forward, so your headlights won't be pointed at the moon when driving. This means better braking as less weight is taken off the front axle.

 

Wow, nice! I have a 20ft Jayco that’s about 1000lbs lighter than yours and it pulls just fine here in the mountain states. You are definitely going to need a weight distribution and anti-sway hitch for that, plus extra fuel carrying capacity. I keep my jerry cans between the rear wheels in the bed inside a spill proof box.
Also consider some airbags to help out your rear end- I have Firestone air shocks to level it and mouth them with Daystar cradles to maintain offroading flex in the rear. Look for the towing bible thread here for more help. That is a big trailer, you may want to keep an eye out for a bigger truck, especially since you will be easily close to overcapacity if you load up with gear, food and water, and people.

 

Honestly, you are pushing it. You already bought it, so, Keep the water/shit tanks empty, until you absolutely need them. Get a towing stabilizer. Might want to get a trailer brake. Please, do tons of research on how to pull a trailer if you don’t know. Like, take it easy, give yourself tons of room, be careful about heavy brake if you begin to lose it. Keep your speed down, etc.

Congrats on your purchase, just take precautions.

edit: might want or need to add a leaf. Be safe.

 

I tow with an 80% rule, stay under 80% of your max and you have a solid margin for error and reduced wear. For any trailer that is over a few thousand pounds I would recommend a good sway/load control hitch (I use Equalizer 6k) and a brake controller (I use Tekonsha P3) would be mandatory!

 

Good advice.

 

I have a 1 ton single axle trailer for my truck on stock suspension. I’ve loaded this thing with 250 gallons of water (2,100 lbs) with the tank on the axle. It was way to much to say the least tires were rubbing metal on the trailer so I dumped 75 gallons off and it was good. Any more weight then 1700 pounds in my trailer and my truck needs upgrades bad.

 

Yes, the weight distribution hitch is designed to alleviate the concerns you brought up. Just, do some test runs, be diligent. Again, give yourself space, fuck being in a hurry when towing. Manually shift, keep in your powerband.

 

Congrats on the purchase!

I can give you some real world advice and what to expect.

Here'e my rig on day of purchase:


GeoPro 19FBS
3800 GVW. (fully loaded it's around 4300)
380 tongue weight

The Tacoma is NOT a good tow vehicle over 2000 lbs. It can do it, yes, but it is not a fun drive.
Low speeds around town will not be an issue.
Highway travel will be very, very laborious on anything other than flats and downhills.
Hills and headwinds will significantly drop your speed and MPG.
At best, I'm around 11mpg.
At worst, about 7mpg.
I'm sure you have a brake controller already. I hope so.
And a WDH is an absolute necessity. Don't even try without. Please.
ScanGauge2 helps monitor tranny temps - I've never had any issue with overheating even in Texas summer.

Lower your expectations.
Get an air bag suspension or some Dakar leafs.
If you can swing the $$ after the trailer, go 4.88 or 5.29 gears and an OVTune - these help.

If an AT, treat S mode almost like stick. Long downhills, put it in 6th, as the hill levels out raise to 5th, then to 4th on the flats and up hills. Spend most of your time in 4th, and on long uphills sometimes 3rd.
(edit - if you have a nice tailwind, 5th gear on flats is where you'll find some better fuel mileage. IF you have a solid tailwind)

ALL SAID, if you don't expect your Taco to tow like a diesel or a V8, and drive it at a slow and steady pace, you'll be fine.

Sounds like a lot of bad news, but if you're realistic, you'll enjoy that trailer - which is killer! Rockwoods are the shit.

 

She'll enjoy the space of your new Tundra too.

 

A brake controller. That's the first thing you'll need. Yes, a WDH makes a huge difference. It will make the trailer feel like it's a part of the truck and the experience will be less white knuckle. The truck will pull it fine but will often be working hard and revving high. Personally, I wouldn't take it more than a few hrs from home. Travel trailers are the worst thing you could tow. They are much more unnerving than flat beds or machinery floats.

 

Good thing the maximum speed limit with a trailer in California is 55mph. Be safe.

 

Get a WD hitch and a prodigy p3 controller and enjoy your new trailer. Even a full tank of water is less than 500lbs on that thing so I'd bet you're around 5500-5700 wet and ready to camp.

You're not going to win races pulling passes but you're truck will be perfectly happy running all day in 4th. Don't fall into the trap where people justify their 3/4 ton truck to themselves because they tow 8k lbs 150 miles four times per year.

 

But a tundra and tell the wife it's her fault!

 

Love your Geopro!! That’s what I wanted to get much lower tongue weight and all I needed... thanks for the advice! I already have the tekonsha p3 setup in the truck just need to buy the WDH. I’m not so concerned about the trailer weight, I’ve towed trailers this size before what I find weird is that this trailers tongue weight is 640lbs on a 4300lbs trailer.... the tongue weights are usually closer to 10%....

 

And thank you all for the responses and advice I love this forum!

 

Nice trailer. Personally, I'd go buy a half ton. I'm not really a fan of being at max capacity of any vehicle. I view my Tacoma more as a nice 4x4 car and when I need to tow something I get in my truck.

 

I bought a travel trailer that is 4600 lbs. it pulls it just fine but one weekend on a dirt bike weekend my friend brought his hemi ram and he let me drive. Boy it was night and day. I didnt even notice it back there behind the hemi. And another thing. I was coming through the continental divide last summer and almost lost breaks on a hot day. I smelled fried brakes, had to pull over and let them cool and dial up trailer breaks all the way up. It was scary as shit. Actually going to a couple shops today to get estimates on performance brake upgrades. So if you think your driving some "passes" at all youll definitely want to look into brake upgrade. Knowing what I know now I would have gone with the Ram. Love my taco though but it scared the bajeesus uot of me.

 

Hideout 19FLB 4200-4800lbs depending on how long we are camping and what's in the tanks.
It tows it fine, not winning any races but it will get there.

ScanguageII so I can watch temps, eq hitch, Tech T2 brake controller, and a friction anti-sway on there too.
Take it nice and slow, rev it up, go down hills in the gear you would climb them etc etc..