Let’s cut to the chase. Towing.

Do you have the tow package?

 

Nice write up and fantastic property!

 

I know what weight I'd be comfortable w

This is a reasonable mathematical answer and a good starting point but take whatever trailer you're thinking of purchasing out for a test drive behind your Tacoma on roads similar to those you'll be travelling. As many have noted, we all have different comfort levels.

Since 05, we've traveled from NC to western states (SD, WY, UT, CO, AZ, NM) annually. First with an 05 and now a 12 4WD, DC, TRD OR, Auto and Towing pkg. The camper is a 19' Scamp with a hybrid bed mounted hitch, dry weight 2750; Camping trim 3500; Tongue weight 400. The trailer has electric brakes with a Prodigy controller. We typically dry camp on public lands so carry extra spare tires for truck and camper, a 5 gallon propane tank, Hibachi grill, screen room, chairs, ground mat and Coleman kitchen on the roof rack. Booster pack, full set of tools, recovery kit, battery charger, air compressor and 20 qt cooler ride inside. 3KW Honda genset, 105 qt Ozark Trail cooler and 5 gallon Scepter fuel can in the bed on a home made platform forward of the hitch.

We usually average 500 miles/day when travelling to/from our destination and, while I'm comfortable, this is about as much as I'd want to handle. With this setup I get 12 mpg at 60-65 mph and, unless I'm in the mountains, run in OD (I've just not seen the 'hunting' most mention on either Tacoma). 200K+ on the 05 and 130K+ on the 12 with no drive train issues.

Lee's Ferry in Glen Canyon NRA


I'm not offering any advice here, just real world experience.

 

This tows just fine with my 18 SR5. Somewhere close to 5000lbs. I am actually impressed with how well it tows it.

 

Pulling a boat is completely different than towing a TT of the same weight. The TT's center of gravity is higher and wind resistance is not as much of a factor with a boat. I speak from experience.

 

Notice any difference towing between 2nd and 3rd gen Tacomas? Which tows better

 

I tow a 25 foot sailboat on a double axle trailer. All up it's just under 5000 lbs. But it sticks way up in the air since it's a deep keel boat. My 2012 4x4 long bed with tow package does well but it's at its limit. I like the stability of the long bed and the V6 pulls very well. I really want airbags or a helper to help me feel more planted however. We don't go over 70 mph. I wouldn't want to drag the boat 700 miles but twice a year the 100 miles up to the lake isn't bad. And remember it's not just pulling but stopping is just as important! Our trucks' greatest towing weakness is in braking. Taco's aren't tow vehicles, they are awesome, perfectly sized trucks that can sometimes be coaxed into towing without too much heartburn.

 

Where in TN?

I get it about room for a Tundra.

Where do you plan to go and how many are in your party? Also, shop around, some RV dealers are beyond shady.

Going to Cade's cove vs Bandy Creek vs Asheville vs Bristol vs Nashville are all different drives with different pain points.

Sounds like there are four people in your group, so find a camper that will sleep four people and no more. You should be able to do this under 3500#. Any more and you risk people hanging out in the camper more than they should.

If you're around Knoxville I can share what I've learned. The drive / camping trip is temporary. Maintaining a camper is something you can't go home from.

 

I wouldn’t get more than 2500lb dry weight and maybe 300lbs tongue weight

 

That's how I roll. I don't even want to know anything is back there.

 

Inches of clearance is what led me to the Taco. Just barely fits in my garage with about 8" on either end of the truck. Can't even walk around it with the door down. I'd bet one of those older smaller Tundras would fit in my garage though.

 

My thoughts exactly. Toyota Engineers wouldn't have approved the claim if there was a reason to worry.

 

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should and being tied to a big trailer that outweighs this little pickup truck is not fun.

 

Want real world?

I hooked my 12 foot dual axle enclosed trailer with an 800lb Harley in it to my double cab long bed trd OR and towed it 150 miles on 2 lane country roads up and down hills.

It handled it but the engine struggled real hard up steep hills. The rear suspension was hitting the bump stops violently and I was getting 8mpgs.

 

Max tow ratings are relative, for example, my wife’s car is rated to tow 1500lbs in the US, but 2000kg (4400lbs) in Europe. There is no difference, they are exactly the same car. In her last Forester we routinely went way over the current gen tow rating (and there is another thing, her 2011 was rated for 2800lbs, which we reached a few times, new one is rated at 1500 with no obvious reason, so I discard it.) Would I feel comfortable towing 4400lbs in her car? Yes. Would I feel comfortable towing more than 6400lbs in a Tacoma? Probably not. In my pretty extensive towing experience once the trailer gets above 150% of the weight of the tow vehicle things get squirmy. I’m not comfortable doing it.

Back in my racing days I used to tow a 2500lb race car on a 2000lb open trailer, loaded with at least 600lbs of spares with a 1997 Plymouth Voyager. My Voyager handled that load with no problem. Why? Air shocks, giant transmission cooler, and excellent surge brakes on the trailer. I NEVER went over 1/2 throttle in that van with that trailer and it only had 168hp. That was a 3800lb van towing a little over 5000lbs. I kept the speed around 60 and let it slow down to 55 before dropping down to 3rd gear. If I lived in a mountainous area I probably wouldn’t have done this, but driving from Buffalo to Warren, OH, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Ontario wasn’t a problem.

 

Then you were doing it wrong.

 

I know that lake!

Good looking boat too

 

Yes but to be fair the second gen was a 2.7.

 

Was this loaded directly over the axles of the trailer? Taco does not tow well when it’s tounge heavy and essentially no weight over the trailer axle

 

I've towed a Rockwood A-frame camper (about 2400lb) and an RPod (about 2800lb). The Taco pulls them fine. Lower fuel economy with the RPod since it's taller and less aerodynamic.

I start from a stop with ECT Power ON, and then once at speed switch it off. I'll usually pull in D, and the transmission will mostly stay in 4th or 5th. Going downhill, it may get to 6th.

I've monitored trans temps using Torque and the two transmission PIDs that have been found. Mostly the temperature will remain just below 200°, but occasionally will get into the 210-220° range, but will quickly come down.

Also, I added airbags to the rear suspension, it helps level the truck since I usually have about 200lb worth of crap in the bed. The air bags also help with "porpoising" when going over bumpy roads.