Need some towing feedback

Hey guys and gals. My wife and I are considering buying a camper to replace our RTT, and we think it is going to be a bit much for our Taco - especially considering the N. Ga. mountain campgrounds we tend to frequent.

Here is the camper we are currently looking at and its specs: http://forestriverinc.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=203&Image=5387&ModelID=899#Main

GVWR TBD
Hitch Weight 512 lbs.
UVW 4876 lbs.
CCC 1436 lbs.
Exterior Length 25' 9"
Exterior Height 10' 8"
Exterior Width 96"
Fresh Water 43 gal.
Gray Water 28 gal.
Black Water 28 gal.
Awning Size 17 ft

We are considering buying a full size half-ton (F150, Silverado 1500 or the like - possibly a Raptor) to tow it, but we'd be ordering a 2017 with no idea when it would be built and/or arrive. So here is the real question - the camper might end up coming from Kentucky or Pennsylvania, and we might need to buy it before getting the larger truck, so would you have any concerns pulling this from either location back to Georgia? It would be fully unloaded and close to the dry weight of around 4900 lbs.

 

If you have the factory tow package you're good to go. If you don't I wouldn't do it.

 

Sorry, I have the tow package.

The fully loaded maximum is around 6300 lbs. Am I wrong in considering that too much to tow on a regular basis? In the truck would be me, the wife, 2 kids and 2 puppies - about 550 lbs. I'm not sure what would be in the rear aside from some firewood and my cargo crate where I keep my tools and a case of water.

 

The bigger issue is all of the gear, water, food ect. That extra weight will end up being close to max capacity. If you were doing short trips with little to no climbing I would say it could go either way. If there's mountains to climb you'll be cursing your truck for the lack of power. If I were in your situation I'd be looking for a full size. Keep your family and others on the road safe.

 

I just finished pulling a similar spec trailer with my 2016 MT, through Rocky Mountains in BC and Alberta. Had to do a lot of downshifting, but my trailer wasn't riding perfectly level. Once I had it closer to level, it towed better. I generally drove slightly slower than the posted speed limits. My advice is to get a good quality weight distributing hitch with sway control, take it easy, and you will be fine.

 

It's doable, but you'll like it a lot better with the full-size.

 

That was pretty much my thinking. I was lamenting the fact that we might not get the larger truck before 2017, but maybe that's a good thing. We might find a camper we like that is smaller - in which case we could just use the Taco - or we might find one that is larger - in which case there is no ambiguity about needing to size up.

The local annual camper show is next month so we should know our top 1-3 choices at that time.

 

I tow a boat that weighs about 3600. The Taco does it with no issues on level terrain. I live in SoCal and I can tell you it does NOT like steep hills. My boat is aerodynamic. Your trailer isn't. Others may disagree, but if you're towing up mountains, it ain't gonna like it.

From sea level in San Diego to about 1200 feet above sea level at home... she does fine on the flats. Hates the hills. With the A/C on it's worse. She does it, but she don't like it.

 

I live at elevation (4,500 ft) and tow a Jayco X213 that weighs a bit over 5,000lbs loaded. The truck will slow over some of the steepest grades but can maintain 55-60mph still. I pull our trailer over passes ranging from 7-10k feet several times a year.

This past weekend we were leaving a campsite and I was behind two other travel trailers. One was a smaller trailer....maybe 23ft in length being pulled by a 1/2 ton Dodge....I was pushing him up the hill coming out of the campground and we were going 10mph slower that I usually go leaving the site (35mph speed limit and we were chugging along at 25mph). Before the pass we caught up to a 5th wheel being pulled by a 1 ton Dodge and I ended up having to shift to 1st gear in my automatic to maintain our blistering pace of 20mph. The most I've had to slow when someone is not in front of me on this grade is 30mph.

It's safe to say that if you get a properly sized trailer for the Tacoma it will perform as well or better than other trucks when towing. One thing I've noticed is that with my trailer 55mph is not a fun speed because it really has to work and ends up hunting gears a lot so I tow between 60 and 65mph. At 60mph the transmission shifts less and the trans temps stay cooler.

 

Personally I only have experience with a short trip using a 2016 v6 towing my 2017 Wolf pup that has a weight of 3000-3800. Heres the specs right from the same site you posted
http://forestriverinc.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=177&ShowParent=1&ModelID=1330#Main
In all honesty I would not want to tow that this around with the 2016 Tacomas. I was test driving them today also and they just do not feel like they have enough power. Going from that to the Tundra was just such an insane jump in power. I dont think I would want to tow much more then what I have now at about 3200-3300 camp ready weight. Thats just me though, you might have more experience towing and feel better about it

 

I love those 900+mph sites

 

There may be an extra digit in there

 

This guy is on point btw. Not sure if OP had decided or not, but I can share my fairly extensive towing experience in this exact situation.

2006 Tacoma (no tow package) - didn't tow more than 2000 lbs usually, did ok.
2011 Tacoma (Prerunner TRD Sport w/ Tow) - Had a 26' long 4500 lbs dry travel trailer, about 5500 lbs loaded up. Towed on flat and just mild hills with a GOOD WD hitch. Reese Dual Cam. Setup meticulously. Truck had power, didn't have the weight and wheelbase to make it feel safe.
2011 Silverado - Towed the CRAP out of that travel trailer. Got 8MPG doing it. Never drove faster than 60 - 65 (it liked that better than 50 - 55 or 65 - 70).
2016 Tacoma - With ECT Power on, tows a 3000 lb rPod better than my 2011 Tacoma did. Actually this is shaping up to be a good tow vehicle for small trailers.

Notes from an owner of a 26' 4500 lbs TT. The 1/2 was the right size. However, 26' was a terrible size. It had all the downsides of a large trailer, long, hard to back up, terrible wind resistance, and none of the benefits of a really large trailer. It would still sleep just 4, had no slideouts, and I couldn't park it in garages and such.

My future purchase, go much smaller or much bigger, but the "compromise" size was a horrible fit for us. Next one will be a Casita likely, since my father in law just bought a 34' with 2 super slides. It's 8800lbs, so no Tacoma will be getting near that thing fortunately.

The real issue with the size of trailer you have described with the Tacoma is the following. The trailer is longer, it outweighs you, and the Tacoma is a shorter wheelbase truck. You are not going to like that combo.