Newbie question on my 2021 Tacoma SR5

I'm looking to get a small-ish camper to take the family camping more often. I'm looking at something around 3500lbs dry weight. Will my SR5 support it? All of the different calculations has my head spinning. Here is the documentation with my model circled.
Thanks for any help!

 

On the owners manual you will find specs for towing capacity (should be 6,400 lbs) and tongue weight. Factor in the trailer load and load in the truck. A trailer brake is essential and just because you can tow something doesn’t mean you should. The heavier the load, the tougher the ride.

 

Thanks for the response.
Manual says the tongue weight should be 9% - 11% of the trailer weight (roughly 350lbs).

Does the towing capacity (6400lbs) include the weight of the Tacoma (roughly 4000lbs)? If so, how can the allowed weight of 3500lbs be viable? Seems it would be 2400.

 

The weight of the vehicle, load, and tongue weight are all part of the Gross Vehicle Weight

 

Start here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-tacoma-towing-bible.4031/unread

 

Can I tow a 3,500 lb trailer?

Short answer: Yes, plenty of people tow 3,500 lbs or more.

More detailed answer: It depends—primarily on your truck’s payload capacity, not just its towing capacity.

Towing Capacity vs. Payload Capacity

• Towing capacity is the maximum weight your truck is rated to pull. It does not include the weight of the truck itself.
  
  
• While your truck may be rated to tow 3,500 lbs, that number is often optimistic for real-world use—especially if you plan on long distances, hills, or mountain terrain. In those cases, I would reduce the towing expectations by 20–30%.
  

The Real Limiting Factor: Payload

• Payload capacity is the total weight your truck can carry inside the vehicle. This includes:
  
  • Passengers
    
    
  • Cargo
    
    
  • Bed accessories (covers, caps, etc.)
    
    
  • Gear (300 lb of sweet overlanding junk)
    
    
  • And importantly: tongue weight (the downward force the trailer puts on your hitch)
    

You’ll find your payload listed on the Tire and Load Information tag on the driver’s door.

Example:
My 2021 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Double Cab Short Bed 4x4 has a payload rating of 990 lbs.

Now, let’s break down my actual setup:

• 2 adults + 2 kids = ~400 lbs
  
  
• Leaves: 590 lbs available

Trailer:

• Dry weight: ~3,000 lbs → estimated tongue weight @10% = 300 lbs
  
  
• Add battery + propane: +100 lbs (typically, the listed trailer weight and tongue weight don't include the battery or propane )

• Add weight distribution hitch: +80 lbs
  
  
• Add 500 lbs of gear in the trailer: ~10% goes to tongue = +50 lbs
  

Total tongue weight:
300 + 100 + 80 + 50 = 530 lbs

Remaining payload after people:
990 - 400 = 590 lbs

Remaining after hitch/tongue weight:
590 - 530 = 60 lbs

That’s cutting it very close—and many setups exceed payload without realizing it. Also note: Tacoma’s rated maximum tongue weight is 600 lbs.
Bottom line:
Yes, you can tow a 3,500 lb trailer with a Tacoma, but payload is the real constraint. Always check your truck’s door sticker.


In addition to that, you will need:

Brake controller:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/my-redarc-tow-pro-liberty-install.773860/

I would also suggest a way to monitor transmission temperature:
Scan gauge or OBD fusion and a Veepeak dongle

We’re based in North Carolina and regularly travel to the beach, the mountains, and have taken trips to Virginia, Georgia, and down to Florida. The truck handles fine as long as you’re not in a hurry—cruising comfortably at 60–65 mph on relatively flat roads. However, it struggles on long hills, where the torque converter temperatures can spike quickly.

On our Florida trip, we averaged 8–10 mpg and had to refuel when the tank was about 3/4 empty, which meant stopping roughly every 150 miles. While that’s manageable on shorter 3–6 hour drives, the frequent gas stops really became old on the longer trip.

 

I started down this path a couple of months ago as well. Looking for the "right" travel trailer has been quite the exercise given the limited capacity of our trucks. The link posted in a response above is a great read. Lots of good info!

While the posted towing capacity is fine between 6400 to 6000 lbs, my '22 SR5 DCLB only has 940 lbs of payload per the sticker on the door jam, which to me, is the most limiting measurement of what the truck can work with legally. That number has to incorporate my weight, my family and any friends that ride with us in the cab, the tongue weight of the trailer and gear in the trailer, and anything we load in the truck bed to take with us. That 940 lbs disappears fast... So the trailer specs became so important if you want to stay close to legal from a weight standpoint. Just me and my family takes up 535 lbs of that payload, so that leaves 405 lbs for trailer tongue weight with propane/etc (and assumes nothing goes in the truck bed...) and the weight distribution hitch. So the trailer has to be light to be legal.

For pulling pretty much any travel trailer aside from the very light pop ups, I am looking at a Redarc brake controller and towing mirrors depending on how wide the eventual trailer is. Weight distribution hitch as well, and then test pull the trailer a couple of times before looking into any rear suspension upgrades to make the experience easier/safer.

My biggest problem is I need at least a trailer with 6'2" of interior headroom, which has ruled out most of the lighter trailers folks have recommended on this forum. So my search continues, but I may at some point realize that I can't match the Taco with a trailer that my wife and I want/need. I've got a lot of towing experience under my belt, but all were with 3/4 ton and larger trucks that had capacity to spare. Only once did I get myself into a situation where I felt my truck was not up to the task of pulling a trailer I owned at the time, and it was a scary ride coming down the backside of Snoqualmie pass in the dark and pouring rain on broken/rough roadway at speed. I sold that truck almost immediately and got a bigger one because I didn't want to put my family at risk.
I use my Taco as a daily driver and do not want to try to do that with a full size truck anymore, so if the Taco can't handle what I want/need for a trailer, then we may just back off of that wish and stick to Airbnb's.

 

awesome explanation! I’ll read over this 10 times and digest it. Lol
Thanks for taking the time!

 

Welcome to TW...

 

Thanks Honda

 

For clarification, my Tacoma does not have the extra towing package.
Although, I have my eye on a Forest River Aurora that is only ~2990lbs dry weight.
I'm thinking that should be ok to tow.

 

At some point in 2019, 2020 or 2021 (I forget exact year) they added the tow package to all v6 tacomas. If you have a hitch and 4/7 pin connector on the rear bumper you have the tow package.

you have a SR5, V6, 2x4 correct? What’s your cab and bed size?

 

Yeah, it’s actually a V6, 4/7 pin connector, double cab. The hitch square receiver was included. Maybe I do have the tow package.

 

You probably do have the towing package. Look at the door sticker and check the manuel. You are looking at the right size trailer for your truck.