Questions about tranny and towing

I'm looking at a 2015 Tacoma, quad cab, TRD off road package, and 6 speed manual. 42K miles. What I'd like to know is what the tow rating of the manual trans is compared to the automatic. Is it the same, lower, or higher? I don't tow often, maybe once a month, but need to pull about 3500 pounds when I do. Will the 6 speed hold up to this?

How about the 5 speed? Mainly I'm shopping for a smaller truck to replace the dually I'm selling, don't need the size or tow capacity it has. I'm not set on a particular package, but looking for the best deal I can get around western NC in a 2012 or later Tacoma, quad cab preferred, access cab okay, but no straight cab. I'd prefer the longer 6-foot bed, but read the short bed is all that you can get with a quad cab and TRD package.

I've had many Toyota cars over the years, and owned an FJ40 Land Cruiser when I was a younger man. Totally sold on Toyotas.

 

I have a 2015 DCSB Off-Road. Either transmissions can easily do the 3500 that you are talking about. I don't have any experience with the manual trans, but the automatic one does awesome, even up to the 6500 lb limit. I have gone more than that and trans did fine, didn't overheat but I also traveled from R'mond, VA to Greenville, NC which is relatively flat

 

Let's see.....DCSB = double cab short bed? I've got to learn the right lingo. I knew Toyota didn't call theirs a crew cab, and quad cab didn't sound right either. Am I correct in assuming that the 5 speed is the base manual transmission, and having a TRD package gets you the 6 speed?

If I do this right, this will probably be the last vehicle I ever buy for myself. I'm almost 64, had a 4x4 of some sort all my driving life. I figure if I find something with 50K or less, it will last me easily the rest of my life at 15K miles/year. Probably more than that, my wife's '06 Sienna van has 340K on it and runs and rides like new. (Knock wood). We've had 3 Camry's before that, two had more than 250K on them (third one got totaled in a T-bone with a drunk driver, only had it a month), I had a '76 Celica (well, girlfriend's) back in the '80s, and my aforementioned Land Cruiser, which I bought new in 1976. Wish I still had it.

So, I'm looking for a few creature comforts in whatever I find, and though I've looked at about 300 Taco's on-line, the one I drove is both close and has what I want on it. It has a nice Leer color matched bed cap and a Thule rack on it. It's been in the lot (Dodge dealer) a couple of months, and when I asked the sales guy why, he just pointed at the shifter and said, everybody wants an automatic. Well, I love shifting gears, always have, and seems like the 6 speed would be great out in the boonies. I'll bet 1st in low range is like watching grass grow.

I was shocked at how expensive these trucks are. They want $27,900 for this one, But I hope if I go wave a bunch of green Franklins at them they'll take maybe $25 because they can't seem to move it. Hope I hope I hope.

 

You can get a double cab long bed trd sport

 

Yeap, DCSB is Double Cab Short Bed. In the 2015, the auto trans is a 5 speed, the manual is a 6 speed. The package (as far as I know) doesn't determine this as long as it is the 4.0 V6.
Yeah, my 2015 was like 29k, but it is exactly what I wanted.

 

I want the offroad, though. Rather have the locking rear than a hood scoop, and the stiffer antiroll on the sport I don't need either. I'd rather have a truck than a sporty vehicle. I just sold one of those. (highly modded Miata)

Speaking of the locking rear. What I've read is the '15s use individual selective braking on an open rear end to get the effect of a locker, where the earlier models had a bonafide locking rear. Is that correct, and if so, does it work well, and is it relatively trouble-free?

 

No, I don't think that is correct. Mine locks, both tires rotate at the same speed all the time. Now, if you don't use the locker and use Auto LSD, then yes, it uses the breaks to stop the spinning wheel and for the other one to spin.