Show us what you tow.

I vote for airbags... that way your ride is normal when you're running light.

I bagged my 2008... my procedure is to measure from top of tires to arch of wheel well on both sides when truck is empty, then load it up, then inflate then bags til its the same height (bounce the bumper once or twice then measure after inflating). I've found 35-40 PSI on both sides works just about perfect for me on a heavily loaded Tacoma, using the Firestone Ride-Rite airbag kit I have.

if you're using a WDH hitch, then load the truck and adjust the airbags before you hitch, then drop the hitch onto the truck, and adjust the WDH to get back to almost that original height (maybe 0.5-1.0" of droop hitched with the WDH set). Do NOT add air to the bags after setting up the WDH.

when you get back home, and are back to mostly empty, drop the bag pressure to about 5 PSI to keep the bags from collapsing.

 

Excally the same process I use

 

I definitely think air bags are in my future. My main concern with them is how long do they last and how much can you flex the rear end before you’re tearing them? I don’t do much off roading at all but some hunting spots can get a little hairy.

 

If you get the daystar cradles apparently you get the best of both worlds.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/chuxs-2013-beach-buggy-build.339950/page-113#post-15122813

 

That is he perfect solution right there!

 

Well I went fullsize (RAM 1500 5.7L HEMI) so no more Tacoma. Was towing a Jayco 212QB and I had sumo springs and an auxiliary tranny cooler and the Tacoma handled it well so long as we were going somewhere with full hookups. But with the addition of kayaks, bikes and the need to "dry camp" for multiple days during hunting seasons etc it just couldn't hold enough gear and fill the holding tank. If we weren't dry camping we probably would have kept the taco since we had it loaded at 4,300-4,500 lbs (food, gear clothes for 4 days) and it wasn't bad. But the Tacoma was over its GVWR by about 100-200 lbs pending what I needed to carry and that was without kayaks or bikes etc.

I had 265/75/R16 BFG KO2's on stock wheels, a hi top canopy and then a WD hitch. My wife and I and my dog made the truck weigh in at around 5100-5200 and with 400-500 pounds of tongue weight we just couldn't do it. If I didn't have the canopy we would have been sitting better but still couldn't bring the toys.

I'll still be lurking as I would like to pick up an old 1st Gen in a year or too as a local hunting/fishing rig. Stay safe out there towing guys!

 

I’ve lived in houses smaller than this boat.

*Tacoma and pop up for scale

 

Just picked up the new camper 24' 4200 dry. The taco pulled it really well.

 

Nice camper and truck!

 

Just picked up our new camper. The taco did great towing!

 

My understanding is that the new Tacos meet the SAE towing standard. Which looks frightening.

http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/towing/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard/

 

Bikes most of the time! I plan on getting airbags in the future.

 

Good article! That’s nice to know, I love to see a video of how the Tacoma did in the test it does sound pretty mean.

 

I'll give you my experience with an 06 DCSB SR5 Tow Package with additional transmission cooler added and sumo springs in the rear. I live in Southern Oregon and have to go over long, winding and steep mountain passes to get out of the valley. I have a Jayco 212QB that is 4100 dry and 4400 loaded to camp at a place with full hookups. I didn't win any races and the Tacoma towed fine. Long windy stretches with semi's were a little white knuckle but that's why you load the trailer properly, use anti sway & WD hitch and have a good brake controller.

I just upgraded to a full size truck because most of my camping is not at full hookup sites and I want to bring my kayaks, mountain bikes etc. I also camp for hunting and that can be 4-12 days and that means a lot of food and gear. And if it is a hot year early September, coming back to a generator to run my AC can be nice to recover after long stints chasing elk. Not having hookups means I need a full fresh water tank and pending how long I stay out possibly a generator. My wife, myself and our dog with minimal gear in the Tacoma and a canopy on the Tacoma put it about 100-200lbs over the GVWR. Axles were both under their max load rating but GVWR is always less than the two axles max. The Tacoma was just not a viable long term option for our set up as we plan on adding little ones in the near future.

Pending the type of camping and adventuring you do the Tacoma will likely work. Just watch your transmission temps closely and be sure to not miss a beat on regular maintenance. And remember towing adds more stress on everything therefore things will wear out and fail sooner (according to logic). If my wife didn't do a lot of daily driving for her work then we would have kept the Tacoma but she needs the good gas mileage car so Taco had to go

 

I hear you there! I can already tell I’m going to need a half or 3/4 ton truck again in the future. I brought my trailer home on Monday and was quite pleased with how the Taco did. What was in the back of my head the whole time was the fact that it was empty, and my truck was empty other than my wife and I. I always planned on taking it dry camping and hunting also. For now it will be fine but I sure am kicking myself for selling my commuter car and my sierra. I do really like my taco it’s a great truck for everything else I do with it so I think I’m going to try to pick up an older full size next year maybe, course that can have its own set of issues.

 

I'm considering the same... selling the taco and my commuter car and getting a full size that I can tolerate driving for work. Hoping these diesel 1500s end up being halfway powerful and economical

 

My brother in law just got a ram eco diesel and he’s averaging 23 mpg. He has a 15 mile hwy commute each day.

 

Welcome aboard. Nice lookin set up. here's one to ya

 

I towed my new toolbox home a couple weeks ago.

 

Sweet