The Tacoma Towing Bible

I guess I will test load with my old drop hitch before buying a new one. It looks like that w.d. hitch allows for some vertical adjustment. I have a feeling that my new progressive springs will sink more than an inch under most trailer loads.

 

here's the instructions for that unit and its family, note that with the ball in the lowest setting on the supplied shank, the top of the ball is 3/4" HIGHER than the top of the 2" reciever socket. http://manuals.adventurerv.net/Eaz-Lift-Weight-Distribution-Hitch-Elite-Instructions.pdf

you can get shanks that lets you mount it considerably lower.
http://www.curtmfg.com/Category/83/Shanks

 

I have a bit of a problem and can't seen to find the answers anywhere. My issue is last year I had a check engine light pop up, I scanned it and it was something to do with transmission switch, anyways, I brought it to the dealer and they said one of the problems had been with the trailer wiring beings faulty such as cracked wire and corrosion. So they disconnected the OEM wiring that goes to the rear of the truck. I haven't had a check engine light since so I'm assuming what they said was correct, but now I'm needing to tow a trailer and wonder where the best place to start would be. Either buy the OEM harness like was installed in my truck from the factory, install something aftermarket, or see what they disconnected and see if I can find some corrosion and broken wires somewhere under the vehicle. I would like to do the last option but haven't been able to find any wiring diagrams. I am also going to be installing a brake controller and using the factory wiring is probably the easiest solution for that.

 

the generic wiring diagrams are here,
http://www.customtacos.com/tech.old/files/05FSM/wiring.html

but that doesn't quite cover year to year changes, although they are all pretty similar.

skimming the trailer wiring, not sure how anything there could trigger a check engine light, but maybe a short was causing battery voltage to drop too low, or something.

they might have pulled the relays and/or fuses for the trailer hitch. or they might have pulled harness connector IB1, which is below/left of the driver side dashboard, in admist a whole ratsnest of connectors (thats also near where the brake controller plugs in)

 

I am looking for advice. I took our new trailer today to be scaled. It is mostly wet, minus food, beverage, a few more clothes, and dog items (food, treats, bowls, etc). The trailer weighed in at 4880#, which I am really excited about. I figure we'll be under 5100# fully wet. So definitely under 80% tow capacity. It's tall, and I know it's back there, but the Taco pulls it well. I just ordered a P3 controller for it, as I'd feel better with a good controller. The only, and large, problem is tongue weight. It scaled in at 900 lbs on the jack. The food goes behind the rear axle, and there were some items in front that will be in the rear. No bikes were on the rack, and the spare is off. So it will change some when we really go camping. I use a weight distribution system, but I can't find any documentation on TW with WD for the Tacoma. The TW of that trailer should be 488-732. Do you think, 100-200lbs behind the axle will change that TW much? Any other suggestions? And an obligatory pic

 

Hopefully people with more technical knowledge will respond. I would load the trailer as you actually intend to travel (spare/bikes) and then readjust the hitch (ball height/chain links) since it looks like it is not doing as much as it could.

My experience has been that weight 'moved back' does indeed make a difference although I don't have the formula for how much difference it makes. Think of it like a 'teeter/totter". Your trailer axles are the pivot point. Unlike a teeter/totter your trailers axles are unlikely to be at the mid-point. When the distance from your trailer axles to the front is longer than from the axles to the back of the trailer it takes more weight in the back to transfer weight and lift the hitch.

So adding 200 lbs in the back might offset 50lbs in the back. Make sense?

Not sure how loading back of axle actually effects hitch weight however since you have bumps, etc.

You say 'mostly wet'. Do you have to pull with fresh, grey, black water? It looks like your tanks could be forward of the axle. If so I'd try to empty grey and black before I left and fill fresh at the site or close by. I'd then dump all ASAP (site?) before I returned.

 

Mostly wet just meant the spare, bikes, clothes, food and dog items are missing. I've never been dry camping, and don't see it in the immediate future. Most I'd ever have to carry there or home would be the black tank. Going in 2 weeks, and I am probably going to scale it again ready to go. For $7.50, it's cheap insurance/information.

 

My previous pre-tacoma camper experiences, we carried waste tanks only as far as the nearest RV dump station, rarely more than a dozen miles.

 

oh, re: your weight distribution. I read somewhere reasonable authoritative... most truck + trailers, you measure the tow height, and adjust the WD chains so it only sinks about 10-25% of what it would without WD. Apparently Toyota recommends you adjust it for zero sag. So, adjust the WD chains so the truck stays basically level when hitched.

 

No way would I tow that with a Tacoma. You need to consider the weight of gear and accessories in the truck and camper, people, liquids, etc.

I pull a little R-Pod with my Tacoma and would never consider anything much heavier than that. The 6-Cylinder and suspension just won't allow it comfortably.

 

I did consider that, and that's why I scaled it. It is currently 1700lbs under max, with a few things to add, maybe an extra 100-150lbs. Even at 5100 I still sit at 78% towing capacity, and appx 1100 below GCWR. The 6 cylinder pulls it fine, although I am adding an extra trans cooler. I have an aal and I use a weight distribution hitch. I also invested in a prodigy3 brake controller. Trust me, I am better prepared than most of the yoyos on the road that trust the salesman that sold the trailer. Next time you are at a race, take a poll and see how many people scaled their trailer and figured out their tongue weight? Thanks for the concern though.

 

I hate to be "that guy", but ............so much for, "I am looking for advice."

ALL of the prescribed limits need to be at or preferably under. Although you did mention in your initial post that you weighed the trailer and it was 900 lb, and you now mention that you did scale it, you seem to gloss over the fact that it is overweight (28% or so?) now. I don't think you want to hear that 900 lbs on the hitch is too much.

How poorly other people are prepared isn't likely to help you or anyone else when the sh*t hits the fan.

Please be careful (for all of us).

 

How did I gloss over it? I came here asking about tongue weight, and I got a lashing from someone that would never tow that with a Tacoma. I was merely defending myself as I am being careful. As it is, my B-I-L's "TW" at the same scale was 1000lbs. But he did a more accurate test and it was 587, twice. So how am I glossing over facts, and not being prepared? I admitted the supposed tongue weight, and I'm taking short test runs before full out?? I am trying to make sure ALL prescribed limits are AT (tongue weight) or well BELOW (GCWR and trailer weight). But you sir did not help that quest.

 

I would never tow with the facts as you had stated them either. This is the first time you have mention 587 for the tongue weight; even when responding to the other poster to "defend yourself". But hey it's all good right? As it turns out you didn't need any advice, just another weigh-in/scale. Cheap and effective solution. Probably someone should have said, "Maybe they weighed it wrong?" Glad (really!) that was the resolution and that you have what you need.

But if your truck is still sagging as the picture you showed you'd be doing yourself a favor to find someone to adjust the WD hitch.

Take care, good luck and happy camping!

 

Super newbie here. I have a 2016 Tacoma OR with tow package. I am going to be moving from Kentucky to Florida and want to use a trailer to move. Does anyone see any problems or have any pointers with this trailer? Will my truck be able to handle it?

 

if those numbers are right, 770 lbs dry, 2200 lbs capacity, thats 3000 lbs GVWR, that should be fine. for sure you'll want to use a hitch bar that puts the ball low enough that the front of the trailer is lower than the back when its hitched up on the level, and you'll wnat to load the heavy stuff in the trailer first, distributed so the tongue weight is 10% of the total (200 lbs if you put 1200 lbs in the trailer for a 2000 lb gross). it will ride better with a WDH, its probably so short you don't reall yneed antisway.

 

I've read through parts of this thread a lot and just though I would add my own 2 cents.

I have a 2001 Tacoma 2wd. 2.4 Auto.

After lots of research and even taking the bitter advice from members on facebook, I decided I needed more than just a beefed up bumper to tow.

I bought hitch, brake controller, good drawbar and ball, and did lots of reading.

I tow regularly for the Coast Guard with plenty of experience which definitely helped me.

I have recently towed a couple cars on a double axle trailer with electric brakes. It was a 2,000lb trailer (I was told it was 1500lbs) and the first car, mostly just a shell was around 2200 lbs. So my first trip of 150 miles was towing 4200lbs not including the passengers and tools I brought. Total GCWR was around 7800lbs.

2nd trip was with a fully loaded car and only myself. It was 8300lbs with the truck towing the car and trailer which was 5300lbs.

My hitch was rated at 5,000 lbs. Ball at 6k, and drawbar at 12k.

This truck pulled this load fine. I kept the heavier load to 65mph or less. The lighter load handled 70mph just fine. The transmission was fine and the engine, while underpowered for sure, was able to pull this load up steep bridges (Pearl river bridge in MS and Paris Rd bridge in New Orleans). I pulled over numerous times to inspect everything and nothing was abnormal.

Things to note.
I have a fair amount of experience towing.
I have upgraded the front brakes to cross drilled and slotted for heat reduction.
Brake fluid was changed to DOT4 synthetic.
Rear diff was changed to synthetic fluid.
Trans fluid is synthetic.
Oil is rotella 15w-40.
Used premium fuel (this made a HUGE difference to me)
K&N drop in filter with snorkel removed.
Gutted cats.
Manually shifted the automatic gears the entire trip.
Kept overdrive off the entire time.

I'm hoping that this information can help those out there with their own thoughts of if their trucks can tow. For the 4 cylinder, I absolutely do not recommend anything over 5k total weight. I see some people posting that the 6 cylinder can't do it and it just baffles me that the smallest engine can tow the maximum allowed... I dunno. Just personal preference I suppose.

Have a good day.

-B

 

I pull a (roughly) 3K camper from Florida to Kentucky & back twice a year. It does very well, even going up the mountains. Performance isn't stellar, but wouldn't want it to be either. Gas mileage is roughly 10 miles/gal. If you have 5 speed automatic, DON'T tow in 5th gear. Use 4th. She will rev higher & that takes some getting used to, but presents no problem.

 

Tbryson2 what's the fastest you drive in 4th gear while towing?

 

Typically I keep it about 65-70. Every once in awhile I catch myself getting above that & back it down. Of course, we're talking the flat parts, not climbing a mountain. The last trip I did 70ish both ways.