Towing capacity on V6 2nd gen standard tacoma

I’ve been looking to buy a 2nd tacoma (V6, manual trans, 4x4) to tow my 19ft center console boat. With fuel and gear the boat and trailer probably weighs in at about 3200-3400lbs. I read the tow capacity is 3500lbs. Thoughts on how well it will perform? Thanks

 

Consult the Book of Armaments!

And Saint Attila raised the Towing Bible up on high, saying, "O Lord, bless this Thy Towing Bible that, with it, Thou mayest tow all the things without damage in Thy mercy."

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

 

I've towed a utility trailer mulitple times that weighted in a little over 3K, my 2012 pulls it no problem but the braking is lacking in my opinion. I'm running 33s and some armor so that doesn't help the braking either.

 

Yeah I have heard about that as well. My boat trailer is single axel and had has no brakes so I was also worried about that. I see some people saying some of the second gen V6 tacos can tow up to 6400 but I don’t know if that’s accurate or not.

 

And thank you LiquidArrogance. Going to take a look at that. Thanks.

 

I have the second gen 4cyl 5 speed. It's rated at 3500lbs, the 6 cylinder is the same unless hitch and or towing package came with it. Below are factory specs for 2009. The 3500lb limit is probably if you are using a ball on the bumper.

 

Most of them are rated for 6500 lbs with the tow package, 3500 without it. But the most important part of the tow package is a transmission cooler. Since you have a manual you don't need a transmission cooler. I'd not be afraid of 3500 lbs or even a little more even without the tow package. I wouldn't try to tow over 4500 lbs even with the tow package. There are a lot of reasons and it gets complicated, but virtually none of the 1/2 ton and mid size trucks can actually tow what they are rated for. Once you get to 3/4 tons most, (but not all) will.

The biggest handicap you have is the manual transmission. They are a poor choice for towing. Not geared low enough in 1st or reverse and you'll do a lot of clutch slipping getting loads moving. Backing with THIS manual and engine combo is a serious PITA. The torque converter in an automatic solves this problem.

 

You will be fine pulling that boat.
The only thing you may find less than “ideal” is backing up.
The manual trans trucks have a “high” reverse ratio.
They can suck to back up, ride the clutch or get really good at backing fast.

Or, If it’s 4WD. You can look at doing the 2Lo mod.
That will help with backing.

 

You can pop your hood and see if you have the tow package by looking at your oil filter, if it looks like the image below (2 hoses coming off the base) you have the tow package.

If you can convince @Up2NoGood to make another batch or find someone willing to part with theirs.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2lo-modules.708941/

 

^ This
I'm re-geared so 1st gear starts are pretty comfortable now even at max capacity.
Reverse still sucked - these manual transmissions should have a granny-gear reverse. The 2lo module was a game changer for that. Easy peasy now
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2lo-modules.708941/page-19#post-25925676

Butt

 

To me it comes down how you define towing. Just where the boat lives lots of Mountains lots of stop and go city driving

A 10,000 mile trip to every lake in the USA

1 or 2 times a month a 200 mile round trip to water you can use.

I might think of installing a axle with brakes for the above 2

the 5 miles from home to the boat ramp.

Don`t forget the added support gear you take adds up fast

It is all about stopping and get the tongue height correct

 

A 3500 pound boat / trailer combo is only small prob for the occasional tow. But with the Tacoma manual you will need to be on your A-game. Careful driving with super careful ramp technique' is what it will take. For example, I use my John Deere tractor to reposition my trailer/ boat combo (5000lbs) when I am in my driveway. Otherwise it would take a crap load of clutch abuse for this. On my way to a launch I make damned sure I never need to reverse when pulling into gas stations or the like. I always pre-visit or research launches prior to showing up. At the launch it is always 4WD low. Even still, I wish it was was lower-geared. I've noticed over the years that quite a few Tacoma World posts make reference to fellers "burning up" their clutches quite quickly trying to reverse and forward heavy loads with the manuals. Then there is the whole issue with boat launch and retrieval with a manual. Takes a lot of technique to do it safely with a manual. For me, a wheel chock is mandatory for this. On top of this there is the braking issue. If possible You'll want electric over hydraulic brakes for your boat trailer. But you probably have surge brakes only. This means you'll be getting little or no help controlling the load especially when you are backing down the ramp. The Tacoma is ill equipped to stop a large boat trailer combo so this is why top level driving is required. Then there is the suspension. You'll want some added help with Timbrens or active suspension doo dads.

Either way it's doable , but far from ideal. The crazy part is after you pay for the additions that make this job bearable, you probably could've had a tundra. That the 2022 Tundra gets better mileage than the Tacoma makes me feel like the World's biggest idiot for using my Tacoma to haul my boat. Down the road, When I finally make the switch it's gonna seem like a gravy train. As I said, my load is five grand in pounds, yours is 3300 lbs . Big difference. Imagine towing your boat with five or six 300lb women in the bed. That's me!

On a great note, I have a 2WD Low module being sent to me in the mail. Took a while searching the marketplace for one as they are not available new anymore. This module will make it possible to pop into low range while maintaining 2wd. This can help in a multitude of situations.

 

Agree with everything you said. I burned the clutch on my first Tacoma doing some basic maneuvering in a tight place in my backyard since my boat is stored in a hard to reach spot. It just started smoking like crazy… few days later it was slipping in gear. It’s impossible to get up to speed quick enough when reversing to get off the clutch when you’re dealing with tight places (I’m sure even with 2lo although that definitely helps.) I try telling people automatic for towing but there’s always people who brag about how they do amazing with a stick and a tiny 2.7 motor. It’s literally the worst possible setup you could ever have to move something of any real weight.

 

"Can you" and "should you" always makes more sense at the lower end of the range. The more leeway you give yourself, the better off you are.


Technically this guy believed that "can you" and "should you" intersected in his case:

 

Ive towed 7,000lbs with my taco, and I’ve towed more than 7,000lbs with my f250. I’ll never tow that weight with the taco again. It’s just not worth it.

 

I can't speak much about the manual transmission, but I tow a boat the exact same size, single axle with no trailer brakes. Getting up to speed Is very slow, braking doesn't really suck much more than usual. Granted the brakes on the second gens already suck to the floor board easily. And that's with 35" tires, so you should be even better off. Mileage will suck, hard. I get maybe 8 mpg at interstate speeds, but again I have larger tires. I also struggle to maintain speed at any sort of incline. I think most tacomas have this issue if you plan on towing uphill a lot.

My auto transmission runs hot as napalm, not sure how manuals run in that aspect, but sounds like a manual is not the best pick for towing. My only real concerns about towing a load this size with this truck is the gas mileage and transmission. If you're spending tacoma kind of money on a truck specifically for towing your boat, I'd strongly recommend a full size pickup with a V8. You'll get better mileage, better brakes, and a transmission more suited for the job. I love my tacoma, but I'm personally considering this route for the exact same reason. Although the fact I like my trucks with lifts and big tires play into my situation.

 

Not always true.

My 2006 with 1GE-FE, 4wd, AT has tow package. But it does not have the oil lines under the oil filter as in the picture.

 

That's interesting, as far as I knew all the V6 Tacoma's with a tow package have an engine oil cooler.

V6 Towing Package [10]:
● Class-4 towing hitch
● Transmission oil cooler (automatic transmission models)
● Supplemental engine oil cooler
● Heavy-duty battery (27F instead of 24F)
● 130-amp alternator
● 7-pin connector with converter

 

Does it have an oil/trans fluid cooler?

 

If you have the tow package then go for it. I towed that weight frequently with my 2nd gen and now with my 3rd gen and have no problems. I don't find the high reverse gear to be an issue on the ramp since you basically just coast downhill at all the ramps I use. My 3rd gen has the 2Lo mod to make backing the boats back into the driveway/garage a lot easier. A full size would tow easier and likely get better fuel economy but I don't want to drive a full size truck around all the time. Had a Ram 2500HD in between the 2nd and 3rd gen trucks and it was awesome when towing/hauling but not awesome at all the basic stuff during daily drives.