Towing Capacity

Hi all,

Name's Jason, and am the proud owner of a 2009 Tacoma. Not sure if the models are different here in Canada, but ours is the 2009 TRD SPORT OFF ROAD Access Cab.

We have the 4.0 V-6.

Anyhow, the specs claim the Towing Capacity is 6500lbs. Anyone have any experience, good or bad, on towing with the Tacoma?

The TRD SPORT package I have has an upgraded alternator, Oil and Tranny Cooler and a CLASS IV hitch.

We did not purchase this truck with towing in mind, but I have my eye on a travel trailer that weights 4500lbs unloaded. by the time you add passengers, and gear, i figure I'll be around 5500lbs.

This travel trailer is a steal of a deal from my dealer buddy, (repo'd unit). It's a year old, mint condition, and retails for about $20,000. I can get it for $7500, before the bank sends it to the auction.

I know from experience that sometimes the specifications of a vehicle don't match the actual performance.

I'd hate to end up stranded on the side of a highway, with a blown transmission.

Thanks, and have a good day

 

If you have the Oil and Tranny Coolers, then you should be good to go. How much tongue weight does the trailer have? Just might need something to beef up the rear end a little so it doesn't sag.

 

A 4500lb trailer empty can be towed with your Taco cuz it sounds like you have the tow package. I dont know how familiar you are with towing things. But your gas mileage is going to drop immensly and towing things that are heavier is hard on a lot of trucks, your truck can handle it, be safe

 

I tow a boat that weighs 4500lbs dry weight...add fuel, gear, passengers I'm over 5200lbs and feels it's ok but not sure I'd want to try 6500.

Here's a link from someone else....maybe you can find your answer there, or do a search on towing capacity...lots of info here.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/70248-larger-towing-capacity.html

 

Toyota has some information on their web site that may be helpful:

http://www.toyota.com/pdfs/towguide_Part1.pdf
http://www.toyota.com/pdfs/towguide_Part2.pdf
http://www.toyota.com/pdfs/towguide_Part3.pdf

 

right at 6500 lbs fully loaded with fuel and gear. gas milage drops, but acceleration is not a problem. braking...now that's another issue...just leave lots of room in front of you and you won't have any problems.

ther's a thread on here; "show us what you tow" is the title i believe...has a lot of good examples in it.

 

colinb17, damn that is a nice looking neighborhood. How much tongue weight?? Looks like the rear pretty level.

 

I tow a YJ Jeep on a 14ft. flatbed trailer. I estimate the total weight to be around 5000 lbs. No problem towing but you have to be careful stopping, especially if you have no trailer brakes.

 

thanks, that's actually my parents house. they baught it 20 years ago when realestate was a little more affordable.


there's a 350 V8 sitting to the rear of the axels, so that keeps the toung weight to about 300 i believe. i actually shifted the axels about 4 inches forward when we got it to help.

 

i bought my taco used, it was an 07 with trd sport package, and hitch is already there...how would i know if i have coolers on the trans?

 

Thanks for the info!

 

I think the factory towing package includes additional trans (automatic) and engine oil cooling. On mine I can see a separate small cooler on the left side (right side as you face the hood) of the car in front of the radiator. That's the ATF cooler. There are two small lines connected to the left side of the radiator to cool engine oil. A standard setup is to cool ATF in the trans so I suspect a Tacoma w/out the towing package has ATF running to the smaller connections on the left side and no additional ATF cooler. I'm not sure how to spot the difference on a Tacoma equipped with a manual trans.

 

In my opinion I wouldn't even consider it.

These trucks aren't made for towing. I have pulled some heavier weights and the truck struggles. Without brakes they are downright dangerous.

If you want to pull it, get at least a new 1/2 ton. (10000-11500 lbs towing capacity)

Just my opinion. My truck works with an aluminum flat deck and one sled. Two would be struggling a bit and that's a hell of a lot lighter then 5500 lbs. I've pulled that too and will never again.

Also In B.C it's mandatory you have trailer brakes, not to mention all the pissed off albertans following you because you'll be dragging ass up hills.

 

I have an 05 DBL Cab Sport and have towed a Mastercraft X-45 with mine and it actually did pretty damn good. I wish I had some pics from when I did it but I don't. I slid a little launching it, but nothing real bad. If you don't know how big an X-45 is, let me give you some numbers and a pic. Total weight w/ boat and trailer and gas in the boat was about 6,600 lbs.
Length of Boat: 24' 2"

Width Amidship: 102"

Boat Weight: 4,950 lbs.

Fuel Capacity: 90 gallons

Total Weight Capacity: 18 persons or 2,928 lbs.

 

Just be careful estimating your weights, many travel trailers give their dry weight w/o including optional equip: like AC and many other heavy options. You may be underestimating the weight of this loaded trailer, I have made this mistake myself, I pull a 20ft hybrid TT about 3500lb dry more like 5000lb plus loaded with gear firewood H2o in tanks etc. The truck has plenty of grunt its the stopping that will pucker your asshole.

 

Everything you need to know about towing:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/towing/4031-tacoma-towing-bible.html

 

Pulled a 16 foot trailer (dual axle) with two pallets of pellets (4,000 pounds of pellets) loaded on it this weekend, So close to 5500 pounds. I have a prodigy trailer brake, no problem stopping. Really no problem accelerating (did not go over 55 mph). But with the loaded trailer, trying to spread the load on the trailer) the pin weight was probably at its maximum you could definitly feel th trailer behind you. Did just fine. I pull a 4,000 pound boat and trailer and a 6 kennel dog trailer all the time the truck does just fine.

 

Not sure what the laws are in Canada, but I'm pretty sure it's illegal to tow with passengers in the trailer unless you're running a 5th wheel hitch.

Legal or not, it's probably not a great plan to have people in the back if you're towing with a trailer ball on a reciever.