Towing with Supercharger - experience requested

yes, I have searched and read lots of posts, but what I've found is 1. most people were just saying what they read and had no real experience 2. people were trying to use a supercharger to tow things more than the Taco really should have, and 3. just get a big truck

So, I'm hoping to get some real world experience before I even ask management (bride) for supercharger money. I have a 2013 Taco, auto, OME, 4.56 gears, and some extra weight with ARB bumper and sliders. I have a 2011 Gulfstream Visa travel trailer which is 19 feet long, dry weight of 2977 lbs and GVWR of about 3800 lbs. It is more aerodynamic, but still a travel trailer with a large profile.

I have towed this trailer with stock gears and now the 4.56 gears. Let's say it's just OK. I travel in 4th at 60 mph at about 3000 rpm.

My plan when I retire early in a couple of years is to use the Taco for exploring back roads and lighter 4 wheeling, and have the trailer as a nice base camp sitting in the campground. I don't need to go 100 mph, or do 0-60 in 7 seconds. What I am looking for is an enhanced towing experience. I want to use the Taco for his offroad maneuverability, but be able to comfortably tow the trailer.

So for those of you with supercharger towing experience, what say you? Note the 3000 rpm in 4th gear and anything you can say about that. Responses are very much appreciated.

 

I dont have a supercharger, but @snowsk8air2 does and used to tow his bigger toy hauler.... It would do it, but its still a small truck. Realistically, save your money, the 5-6K$ goes along way for gas money etc.

 

I towed an uhaul from San Francisco to Denver, weighing about ~4500lbs and got 14 mpg. The vast majority of time I was stayed in 6th using cruise control. A handful of claims I had to go down to 4th gear. But overall towed excellently. So yes, I recommend a SC to aid in towing, but also would recommend a brake upgrade too.

 

Subbed.

Do you tow in mountains?

I still have a NIB Magnuson. Undecided if I will install it. SC will require an upgraded fuel pump and 91 octane.

 

Thanks so far for the responses. I do plan to tow in the mountains, and visiting friends in Colorado I'm well over 6000 feet a lot, which as we all know results in a substantial drop in power without forced induction.

Thanks Kamby on the brake upgrade - that's in the works as well, but a relatively minor expense and part of "doing business" if you want to tow.

 

Yes I used to tow my trailer which was closer to 5500-6000lb when loaded. I only ever towed it with stock gearing and got rid of the trailer before I really started modifying the truck.

You say you have 4.56 gearing, what size tires are you running? If you’re running 33” tires then your final drive ratios will be similar to stock.

I love my sc and the power it gives. It made towing much less stressful knowing that I could accelerate appropriately when needed, and could pull up hills with the trailer. That said, like @Camby stated, a big brake kit would be highly recommended if towing more than 3000lb.

Keep in mind that you will be paying for 91 octane fuel and I saw a record low mpg while towing of 4.5mpg, granted that was doing 80-85 up some steep hills.

I only towed that heavy 3-5 times per year, so every other day of the year, the taco was my daily driver and a great truck and still is. But if I was towing as heavy as I was more frequently, a full size truck would have been nicer. Not sure how often you’ll be maxed at that 3800lb, or on the lighter side and only 3000lb. If you’re towing 20+ times per year, you may want a bigger truck. That said, I’d still recommend the sc because it is an awesome addition to the taco.

 

I might qualify- I have a twin axle hybrid RV trailer 21ft long I will check on the weight but I think Its heavier than yours. Also tow a twin axle car trailer. I have for sure towed over the recommended limit if the truck and the hybrid I bought in Montana and towed it home to South West Idaho most of that is about 4,000 feet and I think the pass was 6500 feet. Certainly the shape of the box your towing has some input into the gas mileage but I was running 8 mpg with the hybrid. Car trailer I can get 12-14 empty at 2200lbs.

Edit/Update- my RV trailer is 3500 dry Pass coming over from Montana a little over 6800ft elevation. I run 32" on the 3:73 gears- Still got keep it out of OD for the sake of the tranny(do you have a trans cooler)but the best part of the S/C is when you passing a semi on a grade- I got enough power to pass instead of getting stuck in the outside lane. It may not be a beast but it will pull as fast you need to go up hills.

 

I'm assuming you have OEM size tires as that works out for the 4th gear, 3000 rpms at 60 you mention. I do not have experience with a supercharger, but even with more power you are going to be running the same RPMs at 60. it'll just be much easier to get there. Is it possible you went a little too far with your 4.56s? It looks like you'd only be at 2150 rpms at 60 in 5th. Does anyone think the truck would be able to pull that with a S/C without it hunting from 4th to 5th? Obviously under normal conditions running in 5th towing is usually frowned upon, but with low enough ratios...

OK, Stock 3.73s would have been 2450 at 60mph, and 4.10s about 2700 @60mph. Taller tires might also help get to a sweet spot of better mileage with lower RPMs with the added Torque of the S/C.


I realize I don't have "real world experience" with a S/C, but i do tow regularly (carhauler + toys totaling around 4200lbs) with a very heavy Tacoma with OEM height tires. I am planning a re-gear and have been really diving into the numbers and reading everything I can about what my best ratio will be. Thinking 4.30 personally.

Hopefully I didn't leave you scratching your head

 

I have slightly oversized tires - 265 instead of 245. I realize the rpm will be the same. I like the 4.56's, just not sure how they'll match the supercharger. My mileage hasn't changed since adding the 4.56's - it may be a bit deep but I wanted it for towing. If I wasn't towing I would have stuck with 4.10's that I used to have. If I get the s/c, I might step up in tire size.

I will be towing often, but if retired I won't be in a rush to get anywhere. The plan is move a couple hundred miles, explore an area with the taco for a week or two, and then move another 2 hundred miles or so. That's why I hope to make the taco work - it's perfect for the 2 weeks exploring, but I realize just slightly off ideal for towing. It's about compromise, and I'm hoping the s/c will make the compromise more palatable.

 

You for sure can run a taller tire if you wanted. Even pulling 7000lbs+ I intentionally kept my speed at the 65/70 staying with semi traffic instead of the 80mph traffic - on the hills I could still pass slower traffic with that weight. Winch/ bumper make for good towing ballast I will say our other truck is F150 ecoboost and I miss the range this truck has over the Tacoma. 37 gallon you can get places with out stopping for fuel when towing but if I were wanting to roam around the Tacoma hands down.

 

For what it's worth, a supercharger isn't going to change the RPMs you are seeing, that's a gearing thing.

I tow a trailer with a 4,500lb dry weight with stock gearing and 265/75/16 tires. I don't have a supercharger but I've considered it for more power (I live at 4,500ft and am often towing over passes that are > 6,500ft). The cost just didn't make sense for me. I can maintain 55mph over the passes and am often passing full sized trucks going up the grades so I'm comfortable that what I have works.



I only get 10mpg on average when towing but I can run regular...if I were running a supercharger my fuel costs would be higher with premium gasoline.

 

As above, I know my rpm will not change... I understand gearing fully. I can run all the math I want, but there's nothing like hearing from folks with direct experience. I know I can wind the truck out at 5000 rpm, and will do that if necessary, but if I can do something at 3800 rpm with a supercharger then all the better. I went through the entire towing thread and everyone's expectations are so different that it didn't give me the info I'm looking for.

Put it this way, other than the marginal power ( my impression) the taco and trailer is a great combo for what I want to do with it. To upgrade to a new truck or a smaller trailer will cost at least the same if not significantly more than buying a supercharger. So in reality I'm factoring the money out of it IF it gets me what I want in power and towability. If it doesn't, then the money was not well spent. Ergo the question for folks experienced. Thanks VERY much for the responses so far!

 

Can you even get a supercharger for a 2nd gen anymore? IIRC one was sold to a few different members on here but none of them could get the parts they needed to install it or something along those lines.

 

Magnusson made the chargers for TRD and still make them without the TRD badge. I gots one but have never towed with it.

 

Since you are an "Off-Road", I believe your only options are 4.56 and 4.88. Unless things have changed... The non off road diff is larger and more common, thus more options for gear ratios.

 

You will find that it is not just throw the S/C on and go. You will want to put on a smaller pulley, especially if you spend time at high elevation. Going to a 2.7 or smaller will require shaving metal off the S/C snout. You will also want to add more fuel so a better fuel pump at a minimum, plus larger injectors and /or a 7th inj kit, and/ or meth. By this time you will want more capable engine management; UCON, Haltech, maybe the new HPTuners module. Then you realize the factory intake is choking the motor. At that point headers, Y-pipe and cat back... It is a rabbit hole.
And I enjoy it every day! No ragrats!!
Just giving a heads up on budget. You can easily double the cost of the S/C upgrade.
DO IT!
Been supercharged for a few years, towed some, driven all over the Rockies, DD on gravel racetrack, er, roads...
I run the UCON and it has been flawless. Handles all the random error codes from exhaust mods, self calibrates, comes with FREE tuning support and it can control a 7th inj.

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started towing with mine (~4000lb landscaping trailer) but over time I’ve grown to be impressed with the way it pulls it, especially in comparison to my old silveraydo. You can absolutely feel the weight back there, but i can pull it from a stop with mild acceleration, shifting at 3-3.5k.

 

I have had my supercharger on for a couple years now. I tow a 7' x 14' trailer with a couple of quads. It helps but I have my doubts as to whether it makes a big enough difference to justify cost. In my opinion the SC offsets the extra weight and larger tire size that I have already added and brings me back to stock power for towing. I also am constantly fighting heat from the SC in the summer time.

If you keep stock tire size or close to and keep the truck close to stock weight the SC will make a big difference. Also elevation is huge. Most people near sea level get 5-7 psi of boost with basic install or a couple mods. I can barely get 6 at WOT in prime conditions with a smaller pulley, full exhaust, high flow intake, etc. But I live at 5-6000 feet and usually tow from there up to 10000

 

Nitro Gear now has kits listed for e-locker tacoma that are 4.10, 4.30, 4.56, 4.88, and 5.29.

 

I towed my 4,000lb trailer with a supercharger and I thought it did really well, especially up the grades, didnt have to gear down for them although I did use 5th the whole time, and didnt over heat on me either, at all.