Worried about Tacoma long haul tow capability

Good morning ladies and gents. Any help with this question would be greatly appreciated.

I currently have a 2015 Tacoma TRD with a tow capacity of 6000lbs. I recently installed a brake controller on the truck as suggested on these forums. We have a 26' forest river camper trailer that I am looking to take down to Florida from the Toronto area next summer. It weighs in at around 4600lbs DRY. I guess my main concern is will the Tacoma be able to handle a long haul such as this at almost its MAX tow capacity. Once I get the wife and kids into the mix with all of our stuff it will be awfully close. It is 6 speed manual transmission.

Any tips would be appreciated.

Also I have towed the trailer up and down hills and it handled well on a short trip with me and the trailer alone no problem.

Thanks
Cam

 

Best thing you have going for you is it being a 6 spd and a lot of highway driving. But that’s a Long way to tow that much weight with a mid size truck. Lil over 1,000 miles though just to get to the Florida line?

Not sure of your planned route, but looks like you’d have to do a fair amount of driving thru West Virginia mountains either way. Pretty big hills in WV.

Another thing to consider is gas. I can’t imagine your Taco would get more than 10mpg with that much weight, probably more like 8? If a full size got 14-15mpg, that would be a huge difference is gas $ over the course of at least 2,000 miles and would help balance out the cost of a rental.

I think I would rent a full size truck for that trip. You would probably be okay in your Taco. But I’m certain you would be okay in a full size and more comfortable/relaxed knowing you’re not at max capacity.

 

I have towed a NuCamp Tab 320S Boondock down the Blue Ridge Parkway, to Cape Breton Nova Scotia and over to Spruce Knob WV. I tow with a 2.7L 5 speed 4WD. I’ve never felt the truck wasn’t up to it. It is only 15’ in length though.
We live outside Charlottesville Virginia.

 

Please clarify - is this trip to Florida a 1 time 1 way trip? Or is this just one of many future trips and vacations?
If a 1 time trip your truck will do it. Drive slow and drive careful. If you plan to tow that trailer on a regular basis then get a different truck , one more suited to the weight and size of the trailer.
With passengers, equipment, loaded trailer you may likely exceed tow capacity and GVWR.Towing will be unpleasant and stressful. If you are (barely) within the various weight limits you can tow it but it ain’t gonna be fun.

 

You'll probably be right near your weight capacities; GCWR, GVWR and rear axle. That's also a pretty long trailer - is that 26' including the tongue or without? How well this works will depend a lot on your expectations and how well you setup your rig/trailer. If you're trying to haul butt down to FL doing 70-80mph it's not going to work well for you or your truck. If you're going to take it easy sticking to 60-ish mph or less you'll be just fine. If you plan to do this regularly or annually (2000+ miles round trip) you should think about getting a bigger truck or a much smaller trailer.

 

Thanks for all the input guys. As it stands right now we are going down to Florida for for a trip and returning. The original route we planned was down through West Virginia but we won’t be hauling ass . We’re going to stop twice on the way down and twice on the way back. We’re not going to be full of water just clothes and gear at this point.

I figure new premium brakes before we go down, also have a brake controller installed. The trailer is 26’ tounge included.

Currently looking at Tundras but I can’t justify 7% financing. Basically I’m just worried about this return trip to Florida that’s all.

 

You will be able to do it fine if not in a hurry. My cousin said he towed a similar camper and had no problem keeping up with full size diesel trucks on a camping trip one year. The guy who thinks a full size will be getting 14 to 15 mpg and the Tacoma 8 to 10 , I don't think ever towed a camper cause the wind resistance makes the fuel economy on anything not great. I towed a load of hay down to Florida from here in Ga on a 20’ trailer with my diesel and got about 11 to 12 mpg which was about the same as what I got when I towed my gooseneck and skid steer down there that weighed half again as much. So my point is wind reistance has as much to do with fuel economy as weight.

 

Yes it has the tow package. I verified the link on the radiator fan for the cooler, the oil cooler etc.

 

I don't understand the issue of distance.

The truck is rated for 6k.

As long as OP stays under 6k, it shouldnt matter if traveling 500 miles or 2000 miles.

Multiple stops will be required for fueling, etc. and OP is planning additional stops along the way.


This is from the web.....

To find your truck's towing capacity, subtract your truck's curb weight from its Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR)

Nothing else that affects tow capacity is figured when creating a tow capacity. Transmission, suspension, cooling, power, torque, yada yada yada.



Will the tow be "fun"? I dunno. Is it ever, really? Would it be more pleasant in a larger, more capable tow vehicle? Yes.


This is my current understanding, if I am off, or missing something somewhere, please let me know. Trying to better understand why certain factors are considered, like distance.

 

Make sure you double and triple check your weights. All of them.

My Taco has a tow capacity of 6400 lbs. But its payload is only 990 lbs. The tongue weight of the trailer counts against the payload. So (assuming I have a 6400 LB trailer) & a 10% tongue weight (640 lbs), the remaining payload is only 350 lbs. I'm a big guy, 250 pounds. So I could pull 6400 pounds, just not with my wife in the truck too.

You'll just want to make sure you are not exceeding any of your listed capacities (GVWR, front & rear GAWR, GCWR and your trailer's GVWR).

You will probably want a weight distributing hitch as well, to transfer some of the tongue weight to your steer axle and trailer axle.

Lots of good videos out there about towing in general and towing with a Tacoma specifically.

I've been doing a lot or research lately as we are looking into buying a 23' camper with a dry weight of about 4100 lbs.

Just my 2 cents.

 

The distance isn't what you should be worried about. Tacomas aren't towing rigs but even as a 2015, you'll have no issue with the distance (especially assuming all of your regular maintenance is up to date)

Your biggest concern is going to be payload as others have mentioned. Hook up, load up as if you were going on your trip and go get weighed. You could easily be over payload and going that far isn't going to be a fun experience for anyone in the vehicle. Even if you're doing 55 the whole way.

Also, you mentioned you were going to stop twice on the way down and twice on the way back. No way in hell that will work. Give or take filling up after going through 15 gallons. You'll be lucky to see double digit mpg's. So 15 gallons x 10mpg (being liberal here) = 150 miles. Toronto to Jacksonville FL is 1140 miles going the fastest route per google maps. 1140/150 = 7.6 You're going to have 8 stops to fuel up. One way.

I hate to say it but you're in half ton territory with towing. Many people use the 75-80% rule. Staying under 75-80% of their towing capacity and payload. Obviously that's just peoples preferences so take that as you will.

 

Also there's this thread too that sounds like you would benefit from reading through. Exactly real world experience. Grant it, it's with a 3rd gen but you still get the point.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/my-experience-of-towing-4-700lb-travel-trailer….760812/

 

Ive hauled a popup over longer distances than that with mine. I did a trip a few years ago that went from Texas to the Black Hills, across Wyoming, then meandered down through Western Colorado and New Mexico. Thing is, my camper is 3300 pounds wet. And it doesnt have the air drag that a full size trailer does.

If you are that close to max tow with a full family, you are very likely going to be over your Gross Combined rating. And if you plan on doing any speed faster than 60 mph at any point during the trip, it is going to be miserable. Trucks that are at the very edge of their limit fatigue the driver twice as fast. You really shouldn't be asking "can the truck do it," you should be asking "is it going to make for a fun vacation?" The answer to the second is a definite no.

Its a vacation. Rent a full size or even a super duty. Spread out, enjoy the space of the not cramped cabin, and the more comfortable tow. Or...keep your tuck and return to work more tired and beaten down than if you had never taken a break at all.

 

Keep it in 5th on the highway, and limit your speed to 60-65 mph. Make sure the balance on the trailer (tongue weight) is correct. One thing you absolutely don't want is to get that trailer swaying. If you have the option of a load distributing hitch, use it. And you definitely need good brakes on the trailer, preferably both axles. If your controller allows it, set it so the trailer brakes apply just before the truck brakes do, it will assist in maintaining control especially if you have to stop in a hurry.

And I absolutely guarantee you'll be stopping more than twice each way, unless your Taco has a 100 gallon gas tank. You'll have a range of about 150-175 miles before you'll be looking for a gas station.

I routinely pull 4000-5000 pounds with my double cab 4x4 5spd auto, I have the 4L engine, but it makes its power slightly lower in the rev range than your 3.5L. You'll stress your clutch and tranny if you try to tow in 6th, and at any rate will be shifting more on hills. I get about 13 mpg average when towing in 4th on the interstate with a 4500 pound load or more. That's an 18 foot flatbed with tractor and equipment. I also tow less weight (2000 pounds) with a 5x8 V-nose enclosed trailer, and the mileage is about the same because it has more drag. I've towed that trailer from NC to Miami and back a couple of times. It pulls more easily, of course, being shorter and lighter, and I could pass anything but a gas station with it.

I think your Taco is up to the trip, just don't try setting any records getting to Florida and back, and I hope your wallet is up to the task keeping the gas tank full.

 

OP's truck is a 2015 so he'll also have the 4L also.

 

White kunkle trip. I tow an 18 foot duel axle that's enough. 14 mpg at best with a 6 spd manual. You sure as hell will know it's behind you. Even with trailer brakes your stopping distance will increase a lot.

 

I just want to chime in on the weight issue again, as we are looking at buying a camper next year (which is one of the reasons I sold my 2018 Jeep Renegade and bought the Tacoma).

We found a camper we really like, and the dry weight of 4084 is well under the TWR (trailer weight rating of 6400 pounds and the GCVWR of 11300 pounds) for my 2023 Limited Nightshade edition.

On the surface, it looks doable, but in reality, it isn't.

I put my truck on the scales this afternoon, fully fueled, with sandbags to simulate my wife's weight, and with all my usual stuff in the truck.

The GVWR (the max weight of the truck and everybody and everything in it, including the tongue weight of the trailer) is 5600 pounds. My truck scaled out 5220 pounds. So I have 380 pounds left for my maximum payload.

Since the trailer tongue weight should be 10% of the total trailer weight (in the case of the camper we like, 410 pounds), I can't pull it without exceeding my weight ratings somewhere, and that is without any gear or supplies (such as clothes!) for camping.

We'll need a lighter camper. Or I can remove some of the heavier accessories (factory hard tonneau cover and running boards), move some of the tools and maybe the spare tire to the camper itself, and we could both lose a few pounds. So it looks like we'll need a lighter camper.

Side note- As mentioned before, the Tacoma GVWR is 5600#, but if you add the GAWRs (gross axle weight ratings (front 2940#, rear 3280#) you get 6220#. So you need to pay close attention to all your weight ratings and actual weights very closely- it's very easy to be under the max in one category (or more), but over the limit(s) in another.

In my example, I'd be well under my max TWR, well under my max GCVWR, under both of my GAWRs, but I would be exceeding my max payload (982 pounds) and the truck's GVWR. Admittedly, by a very small amount, but exceeded nonetheless. And we'd still need supplies.

I'd already planned on a weight distributing hitch, but I need to do more research on those- unless I can shift 50 pounds or so on to the trailer axle, we'll definitely need something lighter.

 

Excellent write up. Great information.