Toyota Tacoma towing Travel Trailer/Casita

[Breaky0self]

Alright guys, im currently saving up to take an extended trip across the U.S. next summer. I have been going back and fourth debating if I should upgrade to a tundra from my 2011 Toyota Tacoma Trd sport dbl cab w/tow package. I absolutely love my truck but after countless hrs of research I understand it's not the greatest tow vehicle. But I still think it's capable for what I will be using it for. I'm not looking for a huge trailer, Just need something with a bed/bath/shower/dinette small/kitchen.(under 3500lb fully loaded). Been thinking about a casita/scamp or something similar.(any sort of pop up is out of the question). Any other suitable suggestions? I do plan of going through some steep inclines/mountainous areas. My question is: what will I need to do to equip/setup my truck to tow the kinda trailer I'm look for? It's bone stock right now with 50,000 miles. Also what kind of maintence should I be doing w/that mileage to get it ready?
And what do you "estimate" that it will cost to set it up properly?

Thanks in advance!

[gmw_photos]

A tacoma would pull a Casita or Scamp like there is nothing to it. I just got home from yet another road trip. My Frontier ( the ugly cousin to the Tacoma ) once again pulled the 4000 pound Funfinder 189FDS like a champ. Over 25,000 miles towing this camper with this truck, from sea level at the gulf coast, to the high passes of Colorado and Wyoming. If this class truck can easily pull my funfinder, just think how much easier a lower, lighter, more rounded Casita would pull.

[profdant139]

BreakyOself, talk to your dealer about the upgrade. And Roy, I was actually getting 22.5 on my 4X4 Tacoma, day after day. There is a catch -- this was on the LA freeways at about 59 mph, no hills, no stops, a nice easy glide from home to work and back of 60 miles round trip.

In city driving, more like 16 or 17.

But now, I have put on BFG All Terrain Load Range E Ten Ply Tank Treads, and I am sure my mileage will drop a lot. I had to go with the monster tires because we go off-roading (slowly) on forest roads paved with volcanic glass. One puncture (right thru the tread) on my Rugged Terrains was enough to persuade me.

[RoyBell]

profdant139 wrote:
....And when not towing, I am getting about 20 mpg on the freeway, unlike a Tundra.

My 4.0 4x4 Sport Tacoma got about the same mileage as my current 5.7 4x4 Tundra in all conditions. Stock for stock. It was within 1mpg. I don't think I ever saw 20 on the highway with the Tacoma. Tundra would get 18-19 highway before I changed to bigger tires.

[LenSatic]

We towed our 17' Casita with a Pathfinder for a couple of years. It was rated at 5000 pounds. It did fail us east of Indio, CA, after a rather long, steep, hill. But that was the only time.

BTW, the Casita axel weight limit is 3500 lbs. but the OEM tire limit is lower. We upgraded to 15" load D tires and that made our limit the axel limit. Casitas are easy to overload if you carry cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens. 😉

LS

[Breaky0self]

profdant139 wrote:
I tow a 2500 lb. trailer with a 2013 Tacoma 4 liter v 6 -- 20,000 miles of towing so far, up and down some very serious mountains. No problem at all. Yes, it is not a Tundra -- it tows more comfortably at 60, not 65. And when not towing, I am getting about 20 mpg on the freeway, unlike a Tundra. But if cost and mpg are completely irrelevant, get the very biggest truck you can -- why not??

You probably already know that the 2011 Tacoma has had some problems with the leaf springs -- the company has offered a free upgrade, which is a good idea.

If you would like to see the kinds of places I have taken my trailer with my Tacoma, please feel free to click my "trips" blog link in my signature, below.

Where can I find out if my truck is eligable for upgraded leaf springs my truck is 2wd. Idk if that makes any difference

[profdant139]

I tow a 2500 lb. trailer with a 2013 Tacoma 4 liter v 6 -- 20,000 miles of towing so far, up and down some very serious mountains. No problem at all. Yes, it is not a Tundra -- it tows more comfortably at 60, not 65. And when not towing, I am getting about 20 mpg on the freeway, unlike a Tundra. But if cost and mpg are completely irrelevant, get the very biggest truck you can -- why not??

You probably already know that the 2011 Tacoma has had some problems with the leaf springs -- the company has offered a free upgrade, which is a good idea.

If you would like to see the kinds of places I have taken my trailer with my Tacoma, please feel free to click my "trips" blog link in my signature, below.

[Breaky0self]

Thanks so much for all the replys guys, all the info has been greatly appreciated!

[rexlion]

Many people tow Scamps and Casitas with compact pickups and small SUVs. I have over 140,000 towing miles on an '08 Highlander V6, rated 5000 lbs towing. Towing a 17' Burro (molded fiberglass similar to Scamp) through the Rockies and Utah I averaged 14 mpg. Towing a 16' KZ Escape E14RB on a similar trip netted me 12 mpg. The rounded trailer pulled noticeably easier and the fuel economy reflected that fact; wind resistance is a huge factor at highway speed.

Be careful about the Casita 17' front bath, which tends to have a disproportionately high hitch weight (sometimes 400-500 lbs). Other than that, you should be just fine with any other Casita, Scamp, Eggcamper, Trillium, Boler, or similar unit.

If you opt for a conventional, boxy TT like the KZ I mentioned, they will work but you may find yourself having to go 40 mph up some long grades at high altitude (where HP decreases due to thinner air) instead of 50 mph... that was my experience. The upside of the conventional TT is the price; I bought the KZ brand new for less than $10k, but $10k is about right for a 10 year old egg trailer.

[JimNH]

I think that Westend is wrong - while I don't think it would be fun trying to pull 6500 lbs., but a 3000 lb. trailer is no problem. I have an almost identical truck to yours (mine is a 2009 with 140,000 miles though) and we tow a small trailer up the mountains and back - it works great. We have a WDH and an anti-sway bar installed. One thing to check is whether you have the recall on the rear springs (mine were replaced) and have them checked to make sure they are in good shape. The tacoma V6 is very well matched to a SCAMP or Casita trailer. Go to tacomaworld.com and read the blog post "the tacoma towing bible" - it has a lot of great info.

[TacoPuller]

westend wrote:
You'll struggle with that Tacoma pulling anything over 2K lbs. It's not made to pull anything bigger like a travel trailer. My suggestion would be to get a bigger truck.

That's right, it's not. You should get a 3/4 ton. Oh, wait, they are the same price as the 1 ton. Get that instead!! Course, they are wimpy compared to a "REAL MAN's" TV, either a Kenworth, or a 12-ton Army truck. That's what you REALLY need. An ARMY TRUCK!! Only $100,000 and it requires an acre to turn around on, but they can pull almost anything!! Including a train of 3/4 and 1 ton trucks tied bumper-to-bumper. No, wait...A MERCEDES UNIMOG!!! With 20 forward creeper gears, it can pull a freight train. AND A 12-TON ARMY TRUCK!!! At .01mph, but IT CAN PULL IT!!

Keep your 'ready-to-roll' tow weight to <75% of rated, about 4800#, and go have a blast. And save your hard-earned $$ for Margaritas on the beach.

[RoyBell]

My 2007 Tacoma V6 towed my 3500# popup without much trouble. Obviously my current Tundra tows better, but as long as you have sway control and brake controller, I don't see an issue towing up to 4500 lbs.

That being said, the Tundra barely noticed it behind the truck.

[Campfire_Time]

Breaky0self wrote:


Was your truck stock or did you upgrade your suspension?

Bone stock. Some folks who push the weight limits like to upgrade suspension parts, and you can do that as a "feel good" but to me it's a waste of money. Keep in mind that most suspension upgrades won't increase your towing capacity although in some cases they improve the towing experience.

[Samsonsworld]

Personally, I wouldn't bother with anything but trailer lights and hitch height.

[rbtglove]

Towed fpr two seasons with a 2001 Sonoma V6 crew cab towing a Trail Lite 19' TT over the rockies and back twice. Scale weight was just iver 3K with a little water. Added a trans cooler and Lt tires, had to use the truck lane on the long grades but never failed to make it. I think you will be OK if you stay under 4K loaded.

[mtnbbud]

I'm still learning how to post here. Second try