Toyota Tacoma towing

[Artum_Snowbird]

Hi there,

Looking at towing a 24 foot travel trailer with a Toyota Tacoma
rated to tow 6500 pounds. Trailer should be under 6000 loaded.

Considering a weight distribution hitch, and do not know much about them. Should one get a hitch rated for 6000 pounds, or is a heavier rating a good or a bad thing?

There are a few local hitches that seem to be rated for 12,000 pounds.

[gmw_photos]

As is always the case, the first question that a user has to ask himself is, what do the factory numbers ( GVWR, GAWR, etc. ) mean to that person ? If you see them as limits that should not be exceeded, then this truck will not work in the real world for a near 6K pound trailer. He will be over one or more limit.

On the other hand, if you are a user that considers those stated numbers as a "suggestion" that you get to ignore if you so choose, then any number of vehicles can be made to work.

And I am talking about real numbers....we get those by pulling the tow vehicle and the trailer onto a certified scale.
I pull a 4000 pound funfinder behind a Frontier, which is nearly a sister truck to a Tacoma. As loaded to pull out of the driveway, I am at 95% of the GVWR. I am well under the other limits, but as we can see, nearly maxed out on one rating.
We each have to decide how we look at these things.

[whitecloud]

I tried pulling a Apex 22QBS with 2011 Tacoma TRD with the factory tow package, weight distribution hitch and AirLifts. It would pull it but trips to the N.C. mountains or gusty headwinds pretty much removed the fun factor from camping. The truck was against the wall all the time. With headwinds I always had the gas pedal to the floor. Don't ask about the Blue Ridge Parkway in N.C. I always arrived stressed out.

My partner finally said get a bigger truck and she meant lots bigger. I now have a 2015 Ram 3500 Cummins. It is difficult to convey how much different the towing experience is. I am not saying you need a 3500 but I would want something stouter than the Tacoma.

[deerhunt799]

I had a 2014 Tacoma short bed 4x4. Actual stated payload on sticker was 1,080lbs. I was pulling my 5k (loaded) TT. Granted I live at higher elevation than most but I wouldn't want to have to pull a pound more with that truck (recently purchased a F-150 max tow). Using the numbers above, he would be overloaded and that's not including the WD hitch (80 or so pounds plus any gear in the truck bed).

[lawrosa]

DaveF-250SD wrote:
What is the payload rating of the truck? On the door jamb sticker.

From my research it varies per model but they are all similar. About 1300 lbs..

Its a 4 door tacoma..

IMO he may be OK. If he loads all passengers as he stated say 500 lbs??

That leaves him 800 lbs. Say 600 TW. thats 200 left..

I know he will run hot as I did before I put the biggest trans cooler in that I could fit behind the grill....

But above is advertised payload.. Im sure he has a lot more capacity if he goes by axle weights..

[DaveF-250SD]

What is the payload rating of the truck? On the door jamb sticker.

[Tequila]

Hmm its basically a 1/2 ton. I see people towing trailers that size with them all the time, but you have to remember the frames & brakes are not as hefty. I just bought a 2007 dodge diesel to tow my 25 ft trailer. I was seriously looking at going gas & 1/2 ton, but I decided not to.

You might want to look at putting Torklift stable loads on the rear springs, they will help a lot.

[lanerd]

Ok, your original post said the trailer "should" weight under 6000 lbs...you didn't say how much under....could it be more? Also, you didn't say "where" you're going to pull this trailer nor did you mention for what distance and terrain. Wind can play an important factor into this equation also.

So, say 6000 lbs, then the 4200 dry weight is irrelevant and doesn't come into the picture. A 6000 lb trailer will have at least a 600 lb tongue weight and could have up to 900 lbs of tongue weight. All depends on how you load the trailer and what you put in it. For safety sake, I always err on the max side. Will your truck pull this? Yep, it sure will...but it will probably be an adventure. Keep the rpms up and watch both the engine and trans temperatures.

As I previously mentioned, I pulled a 5600 lbs trailer with a 750 lb tongue weight. My supercharged 00 4.7L V8 engine pulled the trailer very well, but I "always" knew it was back there and the slightest wind of passing trucks or nature would push me around quite a bit.....even with my hensley arrow hitch. I eventually wore out my 3rd member (rear end) bearings. I was never real happy pulling that trailer.

So, to answer your question, I would go with an 800 lb WD unit, or 1000 lb unit...that should be more than adequate. Be sure to know how to adjust the bars so that your truck and trailer is setting level.

Good luck

Ron

[camp-n-family]

If it has the tow package then it should have the hitch already installed so this dont make sense..

It would have a receiver installed, OP is looking for a hitch.

[marquette]

Back to the question about 1200 lb bars the OP asked. I just faced this same question. How big is too big. I'm looking at about a 700 lb TW with a 5400 GVW trailer. I called Etrailer to order a Curt Tru Track with a 1000 TW 10000 rating and the salesperson told me it was too heavy of a WDH to buy and suggested less expensive lighter WDH's. I called Curt and they said it was fine and not too heavy. I called Equalizer and they recommended their TW1000/10000 hitch. I called a local hitch shop and they said 1000/10000 was too heavy and recommended a Fastway 800/8000 WDH. So the manufacturers were recommending heavier spring bars and the retailers lighter spring bars. Who to believe, the person that made the WDH or the person selling the WDH? I decided to believe the manufacturer and ordered the Curt. It should be here this week and I guess time will tell who was right.

[lawrosa]

Artum Snowbird wrote:
Thanks dshelley for answering my post. Now for the naysayers. This is a 2013 Tacoma. It is equipped with the tow package, the V6 engine, the transmission cooler, the 130 amp alternator, and Trailer sway control. It is rated to tow 6400 pounds, and has a 640 pound tongue weight.

Between my DD, my SIL, and my grandson combined they are still under 300 pounds. The trailer weighs 4200 pounds empty.

Do we have a problem? I do not think so. I am looking for a hitch likely rated between 600 and 750 pounds.

If it has the tow package then it should have the hitch already installed so this dont make sense..

[bgum]

We towed a 19 ft Airstream with a tw of 550 lbs and gross wt of 4500 lbs with a Toyota 4 Runner with the 6 cup engine. You are over those amounts in all areas. I feel your biggest concern should be in the tw area. You will be putting a real strain on that truck and unless it is in tip top shape will be a hazard. Good luck either way you decide.

[goducks10]

Artum Snowbird wrote:
Thanks dshelley for answering my post. Now for the naysayers. This is a 2013 Tacoma. It is equipped with the tow package, the V6 engine, the transmission cooler, the 130 amp alternator, and Trailer sway control. It is rated to tow 6400 pounds, and has a 640 pound tongue weight.

Between my DD, my SIL, and my grandson combined they are still under 300 pounds. The trailer weighs 4200 pounds empty.

Do we have a problem? I do not think so. I am looking for a hitch likely rated between 600 and 750 pounds.

I think your living in the land of Denial. Your truck will be bogged down big time. A V6 with 236HP and 266tq isn't going to move 6000lbs very easy. If you are just going on short 50 mile trips then sure it's doable. You will hate a 200 mile one way trip. 8.5 mpg and the small gas tank will have you stopping for gas around 100-120 miles.

If it were my truck I wouldn't want to beat it to death trying to have fun.

[skipnchar]

Purchase your spring bars based on 15% of the trailer GVWR. That would allow you to tow even when weight is maxed out. Get TOO stiff a spring bar and the ride is harsh and too soft it's bouncy. It's ALWAYS best to size springs for what they're be carrying, thus the 15% of GVWR idea.
Good luck / Skip

[fla-gypsy]

Artum Snowbird wrote:
Thanks dshelley for answering my post. Now for the naysayers. This is a 2013 Tacoma. It is equipped with the tow package, the V6 engine, the transmission cooler, the 130 amp alternator, and Trailer sway control. It is rated to tow 6400 pounds, and has a 640 pound tongue weight.

Between my DD, my SIL, and my grandson combined they are still under 300 pounds. The trailer weighs 4200 pounds empty.

Do we have a problem? I do not think so. I am looking for a hitch likely rated between 600 and 750 pounds.

Good luck, you will need it