Is it possible to tow a 2005 25ft CCD with a 2012 Toyota Tacoma?

[GeorgeSimons]

Hi, Thanks for any tips in advance!

My wife and I are taking of on a full time travel/work trip next spring. We currently own a 2012 v6 toyota tacoma and are wondering if we could potentially pull a 2005 25ft international ccd. Its seems the dry weight of 5300 may work since the truck can handle 6500lbs. Has anyone had any experience or thoughts on towing this trailer or a similar one behind a new Tacoma?

Thanks!

[random 17]

I think you would be OK, as long as:
1. You drive easy and carefully
2. You have a decent weight distributing hitch with anti sway function
3. You do not overload your truck too much (your payload capacity will be decreased by whatever your tongue weight comes to be --- probably 600lbs or more. With two adults and that tongue weight, you are probably within a few hundred pounds of your capacity.

I would try that setup for a while and stick with it if it works for you. You have a great truck that can serve as a reasonable daily driver.

Depending on how much towing you do, you may eventually end up with a larger, more capable truck (but worse daily driver). This would allow you to:
1. Drive without as much anxiety (easier to stay with traffic, pass, control speed downhill, etc.)
2. Potentially not have to use an elaborate hitch setup (this is a controversial topic, but suffice it to say things get inherently more stable with larger trucks).
3. Be able to bring more things with you without going over your payload capacity

[timmaah]

If you are planning on towing it a lot.. I would not.

We full-time and use a Tundra, which even that some people will question. The Tundra for us has been awesome (We do have a Hensley hitch). No issues with sway, wind, pulling power or braking (Though the front rotors are feeling warped).

I think your main issue is going to be the tongue weight. I added air bags to the rear suspension and you can feel the difference between empty and 30 psi. The truck feels more stable.

If you were a weekend warrior, out a few times a year, possibly.. Full-timer though, I would go bigger.

[Gene]

The Toyota V6 is an excellent engine, but if it hasn't changed much since the mid-00's, I think you will be maxing it out. I believe you can get a Toyota supercharger for that engine from the dealer (at least $4,000), but over time it may wear the engine faster. But with a Toyota engine that's proved reliable for years, you could probably go a long time with the supercharger.

Does your Tacoma have the tow package? Sometimes that will give you a bit more capacity as well as some other components for towing.

You will probably not have a lot of payload to fool around with—about 2/3 of the tongue weight count against the Tacoma tongue wt. As for the GVWR of the trailer, I couldn't find it on a table I have, but it should be somewhere between 6,000 and 6,500 lbs. That's bumping up against the tow capacity of the truck.

I see your Tacoma is less than a year old, so I doubt you want to sell it and get another truck.

Ideally you should get a Tundra with the 5.7 V8, but you can probably do it for a while and best of all, stay away from mountains too often. The big V8 has awesome power and payload for most models will be 1,500 or a bit more.

Gene

[GeorgeSimons]

Hey Thanks everyone for the the replies. I have been doing a lot of research + reading your replies and found like most of you said that pulling the 25ft with the tacoma is probably not the best idea for a full-timer. Maybe the best option is a smaller trailer, 23ft or 19ft if I want to keep the Tac. Otherwise I stopped into the Toyota dealer the other day and they are willing to give me a screaming dealing on upgrading to the new Tundra with the trade in on my Tacoma, only bummer is I like my Tac way better. Guess its good there are options. My wife and I cant leave until next March when our lease is up so just trying to plan early.

Thanks!

[Wingeezer]

Don't you think that if you plan to be full time you might be better to stay with a slightly larger trailer in get a more suited tow vehicle?

I don't personally have any experience full timing, but that would surely be the way i would go if the trailer were going to be my home - although no doubt some folk do fine with a 19' trailer and you may get comments from people who have gone that route.

We travel with a 31 foot trailer and have ever spent more than about seven weeks in it but if I were full time, I think I'd feel even that would be tight for space for me, esp. storage space. A larger truck if fitted with a cap would also provide more storage space.

Brian.

[m.hony]

We tow our 30' Classic with a Tundra. It does very well. The truck is not in a strain. It stops easily. My wife even wants to drive.

[Friday]

We towed our 22' with our Tacoma... in fact it was delivered 2500 miles behind a Tacoma with no WD hitch. He said it towed like a dream. However, as it also towed like a dream for us, the mileage hit on the Taco was harsh... 300km on a tank would often be the max. Forget about 5th gear unless you are coasting downhill on the interstate.

It was manageable, but in the end we upgraded to a Sequoia. It also gets horrible mileage loaded.

So really, you can do it with a Taco, but if you want a bit more space and a bit easier towing, a Tundra or Sequoia is a good step up.

[moosetags]

First off, welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

As to your question, your Tacoma could probably tow a 2005 25 CCD. Would it be a pleasant experience? Possibly not. The Tacoma may well outmatched by a late model 25 foot Airstream. I don't know where you are getting your weight figures. We have a 2005 Safari 25 FB that weighs 7,400# ready to go camping.

Brian

[Gene]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

You will probably not have a lot of payload to fool around with—about 2/3 of the tongue weight count against the Tacoma tongue wt.

I meant "Tacoma payload". Fingers and brain not always attached.

Gene

[Bill M.]

If you have the money and can get a good deal on a Tundra I think that is the way to go. Liking the Tacoma better does not help its tow ability. We pulled a 25' (6800 gvw) with a Ford 150 for a while but like the 2500 we went to a lot better.

[SteveH]

Is it possible to tow a 2005 25ft ccd with a 2012 Toyota Tacoma?

Possible? Yes. A good idea? I think not.

We used to tow a 25' Classic with a 1/2 ton 5.3L V8 truck, and I did not like it. Traded the truck for a 3/4 ton Diesel, and now I'm happy.

Not saying you need a 3/4 ton Diesel either, just my experience.

[F450Harley]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

If you have the money and can get a good deal on a Tundra I think that is the way to go. Liking the Tacoma better does not help its tow ability. We pulled a 25' (6800 gvw) with a Ford 150 for a while but like the 2500 we went to a lot better.

X2 .....I second Bill M's especially if the tac is still new with low miles. Trade before more depreciation sets in.

[johnhh]

George,
I tow a 25 ft Tradewind with an '06 Taco. It works just fine for the mid-west. No problems.
BUT, it's a '78 Tradewind that weighs in at 5,300 lb fully loaded. And i am a 100 lb shy of the 1,400 lb. payload limit. And weight distribution is required to balance out the front and rear axles. And, I said 'mid-west'. It would be real slow going over the rockies. And, my Tradewind has disc brakes.
So, the Taco works for me, but i doubt it will work for your heavier trailer.

[BeachHouse]

We tow a 2005 25' CCD with a Jeep Commander that has a 5.7 liter Hemi V8. It is just OK. Without racing the engine even a moderate incline will slow us down to 45 or 50 MPH from 60. But we don't feel that we are stressing the car, just go slow and take it easy

[Ray Eklund]

I have a friend who towed a 23 or 25 foot Arctic Fox with a 2000 Tundra which is about the size of a Tacoma. When his black and grey water tanks were needing to be dumped, the front end would "lighten" up on asphalt roads with dips at highway speeds. He could pull the trailer, but had to be careful. It was like a mild "wheelie" at a drag strip feeling...

The 2006 Tundra double cab with the 4.7L will pull a 23 foot trailer well with no difficulty. The 2008 5.7L double cab will pull a 23 footer with power to spare, up a mountain and braking down a mountain. I would opt for the larger braking power and the V6 would get lousy gas mileage and not do well in a head wind.

Would I want to tow a 25 foot AS with a Tacoma V6.... never. The suggestion to go with a heavier truck is wise advice. I would also insist on 4 wheel drive if you plan to get off the asphalt road. A rear drive Tacoma will dig one deep hole in the gravel going up an incline and put you in a tough spot, indeed.

[graysailor]

Similar situation here. I have a 2011 Tacoma and just bought a 25' Flying Cloud. I really don't want to give up the Taco for everyday driving so I am going to see how it pulls the Cloud for a few months and see how it goes.

[m.hony]

Hey y'all! Let's push the limits of possibility a little bit. A man could pull his 30' Classic with a 1971 Volkswagen Beetle if he had an equalizer hitch and an electric brake controller!

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Hey y'all! Let's push the limits of possibility a little bit. A man could pull his 30' Classic with a 1971 Volkswagen Beetle if he had an equalizer hitch and an electric brake controller!

Pull it or move it, yes.

Safely NO.

Andy

[TBRich]

My 2¢: We tow a 2006 19' Safari SE with a 2007 Tacoma Double Cab with a tow package. We are fine with this combination, but if we were towing a 25' I'd definitely want a bigger truck.