Toyota Tacoma Towing Experience?

[Grateful26]

I tow a 16’ Sport with my 2015 Tacoma Off-Road with the tow package.
The tow package is crucial, IMHO as the engine is more powerful, the alternator is 130 amps rather than 100, the backup camera points the way when hitching, the transmission cooler is included. Etc.
Here are my experiences and thoughts:
1. The Taco pulls the trailer just fine, sort of. The Sport weighs about 3,500 lbs when loaded. The idea that the tow capacity is 6,000+ pounds is laughable. I’m sure it could pull that much but at great cost to performance. In my case, the cruise control is almost useless on anything but a completely flat road. And I change gears from OD to 4 constantly on any small uphill. I don’t like the engine at high RPM when it has to kick in. Which happens LOTS.
But my Taco does pull the trailer and I have gotten used to having to drive “actively”.
2. A WD hitch is crucial, IMHO. Which is true with any TV I suppose but certainly with a smaller TV. I also upgraded the suspension and added airbags just to help level the load. (My wife and I also offroad so the suspension upgrades were originally for that purpose).
3. How much stuff will you put in the truck? Tow capacity is b.s.
Pay close a attention to your GVWR, GAWR, GCWR, hitch/tongue weight and payload. If you aren’t familiar with these terms, learn them before you buy a TV. My opinion. Putting very much in a Taco while pulling a 20’ trailer will most likely break those limits. So do the research is my suggestion. Going over those Weight Ratings could become a huge issue in the case of an accident.

Having said all of that, I am overweight when I really load up so I’ve tried to lighten my load. I went to a Pilot and got on the CATS and it wasn’t pretty. I love my truck and the off-road capability is unmatched but my wife and I are seriously contemplating a new truck.

That’s a lot of writing I know. Hope it helps.

[ChateauNeuf]

I'm towing my 2018 19CB Tommy Bahama (4 500 lbs) with my 2016 Tacoma SR5/V6, and it works excellent. Fuel mileage is very reasonnable considering hauling a camper.
With this experience, I would not want any other vehicle for this combination.
Once settled for camping, it's a nice compact 4X4 to do some site seeing around, and the occasional off road.

Regards,

Charles

[hazelnutz18]

I had a 2014 Taco access cab 6' bed with the tow package (transmission cooler) and the truck was amazing as an off road vehicle and could tow OK but the shifting of the 5 speed automatic was rough.

I recently "upgraded" to the Colorado diesel with 6' bed and crew cab and like it much better. Though I don't tow my Airstream much and if I did I would prefer a full size truck.

Pros:
- Colorado bed is deeper/taller and can fit more
- built in brake controller
- better interior styling/head unit
- SEATS are way more comfortable, my back feels better after long drives
- More interior room
- Rear seats have storage and fold flat for larger items
- Diesel 2.8L pulls like a bigger 5.0l gas truck

Cons:
- Taco bed had AC/plug and compartments for small items
- Taco was more fun driving with trailer detached
- Seats suck and you feel every bump
- Colorado still needs a key in the ignition in 2018... stupid.

Overall I'm glad I switched. I tried out the ranger before buying the Colorado but that truck is a disappointment.

[Halford1]

Originally Posted by hazelnutz18

I had a 2014 Taco access cab 6' bed with the tow package (transmission cooler) and the truck was amazing as an off road vehicle and could tow OK but the shifting of the 5 speed automatic was rough.

I recently "upgraded" to the Colorado diesel with 6' bed and crew cab and like it much better. Though I don't tow my Airstream much and if I did I would prefer a full size truck.

Pros:
- Colorado bed is deeper/taller and can fit more
- built in brake controller
- better interior styling/head unit
- SEATS are way more comfortable, my back feels better after long drives
- More interior room
- Rear seats have storage and fold flat for larger items
- Diesel 2.8L pulls like a bigger 5.0l gas truck

Cons:
- Taco bed had AC/plug and compartments for small items
- Taco was more fun driving with trailer detached
- Seats suck and you feel every bump
- Colorado still needs a key in the ignition in 2018... stupid.

Overall I'm glad I switched. I tried out the ranger before buying the Colorado but that truck is a disappointment.

You tried the NEW Ranger?

[blzzardbella]

I purchased a 2019 Tundra in June to tow our new 27' TB FB, obviously a bigger trailer but I will say after driving both the Tacoma and the Tundra, the latter is far more comfortable for long hauls.

[hazelnutz18]

Originally Posted by Halford1

You tried the NEW Ranger?

Yes - the NEW Ranger. I'm a Ford guy and waited until it came out before buying the Colorado. It's a really nice looking truck but once you're inside you realized how cramped it is. These mid-size trucks are almost as big as full size trucks of the 2000-08 time frame but they do some funny things to them like shrink the width and they have far less headroom. This is most obvious in the Taco as that truck has the most ground clearance but they shrink the height of the cab to get there.

The ranger doesn't have the crew cab + 6' bed option - its the only one out of the 3 that doesn't. The way the back seats fold down isn't helpful at all. It is really peppy and fun to drive but I couldn't justify buying it for they price that they want. The Colorado is more truck for the money.


There are some great comparison videos out there (which I didn't find until after I made my purchase).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-giWYOeLFk&t=484s

[ChrisCow]

I bought a 2019 19CB Tommy Bahama and also purchased a 2019 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 double cab, 5 ft. bed specifically to tow it. I also purchased a Blue Ox SwayPro weight distribution hitch and a Curt Spectrum brake controller.

The 2019 Tacoma has a towing capacity of 6500 lbs and a tongue weight of 650 lbs. I do not plan on doing full time extensive towing -- we generally take 1 week to 1 month excursions then come home. I bought the Tacoma because I have always had very good reliability from Toyota. I've had a Tacoma in the past and liked it very much. I also like that the Tacoma has a very high resale value. I figured even though many people poo-poo'd it, the numbers said the Toyota could do it. I also watched some towing reviews on newer Tacomas and even though the truck had to work a little harder, it can definitely handle the numbers it was rated at. Since the vast majority of the time, the Tacoma was going to be my daily driver, I really didn't want a full size pickup for many reasons.

Also, I'm a patient driver. I am perfectly content keeping it at 65 or below and I don't need to accelerate from 0 to 70 in 5 seconds. I'm perfectly comfortable driving at the same speeds the semi-trucks do, including going up hills. I just don't want the transmission to "hunt" at reasonable highway speeds. I also didn't want the trailer to "overpower" the truck, creating an unsafe scenario from sway caused by cross-winds or semi-trucks passing.

OK that all said, so far towing with the Tacoma has been great and is exactly what I expected. On trips from Arizona to Los Angeles, which is generally very flat, with the exception of going through the Palm Springs valley. There can also be a lot of cross-wind.

In the flat areas, the Tacoma easily maintains freeway speeds (I keep it at 65 as recommended by Toyota but it could exceed that easily). With the transmission in "ECT Power" mode, the engine purrs at between 1800 to 2200 RPM. No hunting - It stays in gear. You can definitely maintain freeway speeds on hills and braking downhill has not been a problem (+/- 8%). I don't mind backing down to around 50mph on long climbs and going in the truck lane with the truckers. Accelerating from 45 to 65 going up hill is not certainly not instant so you will want to plan ahead if you intend to pass on 4%+ uphill. Going up hill you will definitely need to let it downshift. In my scenario it will be revved up and holds at 2700 to 3300 on notable climb. It certainly doesn't need to be floored to do it. The truck seems more than capable.

BTW - the Blue Ox is amazing. I was a little hesitant because it's expensive but I'm glad I did it. I think it's very easy to get on and off but you NEED to be sure the spring bars are completely unsprung before detaching.

Anyway, again, I'm very happy. Sure, I'd love the authority of a big V8 or Cummins under the hood but I certainly don't feel like I'm lacking. If you have specific questions, feel free to reach out.

Originally Posted by DanCinDreams

Does anyone have real time experience towing a 20 ft Flying Cloud Bambi with a newer Toyota Tacoma? The numbers say it should be able to handle it, but what does it really feel like? I have been towing with an old Chevy Avalanche, but it is time to retire her and I am considering a Tacoma with a full towing package.
Thanks in advance for any experience you can share.

[PeterDB]

Even though this is a Tacoma thread the new Ford Ranger was mentioned and since the subtopic seems to be about small trucks suitable for towing I thought I would add my two cents. We bought a 2019 Ranger Lariat CrewCab to tow our 2014 AS19 International as a replacement for a 2000 Tundra 4.7L extended cab. So far we like it a lot. Great daily driver with lots of amenities. Gets 21-22 MPG in my daily drive (no highways). We’ve towed one trip from the Portland, OR area to Camp Sherman, OR over Santiam Pass. We could go up the pass at 65 MPG, limited only by curves. Going down, the engine braking from tow mode was phenomenal. I barely had to brake the whole way down. While the power and torque is similar to the old Tundra the 10-speed transmission with tow mode makes much better use of the available power and torque. That trip we averaged 14.5 mpg. The Tundra never topped 11 mpg towing or otherwise. . Everybody’s needs are different, but I found the longer bed of the Tundra with a cap not all that useful. Murphy’s law says that the next thing I need will be at the front of the bed which means emptying enough to get to it and crawling in to fetch it. For the Ranger I went with a Retrax rolling Tonneau cover. This makes the entire bed assessable by reaching over the side to get what I need and allows better packing efficiency. The tonneau cover is half the weight of a cap so that adds to my useful capacity. The Retrax allows for a bike rack to be installed over the bed without affecting access to the bed. I need a bike rack that I can reach without a ladder in daily driver mode. While I’ll still use the Fiamma while towing it is nice to be able to throw the bikes on the truck for adventuring while at camp. Finally, while the gear capacity of the Ranger is less than the Tundra due to the bigger cab, Eureka, we realized we could do without a lot of stuff and better enjoy camping a little less burdened.

[smithcreek]

Two replies I noticed. First said using cruise control on the Tacoma while towing did not work. I would have agreed during my first season towing our FC20. I tried it a couple times very briefly and didn’t like it at all. This past summer my right leg was giving me some trouble on long drives. I have very long legs and keeping it on the gas pedal for hours can bring on pain. So I gave the cruise control another try and after getting used to letting it do it’s thing I realize it does a way better job than I ever did keeping the speed consistent, especially on steeper inclines.

Other thing is getting used to letting the engine rev. To put it nicely, the Tacoma’s exhaust note is not pleasing at anything over 2500 rpm, and the power band doesn’t even start until after 3000 rpm, with 3500-4500 rpm being the best for accelerating up 5-7% grades. Since the engine usually turns <1500 rpm at 70 mph, 4500 rpm sounds scary at first, but that engine could turn those rpms all day long no problem.

[Kanusport]

If I was looking at a smaller truck I’d consider the new ford ranger I believe it has a higher tow weight and specifically the tongue weight rating. I’m not a big Tacoma fan. A lot of my friends have them and love them. They’ve had some issues with rust and uncomfortable seats though. The upside is most likely No reliability problems with a taco.

[Halford1]

Originally Posted by PeterDB

Even though this is a Tacoma thread the new Ford Ranger was mentioned and since the subtopic seems to be about small trucks suitable for towing I thought I would add my two cents. We bought a 2019 Ranger Lariat CrewCab to tow our 2014 AS19 International as a replacement for a 2000 Tundra 4.7L extended cab. So far we like it a lot. Great daily driver with lots of amenities. Gets 21-22 MPG in my daily drive (no highways). We’ve towed one trip from the Portland, OR area to Camp Sherman, OR over Santiam Pass. We could go up the pass at 65 MPG, limited only by curves. Going down, the engine braking from tow mode was phenomenal. I barely had to brake the whole way down. While the power and torque is similar to the old Tundra the 10-speed transmission with tow mode makes much better use of the available power and torque. That trip we averaged 14.5 mpg. The Tundra never topped 11 mpg towing or otherwise. . Everybody’s needs are different, but I found the longer bed of the Tundra with a cap not all that useful. Murphy’s law says that the next thing I need will be at the front of the bed which means emptying enough to get to it and crawling in to fetch it. For the Ranger I went with a Retrax rolling Tonneau cover. This makes the entire bed assessable by reaching over the side to get what I need and allows better packing efficiency. The tonneau cover is half the weight of a cap so that adds to my useful capacity. The Retrax allows for a bike rack to be installed over the bed without affecting access to the bed. I need a bike rack that I can reach without a ladder in daily driver mode. While I’ll still use the Fiamma while towing it is nice to be able to throw the bikes on the truck for adventuring while at camp. Finally, while the gear capacity of the Ranger is less than the Tundra due to the bigger cab, Eureka, we realized we could do without a lot of stuff and better enjoy camping a little less burdened.

Did you need to use WDH? Were you fine with out it?

[Belbein]

I towed a 22' Bambi with my Toyota Tacoma 6 cyl. There were three problems, one of which I knew about, two of which I was ignorant.

The problem I knew of was that there was a recall on the rear leaf springs. It took Toyota two years to actually fix the problem. They admitted to me that it would affect towing, making it potentially deadly, but offered no solution. That convinced me to buy a new truck after waiting through the whole thing without a solution.

The first problem I didn't know about was that towing capacity isn't about "towing capacity rating" but about torque. The Tacoma's torque sucks. I don't remember the numbers on it versus my new F150 6 cyl, but the F150 is hugely better. (This is not intended to start one of those stupid Ford vs. Chevy/American vs. Japanese debates.) My Tacoma, towing a relatively light trailer--the 22' Bambi--moaned and complained going up a long, relatively easy grade. On a serious grade, it became a complete slugabug. I never got to the point of overheating, but it was clear it wasn't happy about grades of any kind.

The second problem I didn't know about was the hitch weight problem. I won't go into it here much, but I will say that if all you look at is published "Towing Capacity," you're going to miss this issue, too. Now that I'm paying attention, I find that Airstream's hitch weight figures are too low and Toyota Tacoma's capacity is almost too low for the 22' Bambi. You will have to do your own calculations, but I personally voted for more torque, more hitch weight capacity.

[PeterDB]

Originally Posted by Halford1

Did you need to use WDH? Were you fine with out it?

Equalizer with 600-lb bars, 5 washers, 12-inch shank. Tows stable, no sway. Setup was different. My old Tundra went like the instructions said, weight the hitch, front goes up, rear goes down, set wdh to split the difference. With the Ranger, the rear went down but the front didn’t budge. I set the washers to bring the rear up 3/4 back and the front still didn’t budge. Maybe something to do with the extra leaf spring in the rear that is normally unloaded similar to the F350. Just speculating.

[John57]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Personally, I’ll stuck to the reliability and comfort of a Toyota product.

I easily tow a 22 foot International with two axles and a ProPride hitch system. Always stable and although a Tundra would be more powerful the 4x4 Crew cab the 2012 Tacoma does the job ‘good enough’ for now. I can be comfortable with slow hill climbs because I’m not in a hurry. On the flat it can go faster than I’m willing to go, and the brakes are adequate. Proper trailer brake controller settings are the key.

Just got done with a 4,000 mile trip with no issues.

I have a 2014 Tacoma 4x4 was concern about pulling my 1965 26’ Overlander with it.
That all change when we pull the trailer over Fancey Gap from NC into Virginia.
It’s about 10000’ elevation to the crest. The Tacoma running at 3000 rpm took us over it 60 mph after that had no concern. Travel through Pa, Ky and Tenn without any issue. About 2500 miles.

Yes gas mileage is lower 12-15 mpg, but no issues with power.
Hope this helps, good luck
John

[DennisL]

All - just wanted to post an update. I took the new setup out this past week and had great success. I'm on stock wheels/tires/suspension in a 2017 Tacoma TRD off road with 6sp Manual. Trailer weighs approx 4200lbs loaded up and the truck did great. I have a blue ox 750 weight distribution hitch which helped a ton and a s2 brake controller.
I was worried, but in truth the truck pulled just fine. In some cases on a big mountain pass (Snoqualmie pass in washington on i90) i had to get to the right lane and get up around 3500k-4000k RPM in 3rd gear to keep her humming at 50-55mph going up hill, but aside from a huge uphill, things felt really good. I ran 89octane chevron fuel and was pleased to see 12.5 MPG (I fueled up at about 16 gallons down)

Overall, just wanted to put something up to document the trip in case others are considering this kind of set up. Also, for what it's worth, I have about 300 lbs between the leer canopy and james baroud RTT, in addition to all our gear from having climbed Rainier (That's what the trip was for - but afterwards we did a bit of exploring on the east side of the state trying to beat some of this damned smoke!) I dont think we were close to our GVWR, but if we go out for a month or more we might have to run the calcs to make sure we dont go beyond safe limits. To us, it's worth the weight exercise to have a mid size truck to get around in when we're off exploring the country.

[Easygojoe]

Originally Posted by ChateauNeuf

I'm towing my 2018 19CB Tommy Bahama (4 500 lbs) with my 2016 Tacoma SR5/V6, and it works excellent. Fuel mileage is very reasonnable considering hauling a camper.
With this experience, I would not want any other vehicle for this combination.
Once settled for camping, it's a nice compact 4X4 to do some site seeing around, and the occasional off road.

Regards,

Charles

Curious what your "average" MPG would be with this towing setup?

[B4WEDI]

Originally Posted by Easygojoe

Curious what your "average" MPG would be with this towing setup?

This our 4th Tacoma, we've been pulling our 19' Bambi (#4300 dry) for 17 years. You won't do it with out a weight distribution set-up. They have all gone over 200K without a hiccup. Don't use cruise when towing.

9-10 mpg in the hills, maybe 12 on the flats with the wind at your back. Only 19-20 riding around empty.

Truck does OK on the eastern side of the country.
I've towed our Bambi with a Tundra which was worlds better, but can't justify that much truck for everyday use.

I upgraded shocks and front brakes, added bump stops and a leaf out back. Go easy, take your time.