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boutdoors · 02-04-2010, 07:55 AM

I will be setting up my tow vehicle soon from scratch. Need some advice. I have a 2002 Tacoma 4x4 with a Manual Trans.

Do I need to upgrade the battery, is there a special battery I should get that is beefier? Should I consider replacing shocks? Should I use Higher Octane gas?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

silverleeper · 02-04-2010, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boutdoors

I will be setting up my tow vehicle soon from scratch. Need some advice. I have a 2002 Tacoma 4x4 with a Manual Trans.

Do I need to upgrade the battery, is there a special battery I should get that is beefier? Should I consider replacing shocks? Should I use Higher Octane gas?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

You don't need to upgrade the battery unless it is old and weak.

What shocks do you have on the truck?

You will damage the engine if you use a higher rated octane than the engine is designed for.

Road Ruler · 02-04-2010, 08:15 AM

A key ingredient would be a.... Hensley Arrow cub... Trailer Sway Elimination Guaranteed - Hensley® the ONLY trailer hitch guaranteed to totally eliminate trailer sway.

Minno · 02-04-2010, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverleeper

You will damage the engine if you use a higher rated octane than the engine is designed for.

Lee,

What makes you say that? I always thought that putting higher than needed octane in is just wasting money, not a source of actual damage.

Chris

HowieE · 02-04-2010, 08:38 AM

No, No, and No,

More important is what rear ratio does the truck have, how many gears, and what weight will you be towing?

boutdoors · 02-04-2010, 08:58 AM

Transmission Type

2.7L with 5-speed manual

Gear Ratios (:1) (4WD) 1st 3.954 2nd 2.141 3rd 1.384 4th 1.000 5th 0.810 Reverse 4.091 Differential Ratio 2.7L 3.909

boutdoors · 02-04-2010, 08:58 AM

Not sure if that last post answered the question? Will be pulling 2800#

HowieE · 02-04-2010, 09:25 AM

That should work.

I assume the trailer has brakes.

get a good coolant temperature gage and drive with it, for gear selection, when in the hills

dkottum · 02-04-2010, 09:31 AM

boutdoors, in another thread there was a long discussion with you about the difficulty of pulling an Airstream Sport 17 at 3500#. What will you be pulling at 2800# ?

The more information you can provide, the better help you will get, in a much shorter thread.

boutdoors · 02-04-2010, 09:31 AM

Trailer does have breaks and will be using weight dist. hitch etc.

Not too many hills where I live and plan on upgrading tv in the next couple of years.

boutdoors · 02-04-2010, 09:56 AM

Sorry, just quoting dry weight. Will plan on pulling 3300# total.

boutdoors · 02-05-2010, 07:16 PM

Would there be a reason for me to upgrade my alternator?

Road Ruler · 02-05-2010, 07:25 PM

Probably not, it should be fine. Be sure your battery is in good shape.

boutdoors · 02-05-2010, 07:30 PM

Thanks Ruler

I posted this on the electrical threads, but one more question.

Does anyone know the proper wiring I should get for my tow vehicle? Are the new trailers 7 pin round? Does this include the charge line for the trailer battery?

Sorry for the newbie questions.

Road Ruler · 02-05-2010, 07:33 PM

No prob, here you go.... TRAILER LIGHT WIRING - TYPICAL TRAILER LIGHT WIRING DIAGRAM / SCHEMATIC - Trailer Parts & Accessories - Chuck's Chevy Truck Pages.com

boutdoors · 02-05-2010, 08:08 PM

From what I can tell its a 7 pin flat connector?

2airishuman · 02-05-2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boutdoors

I will be setting up my tow vehicle soon from scratch. Need some advice. I have a 2002 Tacoma 4x4 with a Manual Trans.

Do I need to upgrade the battery, is there a special battery I should get that is beefier? Should I consider replacing shocks? Should I use Higher Octane gas?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

so now you've got 3 threads on the SAME vehicle and trailer combo?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...ing-60759.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f37/...ion-60961.html

seldon is doing that wise, but don't let that discourage ASKING questions...

questions is good!

bouncing around means incomplete info about the primary issues/background/components and so on...

which only brings incomplete answers and advice and may actually produce BAD suggestions from the lack of details.

it might SEEM useful to split hairs on towing issues, but the needs HERE are all basic and interrelated to ONE combo.
_________

-truck battery has no impact on trailer, the alternator does but ONLY if the demands to power/charging via the 7 pin are excessive.

and shouldn't be with a factory stock single deep cycle, single axle NEW trailer.

-the "upgraded shocks" and more BEEF issue has been addressed in the other thread.
__________

-use the fuel spec'd in the owners manual which is largely based on COMPRESSION ratings for the 4 banger...

SOME high compression 4s spec high octane fuel and using LESSer fuels will result in lower performance in those engines...

most MODERN engines will just adjust/dial back the timing for that fuel, which is harmless short term, but lowers mpg OR hp or both.

LONG TERM use of higher octane fuel than required has NO real/measurable benefits...

since the engines that SPEC 87 have no mechanism for advancing the timing or increasing compression.
__________

modern 7 pins are all identical on USA spec'd 'stream.

some (most) auto makers have pre-made wiring harnesses that can be added as part of a "towing package"

check with a toy' parts vendor for a specific harness for this 02,

there is NO reason to fabricate one, OR use a generic towing harness IF toy' parts suppliers make a version for this truck.

cheers
2air'

boutdoors · 02-05-2010, 08:19 PM

Sorry 2airishhuman did not know the "rules" just trying to get everything right. Like I have stated I am new to towing and am trying to do it right. I have been hearing "horror" stories from the dealers that claim that people show up to pick up their trailers and the wiring and hitch are all wrong. Plus I don't want to get ripped off by a hitch and wiring installer by having them install the wrong gear.

Thanks for all the information.

2airishuman · 02-05-2010, 08:34 PM

it's not a RULE

start as many threads as u like!

but over time a thread builds 'followers' who will see it eventually IN their subscribed threads...

so over time YOUR audience grows for a specific thread/issue theme...

new threads just roll OFF the front page and might be MISSED by those who understand your needs from previous exchanges...

occasionally, for example someone posts the same question in multiple sub forums thinking that increases exposure...
_________

just trying to IMPROVE the odds you'll get some answers to the combo in question, withOUT having to relist the details each time.

and asking for opinions HERE will definitely help with potential vendor ripoffs.

the collective is hard on bad vendor advice...

swing away and aim for the fence!

cheers
2air'

cclarkego · 02-06-2010, 02:46 AM

I am sure all this advice will come in very handy for me when I finally FIND a new tow vehicle that I can afford that I pray does not have some hidden agenda that the buyer is hiding from me. And after I sell that poor Explorer whose transmission I ruined when I hauled my light as a feather trailer all the way to Montana and back putting my mechanic in a very bad mood because he had to figure out a way to fix it since I did not have enough money for a new one. Thank God he loves art, it seems his collection is growing, I believe due to the fact that I never seem to have a lot of money whenever something breaks or needs to be smogged. I positively adore that man. Now if anyone knows of any great deals, please send them my way. I think I can get $5000 for the Explorer and maybe the same from my Malibu. There is my whole budget. If anyone knowingly (the key word) sends me a lemon that I end up regretting one dark and lonely night on some out of the way road, please be advised that I will send them in return, one smarty pants renter that I was discussing on the Thursday thread. I hope I stayed close enough to this thread that I don't have to duck 2air....

cclarkego