2016-2018 Tundras

[shadesohippy]

Our son recently bought a 2010 Toyota Tundra, it is the most comfortable truck I've ever ridden in. We are seriously considering purchasing one as our tow vehicle (Actually almost traded my 2018 Subie in last weekend, but the finance guy tried to lowball me on my trade in )

We've been looking at the CrewMax 5.5 bed, 5.7L V-8, w/the upgraded 38 gallon gas tank.

Does anyone have experience towing 23-25ft with this truck? The numbers I've looked at lead me to believe it won't be a problem, but real world experience is where the real info is.

Thank you for any feedback!

[joshjack]

I loved mine and you won’t have any trouble towing; but that 38gal tank won’t get you very far. I rarely got above 14mpg empty, towing would be in the 6-8 range.

[RandyNH]

If it's a Toyota just make sure payload numbers are adequate, they tend to be on the lower side.

[Bob662]

Originally Posted by joshjack

I rarely got above 14mpg empty, towing would be in the 6-8 range.

Wow. Those Tundra's have a drinking problem, don't they?

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by Bob662

Wow. Those Tundra's have a drinking problem, don't they?

Those numbers are pretty low compared to my Tundra. If you put in a lift, big tires, and a bunch of other stuff, you can impact the mileage. I get 17-19 with mine. I’ll take a mile or two less mpg for the reliability of the Toyota.

[Flynavy]

We have a 2016 5.7L 4x4 DC, 38 gal. tank, towing a 25' FB. More than enough tow capacity. You will need to look closely at the payload. Ours is 1400 lbs. which works for us. Gas mileage depends on how heavy your foot is. We get around 10 mpg keeping it 55/60 mph.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by Flynavy

We have a 2016 5.7L 4x4 DC, 38 gal. tank, towing a 25' FB. More than enough tow capacity. You will need to look closely at the payload. Ours is 1400 lbs. which works for us. Gas mileage depends on how heavy your foot is. We get around 10 mpg keeping it 55/60 mph.

We get 10 mpg also. Little smaller trailer (23) drive a little faster..

[Biker]

No issues pulling a 23FB with my 2017 Tundra Double Cab. Get between 10 and 12 mpg towing (never above 65). Brakes are the only thing lacking IMO. They aren't the best even when not towing. Love the 38 gallon tank!

[shadesohippy]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback everyone!
Toyotas have such a great reputation, we've been through Ford, Chevy, and considered Dodge, but all of them have such a long list of mechanical issues.
I'll keep ya'll updated.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by joshjack

I loved mine and you won’t have any trouble towing; but that 38gal tank won’t get you very far. I rarely got above 14mpg empty, towing would be in the 6-8 range.

What?

Okay, here's the scoop. I have a 2015 Tundra towing a 26U.
I have the 5.7 L. engine with tow package. I got the standard bed 6.5', and the "double cab". Small rear doors, ample rear seat.
I bought it with the idea of towing the Airstream AND to use as a daily driver. I wish it had leather, but it was so nice I couldn't pass it up (12K miles).
I was convinced a well cared for Toyota will not cost much down the road, and this was a "certified used car" with a seven year warranty.
Around town empty, I get 14, highway, I get 16-17. I get better if I drive 70, go figure?
Towing, I get 11.5 because I reset the dash meter on every long trip.
The 26 gal tank gets me 315 miles not towing and about 250 miles towing. I tend to stop sooner when towing.
(In another thread everyone recommends you get out every two hours anyway to prevent blood clots), and the dog likes to get out and sniff the grass too. If you drive 500 miles a day, that's two gas stops!
"Just the facts, Ma'am."

[Goal15]

We tow our 23 with a 2010 SR5. Before that we had a 2011 base model' which, unfortunately, was totaled from behind on the way to the grocery store. We love the Tundra. My wife says it rides and drives just like her Camry

Dana

[shadesohippy]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

What?

Okay, here's the scoop. I have a 2015 Tundra towing a 26U.
I have the 5.7 L. engine with tow package. I got the standard bed 6.5', and the "double cab". Small rear doors, ample rear seat.
I bought it with the idea of towing the Airstream AND to use as a daily driver. I wish it had leather, but it was so nice I couldn't pass it up (12K miles).
I was convinced a well cared for Toyota will not cost much down the road, and this was a "certified used car" with a seven year warranty.
Around town empty, I get 14, highway, I get 16-17. I get better if I drive 70, go figure?
Towing, I get 11.5 because I reset the dash meter on every long trip.
The 26 gal tank gets me 315 miles not towing and about 250 miles towing. I tend to stop sooner when towing.
(In another thread everyone recommends you get out every two hours anyway to prevent blood clots), and the dog likes to get out and sniff the grass too. If you drive 500 miles a day, that's two gas stops!
"Just the facts, Ma'am."

Those are great facts!
We are looking forward to leisurely trips with lots of stops to walk around and let the dogs sniff the grass. So I think its perfect.

[Madarain]

We have a 2014 Toyota Tundra Crewmax, with the 5.7 litre gas engine. It tows great...a very comfortable ride with plenty of power and the full size back seat makes it easy to do long trips with our full size Aussie. The one complaint I have is not the power, or the size of the vehicle...it's the gas mileage, and the range!

At least once a year we take a fairly long trip...4000 miles or more. Stopping for gas every time we dip below 1/2 a tank, (cause you just never know) means stopping every 150 miles or so. That really puts a damper on doing some serious roadwork and it's expensive, too.

Towing our 23D, we average 10.5 to 11.5 MPG, which makes fuel the most expensive component to any trip we take. (trailer & car payments not withstanding). The fact that we have to stop every 2-3 hours just adds insult to injury.

I'm now looking at either installing an auxiliary gas tank or moving to a diesel for better range and fuel economy. If I could choose only one improvement, I guess it would be the fuel economy.

None of this is a flaw in the performance of the Tundra...other than fuel cost and range, it does a fabulous job, and I am sold on Toyota's in general...they are in a class all their own for reliability, and resale.

[rmkrum]

A gentle aside for and from us older folk--driving or just sitting in the same position for 2-3 hours at a time is a good way to have serious health issues from blood clots (Deep Vein Thrombosis, or DVT)

Stopping for fuel every hour and a half or less, a bit of walking around, and some fresh air is a good thing...and is a great way to avoid DVT and the possibility of serious complications! We do it even if we have plenty of gas...

Get up, get out of the seat, and move around on long trips. It could save your life.

[Martee]

Currently my 2014 Tundra CrewMax 5.7L has been doing a wonderful job towing my FC 25FB. Mileage is 15mpg highway and for towing is 12.5mpg. I did add the TRD anti sway bar to my Tundra, which does stabilize the vehicle at all times. This is a low cost item, and any dealer can install on the Tundra in 15 minutes.

Mine has 26 gal tank. I did not want or need the larger 38 gal tank. The larger fuel tank reduces payload 175 lbs, and besides we usually stop every 4 hours for short breaks anyway.

[Meeks]

Ahhhh, the Tundra owners come out en masse!

I have written a number of times about this and will do so again because...you asked .

I really like our 2014 Tundra. 5.7L, 1794 Edition (all the bells and whistles edition) Crew Max short bed (5'6") with tow package. All the usual Toyota pros of reliability, quality, resale, etc. Quiet and comfortable. Truly a fabulous truck. We tow our 2015 Flying Cloud 25FB with the truck.

Now the cons listed from greatest weakness to least weakness, for my needs and in my opinion:

Braking is not as strong as I would like when pulling a trailer like our Airstream. Most noticeable on downhills. Without using second or even first gear on steep inclines it gets scary and even then it is not relaxing (a 3/4 ton would solve this).

Low payload. Ours is only 1400 lbs due to getting the fancy 1794 Edition. This is quickly eaten up with a hitch weight of over 1,000 lbs.

No extended tow mirrors are included with the tow package, at least back in 2014. Silly....and frustrating.

Phone/bluetooth connectivity in 2014 was unimpressive.

Low gas mileage. We get 10-12mpg towing. Not towing, 14mpg in-town, 17mpg highway at 65mph.

Smaller gas tank only one available in 2014 but I wouldn't have opted for a larger size due to decreasing our payload even further.

All of this I knew before we purchased and still chose to purchase it. If I was traveling lots of miles I would be more wary but I am comfortable enough given how much we travel. But it doesn't feel good to be pushing payload constantly and watching the downhills so much.

That's my feedback. It's never a straight-forward decision on a tow vehicle. Pros and cons to all though, hopefully, most find a fit that does the job for them.

Enjoy whatever you purchase!

Chris

[GettinAway]

I get 10 mpg towing our 23FB. If I went to a diesel I could get better mpg. But how much would it cost to get the reliability I now have? I don’t think I could match it unless I was willing to drop some serious $$. Then I would have to look at the payoff from fuel savings vs the added cost.. I’ll stay with the more frequent stops and larger fuel expense. My brakes seem fine and I’m not trying to pull a 30’ trailer so payload is more than adequate.

[aftermath]

I had a 2008 SR5 with the tow package and it pulled my 25FB just fine. I just recently traded it in on a new 2017 SR5 with the TRD suspension package. It is just barely getting broken in and with 6500 miles on it my mileage is better than the '08. Just got back from a long fishing trip, not towing the Airstream and got 19 mpg. Only got 16 on the trip out as I was into a very strong headwind for a long time.


I chose to go with a crew cab because I didn't want to give up the extra foot in the bed. Yes, you have to watch your loading as this is a half ton, not much different from any other brand.


The brakes are just fine, as a matter of fact they are rather beefy for a half ton. The issue some talk about is more related to the gas engine and the rather weak engine compression braking. If your trailer brakes are adjusted properly you can stop as well as others with half ton gas TVs.



I get between 11-12 mpg towing compared to 10-11 with the '08. The newer truck has a pretty good back up camera and the tech package is great with the maps feature and the ability to connect with the phone and access the internet for map locations.



The 38 gallon tank does make it nicer at times. I do like to stop frequently so filling up with gas has not been a big problem with us. There are places where the extra tank capacity is really nice though. Ever driven through eastern Nevada?

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

I get 10 mpg towing our 23FB. If I went to a diesel I could get better mpg. But how much would it cost to get the reliability I now have?

IMO, the idea that diesels are automatically more reliable is a myth. "But don't semi's go a million miles?" Yes, but at what cost? Plus, your 250 isn't getting the same engine as that Peterbuilt!
Even the well known and respected YouTubers, LoLoHo, had to get their diesel "Bulletproofed". I thought diesels were bulletproof?
With my previous MH, it was reliable with the Cat diesel, I quickly tired of $500 oil changes. My friend who owned a F-250 with a diesel poured $9,000 in repairs before he traded at 80K miles (for a Toyota). Something about internal oil passages.

I knew about the poor gas mileage before buying a Tundra, but I chose reliability over fuel mileage. I might be filling up, but I won't be waiting on a part to keep rolling.

[GettinAway]

Totally agree. My son bought a F250 diesel. It was an incredible money pit. He couldn’t find a ford dealer that would take it in trade.
I’m pretty sure the new ones (3/4 ton) from all the big three would be reliable. But it would be almost 3X what I paid for my 2012. I can buy a lot of gas for that much money.