Towing Question - Need more Power!

[ACFaulk]

I'm driving a 2015 Tacoma 4x4 trd today. Love the truck. has a 6500 tow limit. started towing a 4000lb travel trailer. that's 4000 dry. We tend to carry a lot so that jumps up several hundred pounds i'm sure. Long hauls are tough on it. tows fine when level but throw in a few hills and she don't like it.

not looking to run 90mph like I don't have a trailer back there but if I want to pull the hills more comfortably. Full size chevy or ford with a V8 give me more than enough?

another consideration ....refueling on the highway....truck stops make it so easy to refuel if your running diesel but that seems like overkill for what I need...not sure that's enough reason to justify diesel but man is it a pain to fuel up sometimes when maneuvering small stations with 25ft trailer.

Thoughts?

 

[Martinjmpr]

I can tell you that we got a much smaller trailer than yours (15' and about 2000# fully loaded) and after one year pulling with a 2007 4runner, I had the 4runner up for sale. My 4runner had the same drivetrain as your Tacoma (4.0 V6, 5 speed A740 transmission) and I felt that it was way underpowered for pulling even our light trailer. For one thing, transmission temps would routinely hit 220+ even when climbing a mild grade (or even when fighting a head wind.)
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I would definitely recommend something along the lines of a V8 powered full size domestic vehicle. I'm partial to Chevy/GM but that's just my bias. I went with a 2004 Suburban.
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We're mid way through the 2nd year using the 'Burb as a tow vehicle and it has worked great (apart from a few minor issues that tend to pop up in used vehicles.) For the price (around $10k, which is exactly what I sold my 4runner for in 2015) it's been a good vehicle. No monthly payments means that when I get hit with a repair bill ($2k for a transmission rebuild) it doesn't hurt as much because I figure that's just 4 car payments.
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Best of all, my MPG has not changed that much. While the 4runner could do great MPG-wise when not pulling a trailer (best MPG ever was about 22), when towing it was a dismal 12 - 14, max. Throw in a head wind or side wind, or a steep grade and expect that to go even lower. With the factory 23 gallon tank the best range I could figure when towing was around 250 - 275 miles, max.
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OTOH, the Suburban will get 11 - 14 while towing but it is twice as big, much more comfy, and has a 31 gallon tank that lets me routinely do 350+ miles between fuelups. For the additional size and additional capability, I'll gladly take the 1 - 2 MPG penalty (if you figure on ~ 12,000 miles/year, that works out to roughly a difference of a couple hundred bucks at most.)
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With your bigger, heavier trailer you would do well to consider a 2500-size vehicle with at least the 6.0 V8 and the heavier 4L80 transmission.

 

[p nut]

Is it just power you're looking for? Would a supercharger solve the issue?
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If you're looking for more payload, and better handling, I think you're doing the right thing. Either Chevy, Ram or Ford will do the job. Although I'd HIGHLY recommend testing a 3.5L Ecoboost. Going up mountain passes, especially at elevation, pulls so much better than any V8 I've driven.
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I would get:
HD Payload package
36-gal tank (I think this is std on the HD Payload)
Rear locker

 

[ACFaulk]

Great feedback thx! The fuel capacity would b a huge plus. My tacoma is getting between 7 to 11 mpg on the road pulling our trailer...and not positive but something like a 18 gallon tank

Have not considered the supercharger but with the gain in comfort and distance I think something bigger is the way to go.

Partial to ford and chevy so looking at both right now..half and 3/4 ton trucks and vans. Appreciate any other feedback

 

[IdaSHO]

For trucks, Ive always been a Ford guy. Want a truck, you buy a Ford. Just how it is.

I recently stepped into a new(er) truck for our camper hauling duties.

Was actually looking for a 6.8 V10, but stumbled upon this one for a pretty good deal.

This one has the 6.2 V8 and 6-speed auto.


I wasnt all that excited about the 6.2, reading what I could right before going to look at this truck.

But as it turns out is it one hell of a motor, with an even better transmission.

And so far Im turning 12+MPG in town and 14+ on the highway (empty)

That's bone stock, front air damn removed, 35's, and not afraid of the skinny pedal.

This thing does love to rev. And it does sing!


Super happy with the purchase so far.

 

[calicamper]

Great feedback thx! The fuel capacity would b a huge plus. My tacoma is getting between 7 to 11 mpg on the road pulling our trailer...and not positive but something like a 18 gallon tank

Have not considered the supercharger but with the gain in comfort and distance I think something bigger is the way to go.

Partial to ford and chevy so looking at both right now..half and 3/4 ton trucks and vans. Appreciate any other feedback

If parking isnt an issue go full size. In my case it is which case Full size will never work unless we move. I recall a long term review on the 2.8 duramax towing a Airstream in the 4500-4700lb range was something like 16mpg averages being fairly typical. The V6s used in the little trucks these days are basically car engines tad light on the torque and highly dependent on high rpms to generate pulling power. So its not a big surprise to hear people wanting more grunt when doing long RV tows vs say a local lake run with a boat on a sunday afternoon.

 

[rayra]

Tahoe or Sub will pull that load like it's scarcely there, and do it at ~14mpg. But you won't want to tow much heavier with either in a 1/2ton / 1500 model. If you might wind up wanting to tow heavier, proceed directly to the 2500 Sub with the 4L80-E trans.

They're relatively inexpensive in the GMT800 series, that's 2000-2002, and 2003-2006. And cheap to fix, parts are currently abundant. Well treated, they'll go a very long way, seemingly well over 200k miles. Beware of the early year 'Active Fuel Management' engines, in the middle 2000s. IIRC most often part of the 'Flex Fuel' -branded variants.

The toyota V-6 4.7L in Tundras and Highlanders? is a good strong motor


Rent a Tahoe for a road trip and you'll never be happy with narrower import 4-bangers ever again.

 

[Dalko43]

The toyota V-6 4.7L in Tundras and Highlanders? is a good strong motor

The 4.7l is a v8 not a v6. Also, I don't think it comes in the Highlander.

OP, have you considered the duramax Colorado? It's engine isn't as fast as a comparable v6 or v8, but it returns great fuel economy and allows you to keep a smaller footprint.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

4k is a small load, I'd get a half ton, and stay away from the troubles of a diesel, you just don't need or want it. Any half ton gasser would do great. I'd probably look at the small 2.7 ecoboost to get fuel mileage and plenty of power for that trailer.

 

[p nut]

The 4.7l is a v8 not a v6. Also, I don't think it comes in the Highlander.

OP, have you considered the duramax Colorado? It's engine isn't as fast as a comparable v6 or v8, but it returns great fuel economy and allows you to keep a smaller footprint.

That's a good option if the guy wants to keep the overall size the same. From his second response, it *seems* that he is ok to go bigger. If he has no size limitations, I don't see a downside of getting a fullsize. Even comparing a duramax Colorado, an ecodiesel and Ford's new 3.0 diesel should return similar mileage (or at least close), which should result in better range as well.
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But as plainjane says above, I wouldn't even bother with a diesel. But what I WOULD consider is a HD payload package on the 1/2 ton. Unfortunately, mine is only at 1,500lbs or so. With a 4k trailer (assuming 4.5-5k lbs wet), it will leave about 1k lbs for passengers and cargo, which could be eaten up real quick. HD Payload gives you 2,600 or 2,700 lb payload, which gives you plenty of cargo capacity. For reference, mine is a 2.7L F150, which has a 6,500 gvwr. I believe the 3.5L has a 7k lb gvwr, which should get you closer to 2k lbs. If I had to do it again, I would go 3.5L (and HD Payload). You don't really give up that much MPG.

 

[ClovisMan]

If you like the Toyotas, step up to a 2007+ Tundra with 5.7 and you get a towing capacity over 10k lbs. They are really more of a 3/4 ton truck than a half-ton. Heavy-half maybe? I have friend that has a 2010 Tundra and he hauls Full Size Jeep SJ's all over the country with one.

 

[p nut]

If you like the Toyotas, step up to a 2007+ Tundra with 5.7 and you get a towing capacity over 10k lbs. They are really more of a 3/4 ton truck than a half-ton. Heavy-half maybe? I have friend that has a 2010 Tundra and he hauls Full Size Jeep SJ's all over the country with one.

No, they're not. Ford and GMC both have trucks that pull over 10k lbs. That doesn't equate it to a 3/4 ton. Especially considering Tundra's payload is about as bad as mine.

 

[ClovisMan]

No, they're not. Ford and GMC both have trucks that pull over 10k lbs. That doesn't equate it to a 3/4 ton. Especially considering Tundra's payload is about as bad as mine.

Top is a 2010 Toyota Tundra, bottom is a 2010 Chevrolet 1500...

 

[CrazyDrei]

I have a K1500 Suburban, a good friend of mine had a supercharged Tacoma, we both had 4,000lb boats four years ago. Supercharged Tacoma had way more horsepower and torque than my overweight Suburban. However every time we took out boats more than 50 miles I ended up with 7 people in the Sub, completely loaded with all the gear, still getting 10.5mpg while my buddy was in the empty Taco with his wife and an empty boat. I could not keep up with him in a straight line but he barely made it up the hills I cruised up. He also got 7-9mpg pulling his boat.

After several trips to California and Lake Powell he fried his tranny, rebuilt it and now drives a 3500 Cummins. I sold the little boat two years ago and now have a 7,500lbs boat dry that we regularly tow to California and Lake Powell. 5.3 vortec with 3.73 gears and 4L60e tranny has 250k miles and still going strong.

Supercharger might be the answer to your power needs however you should be expecting to rebuild the tranny pretty soon. Another option is to get lower gears, that would give you the feel of more power but cut back on the truck's top end. As someone said earlier that that 1-2 mpg penalty is way worth it with all the room and peace of mind you get in a 1/2 ton V8.

Good luck

 

[p nut]

Top is a 2010 Toyota Tundra, bottom is a 2010 Chevrolet 1500...

I did say GMC

http://www.gmc.com/trailering-towing/towing-charts.html

GMC Sierra's have a 6.2L option. Pulls well over 10k lbs. Again, that DOES NOT make it a 3/4 ton truck.