Towing with a Tacoma.....

[Buddha.]

I’m at max GVWR with my toolbox full of junk and bed full of camping supplies (500lb+)when towing my 3500lb trailer, with three people in the truck.
That’s a Ranger with 1500lbs+ payload. I could switch to a half ton but a lot of those don’t really have any better payload.
So do I step up to a 3/4 ton to tow my 3500lb trailer? Seems ridiculous but…

 

[jbaucom]

I’m at max GVWR with my toolbox full of junk and bed full of camping supplies (500lb+)when towing my 3500lb trailer, with three people in the truck.
That’s a Ranger with 1500lbs+ payload. I could switch to a half ton but a lot of those don’t really have any better payload.
So do I step up to a 3/4 ton to tow my 3500lb trailer? Seems ridiculous but…

I see your Ranger is an XL. Plenty of comparable 4WD base model half-ton trucks have payloads of around 2,000 lbs without any special options; even base Ram 1500s and Tundras have around 1,800 lbs. Really it's just the high spec, fully loaded, trims that have low payload numbers. My current 2019 F150 STX 4x4 has a payload over 1,900 lbs, and it's just a common F150 without the max payload or max towing package.

 

[calicamper]

Biggest issue with the ranger is its tiny fuel tank vs it’s thirsty nature when dragging around a full load / trailer. Its a training tool to get people use to 100 mile EV range?

 

[MTGunner]

OK, my 2019 Coachman Nano Apex single axle does indeed have trailer brakes. I would install Timbren helper system. My 2017 Titan XD 5.0L Cummins has been a real pain in the rear. It is history. If the new Taco is anemic on power I will sell my current trailer and look for a lighter off-road trailer. My wife has stated she is done camping. Her idea of such is a weekend at the spa. Not me! So, I will be discussing manual transmission Tacos. Not a real fan of the wimpy auto transmission. Besides, most can’t drive a manual and stealing it with manual presents a problem for a thief. So, off to the Toyota dealership to begin the discussion. Wish me luck.

 

[Hegear]

OK, my 2019 Coachman Nano Apex single axle does indeed have trailer brakes. I would install Timbren helper system. My 2017 Titan XD 5.0L Cummins has been a real pain in the rear. It is history. If the new Taco is anemic on power I will sell my current trailer and look for a lighter off-road trailer. My wife has stated she is done camping. Her idea of such is a weekend at the spa. Not me! So, I will be discussing manual transmission Tacos. Not a real fan of the wimpy auto transmission. Besides, most can’t drive a manual and stealing it with manual presents a problem for a thief. So, off to the Toyota dealership to begin the discussion. Wish me luck.

Good luck. You could ask the dealer if you can pull your trailer with one on the lot to see how it does.

 

[calicamper]

Send the wife to a spa setup a gofast topper and be done with it. Skip the trailer?

 

[cascadediesel]

OK, my 2019 Coachman Nano Apex single axle does indeed have trailer brakes. I would install Timbren helper system. My 2017 Titan XD 5.0L Cummins has been a real pain in the rear. It is history. If the new Taco is anemic on power I will sell my current trailer and look for a lighter off-road trailer. My wife has stated she is done camping. Her idea of such is a weekend at the spa. Not me! So, I will be discussing manual transmission Tacos. Not a real fan of the wimpy auto transmission. Besides, most can’t drive a manual and stealing it with manual presents a problem for a thief. So, off to the Toyota dealership to begin the discussion. Wish me luck.

I have a 22 MT Tacoma. I tow a Casita with it, which is about 2300lbs dry. We also travel with two kids, dog and four bikes. I added sumosprings and prefer them over airbags. They’re pretty much the same as timbren and they’ve been perfect. I do prefer the sumos over Timbren too. We took a 4k mile trip with the truck it was happy at 70 all day- the axle ratio is excellent on the MT Tacoma. That was with bikes and cargo box on top, softopper on the bed.

I did add two other things that made the experience even better. The OTT tune turns the truck into perfection, and the 2lo mod is a must for backing up the trailer uphill as the MT trucks have an unusually high reverse gear.

Do not think twice about the OTT (overland tailor tune). I wish I had driven my Tacoma straight from the dealer to get it done. It makes towing soooo good. It was fine before, but now it’s phenomenal. It also improved mpg noticeably.

My previous truck was a 5.9 high output Cummins Ram with six speed manual…

 

[4000lbsOfGoat]

Has been a while since I have logged in here. Currently own a Nissan Titan XD with the 5.0L Cummins. It is at the dealership being repaired AGAIN. Upon repair it will be sold. Perhaps traded.
I am thinking a new 2023 Tacoma. My concern is will it tow my 19’ Coachman trailer? My trailer weighs 3300 pounds empty. It is a single axle and I use it to hunt and weekends. Have no plan for a long expedition trip. What think you Taco owners? MTG

An intelligently modified Taco should be able to handle pulling the trailer now and then but you have to be aware of the limitations, (i) you will not get anywhere quickly - 63mph is pretty much my max on level ground, much slower on long hills, and (ii) your gas mileage will be abysmal - in the 9-10mpg range (worse if you want to go faster).

My trailer is around 3300 pounds wet so you'll have a bit more trailer weight but my Tacoma is heavily modified, and weighs real close to 6000lbs itself, so we're probably in the same ballpark for total weight. I pulled my trailer 16,000 miles in 13 months without any issues.

There are many options to choose from but if you're going to tow with a Taco, I definitely recommend some upgrades to the rear suspension - including upgraded bumpstops.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

I’m at max GVWR with my toolbox full of junk and bed full of camping supplies (500lb+)when towing my 3500lb trailer, with three people in the truck.
That’s a Ranger with 1500lbs+ payload. I could switch to a half ton but a lot of those don’t really have any better payload.
So do I step up to a 3/4 ton to tow my 3500lb trailer? Seems ridiculous but…

Depends on how fancy you want your half ton.

I think most mildy optioned XLT's are around the 1,800 lbs mark. I'm at 1,777 lbs. But, if I went with the 5'5 box, 18's instead of 20's, deleted the tailgate step and FX4, I might have been a bit around 1,850 -1,900.

 

[Buddha.]

We had a TRD sport crew cab long box in the shop the other day. Payload was ~900lbs. I had to double check it wasn’t kilos.

 

[Sparse Gray Hackle]

In addition to what a truck can tow, consider how much weight it’s capable of stopping in panic mode.

 

[AggieOE]

OK, my 2019 Coachman Nano Apex single axle does indeed have trailer brakes. I would install Timbren helper system. My 2017 Titan XD 5.0L Cummins has been a real pain in the rear. It is history. If the new Taco is anemic on power I will sell my current trailer and look for a lighter off-road trailer. My wife has stated she is done camping. Her idea of such is a weekend at the spa. Not me! So, I will be discussing manual transmission Tacos. Not a real fan of the wimpy auto transmission. Besides, most can’t drive a manual and stealing it with manual presents a problem for a thief. So, off to the Toyota dealership to begin the discussion. Wish me luck.

So how'd it go!? Are you rolling around in a new Tacoma now?

 

[MTGunner]

Purchased a 2023 TRD automatic, 6’ bed so the bride can drive it when necessary. Guess I will sell my 19’ Coachman and look into a Ukancamp 15’ rig. Bride has stated she is done camping. Me, not anywhere near done. Too many curves to see around and too many hills to see beyond. Our compromise on transmission has kept the heat down in the house. Gotta get along after 52 years of marriage. Besides, she gets her heated seats and auto trans and I get an off road trailer. Don’t need no stinking plush rig. Ordered a Blackdiamond HD tonneau, Tyger sliders and mudflats. Then will build sliding drawers in bed for tools, guns and more. Looking forward to outfitting my new Taco.
AggieOE, new Taco has only 200+ miles on the odometer. This late spring/summer will put lots of miles on the odometer revisiting lots of out of the way places in Montana. So many roads/trails to see. Lots of evenings to enjoy sunsets and trout fishing. MTG

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Congrats on the new truck.

 

[MTGunner]

Please review my post in hard sided trailers. Looking for input. MTG