Towing with Toyota Tacoma

Wife and I have retired and want to do a lot of traveling. Our retirement is not overly generous but comfortable. We own a 1998 Toyota Tacoma,140hp, 4-cylinder, 5speed pickup. We have borrowed a friends Coleman camper that weighed in at 3340 lbs. The total weight, per truck stop scales, of both truck and trailer, with full fuel, and camper full of supplies and propane and with 2 passengers in truck was 6478 lbs. Just below the recommended max GCWR of 6500 lbs. If I read the TM website correctly I could only tow the 2619 or 2710 models with this truck. Has anyone out there towed a TM with a compact pickup? When we tow the Coleman it handles just fine. Gas mileage is about 23-24mpg on I-10, and 18-21mpg through the Tenn. mountains. We like the many features of the TM, expecially, shower,and the lack of canvas. Any advice along the line of what the biggest TM model i can tow with this truck? Thank you. Grampa.

Grampa-

Gongrats on the retirement! While my wife and I are at the far end of the scale from your retirement, we tow with a Ford Ranger. The truck is a 1999 4x4, 5 speed automatic, 4.0L V-6. Rated to tow 5600 lbs. and the GCVW is 9500. Our TM is a 1990 M-26, or in today's models a 3023. Labeled dry weight on the TM is just under 3000# and GVWR on the TM is 3990#. I have been pleased with the combo, towing from New Jersey to Maine, Yellowstone; Durango, Colorado; Grand Canyon; over Wolf Creek Pass, etc. Guess we've logged between 7000-8000 miles with it in the two years we've had the TM. I use a Equalizer brand hitch and am pleased with it.

Now, the Tacoma. I would suggest that you stay with the 2619 or 2720 series. That said, I feel the Tacoma would be working hard. Don't forget about frontal area when you are calculating towing ability. Remember that most TMs with popular options are 300-400# heavier than dry weight stated on their website. To that add your cargo, propane, water, battery.

I get about 12-14 on the highway with the TM, 16-18 without. I don't tow in OD (5th) at all.

Please don't forget the WD hitch. Keeps the front end of the TV down for good steering and breaking. Without it (or if it's improperly adjusted) my rig feels light, tends to plow in turns and front brakes tend to lock-up. If you have ??s about all this, please ask here. Also, a good brake controller like the Prodigy.

If you are going to travel extensively I suggest getting the books Mountain Directory East and West. Very, very useful. See them at http://www.mountaindirectory.com/. Descriptions of most heavily traveled major grades in the US. They tell you what to expect both going up (easy) and down (go slow!).

Your gonna love the TMs!

Anyone else got some thoughts here for Grampa?

Camperboy

Hey Camper,
Thanks for the reply and info. Yes in Tenn. mountains the Tacoma was working pretty hard but was not straining. (Alt. between 3500 and 4500 ft.) Appreciate the other info and site links. That is the kind of info. that we find very helpful. Thank you.
Grampa

My wife and I have a 3023 that we tow with a Tacoma 2.7 engine. I was leary about pulling my TM with that small a truck, but we took the trailer from Maine to Georgia and back this spring and never had a problem. I am running a 5 speed with a wdh. I don't think that I would try to hall the 3023 with a truck that size that had an automatic transmission though.

Hey Tomr,
Glad to hear you didnt have any problems. I agree with you about the auto.tranny. My owners manual limits A/T's to 2000lbs.
Thanks for the reply.
Grampa

Hey Tomr,
Forgot to ask. what does your TM weigh. Thanks.
Grampa

Not really sure. I have never taken it and had it weighed.
We tow it pretty much unloaded. No water and we don't carry a lot of unessentials. Nevertheless, I would say that we are pretty much at the limit.