Tow package

Found a 2619 trailmanor 2001. WE have a 2007 tacoma toyota truck with a tow package of 6,500. It is a 6 cylinder. I have no idea how much everything adds up for weight. It does not have a roof top air conditioner, or bar-b-que grill, but does have a side awning. It is just my husband and myself, and 3 dogs. One is a hundred pound Alaskan malamute, and one is 15 pounds, and one is 7 pounds. We usually pack our clothes in duffle bags. Not a clothing horse. There is not a tv in the unit, and we won't carry large toys with us. WE will be traveling more in the mountains, due to the fact that we live in Colorado. Please respond if you know if this should work.
Thanks
baby jane

Baby Jane - I think you should have no problems with this arrangement. My Durango only has a tow rating of 5600 and tow a 3124KB around the mountains with little issue. I first realized the power of the Tacoma when I was behind a guy at a dump station in Grand Lake who was towing a TrialLite travel trailer - about a 25 footer - light but not as light as a TM. I followed him up Berthod Pass and could not keep up!

By the way, since you are in Colorado you should consider joining the Mile High Trailblazers. It is a good group and has a lot of experienced TM owners. Send me a PM and I can give you details.
Alan

Having a Tacoma like yours, I can attest to the capability of the truck. You will have absolutely no problems pulling ANY TM. Now Donner Summit isn't in the same class as some of the mountains in Colorado but I can pull the TM in 5th or 4th (it is a 6 speed) at legal speeds without having to follow the semis in the slow lane up the hill.

Mike Anderson

I have a 2005 TM 2720. This is a little bigger than yours, and therefore a little heavier as well. I have the roof a/c, side awning, optional 40 gallon water tank, hanging cabinet over sink, microwave drawer, swing tongue. I do not have the TV antenna.

On a trip during my first year of ownership we went on vacation for a week. I loaded it with everything I could thing of that we would ever take with us. I wanted to simulate a worst case scenario, because along our way was a convenient scale to weigh it. Besides the normal food, dishes and clothes, I also had in the TM:

Honda 2000 generator
free standing canopy
7 camping chairs
1 camping lounge chair
3 folding camp table
full load of water
empty holding tanks
nearly full pair of propane cylinders
plus other stuff that I no longer recall

The TM axle weight was 3380 pounds. This is 120 pounds below rating. I did not weight the tongue. My best guess is that the total weight of the wet and loaded TM was 4,100 pounds.

The only way you could make a TM 2619 heavier than that is to take a rock collection with you.

Do be aware that if you load it up as much as I do, then I think it is even more important to pay attention to tire pressure on the TM.

The specification chart at the TM website does document a weight for a fully loaded TM. I assume that means if I load it up past that then I am beginning to get into uncharted territory.

The TM website lists a dry weight of 2673 and a load capacity of 1350. I believe that means the design limit for a fully loaded TM 2619 is 4023. Right about where I am at with my 2720.

You should be fine with that.

FWIW, as a general rule of thumb, for a trailer used for camping (not full time living) the weight of the extra stuff runs around 1,000 pounds. In my limited experience, that is a good estimate.

It certainly is possible to load it with less stuff, but I am unable to do so.

Many people on this forum, including us, tow with a Tacoma. We have absolutely no issues towing our 2720SL. In fact, I would say it is an excellent combination.

Thanks to all that responded on the welded tongue, and the air conditioner on the 2001 TM that we are going to be looking at this weekend.
This has been a dream of mine since we moved to Colorado 7 years ago.
I hope to meet all of you sometime while Happy Camping.
baby jane

A friend of mine tows with an FJ Cruiser. He doesn't even feel the TM back there. That motor has so much power.

I also have a 2005 Tacoma TRD Sport w/ the 4.0L engine, 6 speed transmission, and the factory tow package. It tows my '02 3023 just fine even fully loaded. In the truck is my DW, son, and daughter in her carseat.

In the back or in the trailer we usually have my toolbox, extra firewood and 2x6's (for levelling trailer), fully loaded cooler, at least one bike, camp table, camp stove, and our ~80lb Husky/Malimut cross. I also have dual 6V Interstate U2200 batteries on the tongue.

My trailer is running the 15" tires which gives us a bit more ground clearance and peace of mind what with some of the 14" tire blowouts that have occurred for some TM owners.

At any rate, the Tacoma tows beautifully with plenty of power. Definitely buy yourself a good brake controller such as the Tekonsha Prodigy (also buy the optional Toyota wiring harness so it's plug and play with your factory tow package). It'll run you about $120 for the two and is well worth it. In addition to all of that, I also use a weight distribution hitch which is a good idea for any trailer towing.

Happy camping!