Trailer towing for dummies

Lavana,
I resurrected an old thread regarding towing capacity. Might not have been the best move.

 

Ha well it looked new to me...


Either way maybe people will read and learn a thing or two.

 

Having a genny is less about cost (most of the time) and more out of need due to lack of available power outlets/pitting situations.

 

Man that Tacoma website thread is amazing. I didn’t realize my 05 doesn’t have the two package, only the hitch and wiring installed afterwards by the dealer.
To get to the 6500 max towing capacity I may need to install about $1000 worth of parts: oil cooler, transmission cooler, battery and alternator upgrades are more for towing campers with lights/electric etc but still... I might be better off just getting a bigger truck. Good Lord

 

The transmission cooler and oil cooler are things you will not want to skip on if you are towing an enclosed trailer. You engine and driveline will thank you and in the end you will save money and probably avoid a breakdown in the middle of nowhere. An enclosed trailer with LED lights and no electric brakes won't tax the battery / alternator much so you will be OK unless you add the brakes. With that being said, I don't think I would want to tow a 7x12 behind a compact pickup or SUV without trailer brakes. Even if your trailer has a 3500lb axle, in most states you have to have brakes if it is over 3000lb. In fact if it doesn't have brakes, it is probably only rated for 3000lb on the trailer sticker.

You can probably keep the truck, but you will need to add the tow package equipment and electronic brake controller. Only you can decide if you want to trade the truck in on something else instead, even if it is a different Tacoma with the tow package. On the trailer, you could swap out the axle for a 5200lb axle with brakes or get a new trailer with tandem axles (and brakes).

For reference, I tow a 6x12 with 5200lb axle and brakes with my VW Touareg TDI rated at 7700lb, but tongue weight is limited to 660lb. It tows great, but has a lot more torque than your Taco and I added a Tekonsha brake controller. Even though the trailer weighs 1670lb "empty", I typically don't go over about 3300lb loaded.

 

2blueYam,
That's what I'm looking for, thanks. I didn't know I could get a 5200lb axle. That would solve all of the trailer problems (3500x2 being too much legally for the truck). I do love the Taco, 230k and still going strong but as you say, I'm not interested in pulling 5k without brakes. I pulled a 5x10 loaded with construction tools pretty much every weekday for 5 years (roughly 200 of the 230k miles) and there were some pretty sketchy moments, plus my entire drive shaft and U-joints needed replaced about 20k ago. With only my dumb ass in the truck I was ok with it, but having the wife and pup in the truck, not interested in near death towing experiences.
Adding everything to the Taco is still way cheaper than upsizing to a different truck.

 

You can get a 6 or 7k axle...

nvm- you'd be over

 

I bought a new RV over a year ago. It's for sale in the wera classifieds lol

 

I hunted for a long time and finally found a 7x12 single axle with brakes. Didn't realize it was such an oddity

 

I think my solution is a 7x12, 5200# single axle with brakes. Then I'll deal with the Tacoma upgrades.

 

probably also a hard thing to find. why not a 7x12 double axle? They all have brakes by law.

 

I need to shop around more. I bought my 5x10 work trailer from Snapper in Tampa, but their axles are #3500. Two of those are over the rating for the Taco, technically illegal, but I’m sure someone makes a #3000 axle that I could double. Taco rated for 6500. The other issue is that will mean 4 electric brakes, more taxing to battery and alternator but it sounds like those upgrades are inevitable even with a single #5200 axle. Basically addition of any trailer brakes means upgrades to the Taco.

 

get snapper to build you a trailer with 2x3500’s BUT, tell them younwant the GVW sticker to be de-rated to 6500#

 

Once again, I did not know you could do that.

 

I have never heard of anyone getting pulled over for having axles rated to high. Who told you this? Also can't find any law about it. Just because the trailer is rated for more weight if you don't have it loaded with enough weight to exceed your limits what is the problem?

 

I do not always believe in what he writes, but the guy who owns the local Airstream dealership here sets up hitches for all kinds of vehicles that you would not expect to do well towing. Last I talked to him, their Dodge Caravan had just over 100,000miles on only oil changes and brakes, and once a week made 10hr round trips picking up new trailers in Elkhart Indiana. And they tow everything from small ultralight trailers to 30' units with it.
http://www.canamrv.ca/blog/post/hitch-hints-learn-something-new-every-year-427/

 

I would like to see a Caravan pull a 30" steel trailer.... That shit would split in half T-Top style....

 

As it has to do with a Taco pulling 6500lbs, is that with or w/o a load equalizing hitch? I'm assuming the bed's payload is high enough, but hanging 650lbs off the bumper is a lot of leverage. The owner's manual will tell you.

The law looks at the trailer's GWR because they have no ready way to measure the weight of the contents unless they're carrying portable scales.

 

That guy is either flat out LYING to you.........or the second option....he's dumber than a bucket of coal! A caravan pulling a 30' trailer???? Personally, I'm going with dumber than a bucket of coal!

 

The guy is not dumb I assure you. They have customers from all over North America come to have their setups done.