Toyota Tacoma Travel Trailer Towing

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NCSU Dad

NCSU Dad

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Joined
Sep 24, 2017
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Location
OBX NC
I'm looking for some experience or thoughts on towing with a Tacoma. With 2 people on board.

We own a 2013 Tacoma 4 door, 4wd, V6, automatic, factory tow package including trans & oil coolers. I've attached my TT weight calculations. Do they look okay?

The manufacture values are from the owners manual.

The actual values shown are for our truck weight on Cat Scales, no driver, full tank of gas, spare tire & jack, with all the miscellaneous tools/etc removed from the truck. The actual trailer tongue weigh was just a guess since we do not have the trailer.

We are thinking along the lines of a 16'-20' TT.

Thanks!
 

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First, I agree with Steve.  Check the yellow border placard on the driver door latch pillar, which will give you the PAYLOAD of your truck. 
Reading your weight data, if the GVWR for the truck (see white placard) is 5500# and actual weight as described is 4380#, then your Payload should be close to 1120#.

The total of the TT tongue wt, (estimate as 10% - 12% of TT  GVWR), PLUS weight of all passengers, cargo, tools and snacks PLUS 80# for a WD hitch, must not exceed 1120# or actual Payload.

The numbers from the chart are good as far as they go.  The 975# Max tongue wt is not realistic.  It IS 15% of their max TT wt, but it leaves very little room for passengers or cargo.  Realistically, I hear you saying you are looking at a smaller TT(??) than 6500# AND the real tongue wt will likely be less than 15%.  This should leave room for passengers and cargo.

Thanks for asking!!
 
You say between "16' and 20' "

There could be a big difference in weight between the two
I have a 2017 6 cyl.  4x4 Tacoma and pull a pop up with it, but would not tow any thing the size you are looking at.

I had a six cylinder Jeep and towed a 19 footer, but it died on just small hills and had to go to an 8.

jack L
 
re: steveblonde & grashley - I have attached the door jamb sticker.  If the cargo weight is indicated I am missing it.

re: JackL - When I say 16'-20' I am measuring from back of the TT to the ball coupler. My goal was to find a quality lightweight TT with a floorplan we can live with.  Must have fixed queen bed, dinette, and dry bath.  Tall order?

No matter what the door jamb decal or calculations indicate I do not want to exceed the trucks ability to pull but most importantly stop when towing.

Thanks for the responses.
 

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wrong decal its yellow look like this one driver side sometimes on the door sometimes on the B pillar
 

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That placard verifies the truck GVWR is 5500#.  Since you weighed the truck, your payload is indeed 1120#.  By definition, Payload = GVWR minus actual wt of empty truck.
 
As indicated you my be up against your max cargo. The max cargo is vehicle dependent and usually posted on the door jamb.

My F-150 has a max cargo capacity of 1411 lbs. My 406 lbs dry tongue weight increases to 750 lbs. when loaded for the road. The remainder is filled with two adult, a large dog, fiberglass cap, tools, and camp toys. I am at my max cargo.

My 25 ft. 5000 lb Dry weight TT crosses the scale at  6200 lbs across the CAT scales. The 12 to 13 percent tongue weight is about right.

My point is estimates are often underestimated.

Good luck

 
re: steveblonde &grashley - okay I found the yellow sticker. I've been using that sticker to get cold tire pressure. I never bothered to read the fine print which states the occupant and cargo weight as 1050#. That is in the ballpark of:

5500# manf GVWR
4380# minus scale weight
1120# cargo weight

re: RGP - As example a TT with GVWR 3,800# using 13% gives me a 494# tongue weight.
1120# cargo weight
494# minus tongue weight
626# for people & gear

If I'm understanding this right that 625# just doesn't seem like enough people and gear weight to stay safe. The scale weight of 4380# doesn't include the trucks 100# fiberglass cap which was off at the time so I'm down to 525#.

Am I seeing this right?
 

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My 25 ft. Dutchmen dry weight is listed by the manufacturer as 5000 lbs with a tongue weight of 400 lbs.

The CAT scale says the weight on the truck axles increases by 750 lbs with the TT on the WD hitch and the weight on the TT axle is  5450 lbs. for a total TT weight of 6200 lbs. So much for using dry weight figures.

To be honest the scale weight of my TT has varied as much a 400 lbs between trips depending on whether it is a weekend trip to the state park or a five week adventures out West. Also on a trip of any length, the TT axle weight can vary a couple of hundred pounds due to tank levels, gas levels, consumables and whether you stored your camp gear or just threw it into the back of the pickup. :)

The bottom line is if you are at or near your max cargo limit there is more wear and tear than if you are not. Only you can decide whether this is acceptable.

If you need a very rough guess than take the TTs max allowable weight and figure 13 percent on the tongue. If you are close to half your vehicle's max cargo, you will most likely go over it when loaded for the road.
 
NCSU,
You are reading things right.  Note the 525# is for gear IN THE TRUCK.  Stuff in the TT is counted against the TT's GVWR.

If you run without the cap, or if the weight of passengers and cargo is close to 525#, go for it.  While I do not condone planning to be overweight, the manufacturer has a safety margin built into their weights.  The truck will no turn into a pumpkin if you are 13# overweight.  If you are 500# over, that is a completely different story!!! 

You will be adding some stress to the transmission.  Give it a try if you are close, and get the loaded rig weighed.  Some rearrangement in the TT could lighten the tongue a bit or leaving some truck stuff at home may bring you completely within weight limits.  If you are pushing the truck too hard, it will tell you!
 
Do not feel bad if you underestimated your TT load. Almost everybody does. At least those who do it before buying have a choice. When buying a TT three things have to match,  the floor plan, the tow vehicle and the cost.

The floor plan is the most important, because it remains after the other two have been solved.

I have no problem towing at or near my F-150's max cargo limit weight, others like a little buffer. But towing near max does take its toll over the long haul. Because I have a E-Boost engine and the towing package performance has never been a issue. However, tire wear, break wear, rear shocks and my wife claims he rear springs feel softer. (bouncy was her word).  Of course most folk are not going to tow 30,000 mile in 4 years.

While I do not mind running the rig near max, I would not tow anything larger. I only ask my truck to do what t was designed for.

 
 
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