General Towing Tips For Gen 4 Tacoma

[Goriders]

Hello there. I haven’t posted in a while but planning on buying a small travel trailer for shorter golf/camping trips. Was looking for some general advice/opinions on a few items and would like to hear about others towing experiences.

I’ll list my specific items of interest below.

1. GVWR. I’ll be travelling through mountains a lot. I’m looking at trailers in the 4000 lb GVWR range. Specifically an Rpod 171. Have others towed trailers in this weight range and did the truck handle it well? Any advice for strategies while towing in mountains.

2. Weight distribution hitches. Are there any you would recommend.

3. Leveling jack systems. I had a good one for a previous tent trailer that essentially went around one wheel to level side to side. I can’t remember the brand but looking for recommendations.

4. any other specific advice would be appreciated. Things to buy. Or even trailers in the weight range.

Thanks in advance.

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[ColoradoBoo]

We've been campers for about 21-years, now....on our 3rd camper. (Went from a 24-foot we pulled with our 2005 Tacoma to a 32-footer we pulled with our 2014 Tundra and now we have a smaller and lighter 23-footer. All our campers have been Forest River Rockwoods....love those things!

Unfortunately, I can't give advise for towing with the newer Taco's because I don't have mine, yet, but, yes you do want a good WDH hitch....really helps prevent the back of the truck from sagging and also helps keep her from swaying left/right when driving from the wind. When we bought our camper, our dealer installed the WDH for us and also put the electronic brake controller for the trailer in the truck and taught me how to adjust the electric brakes on the camper.

I can list out our camping stuff and some tips...there's a lot to learn, for sure, but so much fun.

 

[Cappaworks]

I regularly tow 4,000-5,000 pounds with a TRD Off-Road. However, it’s not a travel trailer, so the wind resistance would be a little different at speeds. Based on what I knew about the Tacoma engine’s torque curve, I went with the manual transmission and couldn’t be happier. The Tacoma turbo four-cylinder makes torque way down low. I rarely need to rev this engine over 3,600 rpm and generally find that I cruise in Fifth gear between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. The downside? The reverse gear ratio on the manual transmission really isn’t low enough, especially if you need to reverse up a hill with the trailer in tow. It takes some pedal manipulation or you can put the truck in low range, which is a pain in the butt. I’m told the current automatic is far better than in the past so that’s an option If you want an automatic.

The biggest issue is the Tacoma TRD Off-Road rear suspension. It’s really lightly sprung and shocked. A few hundred pounds in the bed or on the hitch will sack it out significantly. A weight distributing hitch will mostly resolve the issue. I still think at least the rear shocks should be a tad firmer for towing and hauling. Some Bilstein or other firmer gas charged rear shocks would be a good upgrade.

I have no input on weight distributing hitch brands. It probably doesn’t matter. They likely all come from the same factories in China and Taiwan. If you are concerned, pick a well known brand such as Curt or Reese, but I’m sure even the Harbor Freight version will be fine.

Be sure to order your truck with a trailer brake controller. Avoid aftermarket if you can. If you don’t get it, take a look at the Curt Echo Bluetooth trailer brake controller. It keeps from having to chop up your factory wiring harness. I’ve used it on several different trucks and trailers with great success.

 

[Goriders]

Awesome. Thanks for the input. I have the TRD Sport. Auto transmission. Think the rear suspension is a lot stiffer. I plan to get a distribution hitch. Hopefully that helps with the rear squat. I have the OEM tow package and trailer brske.

Trailers we’ll be looking at will be in the 2700-3400 lb dry weight, 3900-4700 lb max GVWR range. I would guess when loaded max weight will be around 4000 to 4250 lb.

 

[ColoradoBoo]

Hopefully the Taco won't sag but, if she does, we can get Firestone Air Bags which allows us to keep the truck totally level.

I put some on my 2015 Tundra and saved a lot of money by opting out of the elecric inflator motor and just mounted the two metal inflator stems on the plastic over the back license plate. When not towing, I keep them around 40 psi and when hooking up I get them up to around 80 psi.

Since Taco's don't have leaf springs, will have to get these....

Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs - Double Convoluted - Rear Axle

 

[Cappaworks]

Awesome. Thanks for the input. I have the TRD Sport. Auto transmission. Think the rear suspension is a lot stiffer. I plan to get a distribution hitch. Hopefully that helps with the rear squat. I have the OEM tow package and trailer brske.

Trailers we’ll be looking at will be in the 2700-3400 lb dry weight, 3900-4700 lb max GVWR range. I would guess when loaded max weight will be around 4000 to 4250 lb.

You‘ll be shocked by how much weight is added when a camper is fully loaded with food, water, clothes, bedding, cooking utensils and trinkets. Looks Like you’ll have about 250 pounds in fresh water alone when full (30 gallons). Try laying out everything you plan to pack in an open room. It’s usually an eye opener.

 

[ColoradoBoo]

You‘ll be shocked by how much weight is added when a camper is fully loaded with food, water, clothes, bedding, cooking utensils and trinkets. Looks Like you’ll have about 250 pounds in fresh water alone when full (30 gallons). Try laying out everything you plan to pack in an open room. It’s usually an eye opener.

That's true...I rarely fill up my water tank since 40 gallons weighs over 300 pounds....will just keep a few gallons for flushing the toilet while we use it during stops along the trip. Then, will fill it up at the camping lot when we arrive (unless they have full-hook ups and then we don't have to worry about using the water tank) We prefer full-hook up camping sites.

 

[Dutchman4]

Hopefully the Taco won't sag but, if she does, we can get Firestone Air Bags which allows us to keep the truck totally level.

I put some on my 2015 Tundra and saved a lot of money by opting out of the elecric inflator motor and just mounted the two metal inflator stems on the plastic over the back license plate. When not towing, I keep them around 40 psi and when hooking up I get them up to around 80 psi.

Since Taco's don't have leaf springs, will have to get these....

Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs - Double Convoluted - Rear Axle

My Taco has leaf springs

 

[Goriders]

We’ll be doing some math on what’ll be going into the trailer and hope to tow dry unless the site we’re going to doesn’t have a water supply.

Don’t want to get into the trailer cycle. Get bigger trailer/need bigger truck/need bigger house.

 

[ColoradoBoo]

We live in Colorado and EVERYBODY in the US wants to come camping here so I have to make our reservation as soon as the portals open. (6-months at Colorado State Parks)

When I retire in a few years, plan on really expanding our camping map....even drive up the ALCAN (Alaska/Canadian) highway up through Canada and the Yukon to visit Alaska. We were stationed for 5-years in the Air Force at Elmendorf (Anchorage) and I, also, lived and worked for a year at Fort Greely, Alaska about 8-years ago....we LOVE Alaska....no place like it.

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