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Taco towing

61scout80

61scout80

Anchored. Finally.
Joined
May 22, 2020
Member Number
1194
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178
Loc
Crestwood, KY
My parents bought a new 4 door Tacoma SR5 about a year or so ago. Recently they picked up a tandem axle travel trailer with a sway control set up weight distributing hitch. Now my 73 year old father is in a panic because he thinks the Tacoma isn't "A real truck". His reference of a "real truck" are a 1979 F150 and a 1984 Chevy K-10, both of which were under $1,000 and pretty well used up when he bought them.

The trailer has an unloaded weight of 4,805 pounds and 60# of propane. They have no intention of boondocking, they only plan to stay at full hookup sites. The trailer has a 68 gallon freshwater tank, but the only time that'll be used is when I borrow it and drag it behind my ram 2500 w/ Cummins. I doubt they'll even need to use the tank with the plans they have. At best 80 to 100 pounds of water just to flush the toilet if they sleep at a Walmart.

I think the Tacoma will be fine. It's capacity is 6,400 to 6,800 pounds depending on the website. My parents are pretty simple people who won't load this thing up with decorative BS or heavy items. They'll also be headed to a place and staying there for over a month. I'm guessing the trailer will top out at 6,000 pounds when they set off. Yeah, it's close to the max, but is that really worth them selling this truck and finding something else?

It's funny to see him getting all wound up on this. He also used to tow a 1968 Scamper pop up, that he reframed with 2x6's, with a 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury. It was complete with sears ex-cargo car top carrier and fender strap-on mirrors from JC Whitney. That poor car was on the bump stops for the 5 hour drive to the town we used to vacation in. It was a real National Lampoon's looking rig, wish I had a pic.
 
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Steve300xcw said:
Well he isnt wrong.
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The taco makes more horsepower and torque, has better brakes, significantly improved suspension, and is only 4" narrower than his example of a "real truck". It does have 5 or 6 inches less wheelbase, I don't see that as a dealbreaker though.

Would I trade in my Ram for a taco to tow my Scouts or Jeep? Hell no. Does he need to buy a truck that can tow 15,000 pounds for a 6,000 pound trailer? I think my answer is pretty much the same, I'm hoping to hear from someone who does tow with a taco though.
 
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61scout80 said:
The taco makes more horsepower and torque, has better brakes, significantly improved suspension, and is only 4" narrower than his example of a "real truck". It does have 5 or 6 inches less wheelbase, I don't see that as a dealbreaker though.

Would I trade in my Ram for a taco to tow my Scouts or Jeep? Hell no. Does he need to buy a truck that can tow 15,000 pounds for a 6,000 pound trailer? I think my answer is pretty much the same, I'm hoping to hear from someone who does tow with a taco though.
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you're dad's correct.

or you can post a question, get a ton of good answers, and completely ignore them...
 
Growing up, dads bronco was always overloaded, towing stupid shit etc etc. Rode in the pickup the other day with him, frost on the ground an were doing 45mph and he's worrying about the condition of his tires lol. Think thats an age thing. Zero desire to push the limit or get into a bind, and they have the money to do it right, that they didnt when they were raising kids...

61scout80 said:
The taco makes more horsepower and torque, has better brakes, significantly improved suspension, and is only 4" narrower than his example of a "real truck". It does have 5 or 6 inches less wheelbase, I don't see that as a dealbreaker though.
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Could care less what it looks like on paper. Hell a F-150 these days is pretty impressive on paper too. Its not a real truck either.

Should be able to find a 3/4-1 ton 2wd pickup for pretty reasonable.. Grab something like that for when they want to tow and keep the yota for the normal everyday shit.
 
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61scout80 said:
The taco makes more horsepower and torque, has better brakes, significantly improved suspension, and is only 4" narrower than his example of a "real truck". It does have 5 or 6 inches less wheelbase, I don't see that as a dealbreaker though.

Would I trade in my Ram for a taco to tow my Scouts or Jeep? Hell no. Does he need to buy a truck that can tow 15,000 pounds for a 6,000 pound trailer? I think my answer is pretty much the same, I'm hoping to hear from someone who does tow with a taco though.
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the absolute most common unsafe overloaded vehicles being driven by somebody who looks either completely ignorant or scared shitless is the toyota tacoma.

ghetto shit cheap F150's with bent axles and blown out bedsides seem to handle better and the people driving them tend to stay slower.

i'd rather have a taco pull a 6k lb car trailer with a jeep on it than a 5k lb camper, all day every day. the clapped out 79 f150 for $1k would be much happier doing it
 
61scout80 said:
The taco makes more horsepower and torque, has better brakes, significantly improved suspension, and is only 4" narrower than his example of a "real truck". It does have 5 or 6 inches less wheelbase, I don't see that as a dealbreaker though.

Would I trade in my Ram for a taco to tow my Scouts or Jeep? Hell no. Does he need to buy a truck that can tow 15,000 pounds for a 6,000 pound trailer? I think my answer is pretty much the same, I'm hoping to hear from someone who does tow with a taco though.
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makes more horsepower at 5k rpm, is narrower and taller, and will handle the wind like absolute shit. granted, if he just folds the mirrors against the doors and goes ahead and has at it, he will reach his destination. can't say i've seen any twisted up on the side of the road.
 
I would not be comfortable with my 70+ yr old parents pulling 6K with a Taco either. How long is the camper? If its like 24+Ft its going wag that TACO in the wind
 
Where are they towing to? Flat ground puttering along or through the mountains? I can tell you I have a Tundra and although it can tow more, that kinda weight in the mountains is about where I feel I need more truck. Put it on flats it's fine but in the mountains there's alot more pushing you around.
 
Steve300xcw said:
Could care less what it looks like on paper. Hell a F-150 these days is pretty impressive on paper too. Its not a real truck either.

Should be able to find a 3/4-1 ton 2wd pickup for pretty reasonable.. Grab something like that for when they want to tow and keep the yota for the normal everyday shit.
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They live in my basement apartment now. Currently I have two trailers, two scouts, a genesis coupe, ram 2500, my wife's JLUR and their taco. My driveway and garages are FULL! :lmao:

I lived in Florida for a while. The amount of retirees dragging giant 5th wheels with F150s was starting. The lack of busted f150s all over the interstate tells me they probably do ok if you treat it reasonably.
lagunaMS said:
tacoma has plenty of power but the suspension is so goddamn soft they'll be smacking bumpstops over every dip in the road

reference:

ex wife's 19 TRD off road, 4 door, short useless bed
bought in boise and drove back up to alaska with MAYBE 400lbs in the bed, hit the bump stops regularly on the frost heaves in canada/alaska
drove from alaska to mississippi with bed full of shit, much better not-frozen roads, still too squishy
towed small u-haul with a few toyota transmissions from iowa to MS, too squishy and bottom-outy

really nice truck and I liked it a lot, but not something i'd want to tow with regularly and certainly not a camper. it's good for light duty stuff or commuting

why did he buy such a big camper for such a small truck? why didn't he ask you about potentially towing a camper before he bought the thing?

keep the truck, downsize the camper

or sell the truck to a toyota obsessed idiot, make $$$, get a truck that can pull the camper comfortably
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Exactly the type of experience I was fishing for. Thank you.

As far as asking me about buying an RV, they did ask while I was out of state. I told them not to. Or at least wait until I get back. They called back later that day to tell me they bought one and the next day to tell me it's severely rotted. :mad3:

They paid $6k for this rotted 20 foot POS camper and my dumb ass rebuilt it for them. Never again, but if I didn't do it they'd try to and I'd have camper spread across my yard for years. Or they'd hire some shady handyman type that I don't want sniffing around my house.

I've learned a lot about our relationship since they moved into my basement apartment. The biggest lesson is that they'll always think of me as a idiot child no matter what I do. :shaking:

I could whine about this mistake for hours. There's no reasonable solution, so I'll just shut up and post some camper pics. I'm not sure they'll be in sequence.

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Note the puddle under the front corner. :barf:


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My '08 DC TRD Tacoma pulls my 12' trailer great but man the mileage goes to shit in a hurry. Mine is rated for 7500# and there is no way I would pull that much with mine. maybe 3500. If they are only pulling it once or twice a year then get a good WD hitch, a good brake controller and tell them to take their time driving it.

Edit: my 12' flatbed trailer with my RZR on it. prolly 3500# max.
 
I don’t like towing anything of size behind a 1/2 ton. Let alone a Tacoma. I’m sure it could be done. An elderly couple would be fine in Cali going down I-5 and backcountry roads 55mph max. No way I’d try going over I-80 in Nevada and have the winds pickup at 75mph. Fuck that.
 
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My f150 has holes in the bed from a 5th wheel. Everytime I look at it I shake my head. No fucking way would I do that.

I will never understand peoples desire to tow with the smallest truck the feel they can use.
 
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Mvanhelden said:
I don’t like towing anything of size behind a 1/2 ton. Let alone a Tacoma. I’m sure it could be done. An elderly couple would be fine in Cali going down I-5 and backcountry roads 55mph max. No way I’d try going over I-80 in Nevada and have the winds pickup at 75mph. Fuck that.
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I've seen more than one travel trailer pickup combo driven by retired looking people wadded up on I5 between Roseburg and Redding. Something about 4 lane interstate in mountains with curves.:confused:

OP, I'd be recommending something a little bigger depending on where they plan on going and how often.
 
My Dad bought a 2013 1/2 ton Silverado 2wd with the 4.8, and based on the paperwork, put a full height cabover on it, because it said it could haul it.

Had to put on 10 plys, air bags, a rear sway bar, better shocks, and a leveling kit just to make it roadworthy.

It’s at 100k, on its 3rd trans.

They make 2500s and one tons for a reason. I’m getting the combo from him soon, he bought a new Ram Van RV thing for $110k out the door a couple days ago.

I’m thinking daily the 4.8 and redneck hauler the cabover, I need to travel more. The quads should fit right under the cabover.

Not sure I want to go gooseneck yet.
 
Provience said:
the absolute most common unsafe overloaded vehicles being driven by somebody who looks either completely ignorant or scared shitless is the toyota tacoma.

ghetto shit cheap F150's with bent axles and blown out bedsides seem to handle better and the people driving them tend to stay slower.

i'd rather have a taco pull a 6k lb car trailer with a jeep on it than a 5k lb camper, all day every day. the clapped out 79 f150 for $1k would be much happier doing it
Click to expand...

I'd say the people towing with a gladiator / Wrangler are generally the ones I try to get away from. The JLs steering isn't confidence inspiring to start with, then they hook it to a giant boat or camper, load it to the bump stops and haul ass. I'm surprised more aren't wrecked.
 
lagunaMS said:
You did a nice job on the camper!
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Thanks! There are a few things I wish I did different, but I'm happy with it. Especially since I had no idea how they were built when I started pulling panels.

The old wool insulation was soaked throughout the ceiling and walls. It just held the water in place against the wood.

I used foam board and drilled weep holes hoping it'll give the water somewhere to go when it inevitably leaks. I also put plastic between the front siding and angled wall. This style of siding lets water in if it's hauled in the rain. I'm hoping the plastic keeps the water out of the nose.

We put a new roof on it and left the paneling off for a few strong storms. So far no water infiltration.

Steve300xcw said:
My f150 has holes in the bed from a 5th wheel. Everytime I look at it I shake my head. No fucking way would I do that.

I will never understand peoples desire to tow with the smallest truck the feel they can use.
Click to expand...

I think they generally buy the truck, then the trailer, then realize the truck isn't enough.



Etyler2 said:
My Dad bought a 2013 1/2 ton Silverado 2wd with the 4.8, and based on the paperwork, put a full height cabover on it, because it said it could haul it.

Had to put on 10 plys, air bags, a rear sway bar, better shocks, and a leveling kit just to make it roadworthy.

It’s at 100k, on its 3rd trans.

They make 2500s and one tons for a reason. I’m getting the combo from him soon, he bought a new Ram Van RV thing for $110k out the door a couple days ago.

I’m thinking daily the 4.8 and redneck hauler the cabover, I need to travel more. The quads should fit right under the cabover.

Not sure I want to go gooseneck yet.
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My 05 Chevy with a 5.3 & 4l60E almost never had to work but still ate 3 transmissions by 100k. I was able to keep the third together for an extra 23k with that Lucas transmission stuff.

I think they are like oil with a 33,000 mile change interval.

I decided I couldn't possibly do worse than the first two builders and went DIY for the third. That was probably my most rewarding project I've done.

At this point I'm pretty confident with almost anything. I wasn't sure I could handle rebuilding this voodoo tube though. The first time it shifted was such a relief.

When you end up needing #4 just do it yourself. It's not that bad if you can be methodical. I was really bummed when the dragons and wizards everyone thinks is in an auto didn't come flying out.

IMG_20180223_193131.jpg

Here's a short video of the first venture out of my neighborhood on the new transmission. I loved the way that shifted.

 
Let the old man sell the tacoma an get something bigger. At his age, he isnt driving everyday. So mpg means jack shit.

First decent 3/4-1ton pickup they find should be brought home.
 
Several years ago I was driving on I-70 headed east in KS. Probably coming home from CO trip or something. No shit I passed an S-10 CC 4wd pulling a small 5th wheel. He was headed west towards CO. He seemed to be doing the speed limit too. Like Grandpa always said, just because you can, doesn't mean you should. lol
 
Steve300xcw said:
I will never understand peoples desire to tow with the smallest truck the feel they can use.
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:shaking:

You ever heard of this stuff called "money"?

That said, I will agree with you that anybody towing with a Taco is just an idiot. The truck is so expensive to buy and drinks fuel like a half ton so there's no cost savings there.

61scout80 said:
I'd say the people towing with a gladiator / Wrangler are generally the ones I try to get away from. The JLs steering isn't confidence inspiring to start with, then they hook it to a giant boat or camper, load it to the bump stops and haul ass. I'm surprised more aren't wrecked.
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I think the ignorant self-confidence of the average occupant of a Tacoma's driver seat makes up for the thin edge in handling it has over FCA garbage. :laughing:
 
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61scout80 said:
The biggest lesson is that they'll always think of me as a idiot child no matter what I do. :shaking:
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I'd say at least just make sure they use a GOOD WD hitch set up (and installed correctly) and use tow/haul mode whatever is called in a toyota.

And let them figure it out for themselves from there.

I'll not intervene your parents, unless they're those people who cannot drive with steadiness. Jerky driving when towing at maximum capacity is a no no.
 
61scout80 said:
I'd say the people towing with a gladiator / Wrangler are generally the ones I try to get away from. The JLs steering isn't confidence inspiring to start with, then they hook it to a giant boat or camper, load it to the bump stops and haul ass. I'm surprised more aren't wrecked.
Click to expand...

gladiator is probably "stronger" than the tacoma. At least the gladiator has a real tube rear axle, rear disc brakes and a boxed frame...

If you're afraid around the gladiator, you should be terrified of the tacoma.
 
To add to the hijacking :flipoff2:
This clown made Canadians look like speed demons...
Dateline Alaska 2019
20190616_093728.jpg

Him,her, and a dog...
I'm pullin 7k with the idi and dieing to get around him .
Personally, this is taco territory.
 
I love my Tacoma but I'm fully aware that it's a 4wd car with an exposed bed. As stated before the rear springs are very soft. That said it rarely pulls a trailer and when I do it's a single axle utility.
 
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