It is strange that they upped the size of the Tacoma to the size of the early Tundra, but downsized the engine from a V8 to a V6. The towing capacity is pure fantasy. Nothing on the truck is up that task. I would put it at an honest 3500 pounds. For me the limit is 2500. At that weight it gets around fine. Not to get bashing these trucks too hard, but I just really feel that Toyota never intended for them to be used for trucky things like towing and hauling. They do have hooks to hold your grocery bags though. I think their target market was more along the lines of the El Camino :sombrero:
Considering a new Taco, but I have a few questions and am looking for advice...
- Thread starter Big_Geek
- Start date
Ryanmb21
Expedition Leader
Interesting. Bummer to hear about your experience so far.
GTABurnout
Explorer
I personally love my 2007 QCSB Off Road tacoma. But I din't buy it expecting it to be a jack of all trades. I knew I would not be able to tow a 6000lb trailer at 90 down the freeway. I was not looking for a 40mpg truck either. I am happy with the 20 or so I get in town, and little over 20 when on the freeway.
When you buy a Tacoma be honest to your selves. Its not a Prius, its not a full size truck. Expecting something to act like something its not will leave you dispointed.
And lets be honest. A Rover is never the answer to the problem unless the problem is too much relibility :sombrero:.
When you buy a Tacoma be honest to your selves. Its not a Prius, its not a full size truck. Expecting something to act like something its not will leave you dispointed.
And lets be honest. A Rover is never the answer to the problem unless the problem is too much relibility :sombrero:.
Clutch
<---Pass
Yeah, I found it odd that the new Taco didn't get a V8..."it could of had a V8!" :elkgrin:
It is a great "little" truck for light duty needs.
keezer37
Explorer
I bought my Tacoma in early '05. I was a bit apprehensive buying a first model year after a major makeover.
The rear leafs were an issue. Easily solved by a eighty dollar add a leaf that I've been running for 80k miles. I often haul 6-800 lbs of residential construction waste in the bed just fine, no problems.
Electrical issues? What electrical issues? Zero. I'll venture to guess folks having electrical issues messed with their systems with little if any base knowledge of electricity.
Seat comfort stems from body composition. I'll refrain from expounding on this topic.
20mpg on average. It was the American standard for decades.
Towing? Seriously? I thought this truck had a odd sedate way (shifts late) of shifting until the first time I loaded it down. Then I understood. I tow trailer loads of cut logs, medium size tractors to brushhog and on one occasion this 8k hunk of metal:
Towing; no problem.
This has been a good, reliable truck and has performed better than expected for its size. And this coming from one of the unlucky few 1GR FE owners with the bad head gaskets.
123,000 miles and I'm just getting warmed up.
The rear leafs were an issue. Easily solved by a eighty dollar add a leaf that I've been running for 80k miles. I often haul 6-800 lbs of residential construction waste in the bed just fine, no problems.
Electrical issues? What electrical issues? Zero. I'll venture to guess folks having electrical issues messed with their systems with little if any base knowledge of electricity.
Seat comfort stems from body composition. I'll refrain from expounding on this topic.
20mpg on average. It was the American standard for decades.
Towing? Seriously? I thought this truck had a odd sedate way (shifts late) of shifting until the first time I loaded it down. Then I understood. I tow trailer loads of cut logs, medium size tractors to brushhog and on one occasion this 8k hunk of metal:
Towing; no problem.
This has been a good, reliable truck and has performed better than expected for its size. And this coming from one of the unlucky few 1GR FE owners with the bad head gaskets.
123,000 miles and I'm just getting warmed up.
Clutch
<---Pass
Towing? Seriously? I thought this truck had a odd sedate way (shifts late) of shifting until the first time I loaded it down. Then I understood. I tow trailer loads of cut logs, medium size tractors to brushhog and on one occasion this 8k hunk of metal:
Towing; no problem.
Might be "ok" in the relatively flat Ohio...out West, at altitude, forgetaboutit...
achampagne
Explorer
My electrical issue was an ABS sensor that had snapped off within the front right axle, It through a P0500 Code "Speed Sensor". It took me a sensor change on the transmission and then some research to find out the ABS is linked into everything. I have very good knowledge of electronics within vehicles as far adding things, thanks. You will find that there are more than just me that have had this problem. I agree the taco hauls well despite the crappy 3 leaf pack and I too plan to add-a-leaf very soon.
Towing is a problem if you live anywhere from the Rockies on west. You can't go anywhere without fighting grades along the way. Try a road trip out here with a 6,000 pound trailer and then let us know how wonderful it was. :wings:Towing? Seriously? I thought this truck had a odd sedate way (shifts late) of shifting until the first time I loaded it down. Then I understood. I tow trailer loads of cut logs, medium size tractors to brushhog and on one occasion this 8k hunk of metal:
Towing; no problem.
.
J
JWP58
Guest
If you bought a Tacoma to tow 6k pound trailers on a regular basis......theres your problem. If you need to tow heavy loads up steep grades, get a diesel.
If you just want to ***** about your tacoma and overlook the fact that you are asking it to do something it wasnt designed to do.....carry on.
If you just want to ***** about your tacoma and overlook the fact that you are asking it to do something it wasnt designed to do.....carry on.
You might want to try following the conversation. I didn't buy my truck expecting or planning to pull 6,000 pounds. Keezer claims he can haul around 8,000 pounds and my comments were directed at that. We are discussing the real limits of the truck and nothing more. Try to keep up will ya?
Clutch
<---Pass
As a rule of thumb, I always try and tow at half capacity no matter if it is my Tacoma or our old F250, F350, 10 ton dump, Tri-Axle Mack dump.... towing at capacity or over is not good for them, and well, down right dangerous. Sure they'll move the load at capacity...stopping is another story all together. Towing an 8000 lbs.
skid steer with a Tacoma is rather foolish, imo....and yeah, sure I have towed too heavy myself, it isn't fun. Our F350 was "ok" towing a Bobcat, however our 10 ton, towed it like it was nothing, much much safer and easier on the equipment if you use twice the truck than you need.
So with that info, the Tacoma's performance is rather lack luster at half capacity...good thing I don't have to tow anything heavier than 2000 lbs. very often any more. Well for now...most likely get another F250 or Tundra next.
keezer37
Explorer
Agreed. Assuming there is one calculation across the industry for figuring towing capacity, individual adjustments do have to be made for topography. I believe this would be true for any truck. Just like Dec thru Mar, I have to make adjustments for the potential of driving on snow/ice. Prior to renting the skid steer, I considered, distance, topography, traffic, weather, and discussed it with the equipment rental company.
I expect to be hauling a trailer across country next Aug. I haven't figured the weight yet but I'll consider all these things and the heat of driving in Aug.
Point is, I don't assume and I don't think anyone else should assume that the tow capacity of any vehicle should be interpreted as anywhere/anytime.
But, I think it accelerates nicely with a load.
keezer37
Explorer
My apologies. I had forgotten about your previous ABS comment and focused on "electrical issues" and "tacoma world".
I could imagine the problems. Without looking into the repair manual procedures, I would assume there are plenty of feedback loops and perhaps even electrical pulses of short duration you're not going to see with a multimeter. Makes for fun troubleshooting.
It becomes a matter of how you define things I guess. "Towing" to me means pulling a trailer over some distance with confidence, not on the verge of crapping my pants the whole way. Like Kermit, I go by the 50% rule, but even operating at 40%, as I am, required substantial modifications to the truck. When my truck was bone stock with just a Leer shell I would not want to tow more than maybe 2,000 pounds regularly. That's just 200 pounds or so on the ball. The biggest problem is not the 4.0, which I think is a damn good engine. The biggest problems are the weak suspension and high gearing. Remember, the conversation is about a STOCK truck, not one with $5,000 worth of modifications. There is no way I would attempt to move a 6,000 pound trailer anywhere with a stock Tacoma, let alone take off "towing" with it. Can it be done? Yea, you proved that it can, but it wouldn't be done with my truck. Just backing that thing up over rough ground would have my clutch smoking because the reverse gear is so high. 600 pounds of ball weight would have the front end dangerously unloaded and the back end totally sacked on a stock truck. My headlights would be useless if I ended up driving after dark. That's not "towing" to me, that is russion roullette. That's why I said, and stick by my comment that the max rating on these trucks is pure fantasy. As Kermit said, even the 50% rule which is pretty commonly accepted by most knowledable towers is really beyond the safe operating window of the Tacoma for over the road towing without at least upgrading the rear suspension. Do people do it? Sure they do. Thank God for cell phones.
I'm not speaking from some theoretical vacuum. I have probably 30,000 miles of actual towing on my truck including 2 round trips coast to coast and countless miles in the Rocky mountains west to the Pacific coast. All with some gear in the bed plus a 2,500 pound trailer (axle plus ball). Even with 4.56 gearing, there are times when I'm way down in the gears and moving slow to deal with a steep grade and altitude. I'm not complaining about that, I'm just saying that's the way it is.
Big_Geek
Drop Bear
Thank you all for the information - It has been very helpful in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of this vehicle compared with how I would utilize it.
I won't bore you with my thought process, but I have decided to buy the truck with the cat-back exhaust. I'll have them throw the original exhaust system into the bed so I can change it out if I don't like it.
Once I take possession, I intend to drive it a bit, make a list of squawks regarding ride/capability, research solutions to meet my needs, and build from there.
Thank you all again for your advice.
I won't bore you with my thought process, but I have decided to buy the truck with the cat-back exhaust. I'll have them throw the original exhaust system into the bed so I can change it out if I don't like it.
Once I take possession, I intend to drive it a bit, make a list of squawks regarding ride/capability, research solutions to meet my needs, and build from there.
Thank you all again for your advice.