Prolonged Towing 1.5 to 2 k pounds '04 Tacoma

[Howard70]

All:

I've read through many of the Tacoma towing posts and would still like to hear from others who have towed 1,500 to 2,000 pounds long term with their 2000 - 2004 4x4 Tacomas. I realize our trucks can tow 5,000 pounds across town, but I'm looking at towing a trailer for a couple of thousand miles per trip.

Our automatic double cab is lightly modified with 255/85/16 tires, 4.88 gears, transmission cooler, 8 pack Alcan rear springs, Tundra/Bilsteins coilovers, and probably 300 pounds of added weight in a shell, winch, 2nd battery, and bumpers. The trailer we're anticipating will have brakes.

General Questions:

1. Power - did your truck retain reasonable power - I'd like to expect 65 on the interstate and 50 to 55 on Interstate climbs (usually 5% or less) without mashing the pedal....

2. Fuel mileage - I realize the amount of climbing influences this tremendously, but what sort of mileage hit do you estimate you took? We normally get between 17 - 20 highway, and I was hoping to get 15 - 17 towing. Yes, we drive like grandparents...

3. Wear and tear on your truck. Did you reduce your service intervals for engine, tranny, and differential lubricants?

4. Did you eventually switch to another tow vehicle? If so, what did you choose and why?

5. What were you towing, what did it weigh, and did it have brakes?

6. Anything else you think we ought to consider.....

Thanks,

Howard L. Snell

 

[Mr. Leary]

All:

I've read through many of the Tacoma towing posts and would still like to hear from others who have towed 1,500 to 2,000 pounds long term with their 2000 - 2004 4x4 Tacomas. I realize our trucks can tow 5,000 pounds across town, but I'm looking at towing a trailer for a couple of thousand miles per trip.

Our automatic double cab is lightly modified with 255/85/16 tires, 4.88 gears, transmission cooler, 8 pack Alcan rear springs, Tundra/Bilsteins coilovers, and probably 300 pounds of added weight in a shell, winch, 2nd battery, and bumpers. The trailer we're anticipating will have brakes.

General Questions:

1. Power - did your truck retain reasonable power - I'd like to expect 65 on the interstate and 50 to 55 on Interstate climbs (usually 5% or less) without mashing the pedal....

With 4.88, it will feel slow, but be able to hold a steady speed on flat ground towing 1-2k. Uphill you will have to downshift / turn off OD. It would be easier to maintain speed at 70 than at 65... but fuel economy will suffer. You may have better luck going 55-60 with OD off or in 4th gear.

2. Fuel mileage - I realize the amount of climbing influences this tremendously, but what sort of mileage hit do you estimate you took? We normally get between 17 - 20 highway, and I was hoping to get 15 - 17 towing. Yes, we drive like grandparents...

You will be realistically looking at 12-15 mpg when towing 1-2k.

3. Wear and tear on your truck. Did you reduce your service intervals for engine, tranny, and differential lubricants?

Reducing the lubricant intervals would be a good idea, since everything will be running hotter.

4. Did you eventually switch to another tow vehicle? If so, what did you choose and why?

Bought an LC... an inline 6 cylinder is more of a workhorse engine than a v type.

5. What were you towing, what did it weigh, and did it have brakes?

I upgraded my 4runner brakes to tundra brakes. I would recommend this, especially if your trailer does not have brakes. The mod is possible on Tacomas as well through use of a fitting... 6string did this one recently.

Trailer brakes... got a whole lot I COULD say about this issue... but I will keep it brief. The first thing is, DO NOT try to go cheap with a brake controller. Impulse brakes are not worth messing around with... and if they are not finely tuned, can be dangerous when used in poor traction conditions. Use the engine first, brakes second, oveRheating brakes is not as big an issue as it used to be, but still a situation best avoided.

6. Anything else you think we ought to consider.....

A snorkel... required for towing! :coffeedrink:

 

[BlueBomber]

A snorkel... required for towing! :coffeedrink:

Ha, thats pretty funny!

I'd also like to add that maybe you should look into a trailer hitch equalizer. I've heard they make towing alot easier, but I've never used one....

 

[Willman]

Howard,

My Leary did a good job answering your questions.

Some more light....

I'm running stock 4:30 gears right now and someday want to up grade to 4:88 (5:29 would be nice...but when the truck is unloaded and not pulling a trailer...not a good choice for me)

I think upgrading to 4:88 will help me get better gas mileage all-around. My trailer weights between 1200 to 1600 Lbs. depending on where I'm headed.

Tundra brake upgrade is the only way to go. As soon as my front brakes are done up....I'm heading that way. All in all.....Tacoma brakes are not very powerful...

In the end.....4:88 is going to be my life saver for my rig as far as gas mileage, wear and tear, etc..

I think you will be fine since you already have 4:88.

Don't forget the snorkel

 

[Howard70]

Thanks

Mr. Leary, William & BB:

Thanks for all of the helpful insight. We'll probably do the Tundra brake upgrade at some point also - we've already seriously overheated the Tacoma's brakes once (descending from the White Mountains Bristlecone Pine area to Big Pine with a loaded truck). I appreciate the advice about the quality of the brake controller for the trailer's electric brakes. I have no experience with controllers and I didn't realize their importance (dumb of me, but them's the facts). Any advice about a controller I should consider?

Thanks again,

Howard

 

[Mr. Leary]

Tekonsha P3.

Pay the money, cry once.

 

[Willman]

Tekonsha P3.

Pay the money, cry once.

I have the Tekonsha P2....Little less money but still offers great performance!

:ylsmoke:

 

[njtacoma]

towing 04 DC

I have an 04 DC and just returned from a trip of about 500 miles towing our pop up camper, about 2000 pounds. It had no problems doing this.
The DC's from this era are all automatics and I recommend putting the transmission in the ECT/PWR mode. It holds the gears a little longer and down shifts easier.

No problems running between 65-70mph.

The stock rear springs are soft and occasionally annoying, but towed just fine.

 

[Tucson T4R]

I tow my KK trailer all over the place and it weighs in around 2000lbs. All good advice above. My 2004 4Runner tows it great with plenty of power to cruise at 70 mph if you don't mind the poor mileage. Dropping down to around 60MPH the towing mileage improves a lot to around 15mpg.

Running trailer brakes with an electronic controller is the only way to go. It takes most of the extra braking effort off your tow vehicle's brakes and gives a lot more control and safety both on and off the highway.

My owners manual says to only tow in 4th and not to use OD. I have found that to be true unless I am cruising down a long downhill stretch minimal uphill grades will cause the transmission to hunt back forth between gears way to often. 90% of my towing is in 4th gear, out of OD.