2013 4WD TRD Sport- How much is safe to tow?

Looking at buying a trailer to pull with my 2013 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 4WD 4.0L V6 engine. Says towing capacity between 3,500 to 6,000lbs. I’ve towed ATV and trailer at 1,500lbs and can feel it. In market for an R-POD 190 or 192 model with UVW between 2,800 to 3,300 (unloaded) so with weight looking at over 4,000lbs. Is this safe to tow with mid size pickup? Anything I should invest in from stabilizer or hitch or tow package?

 

Disclaimer: This is just my opinion based on personal experience and preferences

I have lifted 2013 DCLB Sport with tow package. We looked at and loved the RPod 192 and almost pulled the trigger on it but…we decided that it was beyond what we were comfortable with. Had we bought it, we would have gone with a distribution hitch, hard wired proportional brake controller, and upgraded transmission cooler.

What led up to that decision:

I own a 5x10 solid side utility trailer that weighs in around 2000lbs empty. Loaded is over 3400lbs. When loaded it definitely tells you that it’s back there. For me the stress of pulling that kind of weight for long distances up and over mountain passes or in high wind areas became the reason we changed up our plans.

We now have recently purchased an InTech Flyer Explore.



It weighs in at 1990 dry with a hitch weight somewhere around 250-300 but can go up to 400 depending on how we load it. Wind is still an issue but It’s a nice compromise for us. Provides a nice dry place to shelter and sleep, without having to put away a soaking wet tent, but we still need to cook, shower, and toilet outside. We are good with that though as we have done this in a tent for years.

Our kids are grown but if yours will be tagging along there is an option for two beds.

So again…there are a lot of people who are towing heavier trailers and will tell you that you can.

For us this is perfect and provides load options as well. I hunt and fish and we spend our summers in Colorado hunting and fishing. This allows me to throw in my inflatable pontoon boat and all my gear. Or provides a nice base camp for hunting deer, elk, prairie dogs, upland bird, and javelina.

All of this is my personal preference

There are some great threads about towing here. The teardrop thread is where I discovered the InTech line. Do your research.

Good luck…Stay Safe

 

First I would confirm whether or not your truck already has the tow package installed, which I think most TRD Sport trims usually do come with it unless you order one specifically without it. I can be wrong though, and without the package comes with a completely different answer. If you don't, I think you might be able to upgrade some parts that it normally comes with, but I don't know the details. There are a few threads on the towing section that talk specifically about this.

Let's say you have it installed. Assuming you have 950 lbs of payload, I say you can do either one of those trailers under certain conditions. If you only have two people (yourself and one pax), then the 192 is perfectly manageable. You'll want to confirm actual weights, especially the hitch weight. Don't just go off the sticker, take a scale and weigh it yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if the actual weights were +300-500 lbs and the hitch weighs over 500 lbs with batteries and propane tanks. You can manipulate the hitch weight to an extent so long as you keep it within that 10-15% safe zone. If its over 500 lbs, then that means you'll need a WDH and that's another 100 lbs against your payload. That still leaves you with about 350 lbs left over, which is normally enough for two people so long as all their stuff is loaded in the trailer (not to exceed the trailer's GVWR). WDH with sway control and keep your speed below 65 mph and you should be fine.

As for the 190 I think that's the better choice if you have kids or if you want more buffer for weights on the truck. If you keep the hitch weight below 500 then you won't need a WDH, and loaded I'd imagine it would be between 350-400 lbs. You get 200 more lbs roughly to work with, and in general you get more wiggle room altogether with the payload.

In either case if you already have the tow package installed you will need some sort of sway control, like a sway bar to help with these trailers. You'll need a brake controller if they come with electric trailer brakes as well. Many people invest in aftermarket transmission coolers and airbags to help with temps and sagging in the back. I never did and it's worked well for me, but food for thought. Also...towing mirrors.

To answer your question directly, yes I think you'll be fine towing either of those so long as you keep the weights within published limits. For reference I've towed a 26' TT that weighed 4700 loaded with a hitch weight of 610-620 lbs (WDH included). I felt fine taking it out a few times a year sometimes 5+ hours away over the Shenandoah area. It won't be a speed demon, you will definitely know its back there, and you'll want to keep the highway speed below 65 mph, but the Tacoma can do it. Whether or not its done safely is up to you.

 

I run the exact setup you are asking about. With a 2013 SR5 6spd manual access cab with the tow package. Towing a 2021 Rpod 192 with a EZ lift recurve weight distribution and sway control. Running it up and down the east coast. with a large amount of time up in the blue ridge mountains of the Appalachian trail. I have no problem tugging it. A lot of people are amazed when visually looking. But you have to consider the construction that shaves weight. In regards to the weight i did add 2@100ah deep cycle batteries in parallel as well as dual propane tanks.

I agree with everyone that you need to pay attention to the #s and how you distribute the weight. Often depending on where I'm going and several factors I'll run it dry or with very little water to shave a couple hundred +lbs

The right hitch makes the difference. Just replaced the leaf springs with a 3+1 I've been using the tacoma in construction so its definitely a work horse. You can tow the Rpod 192

I have no idea what it would be like with an automatic transmission though. I've driven manuals my entire life and I'm 50 years old.