Things to look out for while towing?

I’m taking up a traveling job for work. I plan on eventually towing a camper behind my 2015 Tacoma. I have the tow package but what are some things I need to look out for while towing? For example transmission temp?

 

Don't use overdrive while towing and get a brake controller installed if your trailer has brakes. Have fun traveling, sounds like a good time!

 

How big is the camper, how much will it weigh LOADED, and how often do you plan to tow it?

 

Camper is around 3500lb I believe. It doesn’t state weighted though.

any experience with the Coleman campers? They seem reasonably priced.

I haven’t had an assignment yet but plan on doing long distance and setting up at a spot for 3 months at a time.

 

Trailer brakes are a must, try to keep the truck from shifting a lot, the 4.0 likes to pull better at/above 2,700 RPM. I use 4th most of the time to limit shifts. I’m in the foothills of East Tennessee, it not at all unusual form me to be @3,100+ rpm on inclines.

I guess my point is, these trucks are less than ideal for frequent towing of anything over 3,5000 lbs.
You have to work them. Some will argue this, but it’s my opinion.

BTW, once the Trans Temp light comes on it’s too late. Way too late.
It comes on at about 300 degrees. If you are really worried about it, you might look into a bigger trans cooler.


BTW, If it were me. I’d maybe try to budget for a bigger truck if you plan to keep the job.
Maybe negotiate a sign on bonus to help pay for one?

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/towing.34/

 

I'll chime in on this for the simple fact my tacoma identifies as a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton with towing.

1) Get an aftermarket trans cooler. Preferably one with a thermostat switch to allow flow, especially if you are going to be in the extremely cold parts of the country in the winter
2) The tag on the trailer tells you the GVWR and the dry weight so you take the dry weight and subtract it from the GVRW that'll give you the max that trailer can weigh. It's also usually published on the websites.
3) Keep it in 4th no OD
4) Trailer brakes on the trailer definitely and a controller for the truck
5) May want to look into a weight distribution hitch. A lot of campers tend to be really tongue heavy and will max out your hitch. Also for nothing more than sway control if you're fairly new to towing.
6) When in the hills and some mtns get a run going down a hill and keep constant throttle going up. It'll help on fuel mileage and keep the truck from down shifting a lot trying to keep speed going up hill
7) Mtns again don't be afraid to downshift your trans to help slow down if need be engine braking is a good thing and will help with brake life.
8) Keep your fluids changed and maintenance done.
9) People will be naysayers but these trucks are much more powerful and are 10x better than the old stuff people hauled with
10) Back to the mtns. if the grades are steep just go up hill with what the truck will do don't try and push it down hill take it slow and even choose a lower gear to keep your speeds controlled this is for extremely steep long grades.

This set up weighs much more than your camper trailer.

 

X2 All great advice!

the most Ive towed with my taco is ~7,000lbs. Never again.

I wouldn’t be comfortable towing over about 5,500-6,000 with it.

On the other hand my 20year old f250 makes 10,000 feel like nothing.

so yeah these trucks aren’t really good “tow vehicles” like to be towing all the time.

 

Pulling and towing aren't the same thing. Most Tacoma's are rated to pull around 6500 lbs. The drivetrain will pull that much on level ground, at sea level, and with nothing else in the truck's cab or bed other than a driver. Start towing at altitude, add in hills, and try to carry passengers or cargo in the truck and you can't come close to 6500 lbs. In the real world around 4000-5000 lbs is a reasonable max.

The deal killer is payload. Most Tacoma's are rated for 1000-1200 lbs. My Ford Explorer is rated at 1500 lbs and our old Honda Fit at 850.

Check trailer weight carefully. A 3500 lb empty trailer could easily be 5000 lbs once loaded with propane, batteries, water, food, clothes, and other gear. You should be OK with a 3500 lb trailer, but you'll still need to make careful choices. If you're planning to pull that much weight you don't need to have 4 adults in the cab and probably no more than 200ish lbs of gear in the truck even with 2 adults or 2 adults and 2 small children.

It is better to put as much weight as possible in the trailer. Every 100 lbs you can move from the truck to the trailer only adds 13-15 lbs to tongue weight. It's like moving 85-87 lbs out of the truck.

 

I’d look out for a full size truck to tow something of that size.

 

Read the stuff in the Towing forum section for sure.
Bottom line is Before you buy any trailer weigh it at a truck scale! Tagged weights usually low and remember it was empty no fluids or battery/propane at factory.
As for trailers know what temps you will live in as some have tank heaters and better insulation - lighter usually less cold climate built.

You can tow up to the max but slow down and as said 4th gear max. You are towing and then in-place for 3 months so that's good.
If you have stock rear springs they will be the main problem area with sag and driveline shutter possible. Much longer stopping also so add that brake controller.
I towed a 5500 trailer 26' and it ate my rearend but I was at max weigh - never again. Towed my 3500 lb boat much easier. Rear spring bushings also got destroyed even the poly OME Dakar ones due to weight.
Make sure all fluids good and you have recently flushed that cooling system (if ever) and temps will be fine if in 4th and not a lead foot - and no cruise control use.
Read Tow section.
You will be fine.

 

Thank you all for your advice. Man i feel a bit overwhelmed. I don’t want to mess my truck up is my main priority.
These are the camper I was thinking about getting. https://rv.campingworld.com/rvdetails/used-travel-trailer-rvs/2017-livin-lite-camp-lite-cl14db-rear-bath-20k-RAL2150693P

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1127795724464592/

 

The truck will pull it. I pull more utility trailer than camper. I have pulled a camper similar that once. And I knew what I was in for. You just have to run the truck “hard(er)”.

What some people fail to realize is that wind resistance also plays a roll in pulling experience.

I can definitely tell the difference between my long and short ramp utility trailers.

Like I said earlier, my opinion is that the Tacoma is less than ideal for long haul towing. If the Tacoma is all you have and it is your only vehicle, stay on top of keeping the trans cool and maintenance.

 

Grab an Ultragauge or Scangauge for monitoring TC and trans pan temp if nothing else. Cheap insurance.

 

Sounds like youre not going places every week, so the long haul tow's will be every 3 months or so. I think you will be ok in that aspect, just be realistic on hills and let people pass if you have to. at roughly 3k dry weight i say go for it.

 

My wife and I bought this Coleman Rubicon in late April 2022. Took it for a trial run to a KOA full hookup campground about 100 miles from home a couple weeks ago. So total we have about 300 miles towing it with my 2017 Off Road. MSRP was supposedly $39K, we got it for $29K, from CampingWorld. 16', one solar panel on the roof (can hold max of 3 panels). Tows just fine, but absolutely killed my fuel economy. I normally get about 18.2 MPG averaged over the first 78K miles on the truck, running empty. I got 12 - 12.5 MPG on the trip a couple weekends ago.

Also, I almost never got up into 5th gear, and never 6th. On flat ground, it was all I could do to hold 55 - 60 MPH at 3K RPM in 4th gear most of the war.

We bought it in Reno, NV. We live on the western slope of the Sierras, so we had 2 summits of 7,000'+ to tow it up and over to get it home. I had to go down to 2nd gear a few times climbing over the mountains.

 

That’s eye opening, what do the experts say on 2nd gen vs 3rd gen towing capability?

 

Just in case it wasn't spotted in my .sig, my truck is a manual transmission, I have slightly taller than OEM tires (32" instead of 30").

Also, I have a weight distribution hitch on the trailer, and a brake controller. Trailer dry weight is, I believe right around 3,800 #'s. It has dual batteries and dual 5 gallon propane tanks. other than the weight of the propane, all water tanks were empty while towing, and we had less than 100 #'s of pots/pans/other gear inside the trailer while towing, and maybe 50 #'s in the bed of the truck.

 

You are not going to hurt the truck.. shift down, don't run the engine higher than is necessary, and enjoy this mule of a tow vehicle!

Mine (travel trailer) is between 5,400 &5,700 on average.

Carry extra fuel, however. The tank range is, at best 200 miles. I hope for 12-13, often settle for 10 mpg's.

Go camping.

 

Read Owners Manual tow section. Toyota didn’t just print it without research, testing and reason.
Trailer tire pressure and condition. Make sure they are trailer tires.
Brake controller is adjusted correctly. And check adjustment each time you plug in connector.
Check your trailers lights each trailer plug-in. Rasilest way is to turn on flashers and do a walk around.
Trailer hub temperature. I use a cheap infrared temp gun at each on the road pee, or snack break.