Towing a 17ft Trailer with a 4cyl Tacoma

Has anyone here had any experience towing a 17 ft 3000 pound travel trailer? I am considering getting a trailer but need to know how it will go


Thanks for the input

 

Might find some good examples:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/pics-of-what-you-tow-with-your-2-7.145015/page-21#post-17246648

 

Welcome aboard. 3K seems a bit much for a 4 popper

 

Lol you're gonna hate it. Especially if you have a manual. Have fun hill starting that or backing it up. Hope you like the smell of burning clutch

 

I got caught towing a 5x8 enclosed trailer across the Mohave desert in a wind storm. My little 4 banger taco really struggled back then. I was scared I was going to run out of gas. That was the last 4 cyl I ever owned. I think if you buy that trailer,you will also buy a bigger truck soon after.

 

I've seen it done with a 1st gen 4cyl with a manual....very similar trailer as you described. He had another 700 pounds on top of it. He pulled it. But he was a very good driver and only had to go about 20 miles with it with no serious large hills/mountains and didn't go to fast. He only did it because he had to move the thing that day and his plan to use his dads full size f-150 fell through.

It will work in a pinch....but certainly not preferred.



Edit....we guys with 4cyl manuals have pulled lots of things....I have pulled F-350 duallies with beds full of gravel out of snow banks and ditches....but that's for short distances and in 4LO when I did it....not on long road trips where there are large hills, mountains and such.

 

Most I've towed was ~3500-3600lbs and it was towing a car. She wasn't going anywhere fast but it did hill climbs and all that. You can see it on the last post on https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/pics-of-what-you-tow-with-your-2-7.145015/page-21#post-17246648 Not something I'd want to do all the time, but its doable.

 

Will it pull it, probably if it is rated for that level. Will you shortly buy another tow vehicle to haul that camper? Yes you will.

 

No.


I honestly wouldn’t do it with a 6 cyl.
No way the travel trailer is 3,000lbs... your going to have stuff in it that will quickly weigh it down.

Truck will not have the weight to safely control movement of the trailer.

My advice to anyone who tows trailers regularly over 3,000lbs and over distances needs to buy a full size.

 

NO

 

it will tow 3500 lbs, been there done that with a gen1 i4 and worked out well. Don't expect to win any races and use those upper RPMs when needed. I would do 65 in 3rd gear to maintain speed a times

 

The comment about burning more fuel is true!

 

I towed a 5x8 utility trailer back when I had a 4cyl Tacoma. Trailer weighed probably 400lbs? I had a 52" stander mower (900lbs), and a 36" walk behind (500?) on it. Definitely had a hard time keeping up with traffic at 60mph on flat ground. Constantly ringing it out.

 

Not a good idea, it will be straining when pulling it, & it will be dangerous stopping it. I've not tried it with my Tacoma, but did try it when I had my 4 cyl. Mitsubishi 4X4, that was much stronger than my Tacoma 4 cyl., with my bass boat, it will do it, but don't do it.

 

I would guess that trailer is more than 3000 pounds. Just towed a friends little civic. Car plus trailer was ~4,700lbs. It was fine but I have the V6 with tow package.

 

If it is a true travel trailer and not a popup or other low sitting trailer then you also have to consider wind resistance as well as weight. Sail area of a full sized trailer even a 17 foot will add to the strain n the truck.

 

what's with people talking about stopping it? they are aware the 4cyl and 6cyl are identical or than the motor right? unless they are thinking about the absolute base model which has only slightly worse braking

 

The v6 are rated at 6500lbs and are only slightly heavier than the 4cyl (and not even heavier in certain configurations) If the v6 is rated at over double the 3k lbs im sure the 4cyl can handle it (weight and stability wise)

 

My trucks are always reg. cab. I don't know what they weigh, I just know they aren't heavy enough to stop a bass boat very well. Yes, it will stop it, but you must learn to begin stopping very early & as long as you've got plenty of room it's fine, but those other times when a quicker stop is needed, is when you will realize they aren't good for stopping loads.