Towing a 20ft Bay Boat after full suspension lift on 33s, or get a full size?

Hello all, so I’m currently in the process of getting a 3rd gen Tacoma after my beautiful 2nd gen was totaled due to some kid running a stop sign. I’m in a bit of a pickle cause I love the taco since it’s a mid-size daily, tows a skiff + trailer @ ~3000lb, a hunting rig that sees logging roads, and beach driving in OBX.

Debating getting a 20’ Bay Boat maybe 2-5 years down the line, and am wondering if I’m biting off more than I can chew with this new build idea. Truck I’m looking at has 33s w/ spacers but I will do a full 3” suspension kit w/ heavier leaf pack, JBA UCA’s, re-gear to 5.29 + tune.

My ideal 20ft Bay Boat setup will be ~4500lbs wet including double axle trailer, maybe max 5500lbs if I opt bigger or more gas. I know max stock towing capacity is 6500lbs, and am wondering if the add-ons will make it more capable OR will hinder towing capacity due to added weight.

I’m thinking the suspension upgrades and heavier leaf springs will help compensate, and the V6 w/ re-gear is still capable of pulling that weight (albeit not comfortably). Most trips would be 30min-1.5hrs with the occasional 3.5hr trip to meet my buddies up north. Does this sound do-able or should I upgrade to a full size?

 

That’s a no brainer, get a full size truck. The max tow weight is simply a number you do not want to exceed for safety reasons. The max tow capacity does not mean you can comfortably tow that amount of weight. The closer you get to the max tow weight rating the more uncomfortable and unpleasant towing becomes.
In addition you do not even know for sure how much your next boat will weigh. It may likely weigh more than 5500 lbs. A double axle trailer for a 20’ or so boat will weigh at least 1500lbs and maybe upwards of 2000lbs. If a 20’ boat requires a double axle trailer the boat it self probably weighs upwards of 5000lbs. Boat + trailer you are likely exceeding your tow max. Get a full size truck.

 

^ Yeah, I agree with this. Any boat requiring a double axle trailer would be a bit much for a Tacoma.

 

Well I settled with the 2016 TRD Off-road Tacoma for a killer price, if I upgrade the boat I’ll just have to get a full sized truck too. Thankfully I’ve got a few years to wait till that happens.

 

Congrats! Upload some pics

 

How much does your 23’ boat double axle trailer with 100 gal fuel and other equipment weigh?? What brand/model boat do you have? What motor does it have?

 

Hate to say it and not trying to argue but I think your rig weighs a lot more. Boat 4400lbs, your motor at least 500lbs (possibly 475 minimum)a double axle trailer for your size boat at least 800lbs possibly as much as 1200 lbs. , 100 gallons of fuel 600 lbs, , gear conservatively 250 lbs Total around 6700lbs. You are either right at your max tow weight or a little over. To tow it the way you discribe, you have one unusually super Taco.

 

But user name checks out. Plus, flat terrain at sea level.

 

I realize that he’s towing over the sea level flatlands of Florida and that makes the towing experience a lot less stressful and more pleasant. His tow trips are likely short drives which mitigates some of the problems he will experience with that much weight. My main point is that he’s towing a lot more weight than he thinks and may even be exceeding his max tow capacity.
I’ve towed max weight with my Taco, It simply isn’t a pleasant experience, it is stressful. And cruising at 70 mph with that much weight behind a Taco is not a real safe thing to do. I’m not trying to hassle the guy, just saying lotta weight for a Taco, lot of potential problems. I would not advise anyone pulling 6000+ lbs to go with a Taco even though it may be within its tow capacity and you can do it. Pull that much weight around the Rockies or Sierras very much and you’ll soon be trading up for an F250 or similar. Pull that around Arizona on a 115 degree day in D or 5 gear and you’ll be running your tranny damn hot and be looking at tranny replacement.

 

Not to mention your stopping distance drastically decreases.

 

The solution you need.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for...r=2025&state=CA&zip=90001&clickType=spotlight

 

Yes, I neglected to mention that. That’s the most critical thing when towing heavy. Going 70 mph heavy and having someone lock em up in front of you is an unforgettable experience (if you survive)

 

My old boat was a 20' Bayliner at about 4,100 LBS. Taco did fine pulling the weight. Mostly Maine interstate with a few miles on back roads. There were hills, but not like grinding up a mountain pass. I'm not re-geared or tuned.
My current boat is lighter, but I preferred pulling the Bayliner because the new boat trailer does not have brakes.
For reference on the suspension droop, here's a pick of the current boat on the hitch before I upgraded my leaf springs and shocks.



Here's the old boat.

 

I totally agree, and I wouldn't do it either, it was kind of a joke. You know, Florida Man and all.

I'd feel comfortable towing a boat on a single axle trailer to the lake and back, but not a tandem. I used to pull an 18 ft Larson runabout with my '92 pickup about 10 miles or so to the lake and back. It did fine for those short trips, but I wouldn't be towing it across country.

 

Agree about not wanting to haul across country, but for a couple of hours and where the OP mentioned the OBX I'd have no reservations. From what little I know about eastern NC (which is pretty much the Charlotte area) it's relatively flat. If I had to tow up to somewhere like Asheville, I'd have pause. My brother-in-law who has an F150 drove my taco with the Bayliner in tow and commented on how well the truck handled it. Have you seen the sizes of the campers some owners on TW talk about towing on their multistate adventures.
I can launch from my property and its far from a smooth gradual ramp, so I probably put more stress on the trans pulling the boat out of the water than on the tow.

 

Wrong. It’s physics. The heavier the mass and momentum the longer it takes to stop. When you add weight and mass behind your vehicle even with brakes on the trailer it takes much longer to stop than the vehicle by itself. The more braking surface the faster you stop but you can’t have enough brake surface on your vehicle or trailer to stop in the same distance as the car by itself. Theoretically you can but in reality you can’t get sufficient brake surface on vehicle and trailer.

 

It still isn’t enough brake surface to stop vehicle and trailer in same distance as the vehicle by itself. If all the brake surfaces were much larger then your stopping distance would be less. But you do you and I’ll do me and keep extra distance between me and the vehicle in front of me when towing.
You said above that you were bailing out of this thread but I guess you unbailed. I think this thread has run its course at least for me. I truely am bailing, won’t be back. Carry on.

 

You could PULL the weight with a stock truck but the bigger tires effectively change your axle ratio and will leave you underpowered. Even with a stock truck it's payload that is going to bite you in the butt. When they list tow ratings at 6500 lbs that assumes an empty truck with nothing in it but a driver on level ground at sea level. Start adding additional passengers and cargo in the truck, start towing in mountains or even level ground above about 5000' and you have to start reducing what you can tow. Often significantly.

And don't assume that every 1/2 ton truck will pull that trailer. Most will but you have to deal with the same constraints and not all 1/2 ton trucks will have enough payload or power especially when you factor in mountains and elevation.