Towing a 5x8 Utility Trailer

Hey y’all, I am looking for some opinions. This is my first Tacoma, I’ve had half tons in the past. I’ve never really had to concern myself with towing such a small trailer. I’m headed out to Colorado to hunt some elk in a few days. 750 mile distance across Kansas to our spot in Colorado. I’m towing a 400lb 5x8 utility trailer with a drop gate, it’ll be loaded with approximately 500lbs of gear. So towing this 1100lb, do I need to run in S4 with ECT on? Or can I run it in overdrive across Kansas til I get into Colorado? At what weight do you worry about running in S4?

 

I pull the same size trailer with a 750lb 4x4 quad on it several times a year on a 4 hour trip through some mountainous parts of NY and I use the ECT button and S4 for much of the trip but on flat ground I will blip it to S5. I added an OTT tune which helped a little and a lower intake spacer which seemed to help more than the tune. I run my trailer with the drop gate removed to reduce wind drag. I don't think you'll be using S6 much except for downhill.

 

I pulled a 1400lb boat/trailer 4 hours, just put the truck in drive and went. Truck pulled without issue.
When I pulled a 4500lb camper I had to manually go between s4 and s3.

 

I've done a similar trailer, same weight, from Indiana through South Dakota. I just left it in overdrive. It ran some in 5th, some in 4th. It didn't have a problem being that small of a load.

Best wishes with the hunt!

 

I know I am beginning to sound like a scangauge 2 rep, but I feel you are best off being able to monitor transmission temperature which allows you to adapt if things are getting hot. Very simple to pin the cooler open on the fly with a screwdriver and paperclip, finishing nail, etc.

 

Best bet is to watch your RPM’s, fluctuations will be a sign of torque converter unlocking (slipping, generating heat) and/or downshifting. If you can hold a gear without these, you should be good.
That said- I’d rather burn a hair more fuel and relieve heat/stress on my transmission, so I error on the side of caution and don’t feel the need to be in the overdrive gears.
S6 is a second overdrive and often a struggle for an unloaded Tacoma, so I would at least stay in S5 or lower.

 

Two things: with a scangauge you can monitor transmission fluid temperature, preferably below 220F and ideally below 200F. Secondly it can be programmed to show the gear you are actually in. Just because you slam it in S4 doesn't mean it's in 4 the computer may only be allowing S3.
I thought the scangauge might be gimmicky. While speaking to my trusted mechanic, his response was, "more information is good". You can program four displays simultaneously. For me: gear, transmission pan, torque converter, and water temp.
Knowledge is power. If something is amok you can respond appropriately. Peace of mind.

 

I tow a similar trailer and atv that totals around 1100 pounds as well. At that weight I don't think ECT on is necessary but I usually run with ECT engaged. I'll select S4 and bump it over to S5 occasionally if the terrain seems pretty flat. That has worked well for me. According to the trip computer towing with that set up and keeping it around 65mph or less I'll average a little over 16mpg. This past weekend I towed a trailer twice that size and two to three times the weight with two atv's for a 1.5 hour trip. On the same return trip I towed the smaller 5 x 8 with one atv and the average according to the trip computer was only .2 mpg difference under the same driving conditions. I thought that was interesting.

 

You don't need to worry about pulling something that lite. Drive sanely and you'll be fine. I know I have a manual but when I tow something that small I don't even notice it.

Have fun on the hunt!

 

You won't have any issues. I don't know WHERE in Colorado, but you'll notice some loss of power at higher altitude. I notice it anytime I'm over about 5000', but it isn't really a problem until you're at around 7000-8000'. With that light of a trailer you'll run some in 3rd gear, but it won't hurt a thing. But that's with any truck, pulling a trailer or not. But for most of the trip you won't even notice it back there.

 

Thanks for the replies! I’ll probably pick up a scan gauge to monitor trans temps and just watch the gauges. Air on the side of caution, can’t go wrong. Thanks yall

 

You can also monitor the temps with the the pro version of the Torque OBD2 app ($5 for the android version) and a Bluetooth obd2 scanner (under $20 on the jungle website). There's a good write up on it here. Also, the reason I use ECT is it keeps the converter locked more of the time and therefore the trans temps stay lower.

 

I run a similar sized small camper.
On I70 through Kansas you should be fine with S4 ECT and once up to a decent speed up to S5.

If you are hitting elevation / steep inclines you'll have to drop to S4 and I've been forced into S3 at elevation coupled
with steep inclines.

Otherwise it should handle it fine. Let us know how it goes.

Expect 17MPG at best....

 

Easy option is put in S4, you can just set it and forget it.

If you want to try and optimize your fuel consumption at the cost of higher temps, then get a gauge as mentioned and watch it in S5 or 6 (it will likely never stay in 6). Just know everything will be under more stress in 5th gear.

Is 4th gear ratio 1.00 in the 6AT (like the old 5AT)? If so, that's honestly a really nice gear for towing speeds.

 

I constantly fiddle with ECT and "S" mode in an effort to reduce chronic shifting and hunting.

ECT simply pushes the shift point to a higher rpm over non-ECT mode.
"S" mode restricts the shift to the highest gear you select.

The 3.5L engine is an over square design, meaning it is designed to rev up for maximum torque.
Factory low RPM shifts + trailer weight is not my idea of a good time.
Especially so when the trans is constantly hunting and shifting.

The tach is your friend.
The factory stock torque curve done by OTT shows the torque max in the range of 3700 to 5000 rpm.
I opted for the OTT tune where the torque peak is at 3250 rpm, which is far closer to my comfort range.

I have a Wells Cargo 5x10 trailer that I have not yet towed with the new Tacoma.
I would use ECT and whatever "S" highest gear required to tow in the 2000~2500 to 3500 rpm range.
Higher rpm for hills, lower for flat steady state driving and better fuel economy.

The EPA mandated 1,000 to 1,200 rpm stock rpm range is simply too low for my comfort.
Especially with towing any weight.

 

I live at 5200 ft above sea level. I have to tow from 1100 ft up to 8800 ft. most of the time I
am at about 4500 lbs of weight. In Kansas start in 4S and then when up to speed. go to S5
or down hill to S6. But in CO I will say what everyone one else says watch you tach and shift
as needed to keep the RPMs up at 3000 or higher.

 

Just got back from CO. I bought a scan gauge II. Put it in S4 and cruised watching transmission temps. Was able to put it in 5th for most the ride home with the trailer only carrying empty coolers. Highest temp I saw was 210 in the mountains at the torque converter for a few seconds. Most the time I was a steady 190-195. Thanks for the reply’s!

 

One way uphill, other way downhill?
LOL

 

I live in a area that is hilly, curvy. I have towed my trailer 6 x 12 with my UTV and some camping gear with no problems. It has the power to get me where I want to go. You have to know your truck and how it performs to be happy with it. I am.

 

P

Pin the trans thermostat open.