Towing/hauling heavy...the little engine that could

Hello friends,
Yesterday we had an emergency flood at a school facility and our crew called me requesting a lot of additional equipment. Over the phone they sounded worried/doubtful that I could get them what they needed with my "little truck". I told them it wouldn't be a problem. I was able to get them exactly what they needed, with the Tacoma and a double-axle trailer. It was not riding on the bump stops and handled the load fine. I tow regularly with the truck so I know how it handles when loaded and towing. I take my time and don't hurry. I delivered the load a distance of 61 miles, at 60 mph in 5th gear (manual trans). Sure, it would be better to use a bigger truck when available. But when needed, the Tacoma always gets the job done for me. Great little pickup.
Trailer empty = 1860 lbs
80 air movers = 1488 lbs
20 large dehumidifiers = 2140 lbs
2 large hand trucks = 60 lbs
Myself and a passenger = 360 lbs
Other items in the cab = 50 lbs

 

It works in ideal conditions but if things went sideways having so little weight on the steer axle would’ve gotten fun fast.

 

I've observed that every time someone is hauling a heavy load and things get "sideways" it ends poorly. So I am cautious and take my time. I tow old-school, the way we used to when I was growing up. This approach has worked well for me for decades.

 

Thing about real Toyota trucks is that they always do more than expected. People call this V6 weak because its not fast, but hey its not a damn race car! Its supposed to excel at PULLING! NOT RACING

You just proved that!

 

I wouldn’t say it “excels” at towing by any means. It gets the job done but if I had to tow on a regular basis it would not be with a Tacoma

 

I was talking about V6 and people calling it weak. You would do it with other midsize truck? like ranger? with 4cyl turbo that would prob explode at like 50K miles due to all the towing?

 

It absolutely does not excel at pulling. It’s decently adequate for the truck’s tow rating but that’s it.

 

Hey you can always go and buy 4cyl turbo midsize that costs over 50K now, and go tow with that.


You 2 must have no jobs, 5K messages damn. Going around salting people .Time to move out of moms basement and breathe some fresh air

 

Chevy Colorado diesel most likely

 

Ah, makes sense why you are so mad about Tacoma. Your bank account must be empty due to repairs.

 

Steering becomes more of a suggestion at that point lol.

 

I owned a 2nd and 3rd gen and towed all over the country with both of them so I can base my opinions on real life experience. A midsize of any sort doesn’t fit my needs now so no reason to buy a 4th gen and see how it works out.

I get bored sometimes, taking a shit right now actually. I do have a job that pays well and my own house, but only because my Mom’s house doesn’t have a basement to live in.

 

You asked what other midsize truck id tow with, I gave you the one with a higher tow rating and a diesel. That doesn’t mean I want to own one

 

That's a lot of units, OP! Did you have that many on hand or need to aggregate from other partners?
At a little over 6000# you're not killing your truck, room for some 5 gal jugs of disinfectants and mildewcides.

Add a 5 gal bucket for all the shells from the online peanut gallery.

 

Man Restore Pro has saved my butt more times than I can count.

 

That taco ain’t even sweating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl1FNX08HFc

 

Imagine the 2024 with a turbo and 4cylinder doing that tow. Good job OP!

 

It would have been a lot easier with an extra 200ft/lbs of torque 3000rpm sooner, assuming hybrid. Even the standard engine would do it better with 50ft/lbs more 3000rpm earlier.

 

Grade looks flat in the photo. How many feet of vertical elevation change, esp. climb, over the 60 mile route? Any major hills?

A 230 hp motor in a hypothetical truck (not a Tacoma) with adequately-stiff suspension, axles, diff, etc. can easily haul 10-12K lbs on flat, smooth terrain.

It's the hills that would make that thought-experiment problematic.

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I've towed quite a bit with stock 5-lug utility Tacos, with my 2014 TRD OR in stock form, and now with my 2014 TRD OR & fully beefed FOX / Deaver suspension.

Things get scary when the tongue weight approaches 500+ lbs or so on a stock Taco as it lightens the front end so much that the steering authority degrades drastically.

In my 2014 w/ FOX 2.5s and heavy Deaver U402 stage III leafs in back, which can easily handle a 700-1000 lb total load (tongue weight + cargo, utility shell, etc.) without squatting, towing 4-5K lbs is comfortable because the front tires haven't been almost lifted off the road by tongue weight.

 

It is said that a washing machine engine with sufficient gearing could pull a freight train.
Perhaps an inch per month, but would still pull it.

My 2023 is a real power house compared to my 1991 Truck with 22RE.
I don't like A/T, but the selectable and ECT settings make it easy to live with.

Same as my 22RE, when I tow, I simply have to choose the gear that works, no matter how slow it may be.
I've towed up the Grapevine several times with the 22RE... in 3rd gear, but I still get there.

I do not expect over-square engines (short stroke) to be grunters with big low end balls.
If that is what is expected, a long stroke diesel is the ticket.

As much as I like grunt, I have no need for a diesel, the fuel expense, nor all the smog hardware that fills the entire underside of the truck, and is a tantalizing jewel for cat thieves.