Towing Prolite Trailer

I have done a lot of reading about towing with Tacoma's and I see a lot of conflicting information as to what can be comfortably towed with these trucks. Maybe some of you can answer some questions I have...

Vehicle is a 2012 SR5 auto access cab and I believe it has the tow package as it does have the tranny cooler.

I was looking at purchasing a Jayco single axle unit weighing around 3000 lbs which the dealer said my truck would tow "no problem" but after doing some research I gather it would haul it but not very well. Another brand Prolite has me very interested as I can get a unit with the layout and options I want and it weighs in at 1830 dry. The Prolite is also physically smaller at 16'9" long 7'2" overall height and 6'2" wide compared to the Jayco at 21'8" long 9'4' high and 8'1" wide.

Prolite is a small company made here in Canada and because they have a kind of unique product whit the ultra light design the price is a lot more than the Jayco or other comparable models but I figure spending more on the TT is still cheaper than having to upgrade the TV after the fact.

My question is, with the lighter weight and smaller profile should I still be looking at adding a WDH and brake controller or will it not be needed with this setup.?

I'll be using the unit to go on camping trips with the wife and we will be crossing mountain passes often. I'll also us it when I go dirt bike racing which will involve some travel on semi rough and sometimes steep forest service roads. I would also like to be able to do the occasional long distance trip such as down to Utah.

Thanks for any help/advice you can give me.

 

You're going to want the WDH and trailer brakes. The truck will sag w/o the WDH. The trailer brakes are necessary for weight, even on a flat road. Also when a tractor trailer passes you on the highway, the air will move you around.

 

a tacoma can't tow 3000 lbs? This shit is getting out of control with wayward advice. Doesn't anyone read the mf'in owners manual?

 

In my 2011 Toyota Tacoma double cab is rated just to 3500 pounds per the manual. I just told 3000 pounds from Georgia to West Virginia.

 

Yeah it can tow 3000, it's rated at 6500 as per manual but from what I read towing 4000 (bike, trailer, cargo) is not a pleasant experience. I don't want to be crawling up the hills.

Rico your load in the pic may be 3500 but not much wind resistance compared to a TT and you probably don't have the hills we do here in BC.

 

You might be better off with a 3/4 ton truck or a medium duty chassis.

 

Those dry weights are nothing compared to what they would be loaded up with gear, supplies, water, etc. That 3000lb trailer could end up being closer to 5000lb when it actually comes time to tow it. For that very reason I'd go small if it's not impractical for you. A taco WILL tow a 5000lb trailer, but it'll struggle in the mountains a bit, and your mpgs will be laughable.

 

A bigger truck would be better for towing, you don't say? The reason I came on a Tacoma forum was to to ask a question about towing with a Tacoma. Getting a new tow vehicle is not an option for me but thanks for the helpful advise.

 

Thanks, this is why I'm looking at the lighter Prolite and it has everything I need/want as far as options and layout.

 

If the deal were to fall through with the prolite or it weren't financially feasible, I just thought I'd confirm that a taco could realistically handle the bigger trailer. I have a buddy that uses his taco to pull his race car (modded bmw) on a flat deck over the coquihalla highway (highway from hell) several times a year and he doesn't complain

 

I can't imagine anyone having an unpleasant experience with just 4000 pounds of bike/trailer/cargo if loaded correctly. If *not* properly loaded, yeah, it can be a hairy experience, even with much less than that.

To be honest, power is not a big concern with respect to how "pleasant" towing can be, or not.... the discomfort arises with sway, or being blown around. Sway is an oscillation in the trailer that occurs spontaneously and grows until you kills you if you don't take corrective action, like *carefully* slowing down. It is caused by trailers that are improperly balanced -- inadequate tongue weight for the speed, load center of gravity too high up. Load imbalanced side to side. Being blown around is self explanatory. That's what happens when you're driving beside a rig in the mountains with a cross wind.

Personally, I would never tow a camper trailer, except maybe for a popup. The light weight (for the physical dimensions), high center of gravity, and huge surface area, will all add together to make the drive relatively unpleasant compared to a compact cargo trailer or flatbed.

For weight alone, you would be perfectly fine at the vehicle's limit and perfectly comfortable.