Towing with 3rd Gen

Towed my 24' Cobia about 25 miles, launched it and re-trailered it, and pulled it out with zero problems. No spinning wheels or anything. Granted, it's not the truck I want to pull it from north Georgia to the Gulf Coast, but it'll certainly do it...

 

I need advice on what type of tow setup I need. What is the most commonly used tow mount drop and ball size? Thanks

 

Pass on this one.

 

As for trailer tires, you are correct. They are ST load range "C" trailer tires but I run them at 60psi per manufacturer guidelines (Goodyear Marathons) and I check the tires and hubs every stop for bludges/damage/funny business. I agree on the tongue weights you mention above...my boat trailer pulls very nicely. However, my boat has a tower on it with 4 speakers and wake board racks which stick above the roof line and catch a lot of air. I do not have any experience towing a travel trailer however (my wife does not like to camp ) so I take your advice and word on that.

Like Boultman said above, run it at 4k rpm all day. Only eats more gas and change oil and maintain it a little more often. Finally, for the guys towing something 30 miles one-way one or two times a year, doesn't count. I could tow it with a Corolla for that distance. The engine/trans aren't even warmed up after 30 miles.

Who else is towing long distance, up hills both ways at max 6400lb towing capacity. We want to hear from you.

 

I've been very happy with the towing performance. About 4600 # wet and loaded on the trailer.

 

Looks great! I take it you like white.

 

Very nice combination , my brother had a similar boat before his divorce and had to sell everything .

My travel trailer came with the exact same tires and the speed rating is max 65 mph on them. Are you sure on the 60psi as usually load range C are max 50psi for almost all manufacturers out there. Also the Goodyear Marathons are known for blow outs. I now have Kumho 857 tires on my travel trailer, load range D, 65psi and a 99 mph speed rating even though I never tow over 65mph. You can see my combo of the Sienna van and travel trailer earlier in this thread.

I have towed my brothers boat with my Sienna for him when he first bought it and didn't have a vehicle large enough to take it to the lake and there was quite a difference at highway speed between the boat and travel trailer. A pop-up camper would be even easier to town than your boat as it is even lower in profile and narrower.

In the end as long as we are having fun and building memories that is all that counts .[/QUOTE]

I'm glad to see you are towing with a Sienna! Very capable, well-rounded rig! True, the GY Marathons state 50psi cold, but Goodyear later came out and said they can be safely (recommended) to be inflated to 60psi if towing at higher speeds. So, that is what I do. I have about 3,000 miles on mine and they look like new. If (when) I do need to replace the tires, I will look at the Kumho's. I do like the thought of a load range "D" tire.

Trooper, great to see you towing 4600lbs with your Tacoma! Nice set up you have there!

 

Looks great, @TROOPER !

 

Trying to decide if I should get the hybrid camper (Roo 17) with the idea of keeping weight under 4000lbs loaded which would have a single axle or raise the weight 700lbs more and get a bigger hybrid (Roo 183) with a tandem axle. I have 4x4 DBSB TRD Sport with tow package. Would like to keep it lighter but tandem always more stable. Wife wants bigger of course.
I will have a P3 brake controller and Equalizer 4way hitch in either case.
How do you value weight vs axles?

 

This is just my opinion, but I wouldn't tow anything over 3500lbs with my 16. I am towing an A-frame trailer that weighs around 2700lbs loaded and my truck pulls it fine for the most part. If I had to pull something over 3500lbs I would have a V8 Tundra.

 

Where in the US do you live? I see many people boasting about pulling large loads with their Tacomas here but most are just pulling across flatland at low elevation. Towing in the Rockies where grades are steep and air is thin makes for a totally different towing experience. I am on your threshold of 3500 lbs with mu 2500 lb (dry weight) Casita Trailer but with cargo, passengers etc, 3500 is a realistic # for me to tow in Wyoming/Colorado. I am holding off another year even though I am financially ready to get a new truck because of all of the problems with the 16 Tacoma. Exploring other trucks now but currently still considering a Taco.

 

I have a similar trailer, 2007 Escape 17B, tows well with the 4.0, thinking about a new 3rd gen 6speed manual.

Where is the Ike Gauntlet??

 

Awwwwe, you guys and your cute widdle boats



I brought this 6000+ lb combo home from NJ thru the mountains of NE PA today. Bone stock 3.5L/6sp w/ tow package. Once you get going over 5MPH it's fine and I cruised along on i80 at 65-70mph no problem even up the long climb to Mount Pocono with just 4th and 5th. Stopping was also just fine. Actually, the ONLY issue with this truck pulling that load is it's a 6MT and getting it moving from a stop on a steep grade is tough with the ratio and the low torque under 2k. So, frankly, it's better on the interstate than on hilly roads where there are stoplights because it's hard not to slip the clutch too much when getting the load moving. I unfortunately smelled the bastard twice today before I got the right combo of revs and pedal speed. The autotragic would be better for getting going (or a creeper first like my old NISSAN Hard Body) but I'll make due as it is. 4LO on the boat ramp and for restarting on a steep grade but otherwise playing well above it's pay grade.

You guys worried about pulling 3k with it ... put your big boy pants on and go to it

 

My jayco 25"6' total length. 6000+ pounds loaded down horrible gas mileage but towed it like a champ

 

I think you're overcompensating a little. A 2.7l Taco Can pull 3500lbs.

 

Greetings fellow Jayco towtaco! Mine is a single axle 20’ and 4500lbs loaded - 15mpg avg. going up to the mtns without a hitch (ha ha, get it? Towing without a Hitch? Ok, never mind...) and now getting ready to go to Southern Utah from Southern California during thanksgiving break.

 

I pulled my 1500 pound trailer a thousand miles, snapped this photo in front of this boat and turned around.



Tows just fine. Different than my 2nd gen of course but does okay.

SB

 

Where in southern Utah? I actually took mine up to southern Utah from Las Vegas. Got about 9 miles to the gallon. That's of course because I was driving 80 mph uphill to 8000 feet elevation.

 

Which floorplan jayco do you have?

 

Howdy,

We’re staying mainly in SW Utah- Snow Canyon State Park (St. George) and Hurricane. These will be our base camp for daily excursions into Zion NP and Coral dunes, among others.

I drive rather close to the speed limit, and try not to push it too much hence the great mileage on our last Mtn trip (going from about 1500’ to 6800’ - nothing like what you get in the Rockies or the Great Basin!