Toyota Tacoma Towing (airjer)

[Black_Bay]

Does anyone have experience with Tacoma's, especially towing? I'm in the market for a new vehicle and may downsize my truck for better mileage but still need to tow with it. I have an 18 ft boat ~4000lbs and a 2 place snowmobile trailer. Airjer you seem to be the resident Toyota expert. Do you have any insight?

[rundrave]

i have the 4.0 v6 and it will tow it no problem. One thing I need to mention though is the rear leafs are known to be weak in this truck. Toyota does have a TSB out to fix the issue. I upgraded to an adjustable air-ride suspension rather than going for the stiffer springs. My truck rides like a dream, and when I need to tow I just pump up the air bags and away I go.

I have a 2005 Dbl Cab v6, with the Long bed. I love this truck. I searched high and low and it took me a long time to find a DBL Cab with the long bed.

I just got rid of a 2002 Tacoma that was the 2.7L 4cyl and that towed my boat and quad trailer just fine. It was a 5spd manual though so that helped. I only got rid of the truck because it was an extended cab and I wanted the DBL Cab.

Also my mileage with the 4.0 v6 is 20 on the hwy and 17 intown. With the 2.7L I was getting 22-23 on the hwy and about 20 in town.

[jltimm]

I have a 1997 Toyota Tacoma Extended Cab 4x4 with auto tranny and a 3.4 V-6. I tow a Lund 1660 Pro V with a 50 HP Yamaha four stroke. It tows it good. I average about 17-20 MPG in the summer with it. Towing the boat to Canada once I got 17-18 mpg with both truck and boat full of gear. The 3.4 V-6 is rated at 190 hp. The newer 4.0 I believe is rated around 240hp.

[Hotspotter]

I've got a 98 Xtended cab, also with the 3.4L V6, though mine's a manual. Towing is no problem. Stopping, that's a different story, but it's really not all that bad either. I tow a 1775 ProV with a 150 Merc on the back, so it's quite a load. It's not the optimal vehicle for towing, and I get poor mileage when I do (like 12-15mpg), but it works for me.

JonnyP used to tow a 20ft stratos with a 175Ficht on the back of his rig, never had an issue that I know of.

I love my truck.

Joel

[Black_Bay]

Thanks guys.

[fivebucks]

I had a 6 cylinder Toyota and now the Tundra. The mileage without towing is only 1-2 MPG better on the 6. When towing my 18' Lund my mileage dropped down to maybe 12 mpg. IMO the very slight increase in gas mileage (when not towing) is not worth the lack of power. When towing the boat with the 6 you needed a good clear open stretch to pass but with the Tundra it is out and past em just like that. I would need to get at least 20 mpg towing to even consider going back to a 6 cyl. The engine needs to work that much harder when towing that I gotta think it's harder on the engine and the mileage still stinks just like a v8.

[Jeremy airjer W]

They pull like there is no tomorrow! Mine was a 95 with the monster 2.7 liter 4 cylinder manual trans 4X4. I pulled my old 1981 18 foot lund (not the greatest test to towing) with no problems. pulled the biggest U-haul enclosed trailer loaded to the gills 220 miles into a strong headwind with no problems. 1200 lbs of landscape block in the bed couldn't tell it was there. Over 150k on it know and besides expected maintenance it has had a starter and just a couple of weeks ago an O2 sensor.

Black Bay, you have probably seen the Tacoma and the tundra driven around town, I'm positive you have seen the boat trolling on the opener.

[MNice]

WOW!! I really thought the taco's would do better on gas mileage, the 22-23 hwy with a four cly manual surprises me. Is that normal??

[fivebucks]

I got 30 with a 4 cyl manual without 4wd and I know 4wd knocks it down. I got 17-18 with a 6 cyl auto with 4wd and I get 16-17 with a 8 cyl Tundra 4wd. These are all hwy numbers for what its worth.

[lawdog]

I'm sure you can tow in a Toyota Tacoma just as easily as you can tow in a F-150. Just make sure the tow truck is a CHEVY!!!!

That's all i know about Toyota towing...hope it helps!

[Black_Bay]

 Originally Posted By: lawdog

I'm sure you can tow in a Toyota Tacoma just as easily as you can tow in a F-150. Just make sure the tow truck is a CHEVY!!!!

That's all i know about Toyota towing...hope it helps!

Oh now that's cold. LOL

OK another question. How are the composite beds holding up?