2016 Toyota Tacoma

[jerryandmaria]

We have the '16 TRD Sport 4x4, and Toyota added a 4th leaf spring. No sag when I delivered my Casita to the new owner. It does have a totally different power band. My 6 speed tranny does a lot more shifting than my old 08 did. I still got the same 16 mpg that the old one got. Probably don't need the wdh setup, but my new 21 has it on already, so i'm keeping it. I feel more secure, especially getting passed by the big rigs at 80mph.

[Greggo]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Jon,
You may not need a w/d set up with the truck vs auto tow. Try it for awhile before investing more $$

Agreed, don't think a WDH is necesssary. We tow a 19 with our 2010 TRD Sport and I'm pretty sure the tongue weight on your 17 would be the same weight or less.

Try it and let us know. WDH's are a PI(the)A.

G'o

[Vermilye]

I realize I won't need the WDH with the combination of the Tacoma & 17, but I've towed it a couple of times without the WDH & the difference is that the tow & trailer seem like two different animals. With the WDH it acts like one long vehicle. I'll try it as soon as I get my P3 controller back from being repaired/replaced.

[Sandra L]

Very nice...looks like you are in store for even more fun!

[thoer]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

... With the WDH it acts like one long vehicle. ...

That's exactly my experience.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

If I decide to continue to use the WDH, I'm going to have to do some major modifications - the truck is about 6" higher than the RAV4 (and 6" short enough to not hit the next $ tier on the Nantucket Ferry).

The modification is just adjustments, and perhaps a different height of shank, right? You would need set the WD head lower on the shank (by the difference in receiver box height) and get a different shank if the one you have won't allow enough drop. Then you should adjust the head tilt to get a desirable amount of load transfer. Unless you need a shank change, there's no cost.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by tractors1

I checked out a 2016 Taco while my 2013 was being serviced. Kinda bummed me out that it grew so much again. In 2012 Toyota upsized the Taco (I had 3 prior) but it was still a smaller truck.

I'm guessing that your earlier Tacos were much earlier, since the size increase was for the 2005 model year; 2012 was just a facelift, with no size increase. Second-generation (2005-2014) Double Cab Tacomas did come in two lengths, with short (5 ft) and long (6 ft) beds, so it you had Double Cabs and moved from short bed to a 2013 long bed it would be a size increase without the Tacoma design having changed at all.

[padlin]

Might be worth trying toget a drop shank that's pretty much exactly what you need. The one I had previously would dig into the driveway if I didn't have the WDH bars connected. The shank was something like 3 or 4" too long (low). Kind of a universal thing, had holes all down the shaft.

[BCnomad]

^^ those all aluminum stingers from Andersen look cool.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Doesn't every limerick involve Nantucket?

They do........and they all have the same ending.........

[Vermilye]

I played around with the different shanks I have sitting around. For anyone interested, some information. The truck is a stock suspension 2016 short bed Tacoma Off Road:

Tongue Weight (empty trailer) 311 lbs.
Ground to the top of the 2" drop shank with no trailer - 19 1/2".
Ground to the inside of the ball with a level trailer (it has 15" tires & the high lift axle AKA 2011) 19 5/8".
Ground to the top of the shank with trailer using a 2" drop shank & ball - 17 1/2" (a 2" drop of the Tacoma) and trailer too low. (Reversing the 2" drop shank makes a 3/4" rise - the tongue was too high with that...)
With the Chinese WDH Escape supplied in 2011 set as low as possible & no bars - ground to shank 17 1/8"
WDH with bars & chains at 4 links - Ground to the top of the shank -18 1/4" & trailer is level.

It looks like a 1" drop shank would work in place of the WDH although I usually travel with the tongue weight closer to 350 lbs plus I'll have a topper & stuff in the truck so depending on the Tacoma drop with that weight, I may need a straight shank. I can't use the adjustable WDH unit to determine the proper non WDH shank since it weighs enough to change the Toyota drop.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

I can't use the adjustable WDH unit to determine the proper non WDH shank since it weighs enough to change the Toyota drop.

That makes sense - there's the hardware weight, plus the WDH hardware probably puts the ball significantly further rearward, exaggerating the effect of tongue weight.

[thoer]

Jon when Reace set up our 17 and Tacoma, he first wanted to know if we were loaded as we would ordinarily travel. Then he measured the height off the ground of the Tacoma, set the ball height using the WDH adjustable height to the same as the 17. Then he hooked up and kept adjusting the angle of the ball and the number of chain loops hanging until the Tacoma was back to the same height as it was unhitched. That is basically what the hitch instructions say also and what seemed to work well when I switched over to the Highlander.


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[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by thoer

... Then he hooked up and kept adjusting the angle of the ball and the number of chain loops hanging until the Tacoma was back to the same height as it was unhitched. That is basically what the hitch instructions say also and what seemed to work well when I switched over to the Highlander.

I hope it was the front axle of the tug which was back down to the same height as it was unhitched, which is what hitch manufacturer's instructions normally say. This leaves the rear ride height higher than it would be without WDH, but still lower than without the trailer.

Some people apparently adjust the WDH until the tug's rear is the same height as unloaded, but if you do that the WDH will be greatly over-applied, transferring excessive load to the front axle (and the trailer axle).

[thoer]

Can't remember for sure with Reace, but front is what I checked when I did it on the Highlander as that is what the instructions listed. I'm assuming Reace did the same but there were so many things going on that day my mind was spinning.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by thoer

Can't remember for sure with Reace, but front is what I checked when I did it on the Highlander as that is what the instructions listed.

Excellent! Not everyone gets this right.

[Devil Dog]

Just got back from our first tow with 2016 Tacoma and it performed better than expected .
got 16.4 L per 100 km from Ok falls to Richmond Bc on the Crows Nest .
Kept in 5th shift mode and because it hunts for 4th on the steep hills I would shift down before it did thus maintaining the rpms . 3000 X 4 gear = 80 km up a 6% grade . on some smaller grades in 5th the up hill assist would kick in and maintain the speed at 80-85 km at about 2200 / 2400 rpms . The EXT Power button engages the direct injectors On up hills , I tried it a few times it seems to set a earlier down shift Vrs rpms, It's like manual shifting. And it will stay in the lower gear longer unless you let up on the gas petal . One time it went from 60 km to 90 km uphill before it shifted up on it own , scary if there is a curve at the top . But now I know what to expect .
Down steep grades the down hill would engage only if I slowed from 90 km down to 60 km suddenly ,Other wise I would shift down to 4th or even 3rd to slow down . There is very little back compression in this 3.5 and the engine brake is weak with a trailer in tow. With out the trailer the engine brake is quite effective . I'm doing the Koke this week end and the snow shed hill with a loaded 17 will be a test .
I would expect 3rd gear at 4000 rpm at maybe 60km in the truck lane. being passed by 60ft tractor trailers . I'll let you know how it goes up and down the snow shed hill .

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Devil Dog

3000 X 4 gear = 80 km up a 6% grade .
...
I'm doing the Koke this week end and the snow shed hill with a loaded 17 will be a test .
I would expect 3rd gear at 4000 rpm at maybe 60km in the truck lane. being passed by 60ft tractor trailers .

The Tacoma has more power than my Sienna and towing a similarly sized (but wider) trailer I've never been down to 60 km/h anywhere on the Coquihalla, and I've never been passed by a tractor-trailer going uphill.

If 3000 rpm in 4th gear is 80 km/h (going up a 6% grade), then 3000 rpm at 60 km/h will likely be in 3rd gear - I'm sure the transmission will shift down rather than let the torque converter run with that much speed difference. If you want to maintain 80 km/h up the 8% grades, 4000 rpm in 3rd gear is available... still just around the torque peak, and so not an unreasonable engine speed.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Devil Dog

I'm doing the Koke this week end and the snow shed hill with a loaded 17 will be a test .

I suggest you read the towing section of your instruction manual.
My RAV manual says to tow in 4, not D. It also says not to tow in 3 or 2 for a prolonged period ( doesn't say what that is ).
I've towed my 17B up the Coquihalla and through the snow shed many times. If I'm not obstructed, I continue past the snow shed at 80 kph. I stomp on the gas and the vehicle downshifts, but I do not put in into 3. Did that once and the transmission warning light came on as I neared the summit.
I was showing off, and doing 90 kph.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I suggest you read the towing section of your instruction manual.

Absolutely!
It will provide information specific to the Tacoma's transmission. If the truck has a tow/haul mode, that will be explained, too.