5.0 TA hitch for 2016 Toyota Tacoma?

[inthenursesstation]

Hi. I am looking at the Escape Trailers and really like what I see--especially the 5.0 TA. My question is this: Does anyone know if it is possible to put a 5th hitch on a 2016 Toyota Tacoma, double cab, short bed? The truck has the tow package which is rated for towing 6,800lb, so weight in not the issue. I am looking for advice on a hitch and if anyone has done this with a Taco short bed.

Many thanks for any assistance with this!

Juanita

[captmath]

The dealer Reace uses in Chilliwack has done Installations in Toyotas.

[cpaharley2008]

Trademasters in Chilliwack, BC Home - Trademasters Truck Accessories

[KarenH]

Here's a discussion about the 2016 Tacoma--not specific to towing a fifth-wheel but you may find interesting info in the thread...

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...coma-6699.html

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by inthenursesstation

Does anyone know if it is possible to put a 5th hitch on a 2016 Toyota Tacoma, double cab, short bed? The truck has the tow package which is rated for towing 6,800lb, so weight in not the issue.

That's a tough combination for any trailer hitched in the truck bed, leaving very little distance from the back of the cab to the location of the hitch, which is normally just ahead of the axle. That leaves you looking for clever hitch mounting methods to move the pin back so you can turn without the front corners of the trailer hitting the cab, and considering how that affects rear axle load.

This size issue, combined with the very small number of fifth-wheel trailers which are as narrow as an Escape, means that there is little interest in fifth-wheel hitch setups for Tacomas. There are certainly people who tow the original Escape 5.0 and the similarly sized Scamp 19' with Tacomas, but I don't know if any have a double cab and short box, and custom bracket installation is required, because it is not likely that anyone offers a ready-made bolt-in bracket set (certainly Curt and Reese don't).

This has been discussed a few times; try a Google search of this forum for "Tacoma" and "5.0". Remember if looking at older posts that the original Escape 5.0 was 20 cm (8") narrower than the current 5.0TA, so the current trailer needs the pin to be further from the cab than the old one.

This is the closest I have found, but it is a longbox (with the current 5.0TA):

Originally Posted by Jude

We pulled our 5.0 with an 08 Tacoma 4x4,6' box which had the towing pkg. and it was an excellent TV, sufficient power and good handling. No problems with hitch installation as Reace provided us with a good hitch shop in Chiliwack who had installed several hitches in the composite box of the Tacoma. Did not have any issues with the hitch or the Tacoma.

Originally Posted by inthenursesstation

The truck has the tow package which is rated for towing 6,800lb, so weight in not the issue.

I agree that the total weight of the trailer, or even of the trailer plus passengers and cargo in the truck, is not an issue. The difficulty that many people have with light pickups (even full-size, let alone the Tacoma) is that either Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or rear axle capacity is inadequate for the weight on the hitch, which will be several hundred pounds.

[Tin]

Payload capacity seems to be a limiting factor for many half ton trucks when it comes to 5th wheels.

[inthenursesstation]

Thanks everyone. I will do more research into this since I see this is not very straightforward! I do LOVE my Taco and *hope* the 5.0 TA will work out!

[padlin]

Need to find your trucks payload, I saw from 1100 to 1500 in the brochure for the 4 door depending on the options you have. The trailers pin weight is about 800 max, add your body weights and anything else you carry in the truck, and probably a couple hundred for a slider hitch.. If it all adds up to your trucks payload or less, then proceed to look into clearances and such.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by padlin

Need to find your trucks payload, I saw from 1100 to 1500 in the brochure for the 4 door depending on the options you have. The trailers pin weight is about 800 max, add your body weights and anything else you carry in the truck, and probably a couple hundred for a slider hitch.. If it all adds up to your trucks payload or less, then proceed to look into clearances and such.

It appears that Ford has taken on the payload issue with their 1/2 ton trucks while many others have not . Ford lists their 1/2 ton truck for 5th wheel towing and has a higher payload . My truck , a Ram 1500 and the Toyota trucks have a payload , GVWR , RAWR that are marginal at best for 5th wheel towing. That is assuming one's intentions are to stay within the vehicles manufacturers listed ratings. When we were considering the purchase of a 5.0TA , I ran my vehicle's payload numbers versus the 5.0 and the only way I could get it to work was fudging the numbers.

[cpaharley2008]

another reason why I am sticking with pull behind, my truck, like yours, would work, but I had to be careful. I'm too old to be careful anymore......

[yogiyoda]

Originally Posted by inthenursesstation

Thanks everyone. I will do more research into this since I see this is not very straightforward! I do LOVE my Taco and *hope* the 5.0 TA will work out!

Here's a link to an online calculator that might be of help:

RV Tow Check | Towing Capacity Calculator

[Bobnjudy]

I was very concerned about the same thing when I was researching for commercial hitch connections for my Scamp 2016 19' gooseneck. They didn't/don't exist. My TV is a 2015 GMC Canyon XLT short bed. With 305 hp, 6 speed XMission, 1650 payload and 7000# tow I decided to quit worrying and let the pros take care of it. The Scamp gooseneck uses an 2" ball mounted to bed platform that they installed in the plant when I picked it up last month. Towing was a dream. We had a Casita 17" before and towed with a Hyundai Santa Fe GLS. That also was effortless. The long and short of it is that these light FG trailers simply don't need all the stuff that a 5 ton Montana 5th wheel needs. Don't worry about the TA, it'll follow like a puppy behind your Tahoma. Can't wait to order mine.

[steve dunham]

I have never understood why we have these threads or why vehicle manufacturers waste their time and energy to have their engineers calculate limits for the vehicles they manufacture . I have never seen one of these threads where someone will not give confirmation to the notion that you can tow anything with everything.. Thank God their are hungry lawyers.!!

[Eddie_Escaper]

I have a 6' bed Tacoma that I tow my 5.0 Escape with. No problem with power. Like a previous reply said, you need to be sure you have the room to place the hitch far enough from the cab to ensure the trailer does not hit it on tight turns. I had my hitch put on at trademasters, right next door to ETI in CHilliwack. They had a sliding hitch available that might be just the ticket, I would just call them directly. THey did a great job and were very reasonable, as was ETI. Best of luck

[PGDriver]

I used to pull my Escape 19 with a Tacoma Double Cab TRD which was ok but I think the 5.0TA will kill it especially going up hills. Cheers
Doug

[Daubsy]

Originally Posted by Bobnjudy

I was very concerned about the same thing when I was researching for commercial hitch connections for my Scamp 2016 19' gooseneck. They didn't/don't exist. My TV is a 2015 GMC Canyon XLT short bed. With 305 hp, 6 speed XMission, 1650 payload and 7000# tow I decided to quit worrying and let the pros take care of it. The Scamp gooseneck uses an 2" ball mounted to bed platform that they installed in the plant when I picked it up last month. Towing was a dream. We had a Casita 17" before and towed with a Hyundai Santa Fe GLS. That also was effortless. The long and short of it is that these light FG trailers simply don't need all the stuff that a 5 ton Montana 5th wheel needs. Don't worry about the TA, it'll follow like a puppy behind your Tahoma. Can't wait to order mine.

Hi Bob. Can you elaborate on your experience towing the Scamp fifth wheel with your Canyon? I have the 2015 Colorado CC with short box, same frame and guts as your truck. I would like to be able to tow an Escape 5.0 but have concluded that the bed was too short and the payload marginal. I see that you are in Austin. Perhaps I can take a look at your setup sometime?

[padlin]

Originally Posted by Eddie_Escaper

I have a 6' bed Tacoma that I tow my 5.0 Escape with. No problem with power. Like a previous reply said, you need to be sure you have the room to place the hitch far enough from the cab to ensure the trailer does not hit it on tight turns. I had my hitch put on at trademasters, right next door to ETI in CHilliwack. They had a sliding hitch available that might be just the ticket, I would just call them directly. THey did a great job and were very reasonable, as was ETI. Best of luck

Is yours a single or double axle?

[Jake930]

April 2016 issue of Trailer Life. Review of a 2016 Tacoma pulling an Oliver Legacy ll. A much heavier FG trailer than an Escape. 5700 lbs as tested, I think Gross trailer weight is 7000lbs. It seems like it should handle a 5.0ta. On the other hand-- I had a 2014 Tacoma with tow package, but when I ran the numbers for a 21, I was to close to maximum pay load for my liking(within 50lbs) so I traded up to a 16 Tundra with 4.6 engine. I did not think I needed the 5.7 for a 21. Should handle it fine, bigger truck, bigger engine, more torque. Time will tell.

[Eddie_Escaper]

Originally Posted by padlin

Is yours a single or double axle?

Mine is a single axle 5.0, with V6 and a 6 speed manual trans. I had absolutely no power problems on the hills/mountain passes. Did some pretty steep climbs last summer into and over the Big Horns in Wyoming and Beartooths of Montana

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I have never understood why we have these threads or why vehicle manufacturers waste their time and energy to have their engineers calculate limits for the vehicles they manufacture . I have never seen one of these threads where someone will not give confirmation to the notion that you can tow anything with everything.

This thread may be the exception, as no one has made any such suggestion so far.

Originally Posted by Bobnjudy

I was very concerned about the same thing when I was researching for commercial hitch connections for my Scamp 2016 19' gooseneck. They didn't/don't exist. My TV is a 2015 GMC Canyon XLT short bed.
...
The Scamp gooseneck uses an 2" ball mounted to bed platform that they installed in the plant when I picked it up last month.

I assume that this is Scamp's current rail-mounted ball mount, which they call a "fifth wheel hitch", not the old thing that was screwed to the truck box. This is the frame (legs and crossmember) of a fifth-wheel hitch (I think it's a Reese), carrying a ball instead of a fifth-wheel head, and mounted to the truck by "industry standard" rails, which in turn mount to the frame with brackets under the box floor.

As far as mounting to the truck is concerned, this is just like any fifth-wheel, so the Scamp 19' experience is relevant to an Escape (although a Scamp 19' is the size and weight of an Escape 5.0, not the wider and heavier 5.0TA). As far as the ball connection is concerned, this is functionally the same as using the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel Connection system, although Scamp uses a 2" diameter ball instead of the 2-5/16" used by Andersen and far more common in this sort of connection.

I suppose an Escape 5.0/5.0TA owner could use this (or their own home-brew equivalent), with Andersen's coupler (or equivalent). Scamp owners don't need the coupler - the Scamp 19' comes with a 2" coupler, not a fifth-wheel pin.

Originally Posted by Eddie_Escaper

Mine is a single axle 5.0...

Eddie, you might want to fix the trailer description in your profile from "1986 escaper" to whatever year of "Escape 5.0".