Towing with a Tacoma

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

If a V6 Tacoma is inadequate to tow any Escape safely, then all of those big rigs out there should be pulled off the road right now, because their performance is far worse.

I am passing these units all the time with my Pilot and 19.

[Brian B-P]

I entirely understand and appreciate the question "Why do you choose your size of tug?". I am more than a little annoyed by "Why are you doing something unsafe?"... it certainly appears to be an accusation, just as "Why are you so ugly?" is a criticism phrased as a question.

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I am passing these units all the time with my Pilot and 19.

Same here in our Toyota Sienna and Boler 1700 (like a chubby Escape 17... wider, heavier, rounder).

I also pass the big diesel pickups, because they are usually towing much bigger trailers. They may have up to twice the power, but their GCW is 6 to 12 tons instead my 4 tons. Are they unsafe due to poor performance?

I have not towed for a while, and towed a rented 6'x12' U-Haul yesterday with our Toyota van (these were called "minvans", but they're not so "mini" anymore). While the trailer was like a boat anchor on the vehicle's performance, it reminded me how good the performance of our tug/trailer rig is compared to our Class A motorhome, but even the motorhome runs up hills (such as long mountain grades) past those big commercial tractor-trailer rigs.

[daveandsandyclink]

After reading post #4 and bits and pieces mentioning air bags, WDH, and poor fuel mileage, I just had to ask the question. I suppose towing a 15' or 17' with a Tacoma 6cyl. would be adequate. It is human nature to add a lot more carry weight on a 4 week trip in a 19' or 21'. Two axles may give you a false sense of security. Many are trading up. Some of you might be surprised on the scales. I have traveled up and down many 6% to 8% grades with switchbacks in the US Rockies. You loose horsepower, torque, and cooling at high elevation as air density changes. Falling off the edge of pavement, high cross winds, head winds, steep grades, and the loaded weight of your trailer and loaded vehicle are just a few issues one might want to consider when choosing a tow vehicle. The thread question was about towing performance with Toyota Tacoma in the Canadian Rockies.

Yes..I live in the "Land of Bigger Everything". We tow with a Dodge 2500/Cummins which gives me the power and weight to comfortably handle almost anything that arises. I average 18 towing and 20mpg without the 5.0. I have no problems with Toyota or small vehicles. I have a Camry Hybrid out in the garage as a daily driver that I dearly love.
To those who lashed back...Let's just agree to disagree on this one.
Please end this particular discussion concerning my question on small tow vehicles.

[Jubal]

"gives me the power and weight to comfortably handle almost anything that arises".
X2

[gbaglo]

Can we all relax? I'd feel more comfortable and secure with a 5,000 lb. tow capacity, but my RAV4 is my daily driver and tow vehicle.
It's a compromise. But, it works. So far.
If my circumstances were different, I'd have a Hummer that you could actually park somewhere.

[bryan]

For myself, I tow my trailer maybe 5-10 trips a year. This trips are anywhere from 5 to possible 10 hrs in duration. I drive my truck daily to go mtn bike riding, moto riding, hiking and just daily running around. I work 120 day a year on a boat so the truck sits while im working. So for roughly 230 day I don't need a bigger tug. To drive around in a full size truck makes no sense for my personal lifestyle.

Now when the day comes that I am travelling with my trailer more days than I drive it around town, that will be the day I look at a bigger truck. I would likely also be looking at getting a bigger trailer if I was spending that much time in it.

I kinda laugh at my friends that have heavier trailers and need bigger trucks to tow them. Roughly the same amount of trips as myself and yet they drive daily to work and have to use these bigger trucks to get around. Seems a little silly to me, but thankfully we can all make our own choices in life.

I actually thought Escapes biggest selling point was that they can be towed by smaller vehicles?

[thoer]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I am passing these units all the time with my Pilot and 19.

You made me remember going west climbing out of Denver on I70 and passing one big rig after another that had huge dual rear axle diesel tows as they struggled up the long climb.

Given the weight of an Escape vs those huge trailers, I would guess that my "little" Tacoma's tow power to my trailer weight ratio is a lot better than most of those big rigs.

[Greggo]

Originally Posted by thoer

You made me remember going west climbing out of Denver on I70 and passing one big rig after another that had huge dual rear axle diesel tows as they struggled up the long climb.

Given the weight of an Escape vs those huge trailers, I would guess that my "little" Tacoma's tow power to my trailer weight ratio is a lot better than most of those big rigs.

Yep, your "little" Tacoma is just fine. I'm thinking some folks here might need to take their Escapes out with whatever the heck they tow with and go someplace and relax.

[PAB4]

Do you use the Anderson WDH? Do you have to disconnect the WDH when reversing?

[cpaharley2008]

You do not need to disconnect the Andersen when backing up.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by PAB4

Do you use the Anderson WDH? Do you have to disconnect the WDH when reversing?

The only time I disconnect my Anderson hitch, is when reversing into my drive, but that is because it is a fairly steep incline.

Do you have to remove other types of WDH for reversing, and if so why?

[Greggo]

No WDH for me. The fourth leaf spring too care of that. Just sold it to some Casita people.

Greg

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by PAB4

Do you have to disconnect the WDH when reversing?

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

You do not need to disconnect the Andersen when backing up.

True... and you should not need to disconnect any WDH for backing up. PAB4 - are you perhaps thinking of bar-style friction-based sway control devices? Those things apparently sometimes jam at extreme angles, so common operating procedure is to disconnect them when backing. Personally, I wouldn't consider using any piece of junk that required this sort of procedure.

[Buddy]

2011 Tacoma, 6 speed standard, TRD Sport package. Pulled a 2008 17b (1900 lbs dry weight) from Vancouver Island to Calgary this fall. Milage did drop, no problem with power for the most part. Some of the steeper hills slowed me down to 90-95 km.

[stoney]

2011 Tacoma, auto , 4x4 , 4 door longbox , with a set of timbren overloaders , tow's the 21ft the exact same as it did our 13ft trillium outback , same gas consumption , the 2 long incline's from Chilliwack to Kamloops sucked but for anywhere else in the mountain's or Alberta it tows just fine and no wdh , cheers mike

[fudge_brownie]

Greggo, what are you towing with?

Buddy, are you using a weight distribution hitch?

[Buddy]

I picked up the trailer used on Vancouver Island and brought it home with just the base truck, standard hitch, no air bags, no weight distribution hitch. I had no problems what so ever but have plans to add the air bags and the WD hitch as well as a few mods to the trailer..

Rick

[NuthatchBC]

On our big trip to the east coast last summer, we averaged 16 MPG (US) and we covered all sorts of terrain. We have a 2012 Tacoma and an Escape 19. We don't have a WDH and really haven't missed it either. The 19 tows beautifully as is.

Doug

[PAB4]

Is your Taco a 4 wheel drive

[santacruzer]

My '09 Tacoma (SR5,quad cab, 4x4, camper shell, with a heavy Truck Vault in the bed) tows my 17B just fine. It has the Tow Package, which rates for 6,000 pounds (or is that 6,500?), and with the 17B coming in at less than half that, I have no problems. We went through the Central Oregon mountains last summer and the transmission temperature never went above 210. I usually cruise on flat roads at 60, and mileage is around 12-14, depending. I do not use a WDH, but am considering it, since others here with Tacomas speak well of the experience. I had the leaf spring correction done, but no air bags. My only concern is tongue weight, since the Truck Vault weighs about 150 pounds. I try to keep it at 320, which with the Truck Vault is still below vehicle maximum. Anything we carry in the truck bed tends to be fairly light, also.