What’s the best truck

[Jeremy Kessenich]

Here's the poll I was talking about, and apologies for the previous typo.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...0ta-20118.html

[DT6]

Once you get the truck outfitted for the 5.0, take a few days if you can to drive around your local area. If you can find a big deserted parking lot, like a high school on the weekend, take a drive around that. Pick up a couple of orange cones, or even some cardboard boxes, and set them up and practice backing up (you won't always be able to find a pull-thru spot to park). While you can just pick up the trailer and hit the road to Austin, I really would recommend towing around town for a few days. Also, when going to a gas station take a look to ensure you have an easy in/out and take care to watch out for the concrete piers that protect gas pumps!


You also need to practice backing up. Again, a deserted parking lot is great for this. The best thing I can share about backing up is. T A K E Y O U R T I M E ! Try to avoid backing into tight spaces until you have more experience, but if you have to back into one just do a few inches or feet at a time. Get out, check your clearances and then repeat until you are parked. Absolutely do not ever let other peoples perceived impatience with you backing into a spot make you hurry. You might back into something that causes a major fiberglass repair, then you are out an insurance deductible and loss of use of your trailer for weeks. That said, most people are pretty friendly in campgrounds and may offer to help. Even if they don't they have all been where you are and most remember so don't be afraid to ask for help as well.

Take your time, keep your speed reasonable (60mph or less), plan your stops so you are not driving more than you are comfortable with and you should be fine. If it were me, I'd plan on driving no more than 150 to 200 miles the first few days until I am more comfortable with the rig, then stretch that out to 300 or more if you are comfortable doing so.

Finally, regarding stops on your way, it might be easier to plan stops at something like "Good Sam" campgrounds. They are not cheap, but can usually be counted on to provide a safe location to stop for the night. As an alternative we have found "Harvest Host / Boondockers Welcome" to be well worth the $70 to $100 per year. I know that is a big investment, but most owners just ask you make a small purchase. If it is a winery we usually do a wine tasting or buy a gift (usually $20 or so), or we will order dinner if they have a restaurant. For us at least, this it is a lot cheaper than most campgrounds. We have never stayed at a bad one yet and many participants don't charge anything.

[Bill and Earline]

You've received a lot of good advice about payload and backing up.

Now let's talk about slowing the combo on hills and stopping in general.

I don't know if this particular truck has an integrated brake controller or an aftermarket one. Assuming it was used for towing, if probably has one or the other.

You will need to make sure a) it's working and b) you know how to test it and to adjust to a setting that suits you. They usually have choices from 1 to 10 and most people try it at 5 and see if you can sense it slowing the trailer. Most will also have a test function where you squeeze both sides of the controller and it gives full power to the trailer brake, possibly causing the tires to skid, which is ok. That's the 10 rating of the 1 to 10. If there is a mechanic doing major work on this truck, ask him to hook up some kind of trailer--any kind-- and try the brake controller.

Since you will be new to this truck, you need to know how to gear down. If you are going down a major hill, you will probably want to go down a gear or two. You should practice this even before you get the trailer to see how it works, what it sounds like and what it feels like in terms of it slowing the truck.

Finally, you very possibly could make the whole trip without backing up or even unhitching. If you do back up, tell yourself to get out and look at least 5 times. No kidding. It's not a contest to see if you can do it without looking. Smart drivers get out and look, even those of us who have backed trailers for 50 years.

Keep the questions coming.

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by DT6

.. Also, when going to a gas station take a look to ensure you have an easy in/out and take care to watch out for the concrete piers that protect gas pumps! ...

Excellent advice. While on the gas station topic, you will have to learn how your rig does on gas and plan accordingly. When we towed with our Nissan Frontier, gas mileage varied greatly, depending on conditions, which made planning gas stops on some trips really important. All it took was one really close call to running out of gas and having to fill up in a cramped, small town convenience store for me to start traveling with a 5 gallon gas can for emergencies. Not saying you will have to do that, but never hurts to be prepared.

[iamunique127]

The Tundra does like gas. We just returned from a week away with our 5.0TA and were both surprised at the amount of gas we used. It's been a number of years since we hauled the trailer and I'm sure they've made the litres smaller in the meantime. (joke)

We didn't do the same sort of trip it sounds like you'll be making, we were on backroads and into some wilderness but sometimes we filled up at 3/4 tank to be sure we'd have enough gas to get where we were going and back again to the last gas station. I don't generally like to get below 1/3 tank so keep an eye on the map and the gas gauge.

You've had tons of good advice.Follow it and you'll do fine.

[occer]

Originally Posted by iamunique127

keep an eye on the map and the gas gauge.
.

Off topic; Your comment about gas gauge and map, reminds me of a trip from Southern Florida to California Bay Area. Was using a AAA trip kit map ( for the younger folks) (AAA would make a booklet with pages of the route.). I was driving a 1 ton with a Toyota pickup truck in the back towing a 1 ton with a bore machine loaded in it.

Gas mileage was a real issue, AAA left out a whole page in Texas (345 miles). Really played havoc on my gas stop planing. Thank goodness the Toyota and the truck being towed had some gas in their tanks or I’d still be sitting in Texas waiting to be rescued.

[Ooshkaboo]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

Up until a couple of months ago, the Youtuber Grand Adventure towed a full sized 'half ton" fifth wheel trailer with an older (2005 or so) Tundra 4x4 long bed, and while it did struggle at times, he has been to the east coast and back west a couple of times or more since he switched to the 5iver a couple of years ago.

You will probably do OK with the Tundra if it is in good mechanical shape. Hint, Toyotas love fresh transmission fluid, get it and all other fluids replaced before the trip and after you get to Texas at reasonable intervals. My Pontiac has a Toyota engine and transaxle in it and I do a dump and refill on the transmission every 10000 mile oil change (full synthetics) Toyota automatics do not have filters so the fluid needs to stay clean by changing it often.

Charles

Transmission and differential fluid change for my 2021 Tundra, per Toyota service is recommended at 30,000. Oil changes are 10,000, something I’m still getting used to putting off for another 5,000.
All Escapes made, including the new one are not a problem for a Tundra to tow.