Tow vehicles
 

How you guys think a 2001 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 w/V6, 4 speed auto tranny, 190hp, 5000lb. tow capacity would do towing a v20 long distances, say from FL to NY? I know short distances would be no problem. I'm thinking I would want to install a tranny cooler. Anyone have info on these?

Re: Tow vehicles
 

did you find one in Fla. ?

Re: Tow vehicles
 

i have a lady trooper neighbor at the coast that has that same truck and she pulls her 25 ft Scout without any issues over 300 miles backand forth.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Is this going to be a one time only trip??

If you are going to do this more then once then I would add some spring helpers, tranny cooler and make sure I had working brakes on the trailer, I also have a engin oil cooler on my trucks.

I have full size trucks and I always have a tranny cooler and oil cooler on them.
I don't have brakes on my trailer but the whole rig is like 5000 pounds and I have a 6300 pound truck.

In the spring I am adding some rancho shocks and spring helpers, the truck came with a tranny cooler already (a must IMO) I have had oil cooler's onn the last 2 trucks cause they came that way, have not decided if I am going to do it on this truck yet?

Re: Tow vehicles
 

yea its tuff to have to stop fast with a trailer that weighs more then the tow vechile!!
Hell its bad anough having to do it with a truck that weighs more!!
My camper is pushing 9000# and the brakes work awsome!

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Tin, the Tacoma wouldn't be my 1st choice, but if that's what you already got, then add the tranny cooler, air up all the tires and GO... I do like MJ's advice on trailer brakes...goins one thing...STOPPINS a whole different kinda rodeo!!... :o...

Re: Tow vehicles
 

I agree on the brakes. It's not always a matter being able to stop, but how quickly you can stop. The brakes may be what saves your butt when some moron pulls in front of you. You frequently find your self following closer than you might like because when you try to leave a little space between you and the guy ahead, someone always jumps in there. >:( Trans coolers are alot cheaper than transmissions.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

I had the Tacoma 4dr 4x4 v6. Great truck, towed my 5000 pound camper trailer with it three times to NY State for hunting. A little under powered but it did it. On generally flat terrain no problem at all. The weakness to me and the reason I sold it and bought the Ford Super Duty 4x4 was shear weight and interior size. Everything I towed was as long or longer and as heavy as the truck could handle and I don't like living on that kind of edge. My camper had its own brakes and that is the only reason I towed with it. The brakes will not last long and do not have the power to stop that heavy of a load well without towed vehicle brakes. So IMO if you are towing a V20 and trailer in that 5000 lbs range make sure your trailer brakes are good and keep it slow on the highways.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Tin, if you wind up puttin' brakes onna trailer, go Kodiak, NOT TIE-DOWN...Tie-Down Mickey Mouse...Kodiak big bear... ;)...

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Good advice everyone, thanks.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Tin, You never answered Phester's question. Did you find a boat in FL.?

Re: Tow vehicles
 

TinMan,
If you are still looking for info on transmission coolers for your Taco, check out www.yotatech.com for suggestions on what kind to get and how to install it. I have an 11 year old 4Runner, and have got lots of useful info from that website/forum.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Like said before, if thats what you got then use it. if not and and you are in the market then buy fullsize.

I have a 4x4 sonoma with the 4.3 vortec that is putting out about the same hp. I, as yall know dont use my v20 yet, but I have had to tow it a few times to work on it and evade hurricanes and I HATE towin it with my truck. Also mine is just a hull!!....no fuel, windshields, outboard, gear etc....

I regularly tow my 18 wellcraft with it and its a heavy little boat. It does it, but it doesnt like to do it....go fullsize if you can, I cant WAIT till I can. ::)

Oh and lets dont even talk about stopping either one, especially in the rain. :o

Re: Tow vehicles
 

No, I didn't, but I have a feeling when I do find one it will be down there.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Thanks PD, looks like a great site.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

I had a friend pull a 5000 lb trailer from florida to VA with that same truck year 2000 I believe. His was a 5 speed and he had no problems. Towing is really about torque not horsepower. You will be fine towing wise but read below.

BRING A GREASE GUN FOR THE WHEEL BEARINGS

BRING EXTRA WHEEL BEARINGS AND MAKE SURE YOU NO HOW TO CHANGE THEM OUT.

BRING A SPARE TIRE

FIND OUT IF THE TRAILER HAS BRAKES (my trailer is currently illegal over 3500lbs and no brakes)

I got a great deal on my boat (almost $6000 under retail) and the trip was from GA to VA and I would never do it again.

Most boat owners don't take care of there trailers. Over a 1000 miles on any trailer will almost always present some type of problems.

On my trip I lost one wheel bearing in a small little town at 9:00pm. I did not know the wheel bearing size but I had a jack and tons of tools in my truck. Got the boat to walmart and bought ever type of bearing they had none of them fit. By this time I looked like a greasy homeless person. Left the boat at walmart. Drove to ever truck stop no luck. Slept at walmart parking lot over night.
Next morning drove 50 miles to Bass Pro Shop. Got there waited to 10:00am for them to open. Changed the wheel bearing. Then I drove 500 miles at 45-50 mph stoping ever 50 miles to grease wheel bearings. I really like my new boat but I will never do that again.


just be careful and give yourself alot of time and I hope you are saving a lot of money.

Re: Tow vehicles & HEAR what Deshet says!
 

Amen brother deshet!

Great advice!

Before you drive a "NEW" trailer home - like anything over 50 miles - look at it very, very closely, the time and money you but in up front will save you ten times in return!

Look at
1) Tires - no problem until one blows at 60 MPH !
2) Bearings and axles - see deshet's post
3) Speings - see below
4) Brakes - you only need them when you want to stop!
5) Hitch and trailer structural - go ahead break a cross member - they on rust on the bottom!
6) Lights - cops love out of state trailers with no lights!

You heard deshets - now mine ....

I lost a spring on 95 northbound in North Carolina about 10 miles south of the VA border. Ok I pull off on exit, and find a"very helpful" gas station.... "Sure we can fix the spring - but you gatta leave it" so I do, and get back to Annapolis. This is saturday afternonn, and small things like family and work Monday becon! I drive back down the following saturday to pick up the boat (an Aquasport 17) and get charged $250 !!! When I asked why so high - I was told "well my boy here measured wrong the first time, and so he had to go back and get the right set of springs, and he he was on the clock on your job".
Now talk about getting your nortons in a vice!

So yeah - check out that trailer 5 ways to sunday!

C-Bill

Re: Tow vehicles
 

I had a 94 Toyota with the 3.0 V-6. It was OK from home to the launch 10 miles away, but farther than that I was uncomfortable. As mentioned before, trailer brakes are a must. I eneded up with a Tundra with the 4.7 V8. Huge difference! Gas mileage was about the same between the two trucks.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Hey Tin, when I movedmy boat from Va to Fla I used a boat transport company, considering gas, time and wear and tear it was well worth it.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

I thought of that too, or renting a u-haul 1 way and towing with that.

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Franco's got the answer...specially if it's an ''unknown'' trailer...

I have and will cancel a fishin' trip (4 a.m.) because trailer lights didn't come on...gotta stay ''ahead'' of stuff like that... ;)...but the trailer gremlins will BITE anybody no matter how prepared you are.... :o...

Re: Tow vehicles
 

I had the same truck for a few years. I'd add some weight in the bed to give you better braking power, bring stuff to fix the trailer & go. Mine was a standard but I think a tranny cooler may come standard, my '97 landcruiser has one.

That's a lot more truck than most folks think, I doubt you'd have any trouble if you are careful.

Doug

Re: Tow vehicles
 

Does anyone tow their V20 with a Dodge Dakota? I',m looking to buy a Dakota 4x4 towing capacity 5900 lbs. What do you think? Bill Mc ;D

Re: Tow vehicles
 

I have a '98 Durango, 5.2l V8 with 5900lb towing capacity. Works great for me

Re: Tow vehicles
 

My $.01 worth is this..

while these trucks may very well pull the boat fine down the highway, and may stop the boat eventually in somewhat of a straight line, the main factor in my mind is control of both the vehicle and the trailer if something else happens..i.e. emergency manuever, trailer tire blowout, etc.

just this past year while driving down the i-state, i was pulling my 18scout flats boat and got caught in the middle lane with some merging traffic and my brand new tire(less than 100 miles) blew out on my trailer at 65-70 mph--figure 2300-2600 lbs boat, motor, trailer, fuel, gear, etc, that is now wagging around behind the truck--you could feel the trailer pulling at the truck trying to break the back end loose until it was back under control-- now all of this happened while i was completely surrounded by traffic left and right--if i had been in a compact truck i would have probaly been fine, but i bet that i would have been sitting on the side of the road filling out police reports for the 2-4 cars that my trailer and/or truck sideswiped--i happen to have overkill with a f-250 crewcab, but the point being is that i would not have wanted that to happen while driving a short-bed toyo, nissan,ranger, s-10 or whatever type of truck that was as short if not shorter than my boat and weighed in at some 500-1000# less than my boat--it is all about leverage...can't budge 1/2" nut with a 1/4 socket, but put a 3/8 or 1/2 drive and you will break it off!!

numerous times while trailering to florida, i have had some yahoo in a honda or mustang do something crazy infront of me and and almost cause a two-three car wreck before they got myself, truck and 30 feet of pursuit piling in the backdoor

My point being this...

i am not saying that you need a 250 diesel to pull around a 15' duracraft, but just because you can get something moving and stop it doesn't mean that it is a good idea to trailer with--2-3 miles to the landing...you will probaly never have a problem, but pulling a 5-6000# boat all the way up i-95 with an 18' truck that might weigh 3000# just is not an intelligent move.