Got a new Toyota Tacoma v6 4x4 rated to tow up to 5000 lbs with a proper tow hitch. Sure would like to know if anyone knows if I dare tow a toy hauler that just nudges up to the 5000 lbs with two quads but dry, that is with no h20 on board. Or is this just asking for a blown tranny. Wouldn't be going up lots of steep grades mostly flat stuff like LA to Glamis or Dumont. So far Iv,e only seen two toy haulers just under 5000 lbs, a 2003 Weekend Warrior lite, and some other one back east somewhere, Man I sure don't want to do the pitch a tent thing in the dunes like Osama. Got into quads after I bought the truck or would have bought a full size 4x4. If anybody knows of light weight toy haulers I sure would like to know. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Man that would be pushing the limit!!

I'm getting a 18' enclosed trailer that fully loaded should be around 4500 lbs.
I've got a Dodge Dakota with a V8, I put on 6 ply tires, trans cooler, HD shocks, wired for electric brakes & will use a eqilizer hitch & sway control.
I shouldn't have a problem but The toy hauler will be a severe load on a V6 IMO.

 

Bombastic, I have a Tacoma TRD V6 4x4 5 speed and have towed a few things in my time. I wouldn't worry about the tranny but I would worry about the handling of the truck and the power of the truck. I very nearly lost it when towing a roughly 24' Haulmark with about 2000 lbs of stuff (ATVs Garden tracter, etc) started swaying on me going about 60 MPH. It was pushing my truck side to side on the road; I thought for sure I'd crash but I was able to slow it down eventually.

I towed a car from CT to WY without hardly even feeling it but again that's 3000 lbs of AERODYNAMIC load. I used to tow a 8 x 12 ATV trailer and with 2 machines it really slowed me down because of aerodynamic drag but it only weighed less than 1500 lbs total.

Sorry for all the stories but short story is that I don't think it is a good idea especially if you are going fairly long distances at highway speed. Short and slower trips would probably be OK but you have to remember that the the trailer weighs more than your truck and is a big burden to pull and a lot of weight to CONTROL.

 

wyo duner , usually when ive had them swaying it was due to the load not being heavier at the front of the trailer , you want the load just slightly heavier forward of the central point of the trailer . i have hauled horses , cattle , hay , pigs , atvs , tractors you name it all over the place with anything from a ford ranger to a 1 ton ford 4x4 and a c 60 chevy . i almost had a bad wreck once , we hauled a ford 9n tractor in a 18 ft. stock trailer from one farm to another , the hired hand put it in there , he left it out of gear and it rolled to the back end of the trailer on the first steep hill , then we started down the other side , the 3/4 ton chevy 4x4 we were in was being literally thrown from side to side of a two lane road , it was like the rear of the truck was being lifted up and pushed across the road where it would slam down sideways . the hired hand almost threw up right in the truck before i threw it up into 3rd and floored it as we started up a slight incline it finally stopped swerving . talk about some wild black marks . the neighbors talked about those black marks for years on that hill .

What I have found in v-6 towing is that most will pull the load , some will heat up bad if its really heavy , some will have to drive real slow to be able to stop in time .

small trucks have lighter suspension , smaller brakes and smaller cooling capacities , they were not made to pull mountains .

myself i currently own a chevy silverado with a 4.3 v-6 . it pulls my 3 quads the trailer 6x12 and all the gear i want to throw in and does fine . but its a full sized truck with full sized brakes and suspension . i run it in 3rd gear in the hills and overdrive on the flats . it will run 65-70 all day long . i have a trans cooler installed in concert with the factory cooler . i am planning to get another chevy 1/2 ton but i want a 350 or 305 just for the extra ooomph .

just be careful towing a big load in the hills , you dont want to put your self at risk .

 

jafo216, I think like you said the real issue is the smaller truck with the smaller suspension, brakes and less weight is not a good match for something that big. Short distances aren't so bad but to make a long trip like that is no fun.

Bombastic, I am in almost the exact situation as you. I have the same truck and decided that if I want my wife and son to go with me the only choice I have is either get a new truck plus a tow hauler or get a class C RV and trailer. I am going for the class C and trailer option. My truck is paid for and runs great and has plenty of life in it. It does great for just me with the quad in the back and will go anywhere but for the family I need to go another route. I figure with the class C I can tow the quads and the wife and kid can relax and have a pleasant trip to whereever we go. Most of the places I ride are 2 hours minimum up to about 9 hours drive. Withthe class C they can eat sleep whatever while I drive.