2005+ Toyota Tacoma for towing my boat?

[deafgoose]

I am looking into buying as 2005+ Toyota Tacoma 4.0L V6 4x4 with towing package.

They are rated for 6500lb but I am worried about climbing hills while pulling my boat.

[SkiKY]

I have that same setup- 2007 Quad Cab long bed 4.0 4x4 w/ a 2006 Outback V - and it tows extremely well. I think better than my old Chevy K1500 w/ a V8. The Tacomas are close to 2000 lbs. lighter than a domestic full size truck so on a weight to HP basis I would guess it comes close to a wash. I've had no struggles with hills at all.

[deafgoose]

SWEET!

That is exactly what I needed to hear before I pulled the trigger.

Thanks

[maxpower220]

You should really test drive the truck with your boat hooked up. That way, you will know exactly how it will tow your boat. Different people have opinions on what "good" is.

[04OUTBACK]

DG,
The prev owner of my LSV delivered to me in same truck.. He said he did not have any trouble with that.. LSV weighs a few pounds more that OBV..
I would not wanna head out on a REAL long trip in it, but they are good trucks and you are well within the tow rating..
Good point abover on the weight to HP ratio My Tahoe weighs way more than a Yota... so that is a good point..

[tlatoani]

Shoot, 6500lb could tow my XLV :P

I hooked it up to a Jeep Cherokee once when I was without a tow vehicle. The back end nearly bottomed out so we just stayed home that day. I guess suspension is a big factor...the engine should do ok in the flatlands here.

[SkiKY]

I forgot about the suspension.

The stock rear springs are notoriously lightweight in the Tacoma's. With 800 lbs. of concrete I was on the bump stops so I added some $150 JC Whitney helper springs before I even got around to pulling the boat. There’s hardly any sag now but not sure what it would do stock.

[deafgoose]

I forgot about the suspension.

The stock rear springs are notoriously lightweight in the Tacoma's. With 800 lbs. of concrete I was on the bump stops so I added some $150 JC Whitney helper springs before I even got around to pulling the boat. There’s hardly any sag now but not sure what it would do stock.

Tongue weight and payload is two different things. I am not worried about the rear springs while pulling the boat.

[Hootreville]

I read alot about this before purchasing my boat. They say you should never exceed 80% of the towing capacity. Make sure the transmission can handle towing. Usually a tranny cooler of some sort. I have a Grand Cherokee with a 4.0 and it tows my outback fine. The most I travel is about 150 miles. IF I still lived out west and was towing through the mountains I would probobly get a v-8. I live in wisconsin now where its pretty flat.

[deafgoose]

http://www.toyota.ca/NWS/media/pdf/08towing_guide_e.pdf

Any Toyota Tacoma that is 4x4 can pull 5,000lb and when you get the optional towing package it can pull 6500lb. My boat and trailer is 3800lb so I am laughing!

[Sled491]

DG, before I stepped up to the big diesel, I had a tacoma 4X4 in fact I was getting a new one every 2 years. My previous boat was a 18 ft Nitro Fish and ski. I did not like pulling the Nitro with that boat. The tounge weight was no problem but I found it dicey on the freeways. Just my 2 cents.

[OldeBoy]

I echo Ed G. I have a 2002 Ranger V6 4x4 auto with the 4.10 and trailer package. I would rather have a beefier truck if I were regularly pulling my Boomerang great distances. A Boomerang is a much lighter boat.
My boat ramp is 2 miles away and I haven't been pulling my boat out of the water much this year. (new lift)

[maxpower220]

Just because your truck is rated to pull a specific weight doesn't mean that you will be satisfied with the truck's performance while doing it. Also, when your boat/trailer weight is approaching the same weight as your tow vehicle, you will find that it doesn't tow as well. Power to weight was mentioned earlier, but I can attest that a Yukon/Suburban will have a better towing performance than a Toyota/Ranger/S-10; even if Power-Weight is the same.

[Ian Brantford]

DG, before I stepped up to the big diesel, I had a tacoma 4X4 in fact I was getting a new one every 2 years. My previous boat was a 18 ft Nitro Fish and ski. I did not like pulling the Nitro with that boat. The tounge weight was no problem but I found it dicey on the freeways. Just my 2 cents.

Really? I use a Toyoto 4Runner (the SUV equivalent of the Tacoma). It's an older generation from 1998, and I two my XLV with it! I could use more power, but it is great for stability. Then again, the trailer is dual-axle.

I used both this 4Runner and a GMC Sonoma (S15) to tow my previous boat, an 18ft I/O. The boat and the trailer together would be a bit under 3000 lbs, but on a single axle trailer with no brakes. The 4Runner was a bit more stable on the road, and much better at the ramp.

Plus, I don't have to bring the 4Runner in for unscheduled repair work, so that's a bonus. The Sonoma keep needing repairs. I had to replace every universal joint in the two years that I owned it -- some more than once. It just wasn't made for serious work, but the 4Runner is, despite what one might assume by the girly interior.

I think that it would be better to say that an S10 is a small truck and the Tacoma is a mid-sized truck. Deafgoose, it would have been better to test-drive the truck while towing, but you are at pretty low risk in getting the Tacoma.

[FearTheElf]

I agree with what others have said, especially about taking a test drive with your boat in tow. Just because a vehicle is rated for a certain towing capacity does not necessarily mean it will tow like a dream. You're definitely not within a dangerous range of your 6,500 lb. rating, but the suspension, relative size and wheelbase of the tow vehicle make a difference in various towing situations.

For about five years now, I have been towing every weekend to lakes about an hour away from my house. I also shoot down to Norris Lake in Tennessee a few times a year, so I'm getting into some fairly hilly terrain. I would never tow without a V8. A 1999 Grand Cherokee V8 towed my old boat noticeably better than a bigger in size, 2004 Pathfinder V6. I was borrowing the Pathfinder, and it was a nice vehicle, but man did it struggle in the hills, even though its tow rating was plenty greater than the amount I was towing. Tranny was all over the place. Now I tow with a Lincoln Aviator, with the Ford modular V8 block from the old Cobra. Crummy mileage, but it tows like a champ. I do miss my F-150 though, mainly for the size ratio when towing.

Anyway, goose, I would say it depends on how much you are towing and in what type of terrain as to whether or not you would be happy with the Tacoma. If it is shorter distances, and not every weekend, the Tacoma would likely be sufficient. But if you are thinking of getting into longer or more frequent hauls, go for a V8!

[Sled491]

Guys say what you want about the Japanese trucks, there mileage is no better than the big North American trucks, even though they are considerably smaller and not nearly as comforatable. And while not everyone wants to drop 45k on a truck you can not debate the pulling power and stability of a full size truck. There is a difference between just getting it done and no problems. JM2C

[woodstock]

No problem with the tacoma. Size does matter a little bit but you won't have any problems. I drive a f350 but prefer to put my boat in the water/garage with my wifes highlander. It's more maneuverable and has better visibility. I check my ego at the door. :)

don

[maxpower220]

Overall you should also consider how often and how far you normally tow your boat (or other toys). For most people, it is less than 2% of the total miles they put on their vehicle. If that is your case, then the F350 (or what ever gas guzzler you wish) doesn't make as much sense.
I have towed a boat across the country twice (San Diego-FL) and from Witchata, KS to FL once. I had an F-250 diesel for the KS to FL trip and a Chevy Avalanche from FL-SD-FL. Both trucks were great, but the diesel was a slightly better tow platform and returned 15 mpg vs 12.5 in the Avalanche 5.3.