Owning a powerful Toyota Tacoma means knowing how much it’s capable of hauling. You might be wondering if the 2017 Tacoma towing capacity still holds true in more current models and is capable of handling your camper and its toys.
To put your worries to rest, we did a little research on the Tacoma, and here’s what we found out.
Campers You Can Pull With the Tacoma
Campers weighing between 3,000 and 6,800 pounds should prove light work for the Tacoma. That’s a wide range made possible by the Tacoma’s multiple configurations. A V6 optimization takes the normal vehicle’s engine capacity from 3,500 pounds to up to 6,800 pounds.
As for your truck’s towing ability, we can only answer it by going over the finer details. So, before hooking and hauling any vehicle, let’s first understand more about the Tacoma’s towing capabilities.
What To Know About the Tacoma
The Tacoma is among Toyota’s most popular models for off-road riding. It’s robust construction, broad range of features, and long-term dependability makes it perfect for dirt roads. However, it’s great for city driving, too.
Most of its operations come in twos: two options for transmission, and it’s either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic (still a multiple of two). However, Toyota was determined to shake things up a bit with this truck, releasing models with 2.7L four-cylinder engines, 3.5L V6 engines, and 4.0L V6 engines.
Nevertheless, two-length, double-cab, and access-cab options are the norm for the Tacoma. Most have five- to six-foot-long beds, the latter of which is configured in all access-cab models.
As mentioned previously, 6,800 pounds is the maximum weight capacity for trucks with optimized engines. Specifically, a truck can haul this weight if it’s an automatic that gets a V6 engine boost.
Trucks categorized under trim levels SR and SR5 can easily hit the maximum towing capacity. The same goes for TRD Sport Trims, though it should tow more effortlessly than the other two.
In a 2WD access cab with a four-cylinder engine, the minimum 3,500 towing weight shouldn’t be a problem. It should prove even easier for a 4WD model of the same engine type and with auto-transmission.
Tacoma Towing Capacities Per Engine Type
Tacoma engines are not built with equal towing power; some can haul heavier and more effortlessly than others. Here’s a breakdown of each Tacoma engine’s towing abilities:
2.7L Four-Cylinder Engine
You can only get this model in a six-speed auto transmission, which says a lot about its power. It holds 180 pounds-feet torque, giving it a max towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, the minimum for Tacomas in general.
The engine has three configurations: the access cab auto in 2WD and 4WD and the 2WD double-cab with a five-foot bed.
3.5L V6
This engine is where Tacomas start to get really powerful. With 265 pounds-feet torque, it holds twice as much towing capacity as the 2.7L four-cylinder model. A 2WD access cab auto with this engine easily hits the maximum towing rating of 6,800 pounds. A 2WD double-cab with the same machine can carry about a hundred pounds shy of the auto at 6,700 pounds.
Then, we have the 2WD limited double-cab auto, which delivers with a 6,600 rating. The 2WD TRD Sport and trim level SR5 falls under the same towing rating. Generally, Tacomas under this trim level are the most powerful.
Then again, there are exclusive features, upgrades, and other modifications that could see the towing for these trucks improve in several aspects. For the full lowdown on a specific Tacoma’s towing capacity, do more research on the various trim levels.
Other Important Considerations Before Towing With a Tacoma
While towing capacity is the primary consideration for hauling with a Tacoma, the following factors should also affect how well or badly you do so:
- Tongue Weight
Basically, this is the pressure the hitch subjects your truck to. Getting the right tongue weight means ensuring the front has more load than the rear. This delivers the necessary pressure to the hitch ball to keep the trailer from swaying.
- Payload
This refers to the weight of everything inside the trailer, including the passengers and tongue weight. It should not take into consideration the weight of the vehicle.
Should You Tow More Than What’s Allowed?
The answer is an obvious no because it’s illegal and would be completely reckless and unsafe. Towing above the recommended weight makes it more difficult to hit the brake and damages your RV’s transmission.
Campers You Can Tow With the Tacoma
With relatively little effort, the Tacoma can tow most pop-up, teardrop, and airstream trailers. Fifth-wheel trailers below 6,800 pounds should be good, too. As you can see, there are tons of options, and so long as it’s not anything above the recommended weight, it should be towable.
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