I'm having an off-road trailer built. Will weigh about 3,000 lbs. and will be 10' long. Basically a box shape. I have a 2-door Jeep Rubicon and am thinking about getting a Toyota Tundra. I'll be driving it all over the western US, with lots of high altitude mtn. passes, high winds, etc. I'm concerned that a Toyota Tacoma may be underpowered and don't want to wait for the new diesel Chevy/GMC's to come out next year. Upgrading to a Rubicon Unlimited has the same power issues. I know that the Tundra won't be as capable off-road and has a shorter range. I'm looking for recommendations for tow vehicles.
Tow Vehicle Recommendations
- Thread starter Terex
- Start date
No, it's the box size probably another 4-5 ft. for triangle and tongue.
I have a Tundra and they are great trucks. IMO, the Tundra is the only current production truck (that is sold in US) worth owning. Tacomas get the same MPG and are close in price. Unless you are limited on garage space, I would pick a Tundra over the Taco every time. Make sure to get the get the 5.7L if you get one.
I would budget for front and rear ARB lockers if planning to use as a semi serious off road rig. You can buy aftermarket 42 gal fuel tanks for the Tundra now (~$1500).
My 101A3 pulls and stops well behind my Tundra. I am sure it has been loaded over 3K. Have not taken it down anything more severe than ranch/oil field roads so I cant comment on off road performance.
I would budget for front and rear ARB lockers if planning to use as a semi serious off road rig. You can buy aftermarket 42 gal fuel tanks for the Tundra now (~$1500).
My 101A3 pulls and stops well behind my Tundra. I am sure it has been loaded over 3K. Have not taken it down anything more severe than ranch/oil field roads so I cant comment on off road performance.
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D
Deleted member 13060
Guest
A trailer that big probably won't fit anywhere a Tundra won't go.... Get the Tundra. You can always put a few bucks into the tires and suspension and improve it's off-road capabilities. Probably cheaper to improve the off-road capabilities of the Tundra than to improve the towing capabilities of the Taco...
YMMV RON
PS I towed about 2500lbs with my 06 Taco a time or two..... Doable? Yes. A relaxing drive? Not really.
Have also towed 4000+lbs behind an 09 F150 (crappy truck, wasn't mine) it was like a drive in the park. Full size truck ******.
YMMV RON
PS I towed about 2500lbs with my 06 Taco a time or two..... Doable? Yes. A relaxing drive? Not really.
Have also towed 4000+lbs behind an 09 F150 (crappy truck, wasn't mine) it was like a drive in the park. Full size truck ******.
flylow4500
Observer
Dodge Power Wagon. You wont even know it is there, even when fully loaded. But i may be biased ?
You couldn't give me a tundra, 13 and 14 Rams are the best trucks made. I'm also a bit biased.
highlandercj-7
Explorer
If it's a truck you want, don't play with toys, get a real truck: The Power Wagon Now, if they only put the Cummins in it, it would be perfect. I'd gladly give up the factory winch for a Cummins.
If you need more power in the Rubicon add a Super Charger to it. I was looking into one for my 3.6L JKU yesterday, a RIPP adds 120 HP at the rear wheels (pushing it over 400 at the crank). I had a 3.8L JKU, gaining 85HP with the 3.6L was huge I cant imagine a jump like that and the power comes in right off idle.
Now, if they only put the Cummins in it, it would be perfect. I'd gladly give up the factory winch for a Cummins. If you need more power in the Rubicon add a Super Charger to it. I was looking into one for my 3.6L JKU yesterday, a RIPP adds 120 HP at the rear wheels (pushing it over 400 at the crank). I had a 3.8L JKU, gaining 85HP with the 3.6L was huge I cant imagine a jump like that and the power comes in right off idle.
Depends on your budget for a tow vehicle as well....
For long trips with many highway miles involved, I've been loving our 2005 diesel Excursion. Only paid $16k with 118k miles. Spent a couple grand making some engine mods. 600+ ft/lb of torque is incredible and pulls my 2k+ lb loaded Kamparoo with ease while getting 15 MPG at 75 MPH. The 44 gallon tank in these things is very nice as well.
Granted, I won't rock be crawling, but any forest service road is completely doable. I've done the White Rim Trail with this setup with NO issue. Pulls the 10k lb loaded toy hauler with no issues as well.
For long trips with many highway miles involved, I've been loving our 2005 diesel Excursion. Only paid $16k with 118k miles. Spent a couple grand making some engine mods. 600+ ft/lb of torque is incredible and pulls my 2k+ lb loaded Kamparoo with ease while getting 15 MPG at 75 MPH. The 44 gallon tank in these things is very nice as well.
Granted, I won't rock be crawling, but any forest service road is completely doable. I've done the White Rim Trail with this setup with NO issue. Pulls the 10k lb loaded toy hauler with no issues as well.
Attachments
MotoDave
Explorer
I'll be the dissenting opinion here - a Tacoma shouldn't have any problem with a 3,000 lb trailer, and WILL get you better mileage around town, not to mention being smaller for when you don't have the trailer hooked up. A decently built Tacoma could get through most moderate to difficult trails here in the southwest, where as any full size will be really limited without destroying the paint. I personally think a double cab tacoma is pretty darn comfortable for highway trips, but I guess if you had full size trucks all your life I can see how it might seem small.
I'm picking up the trailer in a few days, and will be trying it out with several different vehicles when I get it home. I'm pulling it from WA state to NM with my Buick Enclave. It's a V6 with 288 HP and 270 ft-lbs. torque. The towing capacity is 4500 lbs, and combined gross vehicle weight limit is 9700 lbs. Towing the trailer unloaded it's 2500 lbs., so CGVW will be about 8,000 lbs. The Tacoma would be 236/266 with towing capacity of 6500 lbs. and GCVW limit of 8,100 lbs. The Buick weighs about 5,000 lbs., and the Tacoma would be a little over 4,000 lbs. It will at least give me a ballpark feel for pulling it with a 6 cyl gas engine vehicle.
DonBeasley
Adventurer
A Taco DC with tow package has towing capacity of 6500 lbs. and GCVW limit of about 11,400 if I am not mistaken.
BlueCruiser88
Luke
This makes the most sense.
Why in the world would you buy an adventure trailer and tow it with a full size? Might as we'll buy a full size rv trailer at that point.
I'm all about full size tundra as I have one, but I am not about to squeeze it through real world trails and such unless I don't care about pin striping/ damage.
3k is heavy for adventure trailer but no issue for a Tacoma.
Also keep in mind the bazillion aftermarket parts you can get for Tacoma. Tundra does not even come with a real locking differential.
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