Which Trim for Towing?

An SR5 double cab should have more available payload

 

Really comes down to use... If the truck's primary use is for towing, then buy a truck that's engineered and built to tow. If you're using it for other things predominantly, and it'll only see 5, 10 or 20% of it's life as a tow rig (and you're keeping your weight in check) then Tundra isn't a bad choice.

Payload is where are rigs struggle. The more options equals less payload, and don't forget payload includes people, pets and everything else in the cab (not just the bed and 'tongue weight').

The Tundra will pull most trailers (under 10k) fine, but at what expense and will it handle a longer or heavier trailer safely (think stopping power and stability)... MPG on our rigs are generally 12-15mpg; add a 5-7k trailer 9-11mpg (level ground); uphill 5-8mpg.... bump that to a 9k trailer and you're really spending a lot of time at the fuel pumps (and exceeding payload and probably GVWR).

Another thing to consider is what trailer do you REALLY want to be in. A lot of folks buy something small to start and shortly thereafter want to upgrade cuz they want more space or more amenitites (weight)... This generally results in selling the first trailer at a significant loss, selling whatever 1/2 ton truck is being used to tow the smaller trailer, and then reinvesting in a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck and purchasing another trailer.

You're in a good place right now in that you can decide the exact trailer you want to purchase first!!! Once you know the specs of the trailer, then buy a tow rig that is safely and efficiently capable of doing the job. If it's a Tundra, so be it... You'll have a reliable tow rig as long as you keep the numbers in check. However, if you are finding yourself at the limits of the Tundra's specs, then it's time to look at something more capable. A 3/4 gasser isn't going to get great MPG, but when towing it will do better than the Tundra.

Diesels will net you the best MPG and low end torque, etc.... but, they are expensive to maintain and getting more restrictive by the year. So, unless you're wanting to pull a large, heavy 5th wheel it may not be worth the expense.

I hope that all makes sense...

I towed quite a bit w/my '08 SR5 and was happy doing so. Most trips were under 300 miles each way and we generallly towed to our site, set up and stayed at one camp site until it was time to go home. We did so up to about 180k miles on the truck and really had no issues w/reliability, etc; and we didn't stop due to mileage on the truck, it was simply a matter of altering our recreational lifestyle.

 

Better off calculating cost per mile vs. miles per gallon alone in the diesel vs gas debate. We actually had the big trailer first and found that we camp more than we “RV”. Just need an air conditioned place to sleep and somewhere for the dogs to kennel if we go on an excursion without them. So we downsized to a smaller “camper” so it has a shower, sleeping places for us and our adult children should they visit with some AC and heat. Towable with my FGT or the wife’s JGC

 

So good point about towing full time. We anticipate hitting the road for months at a time. Going to a campsite, setting up for a week or two at a time, using the truck as our transportation around the area then heading off to our next location. Idk if that constitutes towing full time.

 

so should I be looking at an f250 or something similar so we have the option to upgrade?

 

I have TSS and the beeping is exceptionally rare.

I've had the 2018 now for 7 years and nothing about the TSS system has ever been bothersome.

2018 is a great year if you want the TSS (which includes adaptive cruise, collision avoidance), and also want a transmission cooler. In fact, it's the ONLY year with both.

 

While I agree on almost everything your said the other factor to consider is reliability. I keep my Tundra mostly to tow our RV. The weight I tow is on the higher end and would love to go to a 3/4 ton but I simply don’t trust the reliability. I’d rather tow with a reliable truck than risk problems when we’re out in the mountains boondocking miles from nowhere. My other “truck” is a Ford Maverick hybrid that takes care of the other light duty work while getting 45mpg.

 

The double cab 8’ bed is much more stable than a double cab 6.5’ bed when towing. The extra 18” of wheelbase makes a huge difference. Great truck, but if you don’t need that much bed it’s a lot real estate to drive around every day.

 

Yes, this right here is what a lot of folks don't factor in. If you (as the driver) are actively doing everything you should be while towing, and you're towing a trailer that is pushing limits of your tow rig, you WILL (or I'll say should) experience fatigue after several hours. As the limits of the tow rig/set up are pushed, the amount of attention required to safely operate increases significantly. Increased stopping distance for pulling a heavier trailer requires YOU to be the one to keep that distance, and when you leave distance between you and the car in front of you, folks will fill the gap and you'll be adjusting again... Following distance is just ONE aspect of the constant adjustments being made to be safe.

Not saying that will a more capable truck, you can fall asleep while towing, but your 'wiggle room' or 'safety cushion' doesn't need to be quite as large. So, there's less constant monitoring and adjustments being made.

The ability to wait out wind, heavy rain storms, etc. especially in passes or congested areas is huge. If your trips are on a strict timeline, then you'll be forced to operate when conditions aren't quite ideal also fatiguing and sometimes flat out dangerous, especially if the tow rig is pushing it's capacity limits...

 

Similar set up w/my '08 in years past...

 

There has been some good advice given in this thread and there are plenty of other threads for opinions on towing. Sorry if this has been added but I didn't see a brake controller mentioned for the included tow packages and not sure if all years had it. Mine is a '21 SR5 with the tow package and as mentioned the transmission cooler was omitted beginning with the 2019 model year. I just added an aftermarket one. I grew up in a camping family and one thing that is often overlooked is 4wd for those times when things get bad, 2wd is great for most of the time. We went from a pop-up to 5th wheel for room and 3/4 ton or larger is the only way to go, so if you think you may need more room or plan for extended stays in the future you may want to consider a 3/4 ton. I have both a gas and diesel 3/4 ton and for heavy loads it's the only way to go. Sure you can pull some heavy things with a 1/2 ton but can you stop safely and with less effort. As mentioned, don't get near the max towing and payload capacity. Towing for me is most always nerve wracking and fatiguing.

 

I have a 2016 double cab and I plugged in my vin to the decoder website and I believe I can tow pretty much 10k my buddy has a 2017 crewmax and his according to the decoder can only tow 9k if I remember right both ours being 4wd

 

I read into this a bunch as we just bought our first TT. Read my comment with a grain of salt as I don't have much experience yet but want to add a few more points than already brought up.

There's an equation correlating max trailer length to TV wheelbase. Summary, the longer, the better. It's harder for the pivot reaction forces caused by side winds on the trailer to affect the trajectory of the TV. I'm excited to be able to make an opinion on importance of TV weight v wheelbase. Both methods fight the tail wagging the dog.

Everyone knows that a fifth wheel handles better, but there is a hitch which "projects" the ball pivot point 52" forward, essentially simulating a fifth wheel. I pulled this lever to aid in the safety dept in an attempt to push off buying another truck for a while as I'm now in the camp of 'try and make the Tundra work even though I had to buy a big ass TT because I have too many kids.'

 

Anderson or Hensley hitch?

 

Hensley

 

Expensive but a must for longer TTs.

 

Hensley? Or Propride?

 

https://store.propridehitch.com/propride-3p-trailer-sway-control-hitch/

 

Nor is the 1ton I've had my eye on... Haha

Hoping to make the Tundra work until we start doing longer distance/duration trips where two vehicles would be annoying.

 

New here, so hello everyone.

We decided to get a trailer in 2021 and it was my first time. In hindsight, I did it backwards. I got the 2016 Tundra Limited in winter for a steal with 21k on it. I chose the tundra because I wanted reliability. I knew nothing about towing or camping. When spring hit, I had done enough research by then to know maybe I got the wrong truck because we would be way over payload with most trailers. Oops. The RV sales guys are…either uninformed, or negligent. They were trying to sell me 29-32ft trailers that would put 8-900 lbs on my tongue. Kept telling me a WDH would be fine. Well, might ride better but dispersing weight doesn’t eliminate it. Ridiculous for this truck. Went to a smaller family owned dealer (MANTELLI in Lockport NY) and they were the only ones to actually CARE about my families safety. They sent the service guy out, he looked at my door jam, then told us what we could safely rig up. Ended up with an E-pro 20bhs and absolutely love the combo. Did a month tour of the NE with my wife, 2 kids, and bulldog puppy. Have done many 1-3 hour trips. Down to the OBX from NY. The combo is a dream and I love them both. Put 412ah lithium last year. Awesome boondocking rig.

I see so many friends pulling way out of Spec with f150s or rams and they tell me they white knuckle going up any sort of grade. I just sorta smile because most of the time I barely notice towing the E-pro. I’m not 100% sure, but my suspicion is that if you are towing way out of spec and have an accident, your insurance might give you a hard time. Not fun. Anyway, love my truck and camper. Not sure why I’ve never been to this forum before.

 

The trailer that was picked for you is a good choice for a first time TT with the Tundra. The Tundra is perfectly safe being a couple of pounds over payload when properly set up but it’s always best to stay within the specs for first time RVer. People will buy an RV that is too large and when they take it out for the first time it will be overwhelming and sell the TT. Yes people do stupid thing but insurance will still cover stupid people.

 

Agree, pretty much what my set up is too...and usually maxing out payload as well.

When we travel north or east from Phoenix, we're typically looking at 5-6K' elevation climbs and the Tundra does well with this set up...even with the freshwater tank (40g) occasionally full. If we were to ever upgrade to a larger trailer, I'd probably start looking at 3/4T's but as mentioned earlier the QC isn't there right now.

May do RAS at some point int he near future.