V6 First Gen - Yay or Nay?

Good morning everyone. First time posting here, been reading for a while. This morning I found a beautiful 2003 AC located near me. 235k, but immaculate condition with extensive service history. When reading through the description and looking at the pictures, I realized it was the coveted manual transmission AND transfer case, of course with the V6 configuration.

My question is, however, what is everyone's experience with towing on this particular model? My fiancé and I plan on moving into a small RV trailer within the next year, and would likely be pulling it cross country as we look at moving from the East Coast to the West. For a one time cross country trip, and some occasional shorter tows, is the V6 enough? Or should I hold out for the 4.7 V8 to get that extra torque? Thank you all.

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)! I'll let others chime in on the towing question. I guess it depends on the tow rating of the truck and the weight of the trailer.

 

The biggest thing is frame rust, but there are a few guys on here with the V6 MT.

What are the specs on the trailer, dry weight, expected rate loaded, etc.?

@Bmktw2 is this one you may be able to provide some insight on?

 

We don't have one yet, but looking to keep it relatively small. 13 - 16ft and just a hitch trailer, not a fifth wheel or anything. Dry weight seems to be ~4500lbs on trailers that size.

 

I have the v6 2wd 5spd. I don’t tow, but find it to have enough power for me, for what I do. I like stick shift enough to live with the lack of power. The plus side is the 5vzfe is a solid motor with lots of less expensive parts. That motor in a bigger platform engine bay makes working on it a pleasure. There are options for supercharging and kits for turbocharging too. The trans is also solid, well vetted piece. Clutches are inexpensive and access is easier

 

@Tundra2 do you have any input on towing with a 6er first gen?

 

I'd love a manual transmission and I don't find my V-8, 2001 slush box combo very powerful for towing anyway. I don't know the V-6 towing max, but I think it should tow 3,000 lb. trailer okay.

 

Max trailer weight for 4wd V6 MT is 5250 lbs for reg cab and 5000 lbs for access cab.

This compares to 7200 lbs and 7100 lbs respectively for the 4wd v8 AT.

Strangely no differentiation is made between 2wd and 4wd in the reg cab configurations for the owners manual.

Even stranger are the numbers for the v6 are 50 lbs less if made in Canada.

Maybe Canadians are 50 lbs fatter as an average? Dunno, I’m clueless on why.

 

I’ve got the V6 automatic 2WD, not sure how big a difference it would be vs the manual. Not trying to discourage you but mine doesn’t like much of a load behind it. On occasions I’ll haul my 60” BadBoy mower on a 6x12 trailer out to the country to cut grass…on flat roads it does pretty good but if you get into some hills you can definitely tell you got something behind you…cruise control is basically useless if you are pulling anything because it’s constantly in and out downshifting. Maybe I just got a weak truck. Personally, and this is just me, if I knew I was going to be doing some major hauling I’d go with the V8. Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

I didn't tow much with my V6 truck, but it did tow a 12(?) Foot single axle trailer with a gator utility vehicle easily.

 

I towed a 3500-pound Coachmen Clipper for years all up and down the East Coast. 5VZ did just fine even loaded with family and gear. Mrs. Mamba wants another camper so bad. I like the idea of the TT for us and the RTT for the kids.

 

Man, I want one of the TAXA campers, but the damn things are so friggin expensive, I can't justify it. GOOD LAWD THAT'S A LOTTA MONEY!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6-unEeSK3c​

 

I think a lot of that was your automatic transmission. I've got an '03 Tacoma with the 5vz and the R150F (5spd), and I've towed 16' bass boats up to Williams, AZ several times with it, and been able to keep it at 65+ on the steepest of grades by simply downshifting and keeping the revs high.

The 5vz makes it's power pretty high, and the auto transmissions that Toyota slapped behind it always seemed to lug that motor

 

I would pass on the V6, or get a much lighter trailer setup.

 

Had a first gen Auto. 3.4L V6. Had a trailer that weighed, unloaded about 3400ish lbs. Then put in myself, family, gear in the bed, and I took it on one trip. Went up a 9% grade and with the pedal mashed, I was happy to hit 35MPH.

Sold that truck and bought my 5.7.

With what you are looking at and what you are going to do, if you go with it, get a much smaller trailer. If you can put it around 2-2500 lbs, that is where I would be comfortable (that is GVW btw). So not a big camper at all.

You will be much happier with that towing capacity. Usually, my rule of thumb is no more than 40%. If I can stay around 20-25% of my towing, that gives me plenty of room.

I know you can go more, but this is just where I have been at and feel good with it. Now I am in a 6.4L and my trailer is still only around 3500 lbs.

 

4500 is a lot. I towed a 3,000lb camper with my 5vze Tacoma. Same motor, less truck weight. I'd call it maxed out, for my comfort. Ok, but I wouldn't have towed a heavier load on road trips. So much with towing is expectations. Some people refuse to tow with a truck unless they can go any speed they want, up any mountain pass, towing any weight.

If you're ok lining up with the semis on mtn passes, 45mph, flashers on, you'd be good with the V6 and ~3,000lb camper, with trailer brakes and rear suspension improvements. But you get a headwind with that truck and you'll be struggling to stay above 50mph on flat ground. I was more or less ok with that. So long as I could brake adequately and more or less go 65mph (the speed most trailer tires are rated for, and as high I was willing to push the engine rpm driving without OD (and you must turn off OD or stay out of 5th gear if it's a manual)), I was fine with the 3.4 L V6 and a 3,000lb camper.

But...It's so much better with the V8.

 

I only have V8's but I think there are lots of 17 foot travel trailers that only weigh 3200 pounds. I pulled one from Montana to Arizona and back winter before last which is mostly mountains and I disliked it. High RPM's are not in my comfort zone. I wouldn't plan on pulling one with a V6 in the mountains but it might be OK in the flatlands.

 

Yep, mine is 17' ~3,000lbs. I kept rpm at 3,000. Sometimes pushed up to 3,200-3,400 on passes, but that was the max. It's not pleasant driving long distances at higher rpms. But 3,000 for me was manageable.

 

That's the dry weight right? How much do you think it was loaded?

I have the first gen manual with the V6. I like it a lot. I think it'll last forever with the manual gearbox and longevity of the 5VZ.

I'm curious about the towing capability as well. If you look at the manual, the towing capacity is 5000 lb. If you have the towing package (and 2UZ V8), it's 7000!

What does the towing package add??

 

Also goto factor in paying someone $1k-$1.5k to change out the clutch every 100k conservatively unless you like doing that work. Probably a lot easier on a 2wd than a 4wd.

 

That's a good question.
I have a base model 2006 RCLB and a 2004 RCLB SR5 with a tow package. Both are V8's and 4x4. Both have the same gear ratios and same leaf springs in back. The one with the tow package has a factory tow hitch receiver, trailer wiring and plug and I think it came with 245/75R16 as opposed to the 245/70R16 on the base model. It also had a harness for hooking up a brake controller, I don't know if the base model has that.

 

This is the V8 Towing Package that came with my 04 DC LTD

 

I'm at 230k with my factory clutch. No sign of it slowing down.

 

This is interesting. Does it appear that the towing package only adds the class IV hitch receiver and a transmission cooler (wouldn't apply on the manual transmission anyway).

I'd really, really like to be able to pull about 6000 or so lb.

Edit: to add to this, my payload is an impressive 1565 lb. If I account for 600 lb of occupants and some luggage (can load some in the trailer too), with a 15% tongue weight, I could pull 6400 lb from a payload perspective alone (would need a good hitch for that).

 

I’ve gotten 300K out of clutches on my Toyota trucks and VWs. My 70 Cuda I had to replace once when I grenaded it launching on the 1/4 mile during a race.

 

I forgot to mention my 2004 with tow package also has a transmission cooler.
Anytime you tow 3500 pound with a FGT and make a hard stop you will probably be needing new rotors whether you have the tow package or not. I've cooked mine 3 times that way, once with a trailer that had good brakes.
The manual throws numbers around generously but I doubt those who came up with them did much towing in the real world. You can pull 6K# in the flatlands if you really have to move something heavy, but I wouldn't do it recreationally or routinely.

 

New brake rotors?

I wish I'd upgraded mine when I had the chance and needed new brakes. My local guy offered that to me, but it was about $1000 I think.

 

You could drive real slow like you're totally paranoid and plan your stops 200 yards in advance. If I was going to pull trailers a lot I'd just get an old Ford or Ram 3/4 ton. The FGT is just a half ton truck and a light one at that.

 

I sold my Tacoma with 330k on the original clutch. Just depends on how you drive.

I would not want to tow 6,000lb with the V6. Or 5,000. Or 4,000.

 

I have a 2004 4WD access cab with 5 speed and the V6. I tow an 18' glass bass boat regularly in hilly, but not steep roads. The rig probably weighs close to 3000# (axle GVW is 3500), and I probably have close to 500# in a ladder rack and tools on the truck 24/7. The truck will pull it, but I'll be a gear lower on grades than when unladen. MPG goes from 18/19 to 12ish. 1st gear on this truck is pretty steep - I really wish I had an auto (and a V8).