Viability of 2012 Toyota Tacoma 4 cylinder as TV

Gus

Folks, 
I am a total newbie here and about to purchase a 2021 t@b 320 S Boondock. I have never towed anything ever and can't quite find the answer I am looking for among all the discussions. Do I need to be aware of anything that only experienced campers can share regarding the viability of the Tacoma as a TV?

Tampakayaker

Just my 2 cents.

I'm towing a 320 with a 4 door 8 cylinder RAM, and I can feel it behind me, especially hitting holes/ruts and railroad crossings.

To each his/her own, but I wouldn't want to tow a 320 and especially a 400 with anything less than a full sized truck, van or Suburban type SUV.

Why take the risk of not being able to stop, accelerate if needed, and keep from killing an expensive TV.

pthomas745

Welcome to the Forums...........

Dig deeper into the specs for your Tacoma.  Does it have a towing package, for example.  Seems the towing capacity is 3500...but there are other considerations, and it all depends on the setup on the car.  So.....find more info.  Because....you will be asked. And, you need to know. 

Here is a thread with some general ideas...but not very specific for the 2012 model.  But, some info on what the 3500 towing capacity really means.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/12784/real-world-experience-towing-with-a-tacoma-feedback

tabiphile

A 4 cylinder Tacoma will tow a 320. But, with less than 160 HP the motor will be working pretty hard if you decide to drive aggressively. Even the 6 cylinder works pretty hard in the mountains so you need to understand where you plan to go and also give consideration to the condition of the truck and how you drive. The 4 cylinders are virtually bullet proof motors but more of a concern should be the condition of the frame of your truck. The 12's are known for frame rust. Many have had frame replacements done and just as many have not. The 3,500 tow capacity becomes a mute point if the frame requires replacement. 
As noted by @pthomas745, dig into the configuration of your truck. Does it have a tow package, is it pre-wired for the brake controller (you must have), are the brakes good, how about the shocks? The 4 cylinder Tacoma's are sought out by buyers because of their reputation for being rock solid....but towing will stress it. Is it time to upgrade it? Perhaps....it depends upon how you plan to drive, where you plan to go, how hard you plan to push it. The truck will indeed be able to get the job done for you if you are not sitting in the fast lane.
You do not need to own a fire breathing Viper powered Ram or a tuned and smoking Raptor to pull a 320. 

ColoradoSun

I owned a 2003 Tacoma with the 2.7 liter 4 cylinder engine for 17 years. A great little truck but it struggled getting up steep mountain grades even without towing a trailer. Towards the top of Teton Pass (between Idaho and Wyoming) I'd have to drop down to second gear.

swiftwave

ColoradoSun said:

I owned a 2003 Tacoma with the 2.7 liter 4 cylinder engine for 17 years. A great little truck but it struggled getting up steep mountain grades even without towing a trailer. Towards the top of Teton Pass (between Idaho and Wyoming) I'd have to drop down to second gear.

I had almost identical experiences with my 2001 Tacoma.
The 2.7 litre, 4 cylinder engine is a durable little power-plant, yet I would not choose it for lengthy towing projects.

Hound

It is also important to take into account that any normally aspirated engine (non turbocharged) will lose about 3% of its horsepower for every 1,000 ft increase in altitude. So if you're going over a 7,000 or 8,000 ft pass with this engine, you will be doing so with about 30 to 35 horsepower less than you would have at sea level. When you're operating with a relatively low horsepower to start with, this can make a really really big difference!

ScottG

I towed a much lighter trailer (~1400lbs) on a long trip with a similarly equipped 4cyl Nissan Frontier. It did the job but struggled, particularly at highway speeds. I got a V6 Frontier before getting a camper, and it tows the T@B 320 just fine.

Gus

Thank you all for your good counsel. You have confirmed my suspicions about the pairing of the 2012 4 cylinder Tacoma with the T@b 320S. Your helpfulness is VERY much appreciated. Thanks.

Denny16

A small 4-cyl truck like the Nissan Frontier (had one) or the little Tacoma is not the vehicle I would use to tow a TaB320, possibly a TaG, but not the larger TaB.  I towed a UHaul trailer with around 800-1,000 lbs of stone in it in SanFrancisco, and it struggled on those hills.  It did however, work ok towing a small 300 lbs row boat around the Bay Area.  

Traded my Nissan in on a newer Dodge Dakota for more serious towing.   You really need a TV with at least 3500-4500 lbs towing capacity and at least a six cyl engine, equipped with a factory towing package.

Cheers

ScottG

It's also worth noting that my 4cyl Frontier (the one that struggled to pull 1400lbs) was rated to tow 3500lbs--more than adequate for what I was doing and even for a loaded T@B.

I guess the moral of the story is that even if you stay within the vehicle manufacturers ratings, you may still not necessarily be happy with the performance.

Denny16

An often overlooked issue is the front area of the TaB that adds drag to the TV, and also needs to be taken into account.
cheers