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Thinking about buying a Tacoma V6, rated for 6500# towing. Do you guys think that's enough or do I need a V8 truck?
I towed a 7x16 enclosed with a 2010 and was very happy through 20+ track events. Equalizer hitch is a must. Working trailer brakes. Use your brain. Get the longest cab & bed you can find. I upgraded only when I went to my 8x24 and a lot more ancillary equipment for the track with a team and endurance racing. New was cheaper than 2 yr old models in my region (guess people got some crappy deals).
While you *can* tow it with a Tacoma, if you're buying a truck specifically for towing (as opposed to repurposing a truck you already own), why would you want to? A full size truck is just better at towing than a compact like a Tacoma, and they don't really cost any more.
As for weight of Miata + open trailer, it's going to be in the 4000-5000 pound range fully loaded. 16' open wood+steel trailer starts at about 1900 pounds for a 16' (big enough for a Miata, but a bit of a squash if you're doing your friend a favor and towing his broken BMW somewhere). Add a 2200 pound Miata and you're at 4100. If you go with a slightly longer trailer, heavier Miata (mine is 2400), add a trailer spare tire+holder, a trailer box with some tools/etc in it, maybe a tire rack with another set of wheels or two, or put some luggage in the Miata's trunk and you can get it up to 5000.
While you *can* tow it with a Tacoma, if you're buying a truck specifically for towing (as opposed to repurposing a truck you already own), why would you want to? A full size truck is just better at towing than a compact like a Tacoma, and they don't really cost any more.
As for weight of Miata + open trailer, it's going to be in the 4000-5000 pound range fully loaded. 16' open wood+steel trailer starts at about 1900 pounds for a 16' (big enough for a Miata, but a bit of a squash if you're doing your friend a favor and towing his broken BMW somewhere). Add a 2200 pound Miata and you're at 4100. If you go with a slightly longer trailer, heavier Miata (mine is 2400), add a trailer spare tire+holder, a trailer box with some tools/etc in it, maybe a tire rack with another set of wheels or two, or put some luggage in the Miata's trunk and you can get it up to 5000.
--Ian
Take care with the axle ratings & configuration options! Some configurations of the F150 & Silverado actually tow LESS than the Tacoma. I'd take a long bed, double cab Tacoma V6 over an F150 NA V6 standard cab for open towing. Would be a much nicer vehicle imo, especially as a DD. My personal experience at 5000lbs+ with a long bed, dual cab Tacoma with good trailer brakes and an equalizer hitch was very good. When I started tracking motorcycles, it seemed like everyone in the world was telling me I needed a F350/3500 dually 4x4 diesel for my 4x8 open bike trailer...
My most recent purchase was a 2000 7.3L Powerstroke for $6500. Will be $10k total to get to a point where I am happy with it but it does do what the team needs it to do.
Some configurations of the F150 & Silverado actually tow LESS than the Tacoma. I'd take a long bed, double cab Tacoma V6 over an F150 NA V6 standard cab for open towing.
...
My most recent purchase was a 2000 7.3L Powerstroke for $6500. Will be $10k total to get to a point where I am happy with it but it does do what the team needs it to do.
Sure, but optioned similarly the F150 is pretty much always going to be more stable and less likely to get pushed around by the trailer.
My Silverado is a 2002 with the LB7 Duramax and needs some TLC. It's been smoking at idle for a while (standard LB7 injector failure), it's throwing glow plug codes (not really a big deal with Cailfornia weather), and recently it's started randomly running on 4 cylinders and throwing codes for injectors shorted to ground.
Found the trailer a few months ago then ordered the truck built for me. Just got the truck two weeks ago. This rig is replacing my 18.5 enclosed towed by an 07 Ram 2500 Cummins 5.9L, that are both for sale BTW.
New truck is a Laramie, just about every damn option. Bed and tailgate cameras, parking sonar (you need it), auto leveling air suspension, heated and cooled leather seats, remote start, yadda. We're installing for wireless cameras on the trailer, one on tail, one on each side and one inside facing the cars/load. Swapping all the halogen and fluorescent lighting over to LED. I'll be around 13k most of the time but the trailer is rated for 22k, the truck rated for 31k. Yet to put the 949 RACING & SUPERMIATA graphics on the trailer
Seemed like a lot, but it tows better than my previous, much smaller rig. I was intimidated by a 42' but now that we have it and customizing the interior a bit for our use, I'm regretting not getting a 48'. That extra 6' of storage in the nose would be wonderful and I don't think it would change how it tows one whit.
Seemed like a lot, but it tows better than my previous, much smaller rig. I was intimidated by a 42' but not that we have it and customizing the interior a bit for our use, I'm regretting not getting a 48'. That extra 6' of storage in the nose would be wonderful and I don't think it would change how it tows one whit.
So is this a commercial-drivers-license, have-to-stop-at-weigh-stations kind of rig?
So is this a commercial-drivers-license, have-to-stop-at-weigh-stations kind of rig?
--Ian
Needs to be 15,001 on the trailer or 26,001 on the combo to require a CDL-A in CA. ~10k in the truck with humans and gear + 13k of trailer = Class-C in CA
This rig is replacing my 18.5 enclosed towed by an 07 Ram 2500 Cummins 5.9L, that are both for sale BTW.
What kind of fuel mileage did you get with that combo? A local shop just listed a 20ft enclosed today for what seems to be a pretty good price. I'm thinking about grabbing it.
What kind of fuel mileage did you get with that combo? A local shop just listed a 20ft enclosed today for what seems to be a pretty good price. I'm thinking about grabbing it.
~11 @ 70mph, ~13 @ 63mph. 4 speed so mpg really dropped at around 70. New truck with taller final and 6 spd is a whopping 400rpm lower at 70mph. That's like 2000 in dog years.
Just returned from the 'maiden voyage' of our rig, hauling our NC to FM's Summer Camp and back. We had made a couple trips with just the camper, but this was the first trip with the camper and a loaded trailer. A little over 500 miles one-way, and we split the drive up into two days due to a late departure time. Stayed in a little RV park in UT the first night.
It's nice to roll in, plug in and have everything you need. No lugging **** into a motel room and back out in the morning. I didn't take any pics of the rig at the track, but we spent two nights there, then moved to FM's parking lot for the remainder of the week.
With nightly monsoon thunderstorms, it was a little cooler than usual, and we didn't even run the AC very much. Everything worked flawlesly, and it was great to be able to stay on-site, whether trackside, or elsewhere. The truck ran great, though it was definitely working. I didn't weigh the rig, but calculate that we were ~ 19k gross. Return trip took 10.5 hrs, including 30 min to dump the tanks on the camper. Got a high of 10mpg, and low of 8.5mpg on one leg with lots of grades and a 15-20mph headwind. The only issue I had was the AC in the truck went all intermittent on me 15 minutes from home on the return... gotta dig into that.
Otherwise, we're very happy with the rig, and I think it will work well for what we're wanting it to do. It's already been on two 'camper only' trips, and we're heading out again in September to UT. The whole 'RV' thing is new to us, but we're starting to get in the groove.
~11 @ 70mph, ~13 @ 63mph. 4 speed so mpg really dropped at around 70. New truck with taller final and 6 spd is a whopping 400rpm lower at 70mph. That's like 2000 in dog years.
That's better than I expected. My 1500 has the 8 speed so I should be pretty close to your new truck. Pretty sure I'm gonna buy this enclosed.
Ah Emilio, love your truck. 2WD too, no? I have always loved Cummins duallies, especially in white.
I've been towing with my '98 Sierra C1500 with the 305 engine and it is not enthusiastic about moving this load. Getting 10-11 mpg towing at 70 mph on mostly flat ground (columbia gorge).
Hemi owner, here. Got new truck two months ago and truck camper two weeks ago. Really happy with the setup, ready to sleep in seconds and got every luxury item my wife can want in camping (see here shower and toilet at the racetrack )
Ram 2500 (crew cab, long bed, Hemi 5.7)
Palomino HS6601 (1771lbs dry, do not need hitch extender)
Homemade trailer (12', 2500lbs, 4500lbs payload, electric brakes)
Ram 2500 (crew cab, long bed, Hemi 5.7)
Palomino HS6601 (1771lbs dry, do not need hitch extender)
Homemade trailer (12', 2500lbs, 4500lbs payload, electric brakes)
Ever scaled it? CCLB 5.7 Hemis have a GVWR of 9k, payload of 2560lbs. That leaves you with 789lbs to play with after accounting for the camper. Assume you have 10% of the trailer weight on the pin and you're down to 339lbs to account for you, your passengers, and all your gear. Not much wiggle room - probably none, after you account for the actual weight of the truck, a full tank of fuel, etc. My Chevy 2500HD has a GVWR of 9200 and I run pretty close to that with two humans, a full load of racing gear, and ~1200lbs of pin weight. A camper would put me way, way over. :(
I ask because I think your rig is close to perfection (pickup/camper for accomodations + enclosed trailer for car(s)/gear), but doing it on a SRW truck doesn't seem to let you stay within the MFG's GVWR limits. Straying from those limits unleashes a huge number of legal/liability issues here in the States.
Ah Emilio, love your truck. 2WD too, no? I have always loved Cummins duallies, especially in white.
I've been towing with my '98 Sierra C1500 with the 305 engine and it is not enthusiastic about moving this load. Getting 10-11 mpg towing at 70 mph on mostly flat ground (columbia gorge).
2wd. Don't need 4wd and wasn't willing to drag around the extra mech. Funny, many 4wd's sitting on lots here in SoCal with almost exactly the options I wanted. I held out for a 2wd but had to get it built. Worth it. Even 1mpg is huge when you consider it's only getting 11mpg or so. That's like 9% or something, multiplied by the copious amount of fuel you go through, that adds up over the course of a year of racing.
Oh I'm well aware of the 2WD benefits. That's one reason I like your truck so much. Just makes more sense. More purposeful.
Mine is a 2WD as well and I prefer it that way. 4WD just gets in the way for towing [in most situations] [at least with racecars] [i don't own ORVs]
Somewhat surprised you had to order it, though. 2WDs are far more plentiful down there than up here. My dad used to go to Cali to buy trucks because 2WD was impossible to find in Utah.
08-08-2016, 04:25 PM
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