I'm considering purchasing a Rockwood Roo 183 Hybrid. I have an 05 Tacoma with a class III receiver... The Roo has a dry weight of 3,461 lbs. I plan to purchase a WD hitch along with the Roo.
The receiver on the Tacoma was installed aftermarket, so the Tacoma isn't rated at the higher 6,500 lb. limit that Tacomas with the tow package have. The engine is the same, however, but my truck also doesn't have a tranny cooler or heavy-duty alternator.
Am I trying to pull too much? What recommendations would you make? TIA.
need to know, cab size, which tranny, bed size, 2WD/4WD and rear end ratio.
it may have a different rear end ratio since it doesn't have the factory tow package.
Dan- Firefighter, Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever, 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LS, 2007 Rockwood Roo 23SS w/Equalizer and Prodigy, and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes
I don't see why you couldn't put the tranny cooler in and be good to go as long as you stay under 5000lbs. Heres what the 2005 needs for towing up to 6500lbs according to this from a truck trend article.
The chassis is substantially more rigid than before, with seven crossmembers and a fully boxed frame up front and significantly stiffened C-channels in the rear. This makes for solid towing credentials: All models can haul 3500 pounds, while the V-6 can tow 5000 with a receiver hitch or up to 6500 with the towing package. The tow package includes a Class-III receiver hitch, seven-pin connector, transmission cooler, an extra engine oil cooler, bigger battery, and a higher-output alternator--all totaling somewhere in the neighborhood of $400.
JMO while your truck can do it, I towed 4050lbs with an 06 Frontier 2wd, 4.0 AT and didn't like it at all. I like to be able to cruise without the motor winding out. Your requiered to tow without OD engaged, so if you don't mind the motor winding out more than normal then it may work for you. Justremember though that you will be adding near 1000lbs to the dry weight. And you will be needing a good WD hitch which will add 90-100lbs to the tongue weight. You will be on the edge of your reciever limits when hooked up.
* This post was
edited 06/18/12 05:00pm by goducks10 *
Thanks a lot, goducks... :-) sort of my concern. Going to check into adding some aftermarket parts to create a "tow package" to give a little more peace of mind and wiggle room in the weight.
I am towing a Roo183 with a 2007 4runner with 4.0.
Added WD hitch with sway control and receiver, trans cooler, oil cooler, steering cooler and KN air filter. Have towed all the way to Bar harbor with 4 inside with no issues.
I am towing a 189FDS funfinder behind my 06 Frontier. A Frontier is similar to a Taco, and the FF is similar to the Roo. Based on my experience, I would say your Taco will do fine. Yes, you will have to rev the engine at times, but gas engines like to rev. It's really not a problem for them. I just got back from a couple weeks in Colorado and Wyoming, and at no time did I have to use more than 3400 rpm, and most times 3000 rpm was sufficient.
My truck is a six speed manual, which in the Nissan means you get a 3.69 final. The Frontier automatics are a five speed with a 3.34 final, so I would suspect the Taco is similar. If you have a OD automatic, I would not tow in OD, and for that matter, on my 6 speed manual, 6th is OD, and I do not use it while towing.
You might want to add a set of Timbrens under the back of your Taco, and of course a good WD hitch with anti-sway is, IMO an absolute necessity on this kind of combo. If you have not already replaced the rear shocks on the truck, I would do that also. I use Monroe reflex on the Nissan, and they work well. There are other brands probably for your Toyota too, like maybe Rancho, etc.
If you are using "P" tires on the truck ( like maybe BFG Long Trails ) you'll want to air them up to near max when towing. I usually run 42 to 44 in mine ( 44 is max ).
As always, a few trips to the scales is in order to fine tune the WD hitch and to ensure you are within limits of axle rating etc.
I use a Teckonsha Prodigy P2....there are others available, but I will say this one works fine for me for this trailer and the horse trailer I also pull with this truck.
Good luck with it, and get out and have some fun....make some memories camping with your family. Toyota makes good trucks....go for it !
EDIT: for what it's worth, there is sometimes a debate on forums about how we have rev gas engines, and you don't have to rev these diesel trucks, etc. That's not necesarily as true as some would lead you to believe. We also have a 06 F350 dually, 6.0 PSTD that we pull a 35' gooseneck horse trailer ( four horse slant with living Q in front ). It weighs around 13K pounds loaded, and there are times I need to use 3500 rpm with the diesel to maintain speed on long grades on the interstate. This diesel, spinning 3500 is closer to it's redline than my Frontier gas motor is at 3500 ! Spin 'em....you won't hurt 'em.
Back on the Fronty for a minute, I just pulled an oil sample on this last change and sent it to Blackstone for analysis. 6800 miles on mobil one, about two thirds of it towing, and the oil report came back good. Oil still in viscosity grade, all numbers acceptable. If we were really beating the engine up, then one would expect to see sme bad numbers in the lab report, but that just was not the case.
geo
* This post was
edited 07/09/12 06:20pm by gmw photos *
All V6 tacomas (2005-2012) have 3.73 gears manual (6 speed) or auto transmission (5 speed) 2wd or 4wd. Auto transmission has a deeper overdrive (5th gear) than the manual's 6th gear. Auto's are EPA rated currently about 1 mpg better highway than the manual.
FattyLumpkin wrote: It's a double-cab, 5' bed, 4WD, SR5 with 4.0 V6. Not sure on which tranny and what the rear end ratio is... will keep looking for that info. Thanks.
I towed a 5200 lb GVW camper that scaled at 4900 lbs (including hitch).
My Tacoma is a 1996, 3.2L v6, xtra cab, manual transmission.
Manual states max tow 5000 lbs, CGVW 9000 lbs.
I even had a failed ignition module at the time (was difficult to diagnose, story for another time), essentially making the engine a 4 cyl.
Did NOT have the factory tow package; did NOT install a cooler. I suspect if I had the automatic, it would have made a difference.
However, still have the truck, 300k miles and factory clutch, so it will do it.
Just don't be in a hurry over hills and mountains.
With the 3.2L, if you cannot hold 2450 rpms, you will need another gear. If you are fast approaching 2450, consider getting two...
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, Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur
, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever
, 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LS, 2007 Rockwood Roo 23SS w/Equalizer and Prodigy, and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes
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