Towing with Tacoma Options

[wndsnd]

I am planing on trying to tow a 914 with my 2010 Tacome 4cyl without towing package. It has a Curtis frame mounted hitch with a 2" ball. I was going to rent a uhaul full auto trailer. I don't want to be pushing the envelope. It will be mostly highway driving. Thanks

[Randal]

I am planing on trying to tow a 914 with my 2010 Tacome 4cyl without towing package. It has a Curtis frame mounted hitch with a 2" ball. I was going to rent a uhaul full auto trailer. I don't want to be pushing the envelope. It will be mostly highway driving. Thanks

Hey wndsnd:

I have the simple solution for you: Flat tow the 914! The cost of the towbar should be about equal to trailer rental for the time you use it.

I flat-towed my 510 Datsun racer for years behind my STOCK 510 Datsun wagon (4 spd).

Currently, I Flat-tow my 914 Racer behind my Kia Sorento (Automatic) but am careful to downshift on hills to use more revs rather than spin the torque-converter.

I'm guessing your Toyota is Auto and this approach should work for you!!!

Best of luck,
Terry

Right, make sure the wheel bearings are good on the car before you start a flat tow.

The other alternative is to rent one of those jobbies where the car's front wheels are on the platform (Tow Dolly). That way you are only spinning the rear wheels of the car being towed.

I towed my Ford Taurus, with the 85 GMC diesel pickup, all the way back to Virginia and then back again using a dolly. They work great.

[jcambo7]

I pulled my 914 on a tow dolley from Oklahoma City all the way to Dallas, OR on my way to McChord AFB with my GMC Canyon 2WD 5 Cyl 3.5L Vortec engine. It has a hitch which helps but I had no problem at all. It was Jan 31 when I went through Alburque, NM when all the snow was still on the freeway in some places. Even through the siskiyou and grants pass my truck did just fine. Just make sure your vehicle can handle it and be safe. Your gross tow weight should be somewhere in your manual or you can find it online through google.

[campbellcj]

About 20 years ago I flat-towed a small car (VW Jetta) with a Jeep Wrangler, halfway across the country -- or rather attempted to. I knew it would be dicey but was a one-time thing as in your current situation.

The Jeep's power and brakes were not a problem at all. The short wheelbase however - whoa nelly. When we got sick of fighting the cross-winds we unhitched the VW and drove both cars separately the rest of the way. Fortunately that was an available option.

With the Tacoma I think you'd be OK with a 2-wheel dolly or flat-tow. I would be reluctant to attempt a 2,000+ lb steel trailer with a car on top...

[Eddie914]

A lightweight car trailer would solve the problem.

The Trailex CT-7031 aluminum trailer weights only 835lbs. Add the 2200lb teener and the total weight would be less than the 3500lb capacity of the Toyota Tacoma.

Maybe you can borrow one locally - hit up the regional PCA.

[Eddie914]

Before I acquired my Teener, I was at a local track day with my BMW M5. There was a 1980's BMW 635csi pulling a custom built trailer carrying a 914/6.

For the life of me, I cannot remember who it was.

The trailer was very lightweight and very clever. I heard that it was brought over from Europe by a returning military officer. The trailer used 4 small Renault/Citroen wheels/hubs (3 lug). The trailer was constructed of two "U" channels attached to the axles and tongue. The channels were both the surface to drive the car onto and the main structural component of the trailer. The design even retained the original automotive parking brakes. The scavenged parking brake handle was mounted to the trailer tongue and functional ... no need to use wheel chocks on the trailer.

Clever .... very clever.

[914werke]

Hey wndsnd I have the simple solution for you: Flat tow the 914! The cost of the towbar should be about equal to trailer rental for the time you use it. Best of luck, Terry

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
Im not sure if David Lee is still offering those but it will easily pay for itself.
My own experiance is with an "95" Ford Ranger STX 4.0L /6 (with 400K miles on the OD (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)) With that setup I flat towed many a teener and never had a issue.

[WolfR32]

I am planing on trying to tow a 914 with my 2010 Tacome 4cyl without towing package. It has a Curtis frame mounted hitch with a 2" ball. I was going to rent a uhaul full auto trailer. I don't want to be pushing the envelope. It will be mostly highway driving. Thanks

Hey wndsnd:

I have the simple solution for you: Flat tow the 914! The cost of the towbar should be about equal to trailer rental for the time you use it.

I flat-towed my 510 Datsun racer for years behind my STOCK 510 Datsun wagon (4 spd).

Currently, I Flat-tow my 914 Racer behind my Kia Sorento (Automatic) but am careful to downshift on hills to use more revs rather than spin the torque-converter.

I'm guessing your Toyota is Auto and this approach should work for you!!!

Best of luck,
Terry

We flat-tow mine with a NA 2.5L Subaru Outback no problem. I say get a flat tow mount from RennMetal and a tow bar for a bug and you are good to go.

[euro911]

Will the 'RennMetal and Bug tow bar' arrangement fit a 914 with a stock front valance?


I've towed a 22 foot two axle trailer carrying 911s, 912s (and even a '99 VW Beetle) with my old '96 Tacoma (3.4L V6). Now, mind you,the Tacoma came with the factory tow-package and we had a TRD supercharger installed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) , so it could tow pretty much any type of Porsche behind it without too much trouble.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[dlee1967]

I am still offering the tow bar interface brackets, but don't want to get a hand slap for marketing here..............

thank you.....David Lee
www.rennenmetal.com

Hey wndsnd I have the simple solution for you: Flat tow the 914! The cost of the towbar should be about equal to trailer rental for the time you use it. Best of luck, Terry

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
Im not sure if David Lee is still offering those but it will easily pay for itself.
My own experiance is with an "95" Ford Ranger STX 4.0L /6 (with 400K miles on the OD (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)) With that setup I flat towed many a teener and never had a issue.

[WolfR32]

Will the 'RennMetal and Bug tow bar' arrangement fit a 914 with a stock front valance?

I think it will clear the stock valance but you can always ask the guy.
RennMetal

[balljoint]

I have towed my 914 with both a U-Haul auto-transporter and the tow bar set up using a 2005 Tacoma V6.

I used to leave the truck (Auto) in 4th gear pulling the U-Haul rig plus car on hilly roads. Otherwise it was in and out of 5th all the time and it annoyed me.

The tow bar set up is awesome, I have the same one you all are talking about. It will hide behind the stock valance but you have to take it off to hook up the tow bar. I am thinking about a different valance set up that I can hinge somehow and pin it up when I need to hook up the tow bar and pin down for driving.

[euro911]

Will the 'RennMetal and Bug tow bar' arrangement fit a 914 with a stock front valance?

I think it will clear the stock valance but you can always ask the guy.
RennMetal

I checked out the site last night, and yep, need to remove the stock valance to install and again when towing. Thanks ...

[andys]

I have towed my 914 with both a U-Haul auto-transporter and the tow bar set up using a 2005 Tacoma V6.

I used to leave the truck (Auto) in 4th gear pulling the U-Haul rig plus car on hilly roads. Otherwise it was in and out of 5th all the time and it annoyed me.

The tow bar set up is awesome, I have the same one you all are talking about. It will hide behind the stock valance but you have to take it off to hook up the tow bar. I am thinking about a different valance set up that I can hinge somehow and pin it up when I need to hook up the tow bar and pin down for driving.

Dave,

I also have an '05 Tacoma V6 TRD w/ tow pkg. I used to tow a lot in past years, but the Tacoma *seems* a bit wimpy for the U-Haul/car combo. When I recently flat towed my 914 to the paint shop with the Tacoma, I was surprised at the poor braking.......However the U-Haul has surge brakes which is sure to help a lot.

Andy

[euro911]

Andy, do you know what type of brake pads you have on your Tacoma? TRD?

I ran some 'high performance' TRD pads for a while but I found they didn't stop the truck very well - really had to stand on the pedal. I went back to the stock type pads.

[balljoint]

My Tacoma is the V6, 4 Door, TRD model, 4x4 with the long box. I think that is pretty much as heavy as they get and I don't think the truck weighs 4,500 lbs. Flat towing my 914 I have never found the brakes to be lacking, but the truck is light and the momentum of a 2,200 lb car behind you, that you can't see except for when you are turning, can be reassuring. It lets you know that your car is still there.

[balljoint]

To further make the point for flat towing. It is a one time purchase that is not much more than renting the U-Haul trailer.

On top of that, U-Haul equipment is notoriously poorly maintained.

[andys]

Mark, I have the standard TRD pads.

Dave, agreed. U-Haul stuff is very poorly maintained. Ever since a wheel and hub came completely off a trailer I was returning (It happened on the freewy on ramp en route to U-Haul), I pop the dust caps of my rentals and check that they're packed with grease.

Andys

[grantsfo]

Fuel will get worse, for sure. The good thing is I averaged 18 mpg towing the car back home. No gas powered truck will do that! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

I hear this a lot from diesel owners however I always make 17 to 18 MPG with my smaller displacement gas v8 Chevy and Fords towing on the highway if I keep it at 65 MPH and see upwards of 21 MPG not towing. My little 4.6 liter F150 work truck was mpg champ! My 4.8 Chevy gets pretty darn good mileage for being a crewcab. It takes a trained foot however and need to know how to use momentum to your favor. Part of this is due to lighter weight nature of the chevy and ford work trucks I buy. They dont have many extras run on little skinny tires, sit much lower than HD versions with diesels, etc. Hualling a little sub 4500 lb trailer and car doesnt impact mileage that badly. I always laugh when some guy in huge heavy duty 4x4 diesel pulls up and thinks he is getting better mileage than my little lightweight 2wd small displacement V8 truck.

Im sure if I was hauling a big enclosed unit my mileage would suck! But for lightweight stuff my little V8 is very comptitive mileage wise. And I can use regular gas!

This post has been edited by grantsfo: Mar 14 2012, 01:40 PM

[balljoint]

We have had F450s, Internationals and Hinos for work trucks and they all get the same mileage, loaded or unloaded, it's always shitty.

[6freak]

I get an easy 24MPG ..26 if i nurse it along..2004 cummins turbo diesel ...1 ton 4 door long box 4x4 ..with out towing of course

that toyota will have no issues as long as you have trailer brakes ..Dad does it all the time in the same truck

MikeC