2016 tacoma 4x4 to tow escape 5.0 TA ? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 04-10-2016, 10:04 AM   #1
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2016 tacoma 4x4 to tow escape 5.0 TA ?

I'm doing some planning for future purchases and in a few years (2 or 3 years from now). I would like to purchase a camper. I like the escape 5th wheel and to a lesser extent the escape 19 foot trailer.

I also need a new truck in this time frame. I am a backpacker and need a truck with four wheel drive to go on forest service roads that ford streams. Something like a tacoma four door cab is what I want. A full size truck would also work for my backcountry trips, but the forest service roads are narrow and a narrower mid size is my preference.

It seems like an F150 would be an ideal truck for pulling an escape 5th wheel. I know that some have done it with a tacoma. With the tacoma it then becomes an issue of payload. If you have three or four adults in the truck and a full tank of gas and a light weight hitch I don't see how a 4x4 tacoma has enough payload. I know there are probably also issues with bed height although those seem easily solvable.

For those who use a tacoma to tow a 5th wheel please tell me if the payload is/was a big issue for you.

The tacoma looks like its more than enough to pull the 19 ft trailer. So my truck preference might dictate the camper choice...
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Old 04-10-2016, 10:12 AM   #2
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I am not sure you can put a 5th wheel hitch in the composite bed of a Tacoma.

Jeremy
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Old 04-10-2016, 10:17 AM   #3
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I am not sure you can put a 5th wheel hitch in the composite bed of a Tacoma.

Jeremy
Yeah. I know about that. I'm a structural engineer so I've thought about that. The hitch mounts on the primary steel frame structure below the bed, same as any other truck. This is a minor issue that may require some spacers or shims so that the composite bed doesn't get crushed by the weight.
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Old 04-10-2016, 10:38 AM   #4
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With all 1/2 ton trucks , no matter the manufacturer , payload is one of the main issues in 5th wheel towing . The Ford F150 has a higher payload than many of its competitors and is rated for 5th wheel towing . NO , I do not own a Ford truck . We considered purchasing an Escape 5.0 TA but ran up against the payload limits of our vehicle . Buying both a new TV and a new 5th wheel trailer was not in the cards . I hope you find a way to make it work for you .
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Old 04-10-2016, 10:45 AM   #5
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Tacoma 4 x 4

Since I know nothing about 5th wheels, this is just some encouragement to purchase a Tacoma 4x4. I'm on my 3rd one, although the first one wasn't called that, and they are best little trucks I've ever owned. Not so little anymore though. Always had the 4x4's for driving up the mountain. They've never let me down. I'm driving a 2006 Access Cab now with 200K.

Last year I towed my 13 ft. Trillium to Inuvik (Arctic) and back with no issues at all. New 10 ply tires on the truck and 8 ply on the trailer.

It's great for getting into tight places at almost any pitch. Having owned both Chev's and Ford's in the past I'll take my Toyota any day. Keep them all for a minimum of 15 years.

Good luck in your search for the perfect tow vehicle.
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Old 04-10-2016, 10:47 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
With all 1/2 ton trucks , no matter the manufacturer , payload is one of the main issues in 5th wheel towing . The Ford F150 has a higher payload than many of its competitors and is rated for 5th wheel towing . NO , I do not own a Ford truck . We considered purchasing an Escape 5.0 TA but ran up against the payload limits of our vehicle . Buying both a new TV and a new 5th wheel trailer was not in the cards . I hope you find a way to make it work for you .
The way I hope to make it work is by doing lots of planning well in advance. I'm currently driving an 18 year old vehicle that is maintained by me so I can save my money and get a new(er) truck. The escape is the best case scenario for me so I've been using the weight and pin load to do my planning. I'd rather buy something used, but I don't like the scamp 5th wheel. I'm not a fan of the carpeted walls and what looks like an odd main bed.
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Old 04-10-2016, 11:01 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by BarbinBC View Post
Since I know nothing about 5th wheels, this is just some encouragement to purchase a Tacoma 4x4. I'm on my 3rd one, although the first one wasn't called that, and they are best little trucks I've ever owned. Not so little anymore though. Always had the 4x4's for driving up the mountain. They've never let me down. I'm driving a 2006 Access Cab now with 200K.

Last year I towed my 13 ft. Trillium to Inuvik (Arctic) and back with no issues at all. New 10 ply tires on the truck and 8 ply on the trailer.

It's great for getting into tight places at almost any pitch. Having owned both Chev's and Ford's in the past I'll take my Toyota any day. Keep them all for a minimum of 15 years.

Good luck in your search for the perfect tow vehicle.
I had a Toyota 1983 2wd sr5 long bed, an ancestor of the tacoma. It was a great little truck. No issues (other than some minor rust) with it ..ever.
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Old 04-10-2016, 12:33 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by jrmarsh View Post
I had a Toyota 1983 2wd sr5 long bed, an ancestor of the tacoma. It was a great little truck. No issues (other than some minor rust) with it ..ever.
We do not see a lot of Toyota trucks in our area . One of the reasons is that in our area they use a lot of road salt and now with all the government cut backs we are seeing more salt and less plowing. Toyota's were noted for rusting out both body and frame at a very early age. Hopefully Toyota has corrected that problem.
If Ford's F150 aluminum body trucks hold up better to Salt and corrosion , I can see Ford gaining a larger market share in our area.
I have never worn out a vehicle due to mileage but I have replaced many vehicles because there was little sheet metal left.
I have owned cars where you had to watch where you put your feet because the floor had rusted away.
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Old 04-10-2016, 12:41 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
We do not see a lot of Toyota trucks in our area . One of the reasons is that in our area they use a lot of road salt and now with all the government cut backs we are seeing more salt and less plowing. Toyota's were noted for rusting out both body and frame at a very early age. Hopefully Toyota has corrected that problem.
If Ford's F150 aluminum body trucks hold up better to Salt and corrosion , I can see Ford gaining a larger market share in our area.
I have never worn out a vehicle due to mileage but I have replaced many vehicles because there was little sheet metal left.
I have owned cars where you had to watch where you put your feet because the floor had rusted away.
I didn't know vehicles rusted any more.The last vehicle that rusted that we owned was a 60's Mercury Comet. Since than nothing has rusted and I spent most of my life in the Northeast.
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Old 04-10-2016, 01:09 PM   #10
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At least a couple other people have modded their Tacoma beds to add a fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch. It is no big deal. The Escape 5.0TA has a 600 lb dry pin weight, so you'd have wiggle room to add some cargo. The Tacoma should do very well for you. Plenty of off-roaders use Tacomas.
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Old 04-10-2016, 01:12 PM   #11
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Don't forget to evaluate the GM twins, Colorado/Canyon. They can tow 7000 pounds and the V-6 gets better fuel economy than the Toyota.

I have a 2015 Tacoma 4 dr and love it, but I don't think I can pull with the power my SIL has in his Canyon.
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Old 04-10-2016, 01:37 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by honda03842 View Post
I didn't know vehicles rusted any more.The last vehicle that rusted that we owned was a 60's Mercury Comet. Since than nothing has rusted and I spent most of my life in the Northeast.
I have seen 3 or 4 year old vehicles with rusted fenders , engine hoods , rocker panels , cab corners , door edges and trunk lids . The other issue is the rusting of suspension components and brake lines . The rotors on my wife's 2010 vehicle with less than 60,000 miles have been replaced 3 times due to rusting and pitting . A friend of my son has a 3 year old nissan truck and there are rust holes in the rear bumper and the tail gate .
I am glad you are not seeing or experiencing rust issues but my experiences has been different .
In my opinion ,the auto makers have had great sucess with making better drive trains but rust is still an issue .
I looked at buying a diesel truck because of many factors but
from what I have observed , the body falls apart long before the diesel engine is anywhere near the end of it's useful life.
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Old 04-10-2016, 01:51 PM   #13
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Toyota is still plagued by rust issues, but now it's the frames instead of the sheet metal. Started when they started making Tacomas, and unbelievably they seem to continue having the problem over an entire decade, even when frame recalls and truck buy-backs had been in effect for years...

Not sure what their deal is.

I'm totally biased to Toyota. I know I could get a less expensive vehicle with better gas mileage and more power. But so far I haven't been able to bring myself to do it. I've had seven of them, from a 78 to a 98, and they've all been go-anywhere, never leave you stranded trucks.

If you can solve the composite bed issue, it's really a very simple matter. Just compare the weight of the trailer you want to the capacity of the vehicle you want. If you're right at the maximum capacity, you either need to start looking at different trailers or different trucks...
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Old 04-10-2016, 03:33 PM   #14
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According to the brochure for the 2016 Tacoma the payload for a 4x4 is 1175 pounds.

The gas tank holds 21.1 gallons @ 6.3 lbs/ gallon = 134 lbs
My fat self = 250 lbs
2 family members @ 150 lbs = 300
Estimated wet pin weight for 5,0 TA = 700 lbs

134 + 250 + 300 + 700 = 1384 which exceeds the payload by over 200 lbs.

That doesn't include the weight of the hitch which is probably at least 100 to 150 lbs.

So, again, my original question is how do people do it? Am I missing something ? The numbers don't add up. A 2wd has a higher payload by a few hundred pounds but even with that you're dancing on the edge.
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Old 04-10-2016, 03:49 PM   #15
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Tacoma has maintained the TOP resale value, of all vehicles. The quality is there. The re-sale value returned to purchaser is unmatched. The cult like following enjoyed by Scamp is even greater for Tacoma, if it were possible.

That said, heavy payload isn't the Taco strong suit. The trucks sag easily with just a few hundred pounds in back end. What do people do you ask? Airbags and heavier rear suspensions are fairly typical.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of airbags but their use is very widespread.
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Old 04-10-2016, 04:02 PM   #16
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Eddie Escaper (on the EscapeForum) tows a 2007 Escape 5.0 with a 2013 Tacoma (My Tacoma has a towing package and rates the TWR at 6500 lbs... w my cab and engine)
See post #24 in this thread: 5.0 TA hitch for 2016 Toyota Tacoma? - Page 3 - Escape Trailer Owners Community
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Old 04-10-2016, 04:04 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by bpfick View Post
Tacoma has maintained the TOP resale value, of all vehicles. The quality is there. The re-sale value returned to purchaser is unmatched. The cult like following enjoyed by Scamp is even greater for Tacoma, if it were possible.

That said, heavy payload isn't the Taco strong suit. The trucks sag easily with just a few hundred pounds in back end. What do people do you ask? Airbags and heavier rear suspensions are fairly typical.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of airbags but their use is very widespread.
You cant really increase payload, but you can improve performance at a given weight. I guess a 4x4 tacoma really cant handle an escape 5.0 TA, however people pull them that way. I think they must have gone rogue.
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Old 04-10-2016, 04:10 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by jrmarsh View Post
According to the brochure for the 2016 Tacoma the payload for a 4x4 is 1175 pounds.

The gas tank holds 21.1 gallons @ 6.3 lbs/ gallon = 134 lbs
My fat self = 250 lbs
2 family members @ 150 lbs = 300
Estimated wet pin weight for 5,0 TA = 700 lbs

134 + 250 + 300 + 700 = 1384 which exceeds the payload by over 200 lbs.

That doesn't include the weight of the hitch which is probably at least 100 to 150 lbs.

So, again, my original question is how do people do it? Am I missing something ? The numbers don't add up. A 2wd has a higher payload by a few hundred pounds but even with that you're dancing on the edge.
A full tank of fuel is is part of the GVW and does not affect payload.
My truck has a payload capacity of 1380 lbs after subtracting for the options I have added . Subtracting from my payload ,the average loaded pin weight for an Escape 5.0 TA ( Even Escape says the listed 600 lb pin weight is low when the trailer is loaded) , the weight of my myself ,wife and dog , the weight of a 5th wheel hitch
and a very small amount of cargo , I am over my listed payload capacity. I tend to follow the vehicle manufacturers stated limits
, others disregard them entirely . You have to decide which road to take . With the low payload of the Tacoma , I see no way you can stay within Toyota's specs . Remember adding air bags or beefing up the suspension does not change your payload.
,
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Old 04-10-2016, 04:11 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by jrmarsh View Post
You cant really increase payload, but you can improve performance at a given weight. I guess a 4x4 tacoma really cant handle an escape 5.0 TA, however people pull them that way. I think they must have gone rogue.
Agreed. The airbags are merely to level out the truck. (headlights, etc).

If I were heading toward a 5th Wheel, I'd be looking at more truck than the "life-style" sized trucks, as they're called. These 3/4 sized trucks have their place and are mostly a joy to drive, park and own, but for heavier duty work, I'd be looking at a first rung of the full sized trucks. Just me.
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Old 04-10-2016, 04:15 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
I have seen 3 or 4 year old vehicles with rusted fenders , engine hoods , rocker panels , cab corners , door edges and trunk lids . The other issue is the rusting of suspension components and brake lines . The rotors on my wife's 2010 vehicle with less than 60,000 miles have been replaced 3 times due to rusting and pitting . A friend of my son has a 3 year old nissan truck and there are rust holes in the rear bumper and the tail gate .
I am glad you are not seeing or experiencing rust issues but my experiences has been different .
In my opinion ,the auto makers have had great sucess with making better drive trains but rust is still an issue .
I looked at buying a diesel truck because of many factors but
from what I have observed , the body falls apart long before the diesel engine is anywhere near the end of it's useful life.
Same here in central Vt. They brine the roads rather than salting. It's cheaper! My Frontier has never seen salt. It will be a pleasure to do the brakes.
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