Caribou Gear

Tundra Owners - Towing Question

I've seen this bbq happen. With lumber on a flatbed trailer that weighed less than a implement for a skid steer.
No brakes down a grade did not end well.

I lost a trailer tire once towing the ASV with the 6in1 blade on it with a dump truck, hwy 1,rush hour. I was lucky I did not kill the other drivers let alone me before I got it stopped on the shoulder.

Moved stuff with half tons very short distances that were heavy. Like a few hundred feet and not down a road.
 
I work for a large custom residential construction company. We have three skid steers. I think, maybe more. We use trucks that are designed and capable to tow them, plus the trailer weight. I wouldn't choose a half ton to move one no matter what it says on the tailgate. mtmuley
Ditto, if your planning on towing often your setting up for breakdowns. We pull mini-x, skidsteers...
With the towing packages offered on 3/4-1 ton , I don't overheat the brakes.
 
Someone about a dozen houses down has an F-150 with a gooseneck attachment. Seems crazy to me, but I guess they are rated for up to 14,000 lbs now. Not what I would use if I needed a gooseneck.
 
Someone about a dozen houses down has an F-150 with a gooseneck attachment. Seems crazy to me, but I guess they are rated for up to 14,000 lbs now. Not what I would use if I needed a gooseneck.
I've seen people do it, but the problem with a gooseneck/fifth wheel on a half ton is the tongue weight, which is often about 25% of the trailer weight. That's much greater than the 10% tongue weight on a bumper pull.

So even though the trailer is under the max trailer weight rating, it exceeds the payload rating of the truck.
 
torque. Warped rotors seems to definitely be a "thing" in tundras.

It's just frustrating when compared to my pickup that went 240k without any issue, and it hauled and towed WAY more frequently than my tundra does now.
This may sound unlikely but get some EBC yellow stuff brake pads. I had the same problem on a truck and these pads stopped it I never did a set of rotors again.
 
I'm curious if any of you guys who own Tundras have towed anything as heavy as a skid steer. I currently have a Chevy 1 ton and the only reason that I need it is to occasionally tow my skid steer from jobsite to jobsite. I have a friend who wants to buy my Chevy because you can't find a new one right now. I'm thinking of selling it to him, but I don't want another diesel. I would like to buy a used Tundra. Would you consider towing an 8,000lb skid steer on a 3,000lb trailer? I know that's likely a little more than the towing capacity, but I've always been surprised at how much heavier built the Tundras are compared to other 1/2 tons.
I would not do it. Safety…#1 and #2. You need at least a 3/4 ton truck if you are towing that kind of weight. You don’t need a diesel to get it done…but you do need a heavy\super duty pickup.
 
I always caution people that tow over the tow vehicles rated capacity. You get in an accident you are opening yourself up to be sued. Happened to a co-worker who rear ended someone.
 
Towing, sure. As others have noted - STOPPING will be the challenge, as well as braking and steering at the same time. Way too much. That being said, I have done similar... slowly and carefully. During off-peak traffic hours, etc... But I was young and stoopid.
 
I have a 2011 tundra with the 5.7. Towed my travel trailer from western washington to wyoming for vacation a few years ago. Trailer weighs about 8k. Engine has enough power but the framing and suspension are too light. The trailer just pushed that truck around. Made for a long drive. had to be real careful.. I also have timbrens in the back. I now pull my trailer with a 3/4 ton diesel. It just works better. Love my tundra though.
 
I'm curious if any of you guys who own Tundras have towed anything as heavy as a skid steer. I currently have a Chevy 1 ton and the only reason that I need it is to occasionally tow my skid steer from jobsite to jobsite. I have a friend who wants to buy my Chevy because you can't find a new one right now. I'm thinking of selling it to him, but I don't want another diesel. I would like to buy a used Tundra. Would you consider towing an 8,000lb skid steer on a 3,000lb trailer? I know that's likely a little more than the towing capacity, but I've always been surprised at how much heavier built the Tundras are compared to other 1/2 tons.
You can buy one of the 3/4 or one ton gassers, tow all you want with it and the gas mileage will be the same as the Tundra.
 
You can buy one of the 3/4 or one ton gassers, tow all you want with it and the gas mileage will be the same as the Tundra.
I agree. But this is a Tundra place. If you are going to tow, the Toyotas just can't. mtmuley
 
What jest! ;)
The reality, a one ton gasser driving to go shopping at Costco gets the same mileage as a Tundra pulling 8k.
 
Last edited:
154k on my Tundra. Haven't needed a single dollar of work on it other than scheduled maintenance.
Just sayin.
I have a 2017 tundra crew cab. Transmission went out at 66,000 miles and a little over three years. Wouldn’t cover it under warrant.
 
I have a 2017 tundra crew cab. Transmission went out at 66,000 miles and a little over three years. Wouldn’t cover it under warrant.
My Tundra of the same year has 155k.
I don't ask it to do more than is sensible.
 
If you want to tow the way you could with any heavy duty truck, any half ton just can’t. That’s not what they’re designed to do. Just like a diesel F350 sucks to drive around off road all day, that’s not what it’s intended to do.
 
I bought had 2 2018 Tundras for a bit, sold one to get a tow vehicle that could handle towing a load, 3/4 dodge diesel, a half ton is a half ton is a half ton. The diesel exhaust brake is really nice when towing through the steep stuff.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
113,675
Messages
2,029,248
Members
36,279
Latest member
TURKEY NUT
Back
Top