V6 3.5 Ecotoot? All I have to say is LOL. Even though Toyota rates the tow capacity of the 5.7 at 10.5k, I've seen them tow a pretty good amount more comfortably ( Not advocating anyone to do anything stupid). If it were me, it would be between the 5.7 and a diesel. The determining factor would be how often would I be towing, compared to regular commuting. Just my two cents.

 

I don't think the 3.5 eco rated that towing # till recently. The 5.7s been doing it for over 8 years now.

Either way, if I had to haul that much weight very often, I wouldn't get a half ton.

 

I actually owned an f150 fx4 eco boost, the engine is stout but it's reliability is shooty which is why I'm in the tundra. With that said you would be better off with a diesel for what your towing I imagine either truck could handle your needs technically but I would rather have some wiggle room in regards to capacity.

 

I pull a 23' Centurion Enzo ski boat that weighs right around 6K in the mountains of Southern Utah. I was in the same dilemma as you at the beginning of the year and opted (obviously) for the toyota. After hitting the ford forums and seeing the issues with turbo problems, brake warping, etc, and the fact that the fords in my area were $5-10K more, I just couldn't bring myself to buy a ford. I do think the ford interior design is nicer, but the power of the 5.7,the higher re-sale value of the yota, and the reliability are hard to beat.

 

Thanks for the fast and informative feedback guys. I'm really leaning towards the Toyota which was my first gut feeling choice. My next question is about towing upgrades. Is there anything I can add on to the truck that will help that will help me tow more? I know Toyota offers a tow package but I'm not exactly sure what that consists of. If I buy a tundra that doesnt have the tow package, can I buy parts that will be just as good if not better? Thanks again.

Chris

 

Most come with the towing package when you're talking about the 5.7. In fact, I think the towing package is standard on the 5.7.

Either way, there isn't an upgraded package. Depending on tongue weight, you might want to add a air bladder system for leveling and the ride. Toyota doesn't offer one that I know of but there are several after market system mentioned throughout the forum.

 

If you get a 14-15 5.7, the tow package is included. It has a trans cooler, hitch, Tow/Haul button, and high out put alternator.

 

When I bought mine I believe every 5.7 tundra came from the factory with the tow package. If you are planning on regularly maxing out the truck you may want to do like these guys are suggesting and jump into a 3/4 ton.

The brakes on the Tundra are arguably better than most 3/4 tons...at least 3/4 tons of the not too distant past. They are amazing and easily the best in the 1/2 ton market. The transmissions are rock solid and proven so I couldn't imagine needing to do anything to it.

My Mastercraft that I tow loaded is only around 6k with trailer and you can tell this truck could care less that it is back there...but another 4k...I couldn't tell ya on that. You are probably aware that Toyota is the only one rating their trucks with the SAE specs so my guess is it would handle 12k with normal skewed domestic MFR ratings.

Personally, I don't know if I would want to be adding or changing factory parts in order to try to get better towing out of it. Maybe if there actually were factory items like even larger trans coolers or radiators...things like that...but aftermarket stuff would scare me if I'm going to be running max weight.

You should really get that boat weighed and make sure you are fully loaded when you do it. Then add any other people you are taking, their gear, etc...and at least that way you would know what you are dealing with. Again, since you are going to be regularly pushing the legal number you will want to make sure you cover your a$$.


...sundance brought up about the only thing I could think of as a safe addition in regards to towing - air bags for the tongue weight issue if there is one...

 

Be sure and check those GVWR tables. I believe my '14 4WD, CM, 5.7 is only good for about 9600 lbs. Needless to say, your towing capacity is affected by the model of truck that you buy. There's no doubt the 5.7 could get it done, power wise; but I think your biggest issue will be the 1/2 ton chassis in your application.

The only advice that I can offer you involving the purchase of a 1/2 ton chassis is to tread lightly on modding for towing, especially if you buy new, but at the weight/length that you're proposing, I'd recommend a sway control and hitch leveling system for your Tundra. Most half tons these days are "squatty" due to the soft rear suspensions they build these days.

Towing 10k on the tongue? I'd go GM Duramax, 3/4 ton, minimum. You'll be glad you did once you got past the sticker shock. If you go 1 ton, look really close at getting a dually, since the single rimmed tonners aren't rated much higher than the 3/4 tonners as far as capacity.

10k is a pretty good load, and you're pushing the GVWR of a factory equipped Tundra, regardless of the model that you choose. And don't let a dealer BS you on this either, do the research. Towing is serious business. Near here, there have been two fatality accidents lately involving poorly equipped rigs getting out of control and going into oncoming traffic.

Don't mean to preach, and I know that you're an experienced, safe driver. Growing up on a farm, I learned pretty quickly that there's no replacement for displacement when it comes to towing.

Happy New Year!

CC

 

"Towing capacity" is a bit of a farce. It is how much the truck is rated to start and stop comfortably and safely. The Tundra can tug 10K no problem and I am confident it can do more in most cases. The problem you are most likely going to have is tongue weight. It is very trailer dependent but the tongue weight on 10K lbs is not going to be kind to any 1/2 ton. With a 2015 1794 CM 4x4 you are left with 1525 of payload. After factoring in gas, passengers and anything else you put in the truck you aren't left with much for tongue weight. Air bags can level the truck, you can get an add a leaf, a new leaf pack, a rear sway bar or a supercharger will get it all going a little faster....... This or anything else you do does not change the payload rating in the eyes of the law or your insurance company. If anything should happen and you're over your ratings you could need some VERY deep pockets.

My big annoyance is you will get abysmal gas mileage pulling that much weight and the Tundra only has a 26 gallon tank. You'll be stopping quite often on a longer trip. Pulling my travel trailer loaded to about 9k on short trips (<100 miles) is doable but not completely comfortable. Any farther than that and its expensive, annoying to worry about gas all the time and very tiring.

I like the idea of a 3/4 or 1 ton diesel if you are going to be hauling that thing very far. If its just a short jaunt from your house to the marina once in a while the Tundra should do fine as long as your tongue weight is within reason.

I doubt you will find anyone that recommends the Ecoboost on a Tundra owners forum.

 

There's no replacement for displacement. My supercharged 2010 would tow a 7k trailer up the Cajone pass in Socal at 80mph and not raise an eyebrow.

 

My vote is for diesel or look at some of the 3/4 ton gasser. I think dodge still makes a mega cab HD gasser, not sure on tow rating but could be better than any half ton. Tundra is little bit bigger than all of them that's why others ride better and higher MPG. Ratings doesn't mean squat in real world. It's like horsepower , some companies rate highest they can and some lowest possible . That's why you can buy a 300HP Kia but you won't beat a Porsche with 150HP.
Or you could wait for Titan( diesel) to see how that pans out . Couple of weeks we will get all the details. Just my two cents
Good luck with whatever you pick.
In my opinion, it's better to have more capabilities and not use it than other way around

 

I agree with the sentiment here. Go with a bigger truck. I don't care what rating my Tundra has I wouldn't want to tow more than 5 or 6000 lbs with it. Not more than a few miles anyway.

I also have an F-350 6.0 diesel super duty crew cab...13,700 towing capacity... and tow a fair amount with it. I have towed roughly 12,000 lbs with it and that's pushing my comfort / pucker factor big time. Even 8 - 10,000 lbs with the 350 make's me wish for something bigger.

If you need to tow 10k more than just occasionally or any kind of distance go BIG.

 

I agree with the sentiment here. Go with a bigger truck. I don't care what rating my Tundra has I wouldn't want to tow more than 5 or 6000 lbs with it. Not more than a few miles anyway.



I also have an F-350 6.0 diesel super duty crew cab...13,700 towing capacity... and tow a fair amount with it. I have towed roughly 12,000 lbs with it and that's pushing my comfort / pucker factor big time. Even 8 - 10,000 lbs with the 350 make's me wish for something bigger.



If you need to tow 10k more than just occasionally or any kind of distance go BIG.

+1^^

Great post from an experienced practical tow person. My uncle had the same truck, solid rig until it hit 150kish.

My camper is right at that 6500 area (loaded). The Tundra does well, but I wouldn't want to push it much higher than that.

 

All I will say is, NO 30 ft boat belongs behind a 1/2 ton. I dont care what its rated for.

 

I will pile on...get a bigger truck. Any 1/2 ton truck CAN tow that weight but none of them SHOULD, especially on a fairly regular basis.

And, to answer your other question. You cannot install anything to increase towing capacity, once it leaves the factory it is what it is. Air bags, helper springs, etc will only mask the fact that you are overweight. Yes, I have air bags and I love them but I don't use them to mask being overloaded. The Tundra IMO sags quite a bit even when not overloaded and they are nice to level the rear when needed.

 

Ram 6.7 cummins

Just ask mountieman

 

Once you decide on a diesel; BB is right Ram is your only choice (out of the newest ones).

I know way too many that have late model Ford's and GM's and NONE will go back to those brands again. My closest friends have them....nothing but problems with the trucks.

 

When I really load up the toyhauler I am right at 7500 lbs trailer weight. The Tundra handles it just fine with the exception of being a bit thirsty. When I buy a bigger toyhauler the Tundra is going to go though. I see guys pulling alot bigger toyhaulers than mine and I have no doubt that the truck does fairly well but at what cost on the drivetrain components. I'd get your boat and trailer weighed...your more than likely going to be surprised at how much it actually does weigh. Either way you definitely need to go 3/4 ton. If you want to stay with a gasser then go with A Ram and the 6.4 simply because nobody else makes a large displacement V8 that's worth a shit and the Hemi platform is pretty solid. If you want a diesel then pick which ever one you want to spend money on cause they are all going to cost you sooner or later although in my shop the Cummins seem to be the less problematic.

 

Me personally, this is how I would go about this:

-Find out how much weight you are actually towing fully loaded. There are scales all over. I have never had an issue pulling into a DOT weigh station and asking to go across the scales.
-How often are you towing this weight? This can help decide if a different truck is needed. (Fuel costs, wear and tear..etc)
-Now find the truck you want and see if it fits the above criteria. If the door jam says it will handle Xxx weight, do it.

I have towed a lot in the past, commercially and for fun (70% in mountains) . Towing with the Tundra is pretty much as good as it gets in a 1/2 ton V8. My CM is rated to pull 9003 lbs and would not think twice to put that behind it.

One last thing that has been mentioned already. I don't care if you are commercial or weekend warrior, you get into an accident and you are overweight, better be ready. Last year my wife got into a very nasty accident and at first it was her fault. After a year of lawyers, accident investigations, many surgeries (the other person) and 580,000.00 later (that was just the other persons medical, hell this came out to 640,000.00 in reality) it was over. So, tow smart, be smart and get the right truck for the job. Be smart and have proper insurance as well....and an umbrella policy never hurts either.

Hate to say it but my next truck will most likely be a 1 ton diesel again due to what I plan on doing. My Tundra has been a beast and should last me until almost retirement in 10 years....so a new truck in 6 years. I have had my truck for 19 months now with 42k trouble free miles of smiles. I see no issues with getting 250k miles of work in this truck with minimal replacement parts.

 

Eco stock does tow better than the Tundra. With a tow tune is unreal. But I wouldn't tow a 30 ft boat with 1/2 ton. The boat would be towing the truck lol.

 

Fsufan21,

Towing is something I did for a zillion years.

From the so called big three, a good calculation to use is:

Take there “tow ratings” and deduct 20% for what you can tow as a “max” safely. Call it the margin of safety. So if they say 10,000 lbs is the tow rating, I would call it 8,000 max.

Tundra is a little more realistic with their ratings, so deduct 15%; thus a 10,000 rating would yield 8,500 max.

Many say: A used Pinto (or ecoboost) can tow 80,000 lbs safely. I am not having that discussion.

The Tundra can tow the space shuttle. . I am not having that discussion.

As others have said: How “often” will you tow and how “far” will you tow with that load? Most likely the real answer is get a diesel for the 10,000 load if you plan on any significant towing.

 

Fsufan21,


From the so called big three, a good calculation to use is:

Take there “tow ratings” and deduct 20% for what you can tow as a “max” safely. Call it the margin of safety. So if they say 10,000 lbs is the tow rating, I would call it 8,000 max.

Tundra is a little more realistic with their ratings, so deduct 15%; thus a 10,000 rating would yield 8,500 max.

That was true, but not anymore, they are all using the same J2807 standard now. Most models really didn't fall that much so they weren't as overrated as everyone thought. 15 and 20% is way too much.



Big Three Will Comply With SAE Towing Standards for 2015 - PickupTrucks.com News

Ram Truck Pulls the Trigger: All 2015 Pickups J2807 Compliant - PickupTrucks.com News


all that said, those tow ratings don't take into account enough reserve in my opinion, 7500 should be it for a 1/2 ton, more than that, get a bigger truck. Those are the BB Tow Standards>

 

5.7 vs 3.5

I own an F350 diesel and a new 2015 Tundra and while I love the Tundra, I would as most on this site are suggesting get a truck capable of safely towing the weight you are talking about. It's one thing to tow your boat a mile down the street to a local dock Vs actually having to haul it on the road safely. I would suggest a 3/4 or 1Ton truck for anything over 6k lbs and even that's probably pushing it.

 

I own an F350 diesel and a new 2015 Tundra and while I love the Tundra, I would as most on this site are suggesting get a truck capable of safely towing the weight you are talking about. It's one thing to tow your boat a mile down the street to a local dock Vs actually having to haul it on the road safely. I would suggest a 3/4 or 1Ton truck for anything over 6k lbs and even that's probably pushing it.

Lol...there is a small group of guys at 10k+ with there Tundras....pure stupidity.

The 8k top number is a solid limit, providing plenty of safety factor for towing in any conditions.

 

Like others have said, I'd suggest a 3/4 ton diesel. I went from my 11 tundra to my current 12 Ram 2500 w/6.7 cummins. I tow a 35+" travel trailer that's roughly 10k. I get lower 11mpg's towing and the exhaust break is really nice to have when towing. I do miss the ride of my old tundra for daily driving, but when it comes to pulling stuff there's no comparison. That's not a knock against Tundra's, but any 1/2 ton isn't going fair well against HD trucks when pulling heavy items. Good luck on your search.

 

Well, I can't agree with everything, I have pulled a few times over mountain passes in the Rockies with 7500+ lbs with not even an issue. Sometimes in not the best weather.

I have to admit, it isn't 1 ton diesel good...but it is very good overall. My brakes are as good as any of my 3/4 tons if not better (I do have the updated vented backing plates that help with cooling). The trucks traction control system is very good on ice and pretty much any on road conditions. Off road my opinion changes.
By far the best upgrade to my truck is LT tires. The P rated tires blow ass. Towing 7500 lbs was fine, but just didn't have the stability. Now it is just a different truck all together. This was the first truck I have ever owned with P metric tires...and the last.
Another aspect of towing is trailer set up. I see people all the time with 5000 lbs Jeeps and a 7k rated trailer that weighs in at 1800-2200 lbs, load range C tires (maybe radial) and wonder why the trailer towing is poor. My first trailer was that way and it sucked behind a powerful diesel. Last two trailers are a little heavier but tow like a dream.

7200 lbs, not one issue. LDH hooked up

7550 lbs over some of the hardest passes in Colorado during a blizzard. No issues, no LDH.

 

No way in hell I'd pull 10k lbs with any 1/2 ton truck

 

Boy is that misleading