Tacoma and Solaris 1950...

jklug · 09-13-2011, 09:39 AM

We are looking at Solaris 1950s and I’d like comments on towing with a Toyota Tacoma. Our situation is that we have not bought a 1950, but would like to and are actively looking. The Tacoma is up for replacement next year, but we would like to do at least one 6 week Western trip with it before replacement. On replacement we would buy a full size ½ ton. I’ve read many of the towing threads here, but haven’t found perfect comparison, so that is why I’m asking.

Our Tacoma is a 2006 (so the newer, larger style) 4x4 TRD Off-Road, access cab with a 6 foot bed, so not the longest version but not the shortest, either. The truck is an automatic V6 (236 hp?). We have the factory tow package and the tow rating is 6500#. We expect to tow with weight distribution and dual cam style sway control. We have a brake controller now. We have stock size tires, but moderately aggressive off road tires with very stiff side walls. The 05/06 Tacomas are known to have weak springs in the rear and there was a TSB that we did to replace and upgrade the springs (there are also spring additions or bags as options if we needed them). Passengers include: myself, wife, 4 year old son, and 200 pounds of Labrador. On this trip I don’t expect a ton of dry camping, but in other trips we would be dry camping more often than not once we got to our destination. I have towed a lot of different things with this and other trucks, but not a travel trailer.

I do not like to push the limits of my equipment and I like to be in the comfortable operating range. The Solaris 1950s are under 4000# dry and GVRW is 5500. My thinking/hope is that if we were conservative with gear and kept weight down as much as possible for this trip that upon upgrade to a full sized 1/2 ton truck with a V8, we would have a really well matched rig.

Any thoughts on limping along with the Tacoma for one trip cross country? How “limping” would it?

Thanks,
Tod (husband of Jen)

GKLarson · 09-13-2011, 02:17 PM

I'm the last guy to be answering tech questions & hopefully others will reply but here's my experience FWIW
We tow our Solaris T-1950 w/ an '06 dbl cab Tundra. That was the last yr they were a "7/8" truck & were upsized in '07
Our Tundra is 271hp 4.7L i-force V-8 w/ the TRD pkg The invoice lists it having the V-8 tow pkg w/ 6500# max tow capacity, apparently same as yours. (but manual claims it's 6700#) We took this combo to SW last winter & put 9500 miles on odometer. We use a wt dist. hitch w/o anti-sway. Empty wt of 1950 is just barely under 4000# & although we mostly traveled w/ all tanks all but empty, I'm guessing loaded trailer wt was "significantly" higher. Also had back of Tundra (under a cap) significantly loaded & a canoe on roof.
I had no trouble keeping up w/ other traffic on flats. Going uphill our speed dropped way off unless I really horsed it which I was unwilling to do for sake of few extra mph
I surely can't offer an opinion of how much "limping" you'll encounter but Toyota's are really "hard to hurt" When was the last time you saw one broken down on roadside ?
Good luck in your travels

mainah · 09-13-2011, 06:47 PM

I just got back from Canada with a T1700 (my guess loaded it approached 2800#) with two teenage girls and two adults and lot of gear (quite tight in a access cab) some of the bigger hills were a challenge with a V6 and 6 spd. It pulled fine with nothing other then the tow bar but you are talking another 1000# so you’ll need all the tow stuff sway bars and equalizer or it will be a hand full. I have had the TSB done on the rear springs (it’s a 2011) and I think I’ll put a heavier shocks on it because it does dip a bit on bumps but an equalizer bar would help that. The fuel mileage was not as good as I would have liked it 10-13 but then again if I had slowed down to some thing closer to the speed limit I’m sure it would have been better. But all and all I'm very pleased with the way the Sunline pulled no problem with passing trucks and no sway what so ever.

nasa42a · 09-14-2011, 07:12 AM

mainah..... (and jklug)

Your gas mileage mirrors our years of experience with our '07 Tacoma Prerunner. In fact, based on our past experiences towing a Que, HiLo, and now our Harmony with the Tacoma..... from 3000 - 4500 lbs TT weight, the majority of mpg determination appears to be the wind resistance caused by the TT's frontal area. We continue to be greatly satisfied with the truck after 55+ K miles....and the sole reason for its existence is to be our tow vehicle.

Frank

jklug · 09-14-2011, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GKLarson

I'm the last guy to be answering tech questions & hopefully others will reply but here's my experience FWIW
We tow our Solaris T-1950 w/ an '06 dbl cab Tundra. That was the last yr they were a "7/8" truck & were upsized in '07
Our Tundra is 271hp 4.7L i-force V-8 w/ the TRD pkg The invoice lists it having the V-8 tow pkg w/ 6500# max tow capacity, apparently same as yours. (but manual claims it's 6700#) We took this combo to SW last winter & put 9500 miles on odometer. We use a wt dist. hitch w/o anti-sway. Empty wt of 1950 is just barely under 4000# & although we mostly traveled w/ all tanks all but empty, I'm guessing loaded trailer wt was "significantly" higher. Also had back of Tundra (under a cap) significantly loaded & a canoe on roof.
I had no trouble keeping up w/ other traffic on flats. Going uphill our speed dropped way off unless I really horsed it which I was unwilling to do for sake of few extra mph
I surely can't offer an opinion of how much "limping" you'll encounter but Toyota's are really "hard to hurt" When was the last time you saw one broken down on roadside ?
Good luck in your travels

Thanks GK for your experiance. I know your truck set up well, I have a good friend with the same year and same packages (except the TRD). I have spent a pretty good deal of time in the truck and driven it some. They are pretty different trucks size wise, but the capacities are quite similar. That is one reason I asked about the Tacoma, as I've always felt that the Tacoma's capacities are inflated a bit.

Thanks for your experiance. We may use his truck to tow the Solaris (if we buy it) to haul the trailer to SD from CT in October.

Best and thanks,

Tod

jklug · 09-14-2011, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mainah

I just got back from Canada with a T1700 (my guess loaded it approached 2800#) with two teenage girls and two adults and lot of gear (quite tight in a access cab) some of the bigger hills were a challenge with a V6 and 6 spd. It pulled fine with nothing other then the tow bar but you are talking another 1000# so you’ll need all the tow stuff sway bars and equalizer or it will be a hand full. I have had the TSB done on the rear springs (it’s a 2011) and I think I’ll put a heavier shocks on it because it does dip a bit on bumps but an equalizer bar would help that. The fuel mileage was not as good as I would have liked it 10-13 but then again if I had slowed down to some thing closer to the speed limit I’m sure it would have been better. But all and all I'm very pleased with the way the Sunline pulled no problem with passing trucks and no sway what so ever.

Thanks for the advice and your experiance mainah.

jklug · 09-14-2011, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nasa42a

mainah..... (and jklug)

Your gas mileage mirrors our years of experience with our '07 Tacoma Prerunner. In fact, based on our past experiences towing a Que, HiLo, and now our Harmony with the Tacoma..... from 3000 - 4500 lbs TT weight, the majority of mpg determination appears to be the wind resistance caused by the TT's frontal area. We continue to be greatly satisfied with the truck after 55+ K miles....and the sole reason for its existence is to be our tow vehicle.

Frank

Thanks for the input Frank. I am sure that towing with the Tacoma we will be burning plenty of fuel. With the smaller fuel tank in the truck it gets old stopping so often.

Thanks,

Tod

jklug · 09-14-2011, 09:01 AM

Well that happened fast... We are in an agreement with a seller for a Solaris 1950. I quess that I'll have real world experiance in a week!

Thanks everyone. I'll get my own account when we are owners.

Tod

GKLarson · 09-14-2011, 09:06 AM

You're gonna love that 1950
Best of luck w/ it

mainah · 09-14-2011, 03:52 PM

Good for you you'll have lots of fun.

mainah · 09-14-2011, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nasa42a

mainah..... (and jklug)

Your gas mileage mirrors our years of experience with our '07 Tacoma Prerunner. In fact, based on our past experiences towing a Que, HiLo, and now our Harmony with the Tacoma..... from 3000 - 4500 lbs TT weight, the majority of mpg determination appears to be the wind resistance caused by the TT's frontal area. We continue to be greatly satisfied with the truck after 55+ K miles....and the sole reason for its existence is to be our tow vehicle.

Frank

It does not help that my Tacoma is a 4X4 either this is my 3rd Tacoma (last one had 248K when I sold it) and 4th Toyota pickup I actually had a Toyota motor home with a 4 cylinder now that's a slow lane rig! I sold the MH to my neighbor he saw me towing in my new used T1700 and ran up the hill a bought the MH!

Tod Osier · 09-25-2011, 03:32 PM

Tacoma pulled the T-1950 well enough. We put about 300 miles in and are happy enough. Not an ideal tow vehicle, but plenty enough to do the job. With the Reese DC WD hitch, I wouldn't say I didn't know the trailer was there, but very nicely back there.

Milage was 10-11 mpg, so the truck really took a hit as expected.

Again thanks.

Tod