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I'm shooting to buy a Sea Pro 190 about 1800lbs. 115hp Yam 4 stroke 400lbs trailer (with brakes) and gear??? The manual says 3500/5000lbs. I do not have the towing package, I'm not even sure what that includes. But I do have a class 4 hitch and a tranny cooler. Anyone out their towing a boat close to this. I'm pretty sure it will be OK I just don't want to beat my truck to death. I'm guessing I will be towing 700-1000 miles a year. Most of that will be 1 a ride to the banks. The boat will be dry docked the rest of the year
I'm towing a Dusky 203 with my 1995.5 Tacoma V6 4x4, and is rated for 5000 lbs. I figure I'm towing between 3,500 to 4,000 total, and that's about as much as this truck can handle. It's fine down here in FL where it's flat, but I wouldn't be happy if there were a lot of hills to climb. Forget about going over any mountain passes with this rig! I don't have a tranny cooler, (I think) so I tow with the OD off, or the trans. fluid will overheat in about 10 miles.
I really like the 4WD, lots of torque there for pulling the boat out of steep and slippery ramps.
Assuming you've got the V6 you should be OK with the SeaPro. For 700-1000 miles a year, mostly in one trip, it's really not worth buying a new truck, (unless you've got a 4 cyl.)
I do not have the towing package, I'm not even sure what that includes. But I do have a class 4 hitch and a tranny cooler.
Check with the dealer that sells that type of truck. To answer your question, a towing package is usually more than just a 'big' hitch and a tranny cooler. Towing packages usually include trans cooler, large capacity radiator, oversize alternator, heavy duty suspension, heavy duty turn signal relay, some include oil cooler for the engine and a power steering cooler, and other goodies like certain differential gear ratios and so on.
I would look in your owners manual and other literature from the manufacturer and thenif you're not convinced consult the dealer. be careful as salesmen will tell you anything and the guy on the street a lot of times trying to help out will not tell you all you need to know. You can burn ou a tranny in less than a 100 miles if things are not right.
Good luck. I've heard the Tacoma isn't a bad vehicle when set up correctly.
I had a 97' tacoma extra cab v6 4x4 5 speed that I towed a 21' cape horn with. It pulled it better than my old k-5 blazer with a 350. I believe loaded it was somewhere between 3000 to 4000lbs. I did put a borla exhaust and a k@n filtercharger that helped out great. I also had a 95.5 4cyl 4x4 tacoma I pulled a 20ft cc with no problem. My average tow was between 30 and 60 miles. And those were with a 5-speed tranny. A automatic should pull even better.
I have a 2002 Taco, PreRunner V6, and tow a 2,000 lb boat -- probably comes in with gear, trailer, etc at around 3,000 lbs. It does fine on the flat areas, and doesn't slow too badly on an incline. I never feel unsafe at all with its stopping ability. Mine doesn't have the tow package, so the limit is 3,500. I woudn't hesitate to tow a good 3,500 lbs. with it. Best vehicle I ever owned.
I tow my 180CC Hydrasports, F115 Yamaha, 55 gallons of fuel with my 94 Toyota SR5 4x4 pickup, 3.0 V6, but only 150hp. Tacoma V6 has 190hp. You should be more than fine. I know the boat is there, but it tows fine. It's a 5 speed so I just make sure I bring the RPM's up when shifting gears and run a gear lower than normal driving, 2 gears lower on big hills.
I have a 95 Tacoma 4x4 with the v-6 and 5 speed and pull a 21' BayPro with an Evinrude 225 on it. I don't pull it far, but don't have any problems either. No overheat problems or anything like that. But I feel it is at the limits of what I would pull.
Don't forget that the boat is only (mostly) where the weight comes from, you also have to add in the extra weight for the trailer, fuel, and all the gear you are carring.* I bet all loaded up a 20 foot boat is over 5,000 pounds.* Maybe not by much but over all the same.
If you are just driving a few blocks or so I say it would be no big deal, but if you plan on getting on the highway or any distance at all or hills you may not want to do it with a smaller truck.
Just my 2 cents worth but something to think about.
__________________ "May your poles be bent and your lines stay tight!!!" <*{{{{{><
1998 Grady White 208 Adventure (sold)
2003 Hydra Sports 212 CC
19?? 12' Duranautic
Does anyone pull with a 4 cyl 4x4 Tacoma? I have a 2.7 4 cylinder and was curious what I could pull... I've pulled 18' Scouts before (both Dorado and 185SF) and that seems like the biggest boat I could pull comfortably. I just want to see if I have to save up for a new boat AND a new truck... but with gas prices, my Taco is great for now!
I pulled my 19 sailfish for about 5 years with a 87 toyota 4runner 4 cyl. it was a 2.4 liter. the 2.7 is a much stronger engine and just as reliable as the 22rec i had in me truck. the ramp is about 30 miles round trip. pulled it a few times to the keys and towed the boat from tampa to miami. also pulled my buddies 22 seahawk on occasion when his bronco was dowm for what ever reason. the truck did great with the 19. going up hills was a bit slow but it always got me there and back. the truck struggled a bit with the 22 for obvious reasons. but again the truck got me there and back. the only real problem i see is if the truck is a 2wd your going to have some trouble pulling the boat out of the water occasionally. especially on steep ramps. but if the truck is a 4wd your good to go. if your towing long distances and the truck has an auto transmission i would install a transmission cooler.
well just reread your post. i dont know why i thought you had the 4cyl tacoma. if you have the 6 cyl, power should not be an issue. im towing my 19 with a 95 t100 2wd w/v6. pretty much the same engine thats in the tacoma. if its a 2wd just put some tires on there (a bit wider then the stock tires) unless its a prerunner, the prerunner should have the larger tires already. my t100 has no problem pulling my boat out of the water.
I was pulling 190 seapro CC with the Tacoma but with the boat loaded it was just too much for the Tacoma if it rained and there were some bigger puddles the truck would actually hydroplane, you might be able to last in a place like florida or some place where its very flat but in Virginia i felt like i was just destroying the engine so i moved up to the chevy 1500 with the V8.
Who's Towing with a Tacoma 
