Towing a Toyota Tacoma

[vknight38@yahoo.com]

We want to tow a 2003 Toyota Tacoma Pickup 4x4. We've been told different things about this. Is there anyone here that tows this type of vehicle?

[jjgnn@yahoo.com]

We want to tow a 2003 Toyota Tacoma Pickup 4x4. We've been told different things about this. Is there anyone here that tows this type of vehicle?

I flat tow a 1993 Land Cruiser, and have no problems at all.

When I asked around about how to do it, I was told it was not recommended, according to Toyota. Some respected Toyota mechanics said they would do it if it was their’s, but would not tell me to do it because they did not want to buy me a new transfer case or transmission if it did not work.

My rationale was that if I tore it up, whatever I bought to replace it would do fine because it would be built for towing. ;*)

In my opinion, (worth what you paid for it), if you have a mechanical transfer case linkage that you can feel pull out of gear into neutral (the transfer case, not the transmission) you should be OK. Some Toyota four wheel drives have an electronic knob on the dashboard that engages four wheel drive, and I do not have a clue how that might work. 1970 era FJ40s Toyotas had a vacuum front wheel drive solenoid, and I have no idea how that might work for towing either.

Of course an option is driveline disconnects, and if my Toyota was newer I might have considered that.

I have flat towed it from East Texas to Arizona, back to Texas, to Oregon, and all over Oregon, and have not had a problem.

Information that may be useful, and answers to questions I have been asked: I leave the transmission in Park when the transfer case is in neutral. I turn the ignition key “on†to unlock the steering wheel, and then turn it 'off', but leave the key in the lock. That allows the steering wheel to turn freely. If you start the towed Toyota engine for any reason, be sure to exhaust the brake booster by pumping the brakes before installing a Brake Buddy. (Brake Buddy works fine with no brake booster assist.) I have synthetic oil in the transfer case and both differentials, and picked up about two miles per gallon with that change. I have regular transmission fluid in the transmission. Towing weight on the Land Cruiser is 5400 pounds, and I use a Brake Buddy I bought on Ebay for auxiliary braking.

[vknight38@yahoo.com]

Thanks Jack for the info. We have asked around and have found that we can tow this vehicle without the driveline disconnect.