My buddy has an '04, or '03 Tacoma, 4dr, with TRD package and what not. He also has the TRD supercharger and exhaust. Anyways, let me get to the point. His car's towing capacity is 5000lbs stock. He is thinking of getting a Malibu boat since we wakeboard, however the boat weighs 3900lbs dry, plus the trailer, so figure like 5300lbs or so. Now my question is, since he added the supercharger and shit, does the towing capacity increase? Or is he fucked?

`John

 

Usually the tow rating of a vehicle is based not on what the engine can haul (though that is a factor) but on what the transmission can handle and on how safely the vehicle can manuever with the added weight on the back. his best bet is to get a weight distribution set up and maybe some bigger springs in the back. i have seen quite a few customers (i work at an auto shop and we also do hitch work) come back when they have exceeded their tow raitings with the hitches ripped apart and their frames bent. These are extreme cases but its much smarter and safer to get a weight distribution kit to ensure that you are not going to run into any problems.

 

thanks man...

anybody else have any other suggestions/comments?

 

I grew up on a farm so we beat the shit out our trucks.
my grandpa has a 02 GMC Sierra 4x4 with a Duramax/Allison combo in it. it's only rated to like 15000 lbs i believe. He put banks power chip and banks exhaust on it he has to be up around 400 hp. so I told him hook up our new wagon.(it's a J and M 500 bushel grain wagon). keep in mind this wagon unloaded weighs 1 ton. then our combine came by and filled her up(it was 1/2 full when we got there). so we took it to the elevator to weigh it. we drove the truck off the scale. it weighed 15 ton and the Duramax pulled. yeah it knew it was back there.
that tow rating is just a suggestion.

 

I wouldn't add a s/c or major. just add the transmission cooler. also tell him to watch his gauges. if he's not use to towing tell him to take it easy. but he doesn't need to pour a crap load of money into it.

 

The tow rating might just be a suggestion but from what I have seen its a pretty good suggestion. Bent frames are very expensive to fix, not to mention that if you have a heavy tongue weight you risk losing some steering feel...while rare I have seen this problem with people trying to tow with 4 Runners. Get a weight distribution, thats the SAFEST way to increase your load capability.