Tow questions for '03 V6 regcab

[file014]

I have the regular cab 2003 V6 Tundra work truck. It came with factory hitch and 4 pin trailer light wiring. I am thinking of towing a Uhaul closed trailer about 1000 miles. I am thinking I need to get a brake controller installed, since the trailer would probably weigh 2500-3000 lbs with furniture loaded. Is this something I could do myself or should I pay for the install? I wanna make sure it is done right and I wont have a lot of time to work on it though.

Thanks,
file014

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by file014

I have the regular cab 2003 V6 Tundra work truck. It came with factory hitch and 4 pin trailer light wiring. I am thinking of towing a Uhaul closed trailer about 1000 miles. I am thinking I need to get a brake controller installed, since the trailer would probably weigh 2500-3000 lbs with furniture loaded. Is this something I could do myself or should I pay for the install? I wanna make sure it is done right and I wont have a lot of time to work on it though.

Thanks,
file014

I put one of them in (about 30 + years ago). Been to long to remember the details but I dont remember it being that hard. I had to do it myself ---Didnt have the cash to pay anybody ----Buzz

[cookiemech]

I thought that all of the U-Haul trailers that required brakes had surge brakes (so no controller needed). Installing a controller in that situation wouldn't help anyway, since there would be no place to plug it in.

Generally speaking, brakes aren't required on any trailer with 3000 lb. GTW or less.

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by cookiemech

I thought that all of the U-Haul trailers that required brakes had surge brakes (so no controller needed). Installing a controller in that situation wouldn't help anyway, since there would be no place to plug it in.

That is correct. UHaul knows that few, if any, of the folks who will rent their trailers have a brake controller so they equip all their trailers with surge brakes.
A brake controller is therefore not needed to tow a UHaul trailer.

Generally speaking, brakes aren't required on any trailer with 3000 lb. GTW or less.

Generally speaking, maybe. Specfically speaking about towing with a Tundra (all models, all years), trailer brakes are a virtual necessity anytime the trailer weight is over 1000 lbs (not 3000 lbs). Toyota specifies 1000 lbs as the maximum trailer that should towed without trailer brakes in the owners manual for a very good reason...the truck's brakes are barely adequate to stop the truck itself, much less the weight of a trailer. If you look through the hundreds of posts in the Brake forum, you'll likely be amazed at how many people have overheated/warped their truck's brakes in just normal, non-towing driving...and how many people wear out their front brake pads in less than 10,000 miles. The problem is that Toyota basically equipped the Tundra with Tacoma brakes (along with other Tacoma parts like the suspension pieces, axles, differentials, etc.).

[KLS]

Generally speaking, brakes aren't required on any trailer with 3000 lb. GTW or less.

Depends on both state law and the tow vehicle. Washington has a 3000# trailer brake requirement, California 1500# requirement, Tundra 1000#. For a Tundra, I would not exceed the trucks GVWR, 6000# combined truck and trailer weight, without trailer brakes. If I had the truck heavily loaded, I'd want brakes on any trailer I pulled.


Ken

[lelandstanford]

I rented a pop-up RV trailer once. It's a Starcraft weight about 1500# and has not brakes of any kind.