Toyota Tacoma 4x4 is good to run lawn care business

[guven]

I was wondering , I have Pay off 2004 tacoma and I run my business with it. I want to buy chevy 2500 , but most of time I was thinking I do not need big truck , because I have 45 lawns to mow. I Use 33'' billy goat mower and push mower. I have 48''bobcat but I could not use it because I do not have trailer, do I have to buy trailer
do I have to buy bigger truck. I want to run the business forever .
please give me some info , I came the great country in 2003 and I am legal and I have insurance ......
thanks again

[rustyb265]

Buy a trailer for the Tacoma, doesnt have to be big, just big enough for the Bobcat. The Tacoma will pull that no problem. When the business expands, then get your 2500HD. Thats my opinion.

[Lynden-Jeff]

Toyota's will last longer and be more trouble free then any north American truck hands down. However they also no where near match the power of the north american counter parts. I agree with rusty that you should get a trailer. Is it a V6 or V8? Even a V6 would work for a 6 by 12 it just wont be as powerful as a 2500.

Cheers
Jeff

[guven]

thanks jeff, my tacoma is 4 cylinders. it is not v6.do you think it is good to haul 5x10 trailer.
thanks for your time

[Lynden-Jeff]

Hmm. I don't know much about a 4 cylinder but I would assume it would pull a 5 by 10 if it wasn't loaded to bad. Is it manual or automatic?

Cheers
Jeff

[guven]

Hi Jeff,
it is manuel

[velocicaur]

It will work fine. The mower and the small trailer do not weigh very much at all. Plus, it will be relatively cheap to drive. If its an auto, just keep it out of overdrive and go to town!

[cdjohnson7]

Manual just try to keep in 4th gear as fifth is your over drive

[Brendan Smith]

Buy a trailer for the Tacoma, doesnt have to be big, just big enough for the Bobcat. The Tacoma will pull that no problem. When the business expands, then get your 2500HD. Thats my opinion.
i agree completely. it is what i used for 2 years before i bought my 4-runner. only got the 4-runner because my family grew. wish i still had the tacoma. i have actually pulled a 16' trailer with it, it was not fast, but it got the job done.:weightlifter:

[Dogbonz]

I was wondering , I have Pay off 2004 tacoma and I run my business with it. I want to buy chevy 2500 , but most of time I was thinking I do not need big truck , because I have 45 lawns to mow. I Use 33'' billy goat mower and push mower. I have 48''bobcat but I could not use it because I do not have trailer, do I have to buy trailer
do I have to buy bigger truck. I want to run the business forever .
please give me some info , I came the great country in 2003 and I am legal and I have insurance ......
thanks again


I think you need a small 5x8 trailer,, that will work for your stuff,, oh and more English lessons. I do admire you for coming here and starting up a biz,, it's what America is all about. Al least you are trying to learn and speak OUR langauge. as most of the Mexicans seem to think there county sucks so bad they leave it and come Here. but insist on still talking there langauge and trying to make US like Mexico.. Which sucks cause thats why they left!

[guven]

Thank you. I am trying to learn English every day.I like learning English.My big dream is not making million bucks, making my English level high & better.I should come here when I was 20s. I am too late.

I like this site. I learn alot.all you guys are very polite and friendly.

[freddyc]

guven,

I pull a 5 x 10ft trailer with my Tacoma-- 4x4 with 4cylinder , 5 speed manual. It's OK for a couple small mowers and misc stuff, but you can definetly feel that you're pulling something when you head up-hill. But, it's adequate, gets good gas mileage, and can park easily.

What type of equipment do you plan on having in the next year or so?? If you plan on getting a larger zero turn mower then you're going to really feel it when you go uphill. For smaller mowers and walk behinds its good.

Don't worry about your English..you're doing fine. Welcome to America....and it's never too late to come here as long as you're still interested.
Just keep trying, you will succeed--just remember...attitude is everything..think positively and you will get there!

Good luck, and happy mowing!

[guven]

Your respond made me very emotional, thank you for your support and good advices.I do not have any plan to buy big mower, I have two small wb mowers.I will print your respond and hang to my wall .thank you again

[rfed32]

that truck will be fine with a 5x10...make sure you get one with the 13''+ tires...i have 12'' on my 6x10 and it sucks...but good luck with everything...your in good hands on this site...

[guven]

guven,

I pull a 5 x 10ft trailer with my Tacoma-- 4x4 with 4cylinder , 5 speed manual. It's OK for a couple small mowers and misc stuff, but you can definetly feel that you're pulling something when you head up-hill. But, it's adequate, gets good gas mileage, and can park easily.

What type of equipment do you plan on having in the next year or so?? If you plan on getting a larger zero turn mower then you're going to really feel it when you go uphill. For smaller mowers and walk behinds its good.

Don't worry about your English..you're doing fine. Welcome to America....and it's never too late to come here as long as you're still interested.
Just keep trying, you will succeed--just remember...attitude is everything..think positively and you will get there!

Good luck, and happy mowing!

Now I got scag tiger cub and billy goat mower, I hope I can haul 6x10 or 12 trailer with my tacoma , I never tried before

[Herrick]

My dad has a 5x10 that he pulls with his Equinox... I'm sure your tacoma will do fine with a 6x12. I wouldn't try to pull it cross country, but around town with a couple mowers, no problems!

[moremow]

I have a tacoma 4 cylinder ,5spd and it does pull fine. It doesnt have excessive power by no means. But I use my gears properly when approaching hills I gear accordingly keeping my rpms a little higher than normal to help out some. I have had john deere 757 ztr on there as well as several walkbehinds from one time to another. I am using a 5x10 trailer with a 3500 lb axle weight rating. It is a heavy duty trailer and around the city and residential areas it is perfect for my tacoma to pull around with. You will not get a 60" mower on there though but 52" and even the 54" inch john deere squeezed on to it. Just make sure to use your gears to gear down as your approaching hills and such because if you dont with heavier loads you will tend to wear those brake pads out on the truck sooner. I know a lot of folks on this site like to bash toyota and claim their american trucks can pull more. Well a 6 cyl or 8 cyl will pull it easier but if I had to bet on whose truck will hold up longer I would always choose the toyota for that. I have owned a f250 ford turbo diesel that was very strong to pull. But 14 mpg in town compared to my toyota's 22 mpg was a no brainer. If you have a short trailer like the 5x10 the toyota will get it done. Been doing my for 2 years and all i do is change the oil.

[guven]

I have a tacoma 4 cylinder ,5spd and it does pull fine. It doesnt have excessive power by no means. But I use my gears properly when approaching hills I gear accordingly keeping my rpms a little higher than normal to help out some. I have had john deere 757 ztr on there as well as several walkbehinds from one time to another. I am using a 5x10 trailer with a 3500 lb axle weight rating. It is a heavy duty trailer and around the city and residential areas it is perfect for my tacoma to pull around with. You will not get a 60" mower on there though but 52" and even the 54" inch john deere squeezed on to it. Just make sure to use your gears to gear down as your approaching hills and such because if you dont with heavier loads you will tend to wear those brake pads out on the truck sooner. I know a lot of folks on this site like to bash toyota and claim their american trucks can pull more. Well a 6 cyl or 8 cyl will pull it easier but if I had to bet on whose truck will hold up longer I would always choose the toyota for that. I have owned a f250 ford turbo diesel that was very strong to pull. But 14 mpg in town compared to my toyota's 22 mpg was a no brainer. If you have a short trailer like the 5x10 the toyota will get it done. Been doing my for 2 years and all i do is change the oil.

Thanks for your time and excellent info , I am going to get 6x10 open trailer .

[jmartin]

I also have a Tacoma ('05), 4 cyl. manual that I use to pull my 5x10 trailer. Most of the time I'm pulling my Deere lawn tractor and a small walk behind with other gear on it and it's really no problem. You just have to drive smart and use your gears correctly.

[Vikings]

Gives me hope. I have a Ford Ranger, 4x4 with a V6 4 litre (not that cheap on gas imo) I was wondering about pulling a trailer with it. I also have a Sierra full size V8 (not 4x4) Both these vehicles are capable of light to moderate trailers?

also, you don't use the 4x4 while pulling a trailer do you?

[taproot]

I pull my 16 ft camper behind my 2002 Tacoma (4 cylinder) through the mountains without much problem. Its sure not powerful up hills but it does the job. If we get backed up Ill throw a walk behind and a push mower on my 5x8 trailer to do some jobs and dont really even know im pulling anything unless its a steep hill. But then again its my wifes truck so it gets babied lol.

[marckxman]

This might shake things up a bit.

I run a 1988 Toyota Chassis cab Dually with a hydraulic lift and a steel 6x10x3 bed on it. It weighs 5300 (with me in it) and no load.

It has the 2.4L EFI and makes a whopping 116hp.

I pull a fully loaded 5x8 trailer.

This truck has done this every single working day since it was born. It now has 129k on the clock. The only problem it has had in the engine/ drivetrain/ tranny department is a thrown timing chain.

Is it slow? Uber-slow.
Does it get great gas milage? No, 14 mpg on the routes.
Is it cost effective for me? Yes.

Bottom line is that the Totota 4 cyl will do the job for a long time. Just slowly.

[the undergraduate]

...also, you don't use the 4x4 while pulling a trailer do you?

Only if you're off-road... don't use 4x4 when you are on pavement -- Unless you really need to.

[guven]

This might shake things up a bit.

I run a 1988 Toyota Chassis cab Dually with a hydraulic lift and a steel 6x10x3 bed on it. It weighs 5300 (with me in it) and no load.

It has the 2.4L EFI and makes a whopping 116hp.

I pull a fully loaded 5x8 trailer.

This truck has done this every single working day since it was born. It now has 129k on the clock. The only problem it has had in the engine/ drivetrain/ tranny department is a thrown timing chain.

Is it slow? Uber-slow.
Does it get great gas milage? No, 14 mpg on the routes.
Is it cost effective for me? Yes.

Bottom line is that the Totota 4 cyl will do the job for a long time. Just slowly.

Thanks alot,I am going to but 6x10 trailer at the end of the March.I hope I will do ok.Thanks everybody taking time and writing something to me.