I’m thinking about trading in my '04 Cummins for a 2024 Tundra Crew Max and wondering how it performs when towing. My trailer is a 24’ open deck car hauler weighing 3000 lbs, and my rock crawler adds another 4500 lbs. This is well below the truck’s 12k towing capacity, but I’m curious how it handles 8-10k lbs, especially in mountain regions like Colorado, Moab, and the California hammers.
I don’t want to crawl up hills with semis at 35 mph or feel out of control at 75 mph. With my diesel, I get about 12-14 mpg towing, but I know that won’t be the case here. My truck mainly sits unless I’m towing, so I’m deciding whether to stick with the Cummins or go for something I’ll use more often.
Anyone have real-world experience towing with a Tundra? Appreciate the feedback.
Hollis said:
It’ll tow it fine, but you’ll probably not enjoy it much if you’re used to the power of a Cummins.
Why’s that?
It’s like switching from a sports car to an old compact sedan. It’ll get the job done, but you’ll miss the performance and comfort of the bigger truck when towing.
Hollis said:
It’ll tow it fine, but you’ll probably not enjoy it much if you’re used to the power of a Cummins.
Why’s that?
The Cummins is heavier and doesn’t get pushed around as much. Plus, its low-end torque makes towing up mountains easier. The Tundra will manage but you’ll notice it working harder.
I’m not a towing expert, but my 2024 Tundra hybrid pulled a 28’ trailer from Denver to Estes Park through the canyon without any problems. Passed other vehicles like a champ. Didn’t feel like the truck struggled at all.
I have a 2005 Ram 2500 Cummins and a 2024 Tundra. I tow equipment weighing around 10k lbs with both. With a weight distribution hitch, the Tundra performs nearly as well as the Ram. It’s lighter, so you feel the trailer more, but it handles freeway and hills just fine. For heavy loads or rough work, I stick with the Ram. Otherwise, the Tundra is my go-to.
I’ve towed my 8k-pound travel trailer with my 2023 Tundra Pro up Cajon and Tejon passes in California at 75 mph. The truck handled it amazingly well. I think you’d love it.
The Tundra should do alright. I once towed a Yaris loaded with books using a 2008 Frontier stick through the Rockies. The climb was tough, and I had to rely heavily on the engine to avoid burning out the transmission. The downhill wasn’t as bad, but still nerve-wracking.
If your Cummins has a transmission cooler, that’s a big plus. Some older Tundras didn’t have one. Personally, I’d keep the Cummins if towing heavy loads is a regular thing. The twin-turbo Tundra is rated at 12k lbs, but I’d be cautious about pushing it too hard.