Toyota Tundra Towing Capacity: What To Know

in Model Info
Black Toyota Tundra

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If you’re a person who finds themselves hauling large amounts of equipment from one place to another frequently, towing capacity is probably one of the most important factors in determining your purchase of a vehicle. It’s essential that you know your truck’s towing capacity as well as the weight of the objects you’ll be towing before embarking on any grand adventures to ensure you’re driving safely and keeping your stuff safe, too.

The Toyota Tundra is a great vehicle for many people, and a lot of its drivers have towing capacity on the top of their priority features list. Here, we’ll tell you all about the Toyota Tundra towing capacity for different year models and what that means for you.

What is Towing Capacity?

Towing capacity is a measure of how much weight your vehicle can pull behind itself using a trailer in a safe fashion, without risking damage to what it’s towing or the vehicle itself. Exceeding the maximum towing capacity as stated in your owner’s manual is dangerous and should be avoided at all costs! There are a few different ways to figure out your truck’s towing capacity: reading the owner’s manual, finding a sticker with the information on the inside of the driver’s side door, or calculating it on your own (which isn’t as hard as it sounds). This simply involves taking the gross combined weight of your vehicle, including everything it’s loaded with and the trailer it’ll be towing, and subtracting the curb weight or the weight of your vehicle when it’s empty. With that being said, it’s still easiest to find your truck’s towing capacity by getting it directly from the manufacturer. 


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How Much Can the Toyota Tundra Tow?

The Toyota Tundra towing capacity is nothing to sneeze at, with a maximum capacity high enough to be one of the biggest draws to the Tundra for many people. We’ll start by looking at the 2021 year model since it’s the latest. According to Toyota of Irving, the 2021 Toyota Tundra can haul between 8,800 to a whopping 10,200 pounds. The same is true for the 2020 model. For the 2018 and 2019 year models, towing capacity is between 6,400 and 10,200 pounds. The year models from 2015 through 2017 all have the same maximum towing capacity of 6,400 to 10,500 pounds. The 2014 Toyota Tundra towing capacity is 4,000 to 10,500 pounds, and for model years 2011 through 2013, it’s 4,500 to 10,400 pounds. The last Toyota Tundra we have towing capacity information on is the 2010 year model. With this one, you can expect to tow between 4,800 and 10,800 pounds. 

How Does This Compare to Competitors?

When it comes to the competition, the Toyota Tundra towing capacity sits near the top of the pack. There are similar trucks that have more towing capacity, but there are also many big-name competitors that have less. The 2021 Toyota Tundra wins out over the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, as it can tow 8,800 to 10,200 pounds compared to the Silverado’s capacity of 7,200 to 9,700 pounds. The same is true for the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500, coming in slightly under the Toyota Tundra with a towing capacity of 7,400 to 9,500 pounds. Coming in last is this race is actually another one of Toyota’s very own trucks, the Toyota Tacoma. This has a small towing capacity of 3,500 to 6,800 pounds. 

The two main competitors that actually do beat out the Toyota Tundra towing capacity are the 2021 Ford F-150 and the 2021 Dodge RAM 1500. The F-150 can tow between 5,000 and 11,300 pounds, granting it slightly stronger towing capabilities than the Tundra. Even so, if towing capacity in a brand new truck is what you have your eye on, the Toyota Tundra is still one of your best bets. The Dodge RAM 1500, on the other hand, is the hardiest of all, being able to haul 7,730 to 12,750 pounds.


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Other Towing Features of the Toyota Tundra

In addition to being able to haul so much weight, recent Toyota Tundras also communicate more information to you about your towing than ever before. They have a warning light system to tell you if something is going wrong or needs to be fixed, like hill descent control. What exactly your Toyota Tundra will tell you depends on the model year of the truck, as well as the trim level and the equipment package you purchased with the truck.

One cool feature that might come in handy if your Tundra has it is called the Integrated Trailer Brake Controller. Its function is to pair with your trailer’s electronic braking system and allow you to use the monitor screen (if it comes with your truck) to scale your braking pressure to the amount of weight you’re towing in order to maintain balance and keep your trailer safe. It’s important to understand everything your vehicle comes with and how it works in relation to towing before you start hauling tons of material.


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Everything Else You Need to Know

Given that you’re interested in the Tundra Toyota towing capacity, you might want to look into the Tow Package. This package is designed for people looking to maximize their Tundra’s towing capabilities, giving you a towing hitch receiver, a supplemental engine oil cooler, and more.

It’s vital that you always tow things safely and securely. This means that you must ensure that the trailer you want to hook up to your truck is compatible with it and is attached properly before you head out. Make sure the weight on the trailer is as balanced as can be and that everything you’ll be towing is strapped in well enough that it won’t slide or fly out. And of course, we must reiterate that you really can’t exceed the Toyota Tundra towing capacity, or you’ll risk endangering your trailer and possibly, yourself.



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