I would forgo the rubber bed mat, however, which is supposed to trap sand and dirt but ends up trapping debris and water underneath it, possibly causing damage to the bed. The side rails had adjustable tie-down points, making the process of tying down cargo an easy one. There were still plenty of tie-down points in the bed. If a longer bed is needed, the 2020 Tundra TRD Pro trim is also available once again as a double cab with the 6.5-foot bed. I had no problem getting up to speed or stopping the trailer in a reasonable distance.Īs a work truck, I found that the short 5.5-foot bed on the CrewMax is almost too small. Even with the sag, I never felt the suspension bottom out, and the load was always controlled and stable, with no steering issues. Without the weight distribution hitch, the heavy tongue weight caused the Tundra to sag significantly in the rear. Toyota recommends using a weight distribution hitch for any trailer over 5,000 pounds or tongue weight over 500 pounds, but I was unable to secure one for the few hours that I had the trailer. Typically, it’s best to keep the tongue weight as close to 10% of the trailer weight as possible, but this setup gives a good idea of how much the truck will squat when loaded to its max. To test this, I towed a trailer weighing in at just under 6,000 pounds with a 1,000-pound tongue weight. This is a great idea that all manufacturers should implement in all full-size trucks and SUVs. New for 2020, all Tundras come with a Class IV receiver hitch and a factory-installed trailer brake controller. Some people prefer high-speed off-road driving in 2WD because it’s easier to bring the rear end around in the corners. This workaround allowed for some 2WD sand drifting. In 2WD, I found that the traction and stability control systems can’t be fully disabled - but if I disabled them in 4WD, then switched into 2WD, the systems stayed off. Maybe I didn’t play hard enough, but the Tundra never got stuck in a place that it couldn’t drive out of under its own power. The extra ride height of the TRD Pro was beneficial in many situations with better approach, departure and breakover angles than the rest of the Tundra lineup. The TRD-tuned Fox 2.5-inch front and rear shocks handled the undulations in the sand without any noticeable heat or fade. Power from the V-8 made climbing the dunes an easy task. Temperatures were in the low 40s and the sand was wet with snow on the north-facing slopes. Much of the reason the tires did so well was that traction on the sand was high. As far as all-terrain tires go, the Michelin LTX A/T2s are some of the least aggressive tires on the market. Once in the sand, I was impressed by how well the Tundra was able to grip given the near highway tread of the 32-inch-tall Michelin LTX A/T2 tires. Having the lower payload allows Toyota to tune the Tundra for a smooth on-road ride, and the truck always felt stable and linear on the highway. My specific TRD Pro model came with a payload capacity of 1,235 pounds, which is on the lower end for this size of truck. The 5.7-liter V-8 with 381 horsepower and 401 pounds-feet of torque and six-speed automatic transmission had plenty of power to get up to speed, merge onto the freeway and pass slower-moving vehicles out on the country roads. This involved roughly 80 miles of highway driving one way, giving me a good idea of the Tundra’s high-speed pavement manners. To start my week off with the Tundra, I took a trip to the Little Sahara Recreation Area in Utah for some play. I recently tested the slightly updated 2020 Tundra TRD Pro (the most off-road-capable Tundra) while towing and off-road to see if it’s the ultimate work and outdoors truck. For 2020, the second-generation Tundra carries on with the same powertrain from when it was introduced in 2007, yet it’s still relevant today. Toyota has never been a top player in the full-size pickup truck market, but the Tundra has always sold well and is noted for its excellent reliability.
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