charles_slc

If you look around...you can find 2014 XLTs with the heavy duty payload package (HDPP) and a tow package.

I did

atwowheelguy

Twin panel moon roof weighs 64 lbs. With 12% of a trailer weight carried on the truck axles, that removes 542 lbs. from the max trailer weight that can be towed by that truck.

If you're willing to give up 542 lbs. from your trailer weight, go for it. Just be ready for the retracting mechanism to break when you try to close it. Oh, and leaks. Google it.

Velosprout

I found one as well, but it took a national search for over a year and a 700 mile one-way drive to buy it. HDPP are almost as rare as unicorn tears.
You could not buy a HDPP without the Max Tow Package; it was included.

Velosprout

No moon roof...not only does it eat up payload, having a hole in the top of the truck would increase body flex. Those two reasons are why a moon roof is not able to be ordered with a heavy duty payload package.

smokeywren

True for the 3.5L EcoBoost engine. But Max Tow is not available for the 5.0L V8, while HDPP is. Even if you order a 2018 F-150, if you order a V8, you can order HDPP but not max tow.

acdii

I wish is was a deletable option on the higher trims. I had mine open once...once. That was just to see how it worked, has been closed ever since. If you look at stickers, even though it is included with the 502a, they still charge 1295 for it. I would much rather it not be there at all.

MauriceDorris

64lb moonroof removes 542lbs of towing capacity. That's some math that they didn't teach in my public school education. I'm capable of comprehending it, but I guess I never paid attention.

I'm a very lightweight user of my truck's capabilities. I mostly carry two mountain bikes or two dirt bikes. A few times a year, I tow a 4000lb enclosed trailer.

If my friends need help moving, I then use my nice truck to give them a ride to uhaul.

I'm never at risk of overloading.

I bought it used for same price as a less capable Tacoma and also because it looks really cool.

I think I need to educate myself on the real math of towing

charles_slc

Pretty simple really, the truck has to be able to carry the tongue weight of the trailer. A truck's weight carrying capacity is known as "payload". There's a sticker in the drivers door that will give you your trucks payload. Without a moonroof this would be 64# higher.

Tongue weight should be between 10-15% of the trailer weight. Assuming 13%, then an extra 64# of available payload translates into an extra 492# of trailer. (64 / .13 = 492)

OP seems to have been assuming 11.8% tongue weight

smokeywren

It's simple junior-high math, but most of today's public schools don't do a good job teaching junior-high math. Or logic.

Payload capacity is the limiter as to how heavy a trailer you can tow with most pickups and SUVs. Not GCWR/tow rating, but GVWR/payload capacity.

Most normal properly-loaded tandem-axle travel trailers (TTs) have 12% to 14% tongue weight, and average about 13%. atwowheelguy used 11.8% in his example, so I'll continue with his assumption.

Every pound of weight you add to the tow vehicle reduces the payload capacity available for hitch weight . Assuming you load your TT to have 11.8% tongue weight, then dividing 64 by 0.118 (11.8%) = 542.4, or rounded to 542 pounds. So that 64-pound moonroof cost you 542 pounds of max trailer weight you can tow without exceeding the payload capacity of your tow vehicle.

PerryB

Here's an even simpler equation.
350>250>150.
Get enough truck and be done with it.