at this point in my life, I've given up on a tow rig. This thread has really helped me realize what it'll take to get a tow rig, and I've realized that I'm not quite ready to commit to a tow rig/trailer setup. I just can't afford what I need at this point in my life.
My taco didn't sell, and I have just come to the conclusion that my tacoma is too great of a truck to let go. I realized that the best trip I've ever had was my last Moab trip in my taco. I didn't take the craziest lines, and I wasn't able to do rusty nail, but I had a great great time. So I've resigned to the fact that I can't afford to have a tow rig/trailer at this point in my life. It's a long story (see my '81 build thread for the discussion), but I'm trying to find balance in my life, and I'm going to struggle to do that with a tow rig at this point in my life.
I would really like to thank everyone that has helped me so far, it's been a great learning experience. I'll still be updating the tow rig for noobs sticky.