Help me spec out a new 2017 Tacoma

[Clutch]

Looks like some sweet single track! I'm fortunate enough to have some nice singletrack around as well.
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Yeah, the basecamp thing is exactly what I'm gearing towards as well. I'll be ground tenting it for a while though. I'll save the FWC set up until my next truck where I'll have sufficient payload. Kids need to grow up sleeping on the ground anyway!

Had to come back early cause of a tweaked radiator.

Took us 10 hours to go 50 miles. Lost count of the blow downs and creek crossings with 3-5' vertical walls to go down and back up the other side...last 5 miles on the "easy route" was the toughest...blow down about every 100' the last mile. Fraaack, the mountain worked us hard.





There is a trail in here somewhere...








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'Nest is working for now. Definitely want something bigger in the future. FWC Grandby or an Alaskan....or if they can make an 8' fullsize version of that contractor cap pop up like Iggy's. Yanking off nasty wet moto clothes, being able to hose it out after a trip is BIG plus! You'll like this, guy I went with is a service manager that works on fleet vehicles, has seen the Ecoboost with 300-400K on them. Said don't go any where near a Sprinter, bad turbos. bad trannies, injectors, fuel pumps....apparently Sprinters don't well under a plumber's thumb...jaaaaaunk...(at least that was his opinion)

1st night camp view.



2nd night camp view.

 

[Clutch]

Don't know if the original post was talking stock, unloaded, or with all the gear in, but Toyota's gasoline engines are pretty well known for their mediocre mpg's. The 4.0L v6 in my 4runner is lucky to break 20mpg on empty highway drives. Any kind of weight, or wind, or hills, or accelerations, and my mpg's go down 1-2. The thing is a workhorse and its never let me down, but Toyota's conservatism really starts to bare its ugly side with some of these powertrains. I suspect this is why they went with the 3.5l v6 for the new Tacoma, and not a redeveloped 4.0l or newer type of truck engine; they're tying to boost their mpg figures.

This past quicky weekend trip, I got 20 mpg HWY loaded pulling my moto trailer, in a 18 year old Tacoma. You would think after all these years they would of improved fuel consumption, pretty sad that some Fullsizes are getting the same or better.

 

[PirateMcGee]

This past quicky weekend trip, I got 20 mpg HWY loaded pulling my moto trailer, in a 18 year old Tacoma. You would think after all these years they would of improved fuel consumption, pretty sad that some Fullsizes are getting the same or better.

It really is quite sad.....both the Silvarado 1500 and F150 will pull over that with multiple engine options....

 

[Clutch]

It really is quite sad.....both the Silvarado 1500 and F150 will pull over that with multiple engine options....

Seems like the mileage is getting worse over the years. I read Tacoma World too, dunno feels like there are more people complaining about the poor mileage than the other way around.

Other than the manual trans option, don't find them appealing anymore.

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Our 2nd night camp spot was a little rough to get into, got me thinking, not sure if I would want to drag a new truck back in there. We found another up on the mountain with the bikes that we were going to drag the trailers to...definitely wouldn't want wouldn't take a new truck up that either. Buying a new truck is less and less appealing. Maybe a nicer commuter and a beater bigger camper. Riding buddy camped out of a 6X10 enclosed trailer, at least with that you could hose it out after the trip....I might be too hard on a FWC or Alaskan...I can see me trashing the interior real quick.

 

[p nut]

Had to come back early cause of a tweaked radiator.

Took us 10 hours to go 50 miles. Lost count of the blow downs and creek crossings with 3-5' vertical walls to go down and back up the other side...last 5 miles on the "easy route" was the toughest...blow down about every 100' the last mile. Fraaack, the mountain worked us hard.

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'Nest is working for now. Definitely want something bigger in the future. FWC Grandby or an Alaskan....or if they can make an 8' fullsize version of that contractor cap pop up like Iggy's. Yanking off nasty wet moto clothes, being able to hose it out after a trip is BIG plus! You'll like this, guy I went with is a service manager that works on fleet vehicles, has seen the Ecoboost with 300-400K on them. Said don't go any where near a Sprinter, bad turbos. bad trannies, injectors, fuel pumps....apparently Sprinters don't well under a plumber's thumb...jaaaaaunk...(at least that was his opinion)

.....
Our 2nd night camp spot was a little rough to get into, got me thinking, not sure if I would want to drag a new truck back in there. We found another up on the mountain with the bikes that we were going to drag the trailers to...definitely wouldn't want wouldn't take a new truck up that either. Buying a new truck is less and less appealing. Maybe a nicer commuter and a beater bigger camper. Riding buddy camped out of a 6X10 enclosed trailer, at least with that you could hose it out after the trip....I might be too hard on a FWC or Alaskan...I can see me trashing the interior real quick.

That's some beautiful country up there. I wouldn't mind exploring that area some day. Seems like prime bikepacking trails.
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New truck would be hard to scratch up in the backcountry. Which is why I thought you were looking at USFS trucks. Either way, though, they're just things. You don't want to jack it up, but at the same time, scars give them character. My friends have an enclosed trailer they tow their UTV with. Doubles as their sleeping quarters. Works for them, but they can't get down even mildly rough backroads. I thought about that idea, but nixed it immediately.
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Good to hear about the Ecoboost. I've only got 20k miles, so haven't really put it to the test. However, it's been a great truck so far. I do miss the old Tacoma at times, but the F150 is better for my current situation. I'd be having buyers regret if the new Tacoma had turned out to be better than what it could have been. So thank you, Toyota.

 

[Clutch]

That's some beautiful country up there. I wouldn't mind exploring that area some day. Seems like prime bikepacking trails.
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New truck would be hard to scratch up in the backcountry. Which is why I thought you were looking at USFS trucks. Either way, though, they're just things. You don't want to jack it up, but at the same time, scars give them character. My friends have an enclosed trailer they tow their UTV with. Doubles as their sleeping quarters. Works for them, but they can't get down even mildly rough backroads. I thought about that idea, but nixed it immediately.
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Good to hear about the Ecoboost. I've only got 20k miles, so haven't really put it to the test. However, it's been a great truck so far. I do miss the old Tacoma at times, but the F150 is better for my current situation. I'd be having buyers regret if the new Tacoma had turned out to be better than what it could have been. So thank you, Toyota.

Some damn good stuff up this way, we ran into some back packers said that we were the first people they have seen in 2 days. Thought we were nuts for riding bikes on that stuff.

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Yeah, main reason I was looking at FS trucks...something I didn't care too much about to drag through the back country. Not sure what I will gain going with a bigger truck, maybe a little more room, but will loose mpg's. Already can squeeze 20 mpg hwy with the Tacoma if I keep it at 65. Took the interstate on the way out most of the way, came back on all 2-Lane. Mileage was the same, and didn't have to fight semis and other vehicles. Hardly anybody on the back roads. ahhhh....much better.

My open trailer is 5X8, can get into some tight spots with it, maybe do a 5X8 or5X10 V-Nose enclosed? Other than the Wildernest being not as weather proof as I like, the main problem is all my moto gear takes up a lot of room in the back of the truck. Don't want to haul it on the open trailer. Dunno, need borrow a trailer and see how the Tacoma pulls it. Maybe I don't need a bigger truck, maybe just a redo of what I already have. And get something else for my commuter???

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I was little surprised how well they are doing. I know Toyota is a conservative company, but the seem to keep on advancing the cars with good mileage, but the trucks are behind the competition. Tacoma should be getting high 20's low 30's for what it is.

 

[b9ev]

Clutch, I see you ride a two stroke. Very cool, if and when I get another bike it will be a two stroke.

 

[Dalko43]

Tacoma should be getting high 20's low 30's for what it is.

The only way a Tacoma is going to get high 20's/low 30's is if Toyota throws a diesel in it, or comes up with some fancy hybrid solution. I don't know of any modern gasoline truck engine that is getting anywhere close to those numbers.

 

[p nut]

Some damn good stuff up this way, we ran into some back packers said that we were the first people they have seen in 2 days. Thought we were nuts for riding bikes on that stuff.

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Yeah, main reason I was looking at FS trucks...something I didn't care too much about to drag through the back country. Not sure what I will gain going with a bigger truck, maybe a little more room, but will loose mpg's. Already can squeeze 20 mpg hwy with the Tacoma if I keep it at 65. Took the interstate on the way out most of the way, came back on all 2-Lane. Mileage was the same, and didn't have to fight semis and other vehicles. Hardly anybody on the back roads. ahhhh....much better.

My open trailer is 5X8, can get into some tight spots with it, maybe do a 5X8 or5X10 V-Nose enclosed? Other than the Wildernest being not as weather proof as I like, the main problem is all my moto gear takes up a lot of room in the back of the truck. Don't want to haul it on the open trailer. Dunno, need borrow a trailer and see how the Tacoma pulls it. Maybe I don't need a bigger truck, maybe just a redo of what I already have. And get something else for my commuter???

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I was little surprised how well they are doing. I know Toyota is a conservative company, but the seem to keep on advancing the cars with good mileage, but the trucks are behind the competition. Tacoma should be getting high 20's low 30's for what it is.

Be sure to test the enclosed trailer first. A friend has a 6x12 and pulls it with a Frontier (5-sp). Downright scary when the winds are high or a semi truck passes. Really struggles uphills as well. Pulled it with my truck that summer and no issues.

The only way a Tacoma is going to get high 20's/low 30's is if Toyota throws a diesel in it, or comes up with some fancy hybrid solution. I don't know of any modern gasoline truck engine that is getting anywhere close to those numbers.

It'd be hard for a gas engine, at the current efficiency, to get up that high. But I thought the Ram with the V6 pentastar/8-sp transmission was 26 or something like that? I wonder how the new F150 3.3L with 10-sp will do. And if they put that in the upcoming Ranger, maybe it'll be very close to that?

 

[2025 deleted member]

They didn't use ttb in 2007 did they?

They still do on brand new ones, f-250 thru f-350. Really its a horrible design for the street.

 

[b9ev]

I assume on the 2wd?

They still do on brand new ones, f-250 thru f-350. Really its a horrible design for the street.

 

[2025 deleted member]

I assume on the 2wd?

Yeah 2wd

 

[Clutch]

Clutch, I see you ride a two stroke. Very cool, if and when I get another bike it will be a two stroke.

Just picked that up in March, to replace my well worn Gas Gas 300... has been great! Just tractors up climbs, stuff we were riding was tight, barely got out of 3rd gear.

Did a number on the pipe in that overgrown stuff, grabbed a rock hiding in the shrubbery.

Not new anymores!

The only way a Tacoma is going to get high 20's/low 30's is if Toyota throws a diesel in it, or comes up with some fancy hybrid solution. I don't know of any modern gasoline truck engine that is getting anywhere close to those numbers.

It was a quip of "for a truck that can't haul much" should be getting much much better fuel economy. Yan know what I mean?

Be sure to test the enclosed trailer first. A friend has a 6x12 and pulls it with a Frontier (5-sp). Downright scary when the winds are high or a semi truck passes. Really struggles uphills as well. Pulled it with my truck that summer and no issues.

Yeah, it is one of those things...try to "fix" one or two inconveniences, 5 other problems arise. What I have now works perfectly fine....it is the constant trying to solve problems I don't have thing...which is what most of these threads on here are about, yeah!?

 

[p nut]

...Yeah, it is one of those things...try to "fix" one or two inconveniences, 5 other problems arise. What I have now works perfectly fine....it is the constant trying to solve problems I don't have thing...which is what most of these threads on here are about, yeah!?

Nah. Nothing in life is consistent. Problems will always arise. Like your Tacoma that was once problem-free. Not that getting a Fix Or Repair Daily will solve your issues. Some people love fixing their cars though (*ahem, LR owners*) I'd rather be out on my bike or the fam. Hope the enclosed trailer works out for you, though. The inside is pretty spacious and makes an excellent "SR", no frills camper.

 

[toylandcruiser]

They still do on brand new ones, f-250 thru f-350. Really its a horrible design for the street.

Aawww 2wd