Question I have for those who have a Khaya and a Toyota Tacoma. I was looking at one right (4 sleeper Khaya on a 2021 Tacoma). The setup looked good although I think the 2 sleeper with the indoor stove/sink is better. That said, I asked the owner how much weight he had added and it came to over 1600lbs, which I believe exceeds the payload of the truck. While the owner had increased the suspension and brakes, what about risk to the frame? Forgive me asking a naive questions, but is there a risk of structural issues to the truck? And given this weight, do you still air down when you off-road?
Thanks In advance.
1,600 is certainly over GVWR for a 3rd Gen Tacoma. Most TRD Offroad models (the most common variant used for builds like this) have a payload of ~996 lbs, passengers included.
The frame likely doesn't care about the added weight, it's plenty resilient. There are options to upgrade your frame as well, if you really want to go that route.
A larger concern is the connection of the bed to the frame, which has been a problem for some owners with the 6' bed (DCLB or ACLB) due to the design of the front (nearest the cab) bed mount.
I think a khaya is too much for any mid-sized truck. I do run a Canopy Camper on a DCLB 3rd Gen Tacoma and I have no regrets or fears associated with the added weight. I did not need a 'slide-in' camper. I wanted to integrate my camper to the OEM bed of the truck, using that as the floor and walls. I live in my Tacoma with my wife. I like to tell people that I actually live outside, and that my truck gives me a comfortable place to sleep while carrying the things that I need to survive. If you want to try to have an all-season, all-weather camper, a mid-sized truck is a poor choice from the start.
Yes, I still air down. On 10-ply LT tires I will drop to 13 psi if needed (primarily for comfort). I do not run 1,600 lb. but closer to 1,000 (fully wet). I have done suspension and frame modifications to increase the resiliency and capacity of the overall system as well.
