Is the Tacoma enough truck?

[phsycle]

Tacoma wasn’t enough truck for me. By the time it was modded it would get the same mileage as my tundra with way less balls.


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I think that's the problem. Expectations =/= reality. Tacoma is not a gear hauler. Barely a people hauler. I mean, the payload is barely 1k lbs. You can't add 500lbs of armor, 700lbs of gear, tires 2x factory weight, then people on top of that and expect it to perform anywhere near factory specs. If that's what you need, Tundra fits the bill better (although you'll still be over its payload).

I recently had the opportunity to trade to a fullsize. Interior room would be welcome, and if I planned to get a trailer in the future, it would tow it so much better. But dragging a 5klb trailer and 1k lbs of gear, power wheels and pool noodles sticking out the side, into the wilderness.....seemed wrong to me. I want light and agile to move through the backcountry. So I chose the Tacoma again. I do wish for slightly bigger rear seat, but at 5'11", there is adequate room. We've been conscious of gear we bring. We try to keep them all light as possible. Works the suspension/drive components less and extends fuel range. Being on the minimalist end of the scale, it does cost some level of comfort, but we are ok with that. And in some aspects, makes us enjoy and appreciate the outdoors more.

 

[toylandcruiser]

Tacoma wasn’t enough truck for me. By the time it was modded it would get the same mileage as my tundra with way less balls.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think that's the problem. Expectations =/= reality. Tacoma is not a gear hauler. Barely a people hauler. I mean, the payload is barely 1k lbs. You can't add 500lbs of armor, 700lbs of gear, tires 2x factory weight, then people on top of that and expect it to perform anywhere near factory specs. If that's what you need, Tundra fits the bill better (although you'll still be over its payload).

I recently had the opportunity to trade to a fullsize. Interior room would be welcome, and if I planned to get a trailer in the future, it would tow it so much better. But dragging a 5klb trailer and 1k lbs of gear, power wheels and pool noodles sticking out the side, into the wilderness.....seemed wrong to me. I want light and agile to move through the backcountry. So I chose the Tacoma again. I do wish for slightly bigger rear seat, but at 5'11", there is adequate room. We've been conscious of gear we bring. We try to keep them all light as possible. Works the suspension/drive components less and extends fuel range. Being on the minimalist end of the scale, it does cost some level of comfort, but we are ok with that. And in some aspects, makes us enjoy and appreciate the outdoors more.

The Tacoma is literally on par with all other midsize trucks.

 

[Clutch]

How heavy are those 6x12 trailers? That'd be a pretty quick camp set up. Although smelling gas, oil and burnt clutch wouldn't be ideal.

Not heavy, but it is the air resistance that will give my truck trouble. Could go smaller like a 5X8 or 5X10...but you can't stand up in them.

You can vent them to push out the gas fume smell for the most part. Drain the float bowl on the bikes. The FI bikes don't have that problem. The new CARB compliant cans have hardly any smell coming off them at all. While not ideal...there are ways to avoid gas smells.

Like everything it is all about compromise. Perfect world you would have everything separate...either bikes in the bed and pull a camper...or camper on the truck and bikes on the trailer...which I do now, is just the camper sucks in the cold and the wet. To fix that is to go with a FWC, then you have weight issues. Or do a Vagabond or OVRLND...those are $10K when everything is said and done. 7X14 trailer is $6000+ brand new...with a hell of a lot more space. Then I need a bigger truck to pull it.

https://www.trailersplus.com/Idaho/Nampa/7-Wide-Cargo-Trailers/trailer/4RAVS1420KN106307/

Hey no way!! My mom's side of the family is all from West Newton, my aunt lived in Greensburg for many years. I spent a lot of time around there growing up, visiting family and whatnot.

Way!

My grandparents on mother's side moved to New Kensington after raising my mom and aunt's in Greensburg.

That construction business that I talk about was in Jeanette. Still there actually but it has long been sold off. Dad side lived in Irwin and Jeanette.

View attachment 473548

And this is where they can take you. Just after setting up camp a couple walked up on foot to appreciate the view. They said they were camped nearby and would've beaten us to this spot, but they didn't feel comfortable taking their F250 down the steep, narrow and rocky track leading out onto the ridge so there you go. They could get close enough to enjoy the view and probably had a nicer camp setup back in the woods but I'll keep my short wheelbases so I can go to bed and wake up to stuff like this.

I'll can put my Tacoma in spots like that and have. I also will bring my moto camp stuff...leave the truck at the bottom, and ride my bike on single track up to a summit and camp there overnight, so I can watch the sunrise in the morning. Use the truck as a mothership so to speak and the bikes as exploratory pods.

My goal is to see every lookout tower in Idaho. Most have a road and single track leading up to them. I prefer the single track.

Not my beer, but pretty good view. Took this picture this past Spring, worked my ass getting here. Cut 70 some odd blow downs getting there. Was on the trail for 7 hours.

Not my video, but this one in Custer is on the list. Might try to get to it in 2 weeks when I am up there.

 

[phsycle]

Not heavy, but it is the air resistance that will give my truck trouble. Could go smaller like a 5X8 or 5X10...but you can't stand up in them.

You can vent them to push out the gas fume smell for the most part. Drain the float bowl on the bikes. The FI bikes don't have that problem. The new CARB compliant cans have hardly any smell coming off them at all. While not ideal...there are ways to avoid gas smells.

Like everything it is all about compromise. Perfect world you would have everything separate...either bikes in the bed and pull a camper...or camper on the truck and bikes on the trailer...which I do now, is just the camper sucks in the cold and the wet. To fix that is to go with a FWC, then you have weight issues. Or do a Vagabond or OVRLND...those are $10K when everything is said and done. 7X14 trailer is $6000+ brand new...with a hell of a lot more space. Then I need a bigger truck to pull it.

https://www.trailersplus.com/Idaho/Nampa/7-Wide-Cargo-Trailers/trailer/4RAVS1420KN106307/

I know someone with a 6x12. I'll have to see if I can test pull it with my Tacoma. Not that I will be getting one anytime soon. I think I'd rather get a GFC and pull a small Ruger trailer, if I have to. I love how light those things are.

 

[Clutch]

I know someone with a 6x12. I'll have to see if I can test pull it with my Tacoma. Not that I will be getting one anytime soon. I think I'd rather get a GFC and pull a small Ruger trailer, if I have to. I love how light those things are.

Yours should pull it just fine...mine won't though, I have tried when I borrowed a buddy's to see...and it wasn't fun. Have to ring its' neck to get it down the highway, pulling grades was awful.

Those are nice, but would hate being stuck inside when it is pouring down rain...would be a pain in the ass just to boil water.

OVRLAND camper makes more sense to me.

A person or extra gear can hang out in one spot...while another can be cooking. No need to re-arrange the bedding to being able to cook...or standup and stretch. My vision is to have that table on the right flip out of the way, and make it tall enough to haul a bike when it is closed. 8' fullsize truck bed I think would be ideal for that. So all I would have to do is pull the bike out...and the camper is basically ready to go. Cause the other thought...is to ditch the trailer idea altogether...and try to fit everything in the truck. Do like trailers, but they are a pain to pull down washboard roads. So need to a bigger truck to do that, thinking an Extra Cab 8' bed would be the best for that. Or maybe a 6.5' bed and angle the back of the camper to clear the rear wheel. Bikes are typically 7' tip to tip of the tires.

 

[Adventurous]

Having owned two Tacoma’s (07 and 15), I can attest that they are great vehicles when mildly built and use is limited to a couple people and maybe a dog when camping. My favorite incarnation was a mild lift, sliders, a shell, and 265/75R16 all terrains. After adding armor and other stuff it got too potty, even with a gear swap.

After picking up a CC Ram 3500 with the Cummins and an 8’ bed, I don’t think I could go back. Ideally it would have been a 6’ bed incarnation, but I needed the extra length. It rides rougher, is way more unwieldy, won’t fit down similar trails, and will undoubtedly be more expensive in the long run, but as it turns out, I’m okay with that. I’d rather do my off-roading exploration in a RZR, dirt bike, or mountain bike. More comfortable and more fun, IMO, than bouncing along slowly in a truck. Different strokes for different folks, but that’s what my experiences have taught me.

Not heavy, but it is the air resistance that will give my truck trouble. Could go smaller like a 5X8 or 5X10...but you can't stand up in them.

You can vent them to push out the gas fume smell for the most part. Drain the float bowl on the bikes. The FI bikes don't have that problem. The new CARB compliant cans have hardly any smell coming off them at all. While not ideal...there are ways to avoid gas smells.

Like everything it is all about compromise. Perfect world you would have everything separate...either bikes in the bed and pull a camper...or camper on the truck and bikes on the trailer...which I do now, is just the camper sucks in the cold and the wet. To fix that is to go with a FWC, then you have weight issues. Or do a Vagabond or OVRLND...those are $10K when everything is said and done. 7X14 trailer is $6000+ brand new...with a hell of a lot more space. Then I need a bigger truck to pull it.

https://www.trailersplus.com/Idaho/Nampa/7-Wide-Cargo-Trailers/trailer/4RAVS1420KN106307/



Way!

My grandparents on mother's side moved to New Kensington after raising my mom and aunt's in Greensburg.

That construction business that I talk about was in Jeanette. Still there actually but it has long been sold off. Dad side lived in Irwin and Jeanette.




I'll can put my Tacoma in spots like that and have. I also will bring my moto camp stuff...leave the truck at the bottom, and ride my bike on single track up to a summit and camp there overnight, so I can watch the sunrise in the morning. Use the truck as a mothership so to speak and the bikes as exploratory pods.

My goal is to see every lookout tower in Idaho. Most have a road and single track leading up to them. I prefer the single track.

Not my beer, but pretty good view. Took this picture this past Spring, worked my ass getting here. Cut 70 some odd blow downs getting there. Was on the trail for 7 hours.

Not my video, but this one in Custer is on the list. Might try to get to it in 2 weeks when I am up there.

Smaller trailers you can stand up in are available, however, you more than likely have to custom order it. When we ordered our 6x12, it had a 6’6” interior height option. Not sure how tall you are, but that could work.

So long as you don’t mind going slowly up and down hills the Tacoma will do an okay job pulling it. Gas mileage will be abysmal, braking down sustained grades is sub-par, and going uphill your engine will be screaming, but it’ll do it. I towed with both 3.73 gears and after I swapped to 4.88s; and while the truck came off the line better with the 4.88s, but once you got up to speed did little to help the driving experience.

 

[phsycle]

Yours should pull it just fine...mine won't though, I have tried when I borrowed a buddy's to see...and it wasn't fun. Have to ring its' neck to get it down the highway, pulling grades was awful.

Those are nice, but would hate being stuck inside when it is pouring down rain...would be a pain in the ass just to boil water.

OVRLAND camper makes more sense to me.

A person or extra gear can hang out in one spot...while another can be cooking. No need to re-arrange the bedding to being able to cook...or standup and stretch. My vision is to have that table on the right flip out of the way, and make it tall enough to haul a bike when it is closed. 8' fullsize truck bed I think would be ideal for that. So all I would have to do is pull the bike out...and the camper is basically ready to go.

Well, we get 18" of rain every year, so not too worried about that. If I were in PNW, I would then get an awning of some sort (one of those 270 deg ones, I'd imagine). Cooking inside would be ideal, but .....sacrifices. GFC is about 1/2 the weight, no?

 

[phsycle]

Having owned two Tacoma’s (07 and 15), I can attest that they are great vehicles when mildly built and use is limited to a couple people and maybe a dog when camping. My favorite incarnation was a mild lift, sliders, a shell, and 265/75R16 all terrains. After adding armor and other stuff it got too potty, even with a gear swap.

After picking up a CC Ram 3500 with the Cummins and an 8’ bed, I don’t think I could go back. Ideally it would have been a 6’ bed incarnation, but I needed the extra length. It rides rougher, is way more unwieldy, won’t fit down similar trails, and will undoubtedly be more expensive in the long run, but as it turns out, I’m okay with that. I’d rather do my off-roading exploration in a RZR, dirt bike, or mountain bike. More comfortable and more fun, IMO, than bouncing along slowly in a truck. Different strokes for different folks, but that’s what my experiences have taught me...

100% agree. Lots of Tacomas are way overloaded.

Those Ram's are nice. Too overkill for me, but I do love the way they look. That AEV Ram......pretty sweet. I could see in my retirement years, getting one of those, Alaskan, and hitting the road.

 

[Clutch]

Smaller trailers you can stand up in are available, however, you more than likely have to custom order it. When we ordered our 6x12, it had a 6’6” interior height option. Not sure how tall you are, but that could work.

So long as you don’t mind going slowly up and down hills the Tacoma will do an okay job pulling it. Gas mileage will be abysmal, braking down sustained grades is sub-par, and going uphill your engine will be screaming, but it’ll do it. I towed with both 3.73 gears and after I swapped to 4.88s; and while the truck came off the line better with the 4.88s, but once you got up to speed did little to help the driving experience.

To get the extra height isn't too much of an upcharge...but figured if you're going through the trouble might as well get one a wider...and since the 6X12's and 7X14's already have the interior height...better off just going that route.

Don't mind driving slow at all, I am a set the cruise one mile below the speed limit kind of driver.

Well, we get 18" of rain every year, so not too worried about that. If I were in PNW, I would then get an awning of some sort (one of those 270 deg ones, I'd imagine). Cooking inside would be ideal, but .....sacrifices. GFC is about 1/2 the weight, no?

The 'Nest worked great in AZ...not so much here I am discovering.

 

[jasmtis]

I know someone with a 6x12. I'll have to see if I can test pull it with my Tacoma. Not that I will be getting one anytime soon. I think I'd rather get a GFC and pull a small Ruger trailer, if I have to. I love how light those things are.

I've been lusting after one of those too. Hopefully in a couple years.

Yours should pull it just fine...mine won't though, I have tried when I borrowed a buddy's to see...and it wasn't fun. Have to ring its' neck to get it down the highway, pulling grades was awful.

Those are nice, but would hate being stuck inside when it is pouring down rain...would be a pain in the ass just to boil water.

OVRLAND camper makes more sense to me.

A person or extra gear can hang out in one spot...while another can be cooking. No need to re-arrange the bedding to being able to cook...or standup and stretch.

I feel like we have very different standards haha. Until I bought my first capable vehicle in college(91 4Runner, this is only three years ago) I was a backpacker. The idea of even having a vehicle in the backcountry is still luxury to me, let alone some sort of a pop-top camper shell. Big improvement over my backpacking tent in every way. My "camp kitchen" consists of a Jetboil and a spork, I think I can find a spot to make that work.

Also I hope the bedding in that picture is rearranged lol, HDs are wide but not wide enough to stretch out properly width wise.

 

[battleaxe]

I think that's the problem. Expectations =/= reality. Tacoma is not a gear hauler. Barely a people hauler. I mean, the payload is barely 1k lbs. You can't add 500lbs of armor, 700lbs of gear, tires 2x factory weight, then people on top of that and expect it to perform anywhere near factory specs. If that's what you need, Tundra fits the bill better (although you'll still be over its payload).

I recently had the opportunity to trade to a fullsize. Interior room would be welcome, and if I planned to get a trailer in the future, it would tow it so much better. But dragging a 5klb trailer and 1k lbs of gear, power wheels and pool noodles sticking out the side, into the wilderness.....seemed wrong to me. I want light and agile to move through the backcountry. So I chose the Tacoma again. I do wish for slightly bigger rear seat, but at 5'11", there is adequate room. We've been conscious of gear we bring. We try to keep them all light as possible. Works the suspension/drive components less and extends fuel range. Being on the minimalist end of the scale, it does cost some level of comfort, but we are ok with that. And in some aspects, makes us enjoy and appreciate the outdoors more.

That's the reality that I'm being faced with. I kind of have to look at the bigger picture, as we still have to haul kids around.

The wife isn't really into the back country type trips at the moment, and they're much more work with a little kid than it was when it was just the two of us.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Also.. I'll never be able to wrap my head around making payments on toys. If it's not a necessity and you can't afford it, don't buy it. How hard is that concept.

It baffles be as well. I have a buddy with a house payment, three vehicle payments, a boat payment, and a travel trailer payment. Granted, he and his wife both make good money...but damn.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Also.. I'll never be able to wrap my head around making payments on toys. If it's not a necessity and you can't afford it, don't buy it. How hard is that concept.

It baffles be as well. I have a buddy with a house payment, three vehicle payments, a boat payment, and a travel trailer payment. Granted, he and his wife both make good money...but damn.

 

[phsycle]

To get the extra height is too much of an upcharge...but figured if you're going through the trouble might as well get one a wider...and since the 6X12's and 7X14's already have the interior height...better off just going that route.

Don't mind driving slow at all, I am a set the cruise one mile below the speed limit kind of driver.



The 'Nest worked great in AZ...not so much here I am discovering.

Really? It says Boise gets even less rain. 12 inches per year.

By the way, what are they selling those Ram's for? Tradesman, 6-sp, 6.7L.

For kicks, I built one out on Ramtrucks.com. Tradesman 2500, CC, 4WD, 6-sp, 6.7L. Options: LSD, manual tow mirrors, park sensor and trailer brakes. Carpet delete as well. Clearance lamps, only because I think they look so cool. Zero functionality for me. Net price was slightly over $49k! Yikes. Guessing there would be a decent discount though.

 

[phsycle]

That's the reality that I'm being faced with. I kind of have to look at the bigger picture, as we still have to haul kids around.

The wife isn't really into the back country type trips at the moment, and they're much more work with a little kid than it was when it was just the two of us.

Yeah, definitely--kids change everything. My kids were more comfortable when we had a fullsize. But like anything, they've learned to adapt. In the end, doesn't really matter. As long as you're getting out there.