Increasing Tacoma Payload Capacity?

[Herkjerk]

I have a pretty heavy tacoma and weighed mine out at 6,640 lbs when fully loaded

WOW! That is heavy, but its not far off from where I expect to end up and mine will be a permanent configuration so it will always be weighed down too. What have you done to the truck to acomidate the extra weight?

Have you considered an off-road trailer?

I'm not a fan of towing. I've done trips with guys that had a built jeep and a built FJ cruiser that should have been much more capable than me in my stock T100, but they were towing "off-road" trailers and I was doing just as well if not better through a variety of conditions. Most notably the long grated dirt roads and rough highways in Mexico. At speed(45mph), with pot hole or bump in the road those trailers were skipping and tracking all over the place.

So I'm running ome heavy coils up front with bilstein 5100s and total chaos UCAs. In the rear OME heavy springs with add a leaf, fox 2.0, and timbren bump stops.

Sent with tin cans and paper footballs!

 

[DaveInDenver]

So my truck has an arb bull bar, winch with synthetic line, full pelfrey skids, rear swing out bumper with Jerry can holder, bed rack, rocker guards, steel wheels, 33' tires with a full size spare, rubber bed mat, and tools.
There's really not much room to save weight if you legitimately armor your truck. All that easily adds up to the payload capacity.

Perhaps it is in fact impossible to armor a Tacoma "legitimately" and still retain payload. Not sure what to tell you. I'm not built ultralight but I haven't done every have-to mod either. Do I really need a full set of skid plates? Nope, I'm not expecting it to be a seriously rock crawler. It's armored enough to protect really critical stuff and I will eventually add some key pieces of aluminum when fund allow. But, sure, if you're gonna wail on it then you might feel 350 of 1/4 plate skid plates are a reasonable use of payload.

I'm essentially building a 20 year younger version of my 1991, which ironically shared the exact same GVWR of 5,350 lbs and was slightly over. But not excessively. The 22R-E was a built-in regulator to overbuilding it. Which I guess is my point, it's not a 1 ton full size and I figure making choices is part of the deal with a little truck. That's always been true. Like people complaining about not being able to fit 4x8 sheet goods. Well, no kidding, it's not a full size. That is known going into the deal.

 

[Adventurous]

Perhaps it is in fact impossible to armor a Tacoma "legitimately" and still retain payload. Not sure what to tell you. I'm not built ultralight but I haven't done every have-to mod either. Do I really need a full set of skid plates? Nope, I'm not expecting it to be a seriously rock crawler. It's armored enough to protect really critical stuff and I will eventually add some key pieces of aluminum when fund allow. But, sure, if you're gonna wail on it then you might feel 350 of 1/4 plate skid plates are a reasonable use of payload.

I'm essentially building a 20 year younger version of my 1991, which ironically shared the exact same GVWR of 5,350 lbs and was slightly over. But not excessively. The 22R-E was a built-in regulator to overbuilding it. Which I guess is my point, it's not a 1 ton full size and I figure making choices is part of the deal with a little truck. That's always been true. Like people complaining about not being able to fit 4x8 sheet goods. Well, no kidding, it's not a full size. That is known going into the deal.

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Yep, it is what it is, a decent set of compromises in mid-sized truck form. It's not a rock crawler, nor is it ideal for frequently towing or hauling heavy loads, but it'll handle most everything between admirably.

I still wish it had a larger gas tank though.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I still wish it had a larger gas tank though.

It would so, so easy for Toyota to solve that, after all 19 gallons of diesel goes a really long way.

For no reason really, this is what I'm slowly replicating (in more comfortable form anyway). Didn't take 1,500 lbs of steel for it to do everything I ever asked of it.

 

[al_burpe]

I kinda assumed this is the answer I would be getting, but I know they have become popular platforms for slide-in-campers as "overlanding" has grown in popularity in the USA so I thought maybe there was known issues that could be addressed to make the adjustment.

I've considered other vehicles(and am still open to other options) but I don't want/need a larger truck. I just need the larger payload.

I've considered the Dodge 2500 for example, but I don't want something that would be considered a "heavy Vehicle" and potentially cause me problems in accessing national parks in Africa or extra expenses on toll roads or ferries. I also don't like that it is 4.5" wider and has a turnings circle 4 feet larger than the tacoma.

I don't know that I would make "accessing national parks in Africa" a criteria to sway you one way or another in vehicle selection. My experience in African parks is that they already have a separate fee for driving a vehicle registered in another country that is considerably higher than a local vehicle anyway regardless of size. A lot of times it is cheaper to park outside the park and higher a local vehicle to take you on safari as well.

 

[Buddha.]

I am strongly considering a Gen2 Tacoma as my next build platform. I like the size, power, and possibility of finding one with a lot less miles on it than my current T100. The problem is that I anticipate 2000 lbs + of payload and the Tacoma is rated at 1400 lbs

I know these trucks are very popular overland platforms and I've seen quite a few with slide in campers, so what (if anything) are you doing to increase the payload capacity of your gen2 tacoma?

Rear Axle swap or truss? Additional support for frame? Suspension?

Jeep Comanche. Over 2000# in payload, bed lengh over 7', 23 gallon fuel tank.

Of course you're not gonna find one of those but it's interesting to see that the options once existed.

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

Well, I'll be researching specs on full size trucks to see if anyone happened to make something with better fuel efficiency and turning circle than I anticipate finding, but it is looking more and more like I may be keeping the T100 and just putting money into refurbishing it as well as I can. With a payload of 1960 lbs it seems to be the best compromise in size and payload for me.

With 225000 miles on the clock and around 4000 miles of dirt in the past 2 years she is going to need a lot of work and I was liking the idea of moving into something a little newer with more power and a lot less miles, but even the tundra, Titan, or K1500 have smaller payload ratings than the T.

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

I am strongly considering a Gen2 Tacoma as my next build platform. I like the size, power, and possibility of finding one with a lot less miles on it than my current T100. The problem is that I anticipate 2000 lbs + of payload and the Tacoma is rated at 1400 lbs

I know these trucks are very popular overland platforms and I've seen quite a few with slide in campers, so what (if anything) are you doing to increase the payload capacity of your gen2 tacoma?

Rear Axle swap or truss? Additional support for frame? Suspension?

Why would you want to use a little truck to do big truck work,
Back in the 80's and early 90's Toyota made a one ton truck, maybe look into those trucks, there's a reason manufacturers put weight limits on trucks.. it's for "safety reasons".
Maybe do a little research before asking to do something dangerous.

Mickey

 

[Dalko43]

Well, I'll be researching specs on full size trucks to see if anyone happened to make something with better fuel efficiency and turning circle than I anticipate finding, but it is looking more and more like I may be keeping the T100 and just putting money into refurbishing it as well as I can. With a payload of 1960 lbs it seems to be the best compromise in size and payload for me.

With 225000 miles on the clock and around 4000 miles of dirt in the past 2 years she is going to need a lot of work and I was liking the idea of moving into something a little newer with more power and a lot less miles, but even the tundra, Titan, or K1500 have smaller payload ratings than the T.

I would feel a whole lot more comfortable using a slightly overloaded Tundra for your purposes than I would using a 20 year old, 225k mile T100.

Also, there are plenty of moderately used 3/4 ton trucks that will more than suffice for your purposes. Get a 2005-2006 era Duramax or Cummins if you want a reliable diesel (I would only bother with an early 2000's 7.3l engine from Ford). Or get a gasoline engine, which were well made by all 3 of the manufacturers. Even the gasoline, when fully loaded, will likely get as good, if not slightly better mpg's as a loaded up Tacoma or T100.

You have a lot of options. Going with a 20 year old pickup, even a Toyota, would not be my first choice.

 

[Clutch]

Well, I'll be researching specs on full size trucks to see if anyone happened to make something with better fuel efficiency and turning circle than I anticipate finding, but it is looking more and more like I may be keeping the T100 and just putting money into refurbishing it as well as I can. With a payload of 1960 lbs it seems to be the best compromise in size and payload for me.

With 225000 miles on the clock and around 4000 miles of dirt in the past 2 years she is going to need a lot of work and I was liking the idea of moving into something a little newer with more power and a lot less miles, but even the tundra, Titan, or K1500 have smaller payload ratings than the T.

2nd Gen Tundra Regular Cab has a payload around 2000 lbs. Has a little bit of space behind the seats, but not quite what you have in your T100.

 

[Clutch]

I would feel a whole lot more comfortable using a slightly overloaded Tundra for your purposes than I would using a 20 year old, 225k mile T100.

Also, there are plenty of moderately used 3/4 ton trucks that will more than suffice for your purposes. Get a 2005-2006 era Duramax or Cummins if you want a reliable diesel (I would only bother with an early 2000's 7.3l engine from Ford). Or get a gasoline engine, which were well made by all 3 of the manufacturers. Even the gasoline, when fully loaded, will likely get as good, if not slightly better mpg's as a loaded up Tacoma or T100.

You have a lot of options. Going with a 20 year old pickup, even a Toyota, would not be my first choice.

Think the 7.3 has the same problem as the 5.9 Cummins, everyone wants them, and what is out there has had the snot beaten out them. Oil seals might be hard to find for it too, when they let loose in the middle of Africa.

OP never mentioned what his budget is, but since he has been looking at Cummins and Tacomas...guessing $15-20K??? For all not that much more. If you look, there are Titan XD's out there for around $25K. While there are no guarantees in life, likelihood of that breaking down is a lot less than buying something used. A Tacoma in the $15-20K range won't have less than a 100K miles on it.


That or buy something overseas, seem like they have more options of small trucks with high payloads. Than we do.

 

[Dalko43]

Think the 7.3 has the same problem as the 5.9 Cummins, everyone wants them, and what is out there has had the snot beaten out them. Oil seals might be hard to find for it too, when they let loose in the middle of Africa.

OP never mentioned what his budget is, but since he has been looking at Cummins and Tacomas...guessing $15-20K??? For all not that much more. If you look, there are Titan XD's out there for around $25K. While there are no guarantees in life, likelihood of that breaking down is a lot less than buying something used. A Tacoma in the $15-20K range won't have less than a 100K miles on it.


That or buy something overseas, seem like they have more options of small trucks with high payloads. Than we do.

Agree. The 2005-2006 pre-emissions diesels are highly sought after and fetch a fairly high price on the used market. The engines, as reliable as they are, may need some work as will the chassis and bodies. The same applies for any truck that has been used and worked as a truck. That said, when those diesel engines are properly maintained, they are reliable enough that people having taken them (5.9l's and 7.3l's in particular) all over the globe without issue. I do believe the Cummins and International have somewhat of an international presence, though parts availability may still be an issue in certain areas.

If the OP is truly worried about parts availability, then any North American vehicle is going to face that problem; it doesn't matter if we're talking about an older Tacoma or a brand new F250 with a gasoline engine. Vehicles like the 4runner, Jeep and LandCruiser 100 and 200 have similar chassis' to overseas versions, but the powertrains are generally different (gasoline versus diesel). Buying a moderately used platform that is prevalent in his area of travel (Hilux, Ranger) could be a sound move, but there is a lot of uncertainty that would need to be resolved with regards to buying, registration, and selling the vehicle after all is done.

 

[Clutch]

If the OP is truly worried about parts availability, then any North American vehicle is going to face that problem; it doesn't matter if we're talking about an older Tacoma or a brand new F250 with a gasoline engine. Vehicles like the 4runner, Jeep and LandCruiser 100 and 200 have similar chassis' to overseas versions, but the powertrains are generally different (gasoline versus diesel). Buying a moderately used platform that is prevalent in his area of travel (Hilux, Ranger) could be a sound move, but there is a lot of uncertainty that would need to be resolved with regards to buying, registration, and selling the vehicle after all is done.

Maltec are importing left hand drive vehicles here. Doubtful it is in the price range the OP is looking for. https://www.facebook.com/maltecus/

Like you said, if finding parts is the biggest worry, might be worth the paper work hassle of buying something overseas.

Is this trip going to be a permanent on the road thing, or just a month or so? If it is a short term....renting a vehicle may be a better option too, then mechanicals is someone else's problem.

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

Maybe do a little research before asking to do something dangerous.

I've done a little research, that's how I know that the Tacoma payload capacity is insufficient and that's why I'm asking how to make it better by addressing the weak points. I'm aware of the 1 ton pickup/hilux Toyota made in the late 80s early 90s but I don't believe they ever made a 4x4 model.

Trucks like these are what motivated my curiosity in the first place. Many manufacturers offer multiple models or packages built on to the same frame, but with different GVWR and the usual changes seem to be to the springs and possibly rear axle, with out any known change to the frame, brakes, or steering in many cases. So that sparked the question, can I just bolt on different springs and maybe weld an axle truss and safely load it up with more weight? I don't know, but I suspect the steering and breaks on the tacoma probably aren't any worse than the T100.

OP never mentioned what his budget is, but since he has been looking at Cummins and Tacomas...guessing $15-20K??? For all not that much more. If you look, there are Titan XD's out there for around $25K. While there are no guarantees in life, likelihood of that breaking down is a lot less than buying something used. A Tacoma in the $15-20K range won't have less than a 100K miles on it.

Sorry, Yeah Im looking for something under $20k. The more modifications it needs to be a suitable platform, the lower below the $20k it needs to be. I've seen a couple of Tacomas in the 80-100k mile range for under $20k and a few in the 100-120k range for around $15k. I looked into the Titan briefly but saw a payload of 1585 and didn't dig any deeper. I'll look into the XD. Thank you.

Is this trip going to be a permanent on the road thing, or just a month or so? If it is a short term....renting a vehicle may be a better option too, then mechanicals is someone else's problem.

Good idea, but it will be a 3+ year time frame.

2nd Gen Tundra Regular Cab has a payload around 2000 lbs. Has a little bit of space behind the seats, but not quite what you have in your T100.

Gen2 tundra regular cab, short bed was appealing since it has a great turning circle for the wheel base that would help make up for how wide it is, but max payload is only 1680lbs. The longbed gets you up to 1780lbs payload, but it also gets you up to a 44 ft. turning circle.

Thanks for all your input.

 

[Clutch]

Sorry, Yeah Im looking for something under $20k. The more modifications it needs to be a suitable platform, the lower below the $20k it needs to be. I've seen a couple of Tacomas in the 80-100k mile range for under $20k and a few in the 100-120k range for around $15k. I looked into the Titan briefly but saw a payload of 1585 and didn't dig any deeper. I'll look into the XD. Thank you.


Good idea, but it will be a 3+ year time frame.


Gen2 tundra regular cab, short bed was appealing since it has a great turning circle for the wheel base that would help make up for how wide it is, but max payload is only 1680lbs. The longbed gets you up to 1780lbs payload, but it also gets you up to a 44 ft. turning circle.

Thanks for all your input.

You're welcome.

I wonder if the Titan and the Titan XD share the same frame...and all you had to do was to upgrade the springs to physically handle the load. (who cares what it says on paper)

I see a couple Titan S on cars.com just a tick over $20K....kinda close to what you want...not exactly perfect, but close. Being brand new would be a while before any major breakdowns even with a 3 year trip. Could sit back and actually enjoy the trip without too much worry of "ok, what is going to break next!?"

On the Tundra...I remember years ago the RCLB was over 2000 lbs....wonder if they changed it on paper. Even with it at 1780 lbs...it is close to what you're seeking. Not a super popular model either, can be had for "somewhat" cheap. The 8' bed would swallow an awful lot of gear even if you have to give up a little on turning radius.

Good luck in your search. This thread reminds me of a Rolling Stone song.