Is the Tacoma enough truck?

[Clutch]

It's not that diesel doesn't make sense for most HD buyers, it's that a 6.7 liter twin-turbo diesel putting out 1000 ft-lbs of torque is simply unnecessary for nearly everyone. So then you're picking between overkill but some better efficiency towing with the diesel and a gas engine that's a better fit for what you need but will drink fuel towing. If they offered something like Toyota's 4.5 diesel V8 (270 hp, 480 ft-lbs) it would make way more sense for most people who want to tow more than a half-ton is comfortable for but not drag the moon out of orbit.

Someone at my work has a newish bro-dozered out 3500 Silverado. On the rare occasion like today I drive my Range Rover to work I like to park next to it and appreciate the fact I spent 3% of the money, tow just as much with it(nothin), have taken it to way more places and honestly probably even have a better on-road driving experience.

Nissan is trying that very thing with Titan....poor sales though. Should be the goldilocks of diesel power plant sizes...but not too much gain in efficiency [if any] compared to the other diesels putting out twice the power.

Those never been off-road bro-dozers are hilarious. "Nice truck man! So sorry to hear about your penis..."

 

[knoxswift]

I've read a couple of the Tacoma vs Full Size threads but couldn't find anything with the 3rd gen tacos. My current truck is a pretty stock '16 TRDOR. I love the agility on the smaller trails and forest roads that I am normally on to go camping and getting around the facility at work. Also love the look and ruggedness of the taco; however, trying to load the girlfriend, dog, and gear into the taco for trips gets a little tight. Add to that hauling a trailer with the RZR on it and it's not very comfortable for longer drives. At work with all my tool boxes and cooler in the bed there is 0 room for anything else.

I keep looking at 3/4 ton trucks but know that will limit me on what camp sites I can get to in the southeast. Any opinions?

I'm WAY late to this discussion.
However, my 2c is the Tacoma is more than capable with a few minor modifications. I haul a FWC and tow 2-3 motorcycles no problem after modifications. (Suspension, brakes and gearing). My build out still comes way under the cost of just a full size diesel or otherwise. The economy is great if the gear setup is selected wisely...

 

[Clutch]

I'm WAY late to this discussion.
However, my 2c is the Tacoma is more than capable with a few minor modifications. I haul a FWC and tow 2-3 motorcycles no problem after modifications. (Suspension, brakes and gearing). My build out still comes way under the cost of just a full size diesel or otherwise. The economy is great if the gear setup is selected wisely...

View attachment 476362

Nice setup! Thought of getting a shell FWC for my 1st gen...but the Wildernest, gear, and moto trailer seems to be right at its' limit for being comfortable. Guessing a FWC shell would add 500-650 lbs to my overall weight. Believe the Nest is 250ish(?) It struggles ever so slightly on some of the grades. Meaning have to drive 60 instead of 65 so the engine isn't screaming on some of the climbs I do going up to the high country here.

Maybe a re-gear or perhaps a super charger, maybe both would cure that. But I am never in a hurry, so....

 

[Buliwyf]

Nice, but is it legal and within the GVWR? GA troopers have to eat, ya know.

 

[knoxswift]

Gearing gets you into the able to drive legal speed limits. The ONLY place I have an issue is that damn 4-5 mile up hill on I15 into LV. LOL! But that has a slow truck lane so not a big deal...

I go back and forth on if I should of gotten the SC. Sometimes I say I wish I had it other times I don't think it matters.
The biggest issue with the SC I had was the need for 91 octane or better.

Have you seen...Gas prices are on the way up again...$4 in CA now...

(EDIT: BTW I'm a little better off than most on gearing changes because I have the 6sp Manual...more options open on re-gear and no computers to fight with).

 

[Clutch]

Nice, but is it legal and within the GVWR? GA troopers have to eat, ya know.

Think I would be ok, the 1st Gens have a higher payload than the 2nd Gens...but it would be right at the edge. I don't like that...so it keeps me from doing it.

At this point there are so many miles on my engine...would want a fresh one if I go the SC route, then the cost of a re-gear. Might as well just buy a used fullsize with a V8 for $10K and get a 8' bed to boot.

 

[knoxswift]

Nice, but is it legal and within the GVWR? GA troopers have to eat, ya know.

I'm within GVWR with 1 person and dog. When I go 2 people I'm over...but not by much that I would be concerned.
The Key of the setup is the use of a trailer. Low tongue weight get to pull more stuff.

 

[knoxswift]

At this point there are so many miles on my engine...would want a fresh one if I go the SC route, then the cost of a re-gear. Might as well just buy a used fullsize with a V8 for $10K and get a 8' bed to boot.

I'm not a fan of 8ft beds....My job doesn't require and parking in CA is hell enough with a 6ft.

 

[Buliwyf]

You're fine then. Passengers aren't in the car when it's weighed.

 

[jasmtis]

Nissan is trying that very thing with Titan....poor sales though. Should be the goldilocks of diesel power plant sizes...but not too much gain in efficiency [if any] compared to the other diesels putting out twice the power.

Those never been off-road bro-dozers are hilarious. "Nice truck man! So sorry to hear about your penis..."

Yep. Unfortunately it takes a certain amount of energy to move a certain amount of mass and internal combustion engines can only be optimized so much. Even if we magically achieved a 1:1 conversion from chemical energy to kinetic energy and could losslessly transfer that kinetic energy to the road we would still need to burn some amount of dead dinosaur to achieve motion.

I just do not understand. If you don't need or want to do truck things with your truck you can buy a hell of a lot of car for HD truck money. It's like they never grew out of the pretending to be a big rig driver phase

 

[knoxswift]

You're fine then. Passengers aren't in the car when it's weighed.

I guess that also assumes I was using it "Commercially."

 

[DaveInDenver]

You're fine then. Passengers aren't in the car when it's weighed.

I guess that also assumes I was using it "Commercially."

Exactly. Even GA, which is among the most strict of states, only requires vehicles over 10,000 lbs to stop. The bulk only require CDL or greater than 26,000 lbs. The most restrictive is Virginia and their limit is greater than 7,500 GVWR. The fact is for Tacomas the question will be extremely unlikely to ever come up.

 

[Buliwyf]

Yeah, if you're talking weigh stations and such.

But they've been targeting RV parks now. Sitting right down the road. I guess someone caused a big accident or something. They're concentrating on half tons towing 5th wheels, for now.

 

[jasmtis]

My biggest worry when I've flirted with the GVWR in my Tacoma carrying 5 people + a loaded down bed(on way to a music festival... kegs are heavy and compact) my biggest worry was insurance. It didn't look remotely overloaded where a cop would want to check but as unlikely as it is, if you get in an accident and your insurer works out that you were overweight it's grounds to not pay up and that could sting.

 

[DaveInDenver]

There'd have to a rule or regulation the Trooper is enforcing. The reason in Colorado you don't have to stop is the vehicle laws. It doesn't matter if it's a permanent or mobile weight station, they have to testing against something.

There nothing I've ever been able to find that requires non-CDL individuals to adhere to FHWA or manufacturer weight ratings under 26,001 lbs.

One thing they might be able to cite you for is if you're registered wrong. If you have regular light truck plates your maximum empty truck weight is 16,000 lbs and if you have recreational truck plates it's 10,000 lbs.

I'm not aware of any weight laws on trailers other than you must have brakes when it weighs more than 3,000 lbs. There's the axle weight, which is 20,000 for any single and 36,000 lbs on Interstates and 40,000 for other highways for tandems. There's several laws about weight with respect to heavy trucks on bridges and overweight permits.

There's a general catch-all for an "unsafe" vehicle. But that doesn't say anything about weight. It also doesn't exclude weight, so I guess that would be an opinion of the officer and court.

That's of course specific to Colorado, but I'm even less familiar with laws in other states. So I'm of course making assumptions.

I'd really like to know if there are laws otherwise, I really would.