Gregster
Observer
Nice lift hooks, that puts the COG right under your butt.
The Next American Hilux?
- Thread starter 75Denver
- Start date
Nice lift hooks, that puts the COG right under your butt.
29centTaco
Observer
When I first read this thread, special forces didn't even cross my mind. I was thinking of these as a smaller than Humvee utility vehicle for the regular forces. I know the military is taking a long look at Jeep's J8 for that. As an "American" company, Jeep will definitely have a great advantage over Toyota regardless of capability or durability.
Stone_Blue
Adventurer
As to the Tacoma basically being the same as the Hilux (besides the diesel), try comparing a Tacoma to a Chevy Colorado, and you'll see what the Tacoma REALLY is....And its a FAR cry from the Hilux... 
Clutch
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4Rescue
Expedition Leader
Precisely the problem with our DOD... Pretty sad when a "political statement" is more important then giving our men on the ground the trucks they NEED to do their job's safely/efficently w/o fear of being left stranded in the field aye. Typical, but very sad. Even more sad is when a "civilian" vehicle (even if it is "beefed up") is better then a purpose built, "designed from the ground up Military Platform". If we get into a conflict that's NOT in a giant Sand box were gonna be screwed cause HMMWV's flat out fail in the woods. And I'd hate to have someone SHOOTING at me if I was relying on one too.
whiplash willy
New member
The biggest difference between the 2, which is the Frame. The Hilux has a fully boxed frame, like any proper truck would have, and the tacomas have an open c-channel frame. Hopefully the new hilux/tacoma will be fully boxed, and they will make it more like the hilux then the tacoma.
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Clutch
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Plannerman
Wandering Explorer
x2. My 3/4 ton truck has a c-channel frame. Pretty much every truck I've ever owned has had a least portions of the frame constructed as C-channel. A boxed frame is not necessarily stiffer (look at the 2nd gen Frontier that has a tendency to flex so much so as to allow the bed to contact the cab).
The Tacoma is built for a North American market, where we like to tow big things and having a greater towing capacity is a badge of honor, hence a different design.
Viggen
Just here...
Toyota cannot keep c channel trucks from rusting. Whats going to happen when its fully boxed and water and salt get trapped inside? C channel is actually better when towing. Flex in the chassis is desirable. Semis are c channel and they seem to have no problems at all.
4Rescue
Expedition Leader
Funny I have a 24 year old fully boxed frame under my Toyota and it's doing fine. I'm about to start a project on another 20+ year old truck with... again with a fully boxed frame that's in great condition and I'm not worried about it at all. I also ran plenty of other Toyotas from Cruisers to Hilluxes with fully boxed frames in Australia and even the 1984 Pickup that's body had rusted off by pig $#&! had a great frame. Wasn't the frame issue primarily on the 1st Gen Taco's or a specific generation/year(s) of trucks???
austintaco
Explorer
After the amount that Toyota paid to fix or buy back rusted 1st gen Tacoma frames, I think Toyota has figured out the problem. IIRC, the frames were made by Dana and they did not apply a coating that they were supposed to during the frame mfr process.
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Like 4Rescue I have an experienced 23 year old Hilux with a fully boxed frame that does not have rusting issues, but to be fair my generation of truck (1989-1995) does have a known rust point at the dip forward of the rear wheels because mud gets trapped inside. Compared to the Tacoma my truck's frame is noticeably thicker gauge steel and the rustproof coating is still in very good shape. I think the Tacoma issues are more due to the overall move to make a lighter frame (e.g. less over built, more engineered for the task) and manufacturing issues at Dana. I very much doubt even the current (or future) Hilux & Tacoma frames are nearly as stout as the older ones regardless that they are boxed or not.
enzo
Explorer
Your frame wasn't made by Dana in the USA.
Toyotero
Explorer
That is correct, the Tacoma (1995-2004) and Tundra (2000-2003) frames were manufactured by Dana and it appears that they did not build them to the specifications that Toyota ordered.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/12/retire-us-dana-idUSTRE70B7KZ20110112
I thought Toyota took great care of those customers who were affected.
http://pressroom.toyota.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=2712
http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/b...nches-00-03-tundra-frame-replacement-program/
There is a big difference between the Hilux frame and the Tacoma frame, primary that they were designed for a different market. The difference between my Taco and 4Runner frames are substantial in regards to material thickness, at least it seems so if I strike them with a hammer and listen to the "ring". I think that Hiluxes were overbuilt to take the abuse of commercial use in environments of very rough terrain, overloaded cargo and poor maintenance they've endured in many countries around the world. The Tacoma is a very capable and durable truck, but it was built for (basically) one specific market, and it wasn't built to be an all around tank and take the blatant abuse that a Hilux shrugs off world wide.
Wikipedia states it well,
Here's an example of design difference criteria, the payload capacity is 5 times greater on the current Hilux compared to the Taco:
2013 Tacoma - 615 kg
2013 Hilux - 3000 kg
http://www.toyota.com/tacoma/features.html#!/weights_capacities/7103/7113/7182/7153
http://www.toyota.com.au/hilux/features/car-performance/payloads
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Gregster
Observer
Funny how the Hilux has a lower tow rating 5512 lbs (2500 kg) compared with the Tacoma at 6500 lbs.
http://www.toyota.com.au/hilux/features/car-performance/towing-capacity
http://www.toyota.com.au/hilux/features/car-performance/towing-capacity