Toyota as work truck?

[Haggis]

Who here is actually using their Toy (Tacoma or Tundra) as a work truck. I'm talking about weekly construction trailer pulling (3500 - 6000lbs) and full weight capacity hauling. I'm interested in how they hold up and what issues a Toyota has when used in this manner. All of the Tacoma owners who I know use their trucks as daily drivers and see just light use. The only Tundra owner I know of is Jim65wagon, and its a damn nice truck but again it sees mostly light duty also, other than weekend wheeling. Considering getting a "new" truck ('03-'05), having mixed feelings about getting rid of Haggis, but noticed PA Rot starting on it, and up here when it starts it's damn hard to stop. Don't know if I want invest the money in it, although it's been a great truck and has done way beyond whatever it was asked to do. Being that I have no experience with Toys, but am willing to approach the idea with a open mind, any insight from you folks might have.

 

[Clutch]

I don't use mine as a work truck, but, it does get a fair share of abuse. I load to it's capacity..(sometimes over)...pulling a trailer and it still keeps on ticking. 170K on the odo.

I do see some running around town as full time work trucks, but, rarely with a trailer.

With that said, I personally wouldn't use a Tacoma as a work truck, especially loaded to capacity most of the time. There is something to be said for having too much power and too much room, rather than the other way around. The smallness of the Tacoma is its' greatness and also its' downfall. I think the Tacoma would get overloaded real quick.

If it was me, I would chose a fullsize of your liking. When I used to work construction. I had a '76 3/4 ton Ford Ranger, 390 big block, with toolboxes, pulling a Bobcat. I would not want a smaller truck.

You have the Jeep for playing, right?

Plenty of rust free trucks out here in Arizona, be more than happy, to look for you.

 

[CYi5]

I saw an '06 doublecab tundra with the back-half setup for rain gutter installation the other day...hadn't seen that before.

 

[tacollie]

I would not like to be pulling that much weight with a tacoma. My brother just sold his Tundra with 190k on it. It was on of the 1st the local dealership. He is a builder and was constanly pulling trailers and beating the snot out of it and it held up great. The only reason he sold it was he was given another vehicle by a family member and couldn't afford both. I don't know which year they went to the VVT-i but that little bit of extra power would be nice pulling 6000lbs.

 

[tacollie]

I forgot, but you will want to get a good set of after market leafs. His sucked from the day one.

 

[upcruiser]

I tow with my Tundra, not on a daily basis, but with my FJ80 on my trailer it tows it no sweat. A buddy of mine in Boulder uses his Tacoma for construction. Its got a ladder rack over the cap and he tows a large utility trailer with all of his gear in it. Its also a 4 cylinder and it seems to work great for him.

 

[Haggis]

Thanks so far guys. I leaning towards a 2500 Dodge or a Super Duty if I buy newer, but Jim's had such good luck with his Tundra I'm willing to give one a shot, probably a double cab. I thought that a Taco would be to light but my wife likes the look of them so I told her I'd check. I'm really up in the air, I really love my Dodge, and it's geared out the way I want (4:10s, Detriot rear, E-Locker front, Rhino lined bed and rockers), but I have to decide if it's better to invest some more money in it to keep it up or whether its better to start anew. I'm an old school hot rodder and I like the thought of an older truck, especially a J2000 or early 70's Big Three, but we use the truck for our expeditions and giving up the quad cab wouln't allow me to take the kids and older club cabs are hard to find and not to comfortable for the backseat passengers (personal experience there) Getting an older full size Cherokee or Suburban is a possibility also, but then I'd have to pull a trailer for hauling firewood, gravel, and lumber. Plus I'm already spending between $600 and $800 a month on fuel and an older rig is going to hurt more. So I'm spinning the gears in my brain and trying to decide which way to go.

 

[calamaridog]

My insight is that you need a 3/4 ton truck, which a first generation Tundra is not.

The new Tundra would be great, but the old one is definitely a 1/2 ton truck.

 

[HMR]

This is a pretty good deal: LINK.

Too bad it's 3000 miles away.

 

[imagodave]

We own 3 Tundras which we use as installation and service vehicles. They have utility beds on them with rear suspension upgraded. We find they eat brakes, but overall are better all around when compared to our F150's and 250's. We also use 3 Tacomas as service vehicles with bed box's and Racks installed. They work great with under 1000#s of gear, box's and racks.

We just ordered 5 of the new full sized Tundra's. We have 2 new 4dr Tundras that we use as light duty, yet can haul 14' box trailers to jobsites.....LUV-UM. Of course they have that new V8 and are fully loaded.

Just my opinion.

Dave

 

[Clutch]

Plenty O' room for the kiddies/camper/expedition/work truck...

http://www.fordcummins.com/1974_ford.htm

http://www.fordcummins.com/