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Boxing in the Tacoma frame?

Tyler

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Volunteer T3G Editor
Gonna have too much constant weight on my truck soon and someone suggested I have my frame boxed in. I don't know what all this would entail, so I have some questions:
  1. Roughly, how much might this cost?
  2. Is this complicated to do correctly, therefore making it hard to find a shop to do it, or is this basic welding that a shop would understand?
  3. Would you lose access to hoses and wires that are inside the frame rails from the factory, therefore risking a very difficult fix if one of those components were to break?
  4. Has anyone ever seen a heavy Tacoma actually have the frame fail due to the weight?
Thank you.
 
Can't say I've seen one fail but it was at Dirt King Fabrications just the other day and sure enough they were working on a truck that they were boxing in the rear frame. It was mostly because it was a long travel Tacoma and rear end was going to see a lot of abuse, however the concept is the same I'll see if I can take it some pictures of it. It's definitely not something too difficult to do, but it may definitely make access for some stuff a little bit difficult.
 
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Thanks! That seems robust as hell!

Everytime I go over there I'm amazed at what they can do, and in what time. For example that same day I say that Tacoma they showed me the 6 cylinder double cab Chevy they have sitting in the back. It's about 30% stripped. They plan to turn it into an LS swapped build with a full long travel race kit, full cage and custom interior in under 90 days. They don't mess around.
 
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Tyler, are you still considering it? Do you really work that truck that hard that you need to box the frame?
 
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Tyler, are you still considering it? Do you really work that truck that hard that you need to box the frame?
Yes. I will be living out of it via a Four Wheel Camper. NOT counting my 35” tires, heavy wheels, steel bumpers, sliders, and other armor, I expect to have up to 2,000 lbs of added weight from my “house”, household goods, and other gear. And there will be two adults and two dogs in the truck, too.
 
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Yes. I will be living out of it via a Four Wheel Camper. NOT counting my 35” tires, heavy wheels, steel bumpers, sliders, and other armor, I expect to have up to 2,000 lbs of added weight from my “house”, household goods, and other gear. And there will be two adults and two dogs in the truck, too.
Yeah I read something about you traveling and living out of your truck. Do you plan a coast to coast?

I plan on leaving in the spring and hitting the Rocky's
 
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Yeah I read something about you traveling and living out of your truck. Do you plan a coast to coast?

I plan on leaving in the spring and hitting the Rocky's
Yeah, Alaska is a top destination. All National Parks in US and Canada. Then start South America. If everything works out well, take it overseas. I will be documenting the whole thing on here and YouTube.
 
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I wouldn't box the frame x maybe add strengthening plates on the side but I would be more concerned with the box frame going from weight and stress, bed stiffeners are nice but only help the back of the box , under the plastice tub is a very simple framing structure for the box I'd be more concerned about that than anything
 
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I wouldn't box the frame x maybe add strengthening plates on the side but I would be more concerned with the box frame going from weight and stress, bed stiffeners are nice but only help the back of the box , under the plastice tub is a very simple framing structure for the box I'd be more concerned about that than anything
Good perspective. Haven’t thought of it that way, thanks.
 
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