Hey everyone, new member here, new Tacoma owner (about 3 months now).. spent 6 months researching until my brain hurt. After calling multiple companies and all of them giving me opposing answers (some of them completely dumbfounded by the fact that people even put 1000lb on the back of their truck), I finally decided to ask this community.
I've watched just about every C4, CBI build video, and other youtubers doing these great overland builds with full skids (150lb), front bumper (120lb), rear dual swing out bumper (200lb), rock sliders (150lb), roof rack (45lb), fully loaded lights (?lb), diamond back hd bed covers (115lb), bed rack (55lb), hard shell rooftop tents (172lb), 20lb propane tanks full and mounted (68lb), 30-40 pounds of tools/recovery gear, winch (80lb), 8-12 gallons of fuel in rotopax, gallons of water, portable fridge (55lb), some kind of drawer system (?lb), another 100lb of camping gear, spare wheel on rear bumper (45-60lb), etc.. apparently running just fine..
Here are the questions I can't seem to find the answers to:
1. With an additional 1200-1400lb of weight on the truck, and let's say Fox 2.5 full kit with Deaver Stage 3's that's rated from 700-1000lb, how on earth are these trucks normally functional on all these trips for years? The Deaver stage 3's are rated for 1000lb max, so how are people putting 1400lb on it (not even counting 2 passengers that weight between 180-200lb each for example)? .... Also, I'm aware that the weight distribution really mostly matters in the rear for the leaf springs, so given that the roof rack creeps towards the rear, and half the sliders and skids do too, really the only thing to subtract to get the rear weight is the front bumper, half the sliders, and half the skids. It still ends up being over a 1000lb.
2. How is a V6 with not much torque able to handle that? (not to mention adding bigger tires lowers power). For argument's sake let's say 33's for tires so no re-gear required.
3. If the Tacoma is not meant to have that much, then where do you compromise? ....Half the people say you NEED armor because you have to protect your investment so full skids, rock sliders, front and rear bumper are non negotiable cuz accidents happen once. And of course the purpose of the truck is to go off grid to camp and enjoy and explore and get away from the city, so I'm going to need at the anti-theft of the truck bed cover, the bed rack, and the rooftop tent... it's like, well, what's left? Say I dont take the fridge and propane tank and just stick to MRE's.. Everything else is for a "just incase" situation. From the winch, to the recovery gear, to tools, etc.. So between armor, what i need for the "experience", which is 80-90% of the weight, I'm torn between what to compromise on.
The setup I want to go for in terms of the build for my 2023 Tacoma TRD Off Road is: Fox 2.5 full kit with the reservoirs, upper control arms, U bolts, Deaver stage 3 leaf springs, Falken Wildpeak AT3W (285/70r17), I wouldn't really want anything past a 1.5" lift on front and back, MAYBE 2 if there is a solid functional reason behind it. I'm trying to keep my center of gravity low, and not lift it too much past stock lift. I want strictly best functionality, longevity, etc.. not one for just looks, no offense to anyone that is, just have a different purpose for this truck. Also, this won't really be a daily driver as I have a sedan for that. Perhaps down a few blocks to the store here and there.
Thank you ahead of time, and I apologize for the giant rant sized post. Just sucks being in limbo for months because I can't find answers to base my decisions off of.
I've watched just about every C4, CBI build video, and other youtubers doing these great overland builds with full skids (150lb), front bumper (120lb), rear dual swing out bumper (200lb), rock sliders (150lb), roof rack (45lb), fully loaded lights (?lb), diamond back hd bed covers (115lb), bed rack (55lb), hard shell rooftop tents (172lb), 20lb propane tanks full and mounted (68lb), 30-40 pounds of tools/recovery gear, winch (80lb), 8-12 gallons of fuel in rotopax, gallons of water, portable fridge (55lb), some kind of drawer system (?lb), another 100lb of camping gear, spare wheel on rear bumper (45-60lb), etc.. apparently running just fine..
Here are the questions I can't seem to find the answers to:
1. With an additional 1200-1400lb of weight on the truck, and let's say Fox 2.5 full kit with Deaver Stage 3's that's rated from 700-1000lb, how on earth are these trucks normally functional on all these trips for years? The Deaver stage 3's are rated for 1000lb max, so how are people putting 1400lb on it (not even counting 2 passengers that weight between 180-200lb each for example)? .... Also, I'm aware that the weight distribution really mostly matters in the rear for the leaf springs, so given that the roof rack creeps towards the rear, and half the sliders and skids do too, really the only thing to subtract to get the rear weight is the front bumper, half the sliders, and half the skids. It still ends up being over a 1000lb.
2. How is a V6 with not much torque able to handle that? (not to mention adding bigger tires lowers power). For argument's sake let's say 33's for tires so no re-gear required.
3. If the Tacoma is not meant to have that much, then where do you compromise? ....Half the people say you NEED armor because you have to protect your investment so full skids, rock sliders, front and rear bumper are non negotiable cuz accidents happen once. And of course the purpose of the truck is to go off grid to camp and enjoy and explore and get away from the city, so I'm going to need at the anti-theft of the truck bed cover, the bed rack, and the rooftop tent... it's like, well, what's left? Say I dont take the fridge and propane tank and just stick to MRE's.. Everything else is for a "just incase" situation. From the winch, to the recovery gear, to tools, etc.. So between armor, what i need for the "experience", which is 80-90% of the weight, I'm torn between what to compromise on.
The setup I want to go for in terms of the build for my 2023 Tacoma TRD Off Road is: Fox 2.5 full kit with the reservoirs, upper control arms, U bolts, Deaver stage 3 leaf springs, Falken Wildpeak AT3W (285/70r17), I wouldn't really want anything past a 1.5" lift on front and back, MAYBE 2 if there is a solid functional reason behind it. I'm trying to keep my center of gravity low, and not lift it too much past stock lift. I want strictly best functionality, longevity, etc.. not one for just looks, no offense to anyone that is, just have a different purpose for this truck. Also, this won't really be a daily driver as I have a sedan for that. Perhaps down a few blocks to the store here and there.
Thank you ahead of time, and I apologize for the giant rant sized post. Just sucks being in limbo for months because I can't find answers to base my decisions off of.
