Extend the frame

Has anyone done a frame extension on a Taco. I am looking into an 2012 Access cab 4x4. I am planning on building my own cab over, slide in camper and would like to extend the wheelbase about 12". Is it feasable?

 

Its possible, but i sure the hell wouldnt do it. You will need to extend the frame, body, drivetrain components. Every measurement must be perfect, every angle exact. It would be prohibitively expensive. But if you do it, definitely do a write-up on the project.



With the money you would be spending you are better off going full size longbed.

 

^^^^^ Totally agree ^^^^^

 

assuming you have a short bed? and want to go to a long bed? i am not sure if the frame sections are riveted together but you could purchase the rear section of a long bed and bolt it back where the rivets are and then weld the seam.

or just build a new back half out of 2x3 box tubing. look at off road trucks that are backhalfed and lowered trucks that are back halfed.... its not "hard" per say, just time consuming and involved.

 

Get a DCLB, swap on an access cab and voila, frame extension

 

i dont read well ha

 

This whole post is totally false in every single way

 

What would be the "right truck" for a custom camper build? From what I understand he is removing the bed completely and installing a cab-over camper conversion like so

 

how so? can you not build a new back half out of 2x3 tubing?

i assumed he had a short bed, and if the frames were a 2 piece design and rivited together, he could infact install a new rear half if the rivited section was removed and replaced.

its not rocket surgery to build a set of frame rails... make sure it is square, crossmembers where needed. weld on new suspension mounts. longer drive shaft and electrical stuff.

 

Well sure he could go buy a extended cab, long bed F-150, but if he want's something semi off-road capable I don't think that really fits the bill.

 

First off there one piece frame rails and the back end of the frame is exactly the same whether you have a DCSB/AC or DCLB, extension of the frame comes from the mid part of the frame where it angles up to the bed so, purchasing the rear section of the frame to add is impossible and thats where my reply comes in stating thats totally false....plus I had all three DCLB DCSB and AC w/LB which is same as DCSB in terms of length

 

which is why i said "if" it is rivited. i dont pay that much attention to the underside of my truck, so i was not sure.... soooooo sorry.

 

I forgive you

 

They built 10 of thousands of Toyota motor homes with extended frames on 137 inch wheel base trucks. They did not cut it in the middle they welded extensions at the rear of the frame.

 

That would suffice, however, the OP wants to extend the wheelbase. That would be a whole different ball game.

 

That is a trick camper. who build that? That is kind of what I am looking to do. Only my camper would be a slide in that would fit the truck after I built utility boxes in place of the factory bed. I want an 8' floor in the camper but I don't want to hang forever out the back. I am not really much of an off roader but i also use the truck to pull my drift boat. Some stream side boat ramps are a bit dicey.

Thanks for all the resposes. Plenty to consider.

 

They made a few 4X4 Toyota motor homes (very expensive for some thing over 25 years old) they were short frame. The one you pictured looks like the rear frame is extended but cutting one in the middle to increase the wheel base would involve some pretty fancy work. The MH's were one ton long bed trucks (137" WB) after finding out that the 1/2 ton semi floating rears broke axles they went to a 1 ton full floating dully rear. The old things weighed over 6,000# loaded you can imagine how fast they were with a 22R or 22RE engine.

 

I wouldn't do this to a brand new truck. If you have the cash to buy it outright, then all the power to you. But if you're on any sort of a budget, I would definitely prefer an older truck.

 

he said a slide in camper! I doubt if you can build one lighter than a factory slide in. I have had a Jayco Sportser that is raised roof model similar to a popup. lighter and lower center of gravity and I still had to beef up the suspension on fullsize 4wd. your truck may carry it but you will not like how it handles, trust me, if had 2 on 3 trucks and the Tacoma will only handle about 500lbs without riding on bump blocks.