Stupid Bed Design, mod ideas?

<-- OP

 

If you three wheel your truck (so the rear suspension is FULLY articulated - one wheel at full compression, one wheel at full extension) you will see how close the wheel gets to the vertical of the inner wheel well, due to the arch the rear axle makes when not moving straight up and down.

 

Devin, thanks for the productive response. So on a stock truck, you think there can be that much articulation or even close?

 

Ramon, amen.

ND, typing my response while you did yours.

 

Pat, that's what I've done in the past.

Just thinking here. Wow, I'm THAT guy. I thought I caveated my Toyota love enough.

 

The reason is most people don't use these trucks for hauling material. 99.9% use it as a car. Now everyone can chime in and say they haul everything under the sun but this forum is a small sample of tacomas.

 

I believe Longboard is correct. I can't speak to the percentage. But most Tacoma buyers either use the truck like an SUV, or haul mostly sporting and outdoor equipment.

And Toyota knows this. They also know there is a seperate market for the lumber hauler guys. And that's why they offer the Tundra. Although ToMCo's share in that market is dismal.

 

Everybody knows that the OZ Sports the big wood!

 

Should have gotten a longer bed

 

DCXLB ?

 

DCXLBFTMFW

 

Sounds like you need to take a DCLB truck.... stick a regular cab on it and chop the bed n extend it! like the good ole days of the single cab LEGIT long bed truck .

 

Lol , yeah cause hauling 21 / 10' 6x6 is never enough

 

Longboard, so true. I do haul loads about once a month and sometimes they are like Peter's. Steering gets pretty light (right Peter?).

Peter, do you have AAL's? I did 8' railroad ties in my 92 so the center of gravity was 1' further forward. It was only a few miles, but holy shit, could barely make turns.

Doording, that explains it; thanks. I've used the receiver hitch supports in the past. Worked great for 12' concrete flex forms. I usually build a π shaped frame that attaches to the rear x-brace if hauling a big load of 4x8 sheets.

 

No kidding! SB used to be 6-6.5', not 5'.

 

1. Most people who need to haul 4x8 sheets of material buy a full size. Like a Tundra.

2. Add supports and you can haul 4x8 sheets of material with the tailgate down. Better done with a long bed. I'm sure you'd be over the Tacoma weight limit stacking 4x8 sheets over the wheel wells and near the top of the bed sides. Unless you're buying 4x8 sheets of balsa wood.

3. I couldn't tell you why but I'm 100% sure that IF the engineers/designers could have accommodated a 4x8 sheet by simply narrowing the wheel wells, they would have. I'm gonna guess it's an attempt to keep us the user from overloading the truck stacking 4x8 sheets of drywall from the floor to the bedsides or higher. 4x8x1/2 drywall weighs approx. 60lbs. each. The maximum payload for a Tacoma is 1500 lbs. That's 25 sheets of drywall max. That would be approx. 12.5" in height or more likely 13". The Tacoma has a 18" bed height. It's 9" from the supports/wheel wells to the top of the bedsides. Approx. 18 sheets of 4x8x1/2 drywall = 1080. Add in a driver, tools and such and you'll be right there at max payload. And most Tacomas don't have the 1500 lb max payload. Most are between 1200-1400 lbs.

Did I mention the Tundra? Now that they have a full-size they don't need to offer everything and the kitchen sink in the Tacoma.

 

Delivery is also an option.

 

Sweet! I am on that site under the same name as here, but my build thread hasn't seen any love for several years. My '77 GT liftback still runs great but still needs a lot of work. Someday . . .

Thought about some jokes about "if only there were a few more inches" but figured since you're a mod over there I should probably lay off.

 

Wow. Just read through, this turned into a whole other conversation than what was intended.
It seems apparent to me that Toyota didn't intend our trucks to be construction haulers, more like "fun haulers" camping, bikes, ATVs and such. I came from an F-150 and before I bought my current rig, I found a Tacoma in a parking lot and measured the bed. I knew not being able to haul flat sheets was going to be a compromise, but these trucks are so good that it was worth it. I had a few other reasons too. I bought a new house with a narrow driveway and the Ford was a super tight squeeze, so I needed something smaller. @Jefes Taco is right, you'd reach max payload before you know it. I remodeled the entire new house and made several trips with drywall or plywood (sitting at an angle) stacked to the bed rail and you can really feel the weight behind you. I think max one time was 18 sheets of 3/4" greenboard and it was scary.
You win some, you lose some. I don't see a way to make the bed any wider without some serious fabwork/engineering and by then its become so expensive that it might not even be worth it. I love my little truck, but I know it's limitations and that's alright with me.