Anyone working out of your 2016?

Just wondering if anyone is using their 3rd Gen as a work Truck or for their company? I'm still debating whether to get a Tacoma for my company. It would be an estimating truck for Roofing so I need a ladder and all. All the reviews I see are indicating "it's a lifestyle truck" for off road and camping ect..
I really want a Tacoma becuase it's a smaller nimble truck and reliability (i plan to keep at least 7 years) that will be easy to get in people's driveways and parking lots but not sure it will be good for me. What I'm really worried about is having a little weight in the back with a rack and ladder. I do small repairs as well so a few bundles of shingles and stuff. Don't know if it's too light duty and will squat in the rear and also I have a 20' bow rider that I need to launch in the water on a ramp and tow 80 miles a couple times a year.

 

You can always add air bags if the squat bothers you.

I think these truck s ride much better with a few hundred pounds of ballast anyways.

Loading it up until it squats isn't going to hurt anything. The springs are weak to begin with.

 

How about an aftermarket leaf Spring. Would that work?

 

Yep.

Its just easier to add air bags and you can custom adjust then for your load. Can't do that with springs.

 

You're probably better off with airbags unless you plan on wheeling. Aftermarket springs that carry loads well ride super rough unloaded, and they're certainly not cheap.

 

I am a roofer also, and this truck is serving me well so far. I'm the foreman, so it's either myself or the owner of the company transporting tools/materials to and from the jobsite. A few bundles of shingles are no big deal (~60-80lbs each.) I have the 5' bed, so I ended up adding a bed extender. Sure, the rear will sit with some weight, but that's what is was designed for. I wouldn't recommend throwing a leveling kit on the truck if you haul a lot. Should have my TracRacs on soon... That's the limiting factor right now. Thule and TracRac have adapter kits out for the 2016 now, but the T-rac has been hard to find in stock. Either will serve you well. I'm coming from a full-size Titan, and no regrets really. Sacrificed torque for mpg... Size for maneuverability... Heck, my boss has a 2007 GMC Sierra 2500 Double cab long bed, and he uses his old 94 Sierra single cab short bed 99% of the time for ease of driving.

 

Thanks so much for the reply man! I his eases my mind a bit on the he bed length because I really do want the smaller mote maneuverable truck and I was already thinking bed extender would be perfect! Not gonna lie though, I am probably going to get a 2-3" lift just cause I love the look. I'll beef up the springs or do air bags to satisfy my ocd I guess while I'm at it. I'll play it by ear though. I carry one 28' ladder so I'll probably need the cantilever with the t-rac.

 

No problem, glad to help out a fellow roofer! Great idea to beef up the rear suspension if you raise the front. I would think an add-a-leaf might serve you well. Stay safe up there

 

Hey btw I was just thinking, how is the composite bed holding up to scratches or galges? Shingles are like sandpaper if they are loose. I was actually wondering if you could paint the sucker if/when it gets bad enoughsince it's basically plastic. Or trim paint with adhesion promoter.

 

If you are worried about the squat with a load but still want the ride height where you can still work out of it. I would recommend looking in to an Old Man Emu lift with the "heavy" rear springs. I have been running OME lifts for years and they have yet to let me down. My '85 Toyota carried a SA200, cutting torch rig and fab tools every day for 3-4 years. When I removed the welder from it the rear springs returned to with in 1/2" of what they had settled to after they broke in. IMHO you can't get a better set of springs for a Toyota.

 

I have a 3 gen Tacoma and love it. However, for close to the same money you could probably get a Tundra that would meet your needs a little better.

 

When I was truck shopping, a comparable Tundra (TRD Off-road) was 8-9k more than my TRD OR Tacoma. Also, the cost of ownership (fuel/maintenance/insurance) especially since the truck will be used for business is another thing to consider.

Bnjf: The bed is getting some scratches here and there, no gouges though. Gives it some character, just like worn out tools. You could definetely coat it with something down the road. My boss' 07 GMC actually has Hydro-Stop Traffic Coat instead of bedliner. Its been holding up great, just a few touch ups when necessary. I would think that Pacific Polymer roof coating would do VERY well as a bed coating also.

 

I'm currently building 3 to be city water trucks and 2 to be sheriff's

 

Maybe I misunderstood the original post. I assume Bnjf was looking for a work truck. When you get into the TRD's or OR's you are going to spend that much more. But, if he was looking for a fairly basic Tundra with the 4.6L V8 it might not be ALL that much more than an SR or SR5 comparable Tacoma. That said, I had a 12' TRD Tundra SR5 AC. When I went to pick it up they had transferred in a 4.6L instead of the 5.7L I originally wanted. It was fully loaded with the exception of leather (Homelink, power seats, heated mirrors/seats, custom rims, etc.). Problem was they didn't think I or many others would want the 4.6L. They gave it to me for $32,300 OTD. About $2000 of that was taxes and fees (their doc fees were ridiculous!). I never felt like it was under-powered and it pulled my 5 x 10 enclosed MC trailer (loaded with bike/gear) with no problem. Mileage was not that great (13 city/19 hwy) but it drove great (had a heavy feel). Problem was that it was literally too big for my needs, parking was difficult, had to have a stool to reach over into the bed, and (the kicker!) I hit a metal mail box and damaged the hell out of one side. Got a great private sale price and decided on the Tacoma as a replacement...couldn't be happier. If I remember correctly (and I don't always), a comparable TRD Tacoma that year was somewhere in the high 20's.

 

While it is not my profession, I use my Tacoma for work. Hauling my garden tractor, fill it with branches to dump in the corner of the property, trash/dump runs, trips to the store to get supplies, move parts for my other vehicles, haul antiques (I am addicted to buying antiques). It has been great, but I have limited myself to hauling 1000lbs or so and I have not towed a trailer yet.

 

Ok thanks. Hey do you happen to have a link to a tracRac ladder rack kit? I'm having a hard time finding one.

 

I got the Tracrac Trac One at the local Home Depot for $329. Much cheaper than anywhere else I could find. I had to order the mounting kit though. Kit # is 34001. I modified my racks to work with the oem roof racks. From the rear rack to the front cross-bar is about 9'. The Tracracs were cut 1/2" higher than the oem, to account for padding and for clearance when I have something loaded on JUST the Tracracs.

 

I work out of my Tacoma, but not in a traditional sense. I'm a fly fishing guide ,so I tow a driftboat ,carry clients. I also drive to backcountry waters in Wyoming. 4 wheeling for work is cool cause pays for itself.

 

Wow that looks great! So the problem I'm having and trying to figure out is if I can fit or balance a 28' ladder on the rack with a short bed. I was going to try and get a t-rac pro 2 because I can get the extension or cantilever. Is the rear rack back as far as it can go?