2nd Gen Bed Weight Limits?

Greetings everyone, this is my first post here on the forums, but hopefully not the last.

We are currently driving a 00' Taco ExtCab TRD V6 4x4. Basic Auto truck with no mods just a nice beefy set of BFG tires. Well the truck has been recalled for the frame rust problem and they are in the process of making us an offer on the truck.

It has been one of the best vehicles Ive ever had in my family and its ran amazing and been put through heck and still runs like a top.

So naturally we are looking at replacing it with yet another Tacoma. However I wanted to become a member here so I could clear up some confusion that Im having.

We are looking for a "access" cab truck basically similar setup to what we have now only new. However just a few weeks ago when we were hauling a few yards of dirt for our yard we had the privileged of meeting a owner of a lease who said his Toyota had been recalled many times and he has received many papers through the mail warning of how much weight he can have in the bed of his truck.

We do a lot of hauling and moving things with our truck as is.. This gentlemen was saying that 250lbs was the max limit for his trucks bed.

Is this due to the new style of bed materials? Its my understanding that the truck is rated at 1415lbs of payload roughly and that passengers are to be included in the weight of the payload?

Can anyone set me straight?

What are some common flaws with these trucks? We are currently looking at around 05+ trucks and not totally ruling out buying a brand new model, just playing the field wise basically.

Thanks everyone in advance for any reply's!

 

Welcome
Whoever told you that is 100% wrong!
I own a landscaping company and I know I have had well over a ton of weight in mine.
I have an 08 DC Long bed 4x4.
I have stood on the tailgate while unloading it and I weigh 250 and I have never had an issue and by the way it drove great with all the weight back there.
These trucks are extremely capable.
Good luck in your search for a new rig.

 

I went there and the specs say something like 14xxlbs Payload.. Im just not sure how solid I feel about the trucks bed not being metal. I know carbon fiber can be woven in such tight patterns that it is much tougher and durable than most metals, but I was not sure what or how much it actually could hold.

Thanks for the reply's I really like the new Tacos.

 

"Real Info" is 1260 lbs. however I know I have overloaded mine and been fine,
Here it is from Toyota



CAPACITIES
Weights and Payload/Towing Capacities
Curb weight (lb.) 4190
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) (lb.) 5450
Payload [2] (lb.) 1260
Tongue load (lb., standard/maximum) 350/630
Standard towing capacity (lb.) [3] 3500
Maximum towing capacity (lb.) [3] 6300
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) (lb.) (with Towing Package) [3] 8100
(11,100)
Fuel tank (gal.) 21.1

 

So if you weight 200 lbs, and your alone in your truck with nothing else, your BED payload would be 1060 lbs.

 

the only thing holding you back are the rear springs and frame. the bed is solid as hell.

 

My understanding is the only real problem people run into is with the non TSB 3 leaf spring packs the springs aren't stiff enough to take much of a load in the bed. Nothing wrong with the bed though. I've got a Canadian truck and I guess they all come with 4 leaf 'TSB' springs. I've had somewhere between 1000-1200lb pallet of 18x18 ceramic tiles in the box and it was fine. I took the tailgate off because I didn't trust sitting the pallet on the tailgate to push it in with the forklift but otherwise no issues so far.

Only real downside for me with the composite bed is it's slippery for cargo, but then so is a painted steel bed and there's rubber mats and stuff out there to deal with that.

 

I would consider installing some temporary helper springs for heavy load use.

 

I have an 09' access cab, V6, Off road with the stock 3 leafs that were included in the TSB. I haul several tons of aggregate every week (not at one time) for a large concrete project. I hit the bump stops at 1,650 lbs, which is way above capacity. So I'm all good so far

 

Just remember, if you get a second gen truck with the stock springs you can have them replaced with a 4 leaf pack for free as long as the truck is still under warranty and you have a friendly dealer. There is aTSB to have that done.

 

Yes, but that's *ALWAYS* been true, on 1st gens or any other truck for that matter.

So yeah, load up your double cab with 5 220lb dudes, and you're only "allowed" another couple hundred pounds in the way-back.

Ford 250HDs had this issue a couple years back. They kept increasing the weight of the truck without increasing the GVWR, and ended up with a very small load capacity on paper once you filled the double cab with big people.

If you're getting an access cab, it probably means you're only carrying two folks. So you've still got bed capacity.

And as others have pointed out, Toyota has a TSB where if you go in for warranty service complaining of poor ride when fully loaded to rated capacity (because the springs keep bottoming out) - then Toyota will add an "Add-A-Leaf" load helper spring to the rear leaf pack so that the truck behaves better when loaded.

Bottom line: if a 1st gen Tacoma is meeting your needs well now, a 2nd gen Tacoma will probably do the same.

 

http://mediap04.toyota.ca/media/pdf/09towing_guide_e.pdf

 

FWIIW, I have OME Dakar springs and have had almost 1,800 pounds in the bed w/o a problem. I was hitting the bump stops on rougher sections of roads, but the truck handled it well and rode surprisingly nice. the bed came out of it w/ an issues.

I have an 09 4x4 DCLB with bumpers, winch, trail armor, gear, etc and on the way out from the scales I was sitting at ~5,100 pounds ( 2 skid plates were off) at the time. That puts my truck ~650 pounds heavier than stock. Technically speaking, my payload capacity is about 400 pounds + a driver.

 

It's my understanding the 250lb weight limit is just for the tailgate when in the lowered position. These are semi-1/2 ton trucks, so loading 'em up to 1,000 lbs shouldn't be a concern.

I hauled 600 lbs of trash to the dump yesterday, and my Taco handled it fine, other than bottoming out on the stops several times. Still need to get it to an agreeable Seattle area dealership for the leaf TSB.

 

its not the springs you have to worry about its the axel

 

ppffttt.... details! Think of it this way, If I bend an axle housing due to gross negligence... my only recourse is to upgrade axles and get new gearing, lockers, and SAS!

 

I've hauled 1450 lbs of recycled paper a couple of times and that was with 3 leaf crap pack & 1.5 AAL and it never touched the oem bumpstops.

 

Bumping an old topic, I know, but I just wanted to post up these pictures to show how effective the Firestone Ride-rite air bags are at supporting weight. Here I had a 1/2 yard of 0-3/4" crushed rock that is supposed to weigh somewhere around 1.35 to 1.4 tons per cubic yard so this would be something like 1400 lbs. I pumped up the air bags to 50 psi and the truck is riding at normal stock height with no sag. Driving down the road, the ride was quite nice as well.

 

I've hauled a cubic yard of topsoil in the bed (1500lb) more than once, bumpstops are close but not touching with non-tsb springs.

Also, that plastic bed is AWESOME when it comes to shoveling all that dirt out!

 

Holy thread revival, this thread is 2 years old, WTF happened to the OP ?