Are second gens as capable as first gens?

I used to use my first gen for all kinds of home improvement projects. It took everything I could throw at it.

I now have a second gen and recently read that the second gen beds are fiberglass and not steel. Are they weaker than the first gen beds? I’m worried I’ll break the truck bed if I try to haul soil or stones like I used to.

Should I be worried?

 

Your truck bed can handle more than your truck can.

 

I've got a 1st and 2nd Gen Taco and used both for hauling Dirt and rock. My 1st Gen could hold a hell of a lot more weight with out squatting than my 2nd gen. I think I was about about a Ton in my 1st gen and and 3/4 ton in 2nd gen. my 1st gen barely squatted but sure was sluggish on uphills.

 

The plastic/fiberglass bed is definitely not the weak point. That thing is TOUGH. Prolly holds up better than steel. If wanting to haul a lot of weight though, I'd get some HD leaf springs. I'm running Deaver U402 Stage 3 expedition springs. I've been scaled 1 ton over my 1540 payload... Truck level. That's with my camper in the bed, my armored up truck, and trailer tongue weight in the 500 to 650-ish pound range.

 

GVWR and payload rating still matter. Doesn't matter if all the stuff "fits" in the bed; overloading it is overloading it.

Bed could be made of goose feathers or solid iron, but you must respect the designed weight ratings.

This old grandpa way of thinking about trucks needs to die. It's 2023 and we have all of the information at our finger tips to treat these trucks as they were designed by smart engineers.

 

My 2003 DC TRD Off Road was rated at 1,450 lbs, while my 2015 DC TRD Off Road is only rated at 1,040 lbs. Supposedly the 2024s are going to be able to haul 1,700 lbs. This may be for a 2wd standard cab, I don’t know.

 

I'm sure that 1700 will be max, on a base model 2wd. currently i think the 2023 max is 1685, but some configurations that is around 985 pounds of payload. My 2011 is 1540 payload, but those numbers can be all over the place for different configs.

 

Second gen squats badly well within recommended weight limits for bed loads.

I put on 2021 stock leaf springs and shocks that were new pull offs, and it squatted badly with 500 pounds of gravel in the back. Blew the seals in the shocks and I was taking it easy.

Upgraded shocks and leaf springs are needed, even with loads within stated capacity limits imo.

 

They are definitely soft leaf springs. But they are aiming this truck at the general user who want a better ride, not more carrying capacity. The early 2nd gens even had the 2+1 leaf pack that they'd replace with the 3+1 for free, for those of us that actually used it somewhat like a truck haha. It was definitely helpful, but not good enough for running up to capacity.

 

Buy a F 350

 

Wife and I are planning to move to an F450, and keep the Taco for the light duty stuff. Hopefully the Taco can last another 2 years til we can swing it.

 

They are not fiberglass like a topper would be, they are a composite material, fiberglass being part of that.

If you loaded the 1st gen rough enough to dent the bed (like dropping those stones right on the bed) then it's *possible* to crack the composite, but actually pretty unlikely.

The tree limbs and dirt it could care less about.

The good news is it won't rust.

 

General springs Kansas City

Heavy duty leaves.

Can handle more load than the truck should ever have in the bed

 

Yeah, definitely like the truck but noticed the squatting right away. Will be getting dobinsons leaf springs. Hard to be putting money into a truck with 333,000 kilometers, but it likely has another 200,000+ kms in her.

 

I HIGHLY recommend looking at the Deavers. They come with a higher number of thinner leaves for a more progressive spring rate. I've had them on for 5 years now, 3 years straight loaded, and now about 80% of the time loaded. Still have great arch.

 

My 1st gen can still fit up tighter trails than my 2nd gen also. But on the highway in mountains the power of the 4.0 is substantially better in the 2nd gen!

 

Probably helps with squat, but doesn't do jack to make everything else hold up to the extra strain. GVWR cannot be worked around.

 

ive looked into deaver but sounds like the lift is a lot higher than 2” for the 2nd stage springs. Some are reporting a minimum of 2.5 and up to 3” of actual lift after installation. Too much.

 

For hauling stones or hard stuff, I'd recommend a bed mat, or a stall mat from Tractor Supply.
Other than that, the bed should be fine.

 

Yes, you are correct. But stiffer suspension does quite a bit for a vehicle, especially handling.

And then something else becomes the weak point...