How much will weight affect my MPG? 2TR-FE

I have done a lot of searching around and I cannot seem to find a definitive answer on this. I have a 2015 AC 4x4 4-popper that is currently bone stock. Last year, after my first real girlfriend dumped me(we had been together 5 years, I moved the bitch across the country and into my parents house, I got the truck in the first place bc she gave me the clap, stole my car, and disappeared. Ahhh and what a hell of a way to start my 20's, it was.) I made a series of dumb decisions that landed me 3 miles deep on a trail my bone stock(with the dung flops) Tacoma had absolutely no business being in, with two very nice young ladies I thought would be impressed by my vast off-roading knowledge accrued over the first six months of my owning the vehicle. Well, I ended up hitting a fuckin' tree at 30mph and completely wrecked my front end. Thankfully, the damage was only cosmetic, and 7 weeks later, I got my baby back alllll shiny and brand new. Since then Ive decided to build my babe just a bit. LCE headers seem to be a popular mod, and I like the way the Pro Flow exhaust sounds. Besides that, I'd like to know how much my mpg will be affected by the adding of say, front and rear lockers, a front and rear steel bumpers, and some upgrades in the leaf springs and front end suspension. I figure it'll total out to 250-500lbs? After the addition of a topper and a spare fuel cell, of course. Also, can someone explain how much a regear would affect mpg? I realize you don't buy a truck for the mpg, but I'm still curious. Help me build my rock solid Expo truck, TW!

 

Expo truck and MPG aren't exactly hand in hand.

I went from 23/24 average to 17/18 average with a sub 3" left and a 225 lb SnugTop and P265/75/16 all terrains.

The 2.7 does not like extra weight and extra lift.

 

I don't necessarily care if I get poor mpg, but I'm just wondering where I'll be before I commit to doing all of this. If it's gonna kill it too much, I'll just hang on to my nice new old man truck and go buy an older V6 to build instead.

 

That's probably the better option.

@TYetti has a nice 2.7 expo build as do some others.

 

I live in hilly north Georgia and I average 17-18 mpg with 35's and 4.88 gears. I have front and rear bumpers, sliders and a full set of skids, bedrack, and full size spare. It's slow but it was slow before. I have no performance mods except a AFE intake. P.S. Women are everywhere.

 

That's not unbearable. I could handle that. To be honest I'd like to build this truck, it seems like every build taco I run into is a v6 and I think having a 4 would make the truck a little unique. I don't mind it being slow, as you said it's slow already. Maybe I'll turbo charge it later on down the line. I'm not tripping over hoes anymore man. Between college, 60+ hour work weeks, getting to know my newly purchased firearms, and learning as much as possible about the way automobiles and engines generally function, as well as the specific way these 4 bangin' tacos seem to function, I just don't have time to be worrying about relationships. Save that nonsense for when I'm 30! Thanks for the info man. Grandparents live in Foxwoods, outside of north Atlanta, spent some of my summers there. Beautiful country, I miss it often. Can I ask you why you chose 4.88 gears and not 4.56? It may seem like a stupid question, but I don't fully understand regearing yet.

 

Look up the stock values for your truck and plug them into the left side column. Then input the same values only changing your choice of new gears and tire size in the right side column. Play around with it for a bit and it will become apparent how each change impacts your final drive ratio. http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

 

yea weight is not a 2.7's friend. I can tell a huge difference even with small loads on her. ive got a cap and sleeping platform and maybe 50lbs or so of basic tools in the bed and it dropped me down to 19 or 20.

 

As someone thats been through a similar situation let me lend you some advice. Dont be a fool and jump into a new relationship asap just because you or your friends think you need to. Sure have your fun, but don't take em home for a year or so. You will have an ungodly amount of money saved by the end of year all for you and your beloved new shiny yota that you are starting to beef up. I'm dead serious, my friends thought I was selling drugs lol. You will probly drop 3-4 mpg I'm guessing

 

I choose 4.88 gears because that's the lowest you can go with the front diff at least. The truck already came with 4:10 gears so 4:56 wouldn't be drastically different, plus it ain't cheap. Grimmjeeper gear ratio calculator was a huge help to me as well. I pull 3000 rpm @ 75 mph, plus around town I can be in 5th gear as long as I'm above 45 mph and its relatively flat.

 

With the kind of luck you have been having dude I would leave it stock!

 

Sorry dude, but it looks like you were making poor choices long before you ended up stuck...

I'd have to agree with maineah!

 

Haha, I did hit a tree, and I did totally wreck my truck, but best believe I drove back out. In reverse. It was not a good time in my life for sure. However, I've learned that everybody seems to go through some bullshit around this time in my life. It's whatever. I like my job, I am out on my own now. Life is good. Time to start modifying my truck like I've been dreaming about doing for the last three years.

 

3-4 mpg is manageable. I currently get 22 in the city when I'm not driving like a dick, so 18 i could do. I'm currently the sole employee of a carburetor modification shop here in Virginia beach. I modify carburetor a for several street outlaw, promod, and prostock cars around the country. Pretty happy with my job, making a lot of money. I've already got a stack or two saved, I'm ready to start on the truck. Just need some brotherly advice from the fine folk of TW!

 

4.88's it is! Upgrading to 33's next month.

 

4.88s with 31s? Huh?

 

Oops 33*

 

Same comment, 488s probably not the ideal choice with 33s IMO. Give the grimjeeper link a go and see what you think.

 

Let me get my head around this. You are thinking about putting a carb on your 2.7 because it will help the mileage? A block of aluminum with holes bored in it will do better than a highly sophisticated electronic fuel injection system able to compensate for temperature, altitude, exhaust feedback and a host of other parameters? Carbs work fine on lawn mowers and chain saws. You do also have some ideal that 4:88 gears will cause your engine to turn faster at any given road speed yes?

 

@DCSBFTMFW thanks for the props !!!


And ya the 2.7 doesn't care about weight the only time my milage was adversely affected was the week I was running 35's on stock gears


22 mpg mixed without the tent
20 with the tent

The trick is 5spd if you have a 4cyl auto just give up now