What is the limiting factor on the payload?

So, I love my new Tacoma but I'm starting to wonder if I got the right size truck. I have an 07 Double Cab SR5 with the long bed. I have been hauling concrete, dirt, wood, and almost sod. I had too much dirt in my yard and my wife convinced me to load up the truck. Before I could realize what I was doing, I had put in about 20 cubic feet. Estimating that weight to be anywhere between 1300 and 1700 lbs. The payload is 1450 lbs minus my 250 bringing it down to 1200 lbs. I drove as nicely as I could but I think that I came very close to bottoming out. Acceleration and braking was OK.

Here's the question, if I were to put in some stiffer springs or air bags inside the springs, would I increase the capacity? Or is the limiting factor the bed? Braking? Frame?

Question 2: Assuming I didn't bottom out, what permanent damage have I done? Am I going to need to replace the shocks any earlier?

 

I'm interested in responses here too. Early on I did bottom out my 2006 (TRD offroad, tow package) several times hauling porcelain tile. These days I'm around 50,000 miles without any noticeable lingering ill effects.

New rear springs and shocks are in the plans for unrelated reasons, but I'm curious to see what else might have been effected. My guess is that the bump stops did what they were built to do and no harm was done, but being wrong isn't something I'm unfamiliar with.

 

From what I have heard, you could bend your frame if you bottom out too hard.

You reminded me, I also have the tow package.

Do you take your Tacoma off road?

 

Same here with the offroad activities. Currently it's mostly time on the beach for fishing and in the woods for climbing, but I'm getting it prepped as a race rig for an event in late 2008.

I'll thoroughly check the frame for damage when I pull the bed later this year. If there's any signs of damage from that day I'll be a little concerned, but mostly it'll underscore the need to fully box the frame behind the cab. I'd rather not have to take that route.

Have you noticed any damage or signs of wear under your truck at the point of contact?

 

You hooked up to the attachment point for the safety chains on the tow hitch. I've made the exact same mistake. I learned a lot about vehicle recovery over the years. I've gotten stuck a lot. Never got stuck in this truck though, and I know my driving skills haven't improved that much. These things are amazingly capable.

Ballsy is a cool compliment, although stupid is probably more accurate. We'll see which it is come November of next year. I realize that I'll probably have to buy a new ride when I'm done, but my take on it is this: If I'm gonna dump tons of cash into a truck to make it capable of doing what I need it to do, I'm going to start with a solid platform. I'd hate to go through the trouble and expense of all the mods only to have the truck stall out on me in the middle of the desert. Reliability is what I need more than anything, and I haven't seen a vehicle more reliable than these Tacomas.

Still, it does admittedly hurt to hack into such a nice vehicle. The first bent sheet metal is gonna hurt more, but I try not to think about that.

 

You put the bull bar ahead of the wench? Your priorities make me sad. There's essentially no prize money -- just bragging rights. Everybody's got to have a story to tell, and even I'm tired of listening to the ones I already have.

Towing in 4 wheel low is not something I've tried. Thanks to the wonderfully low gearing the engine RPMs will limit your speed. I would think that if you can drive at a given speed in 4 wheel low, and your trailer isn't exceeding the tow rating of the truck, you should be fine. At the same time if you're on terrain that requires low range and you're towing you should probably slow the heck down anyway.

I always keep a collection of recovery stuff in my truck. You might want to look into something like this:
http://www.ok4wd.com/index.php/catalog/product/warn_receiver_shackle_bracket/ to provide you with a solid attachment point. Alternatively, since you already tow and have a tongue with a ball attached (not meant to be as suggestive as it sounds...) you can pick up some recovery straps that have hoops at the ends rather than hooks. Just place the hoop around the tow ball and you're good. Just make sure your tow equipment is in good shape!

Just out of curiosity, what did you get stuck in/on?

 

That's a great story! It's one of those times that sucks when it's happening but is a hell of a lot of fun when you talk about it 2 weeks later.

Do a google search for "2005 tacoma locker mod" and find the PDF that's floating around out there. Mudding in 4 wheel low usually won't give you enough momentum to get through the bog (stumps/logs/ditches don't help either) but getting that rear locked is worth the lost speed. The mod allows you to lock to rear diff in 4 wheel high (and 2wd if you're into drifting). You're clearly into using your truck so this might be of use to you at some point.

Unfortunately it does nothing for scratches so in this case you would have been S.O.L. anyway.

I'll be performing the mod on my truck in the next month and will post how it goes.

As for the wench, the ideal would be one that comes with her own custom fabrication shop. Hey, if I'm gonna dream, I'm gonna dream BIG!

 

Toyota might have updated the design for 2007, but my 2006 will only lock in low range.

The 5mph thing is just their recommendation. I imagine it keeps them out of trouble in terms of warranty-fixing snapped axle shafts when people really push their trucks. It would also help them in court in the event a lawsuit was brought up saying that the stock truck behaved unexpectedly and caused an accident.

Taking turns on a hard surface with the diff locked will put a torsional load on the axle shafts. Most times that load is relieved with one of the wheels spinning (chirping tires around corners is common with locked rears) as the axles untwist, but it is possible for the load to be enough to actually snap the axle. I would be amazed if that happened on a truck with stock-size tires, but anything is possible. (Larger tires allow the road to gain leverage on the drivetrain components and increases the chance for breakage.)

When the axle does unload, the rear of the truck could shift and catch a driver off-guard if he/she isn't expecting it.

Despite their recommendation, I'll be running much higher speeds on sand with the rear locked. I can't recommend it, but I don't see it causing much harm beyond what would happen to the to truck with an open diff as long as the speeds and terrain are within reason.

Oh yeah, the "grey-wire" mod will disable your ABS while the rear is locked. I see that as something desirable, but it might not be for everyone.

I'm really interested to know if the '07s can lock the rear in 4 wheel high. That would be a HUGE benefit for the new models!

 

lsocoee, are you still out there? This thread kinda took on a life of its own in your absence.

 

The dash light is a good indicator, but you'll also be able to hear it engage when the solenoid gets juice.

 

Yeah, I'm still here. I've been enjoying the action in the background. I "use" my truck too, but I use mine for hauling.

I don't have 4 wheel drive but I did go for a limited slip differential and I've decided that it was worth the money...Yesterday I was going to a crawfish boil and it was off of a dirt road. I went to turn around and backed up a little too far and ended up in some pretty deep mud. I kept on the gas lightly, with one tire spinning the other tire grabbed and kept me from getting stuck in the ditch. That would have been sooo embarassing; my friends would never let me live that one down.