Should I avoid a Fleet/Tacoma combo because of overweight?

[Dipodomys]

My wife and I are planning, in the next few days, to buy a Fleet (slide-in, front dinette, fridge, outdoor shower, awning, 2x12v lead-acid batteries, 160w solar) on a 2nd gen Tacoma (2015 double cab, long bed, base model 4x4). Now I'm getting cold feet about how overweight it's going to be. According to the build tool on the FWC website, a similarly speced camper today would weigh about 1,350 dry. The truck also has a steel ARB front bumper with winch and an Aluminess rear bumper. The total payload, wet with passengers, will easily be 3/4 ton. I've taken it for a test drive on a gravel road and it felt heavy, but not terrible. I've posted questions about how to modify the suspension for the load to this forum and others, and in others (Tacomaworld) I'm mostly getting advice along the lines of DON'T DO IT! I'm guessing that this advice is coming from people who don't have experience with FWC/Tacoma combos and are simply sticking to the (not bad) advice that GVWt should not be exceeded. I've seen a lot of FWC/Tacoma combos around where I live, so there are clearly people out there who can tell me what it's actually like. Are you one of them? What advice and experience can you share?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Look at the ATC Bobcat shell model. It will probably come in around 700 pounds with a furnace and stove. ATC does great work, including custom, has north south sleeping, and is hell for stout. They are very customer focused! Marty will probably answer, he is the owner.

All Terrain Campers

 

[Beach]

If the camper dry weight is 1350lbs, I believe you will exceed the 3/4 ton mark easily(as you noted), by the time you add water, batteries, food, gear, persons. Probably closer to 1 ton.

 

[Dipodomys]

Look at the ATC Bobcat shell model. It will probably come in around 700 pounds with a furnace and stove. ATC does great work, including custom, has north south sleeping, and is hell for stout. They are very customer focused! Marty will probably answer, he is the owner.

All Terrain Campers

I'll definitely look at the Bobcat. The Tacoma/Fleet combo we're looking at is nearby and reasonably (not cheaply) priced for a 8 year-old low mileage truck with a 6 year-old camper that's super clean. I wish we could find a similar Tundra/Hawk or Tacoma/Bobcat combo nearby for comparison. I'm not adverse to getting the truck and camper separately, but we'd need both.

 

[Dipodomys]

If the camper dry weight is 1350lbs, I believe you will exceed the 3/4 ton mark easily(as you noted), by the time you add water, batteries, food, gear, persons. Probably closer to 1 ton.

Yep. That's why I have cold feet. How bad is that if reasonable measures are taken to compensate? I can beef up the suspension, maybe add bigger breaks, drive more conservatively, that's about it.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I just sent you a PM.

 

[Jsoboti]

I don't think anyone will recommend being over weight, that being said, my roommate has a Kimbo on his 3rd gen Tacoma. He's over weight and hasn't had any controllability or breaking issues. He had to re-gear and add airbags but he loves the set up. A co-worker of mine has a Fleet on a 3rd gen Tacoma, with a full water tank and 2 bikes on the hitch rack, she does just fine. I'm not knowledgeable enough on Tacoma's to know the payload capacities of the 2nd gen vs. 3rd gen, but I hope this info helps.

 

[Seattle Mitch]

I have a Fleet on a second GEN Tacoma. My Tacoma is a base model and only has a four-cylinder engine. I beefed up the springs on the back and added adjustable shocks on the front, increasing the front height 1 inch.

Although I wish I had more power when it is time to drive uphill, I have not experienced any handling issues. Off-road driving is no problem at all because I'm not pressing for speed.

 

[goinoregon]

what chet says, times 2.
its not that important, about how the weight 'feels'. its the breaking, panic turns, etc - that you should be concerned about.

go

 

[Rocklobster]

DON'T DO IT!!!! You can have all the greatest suspension parts available installed on your truck and they mean nothing if you don't upgrade (Uprate) your axle as well. My advice is to do what I did if you absolutely need (want) a FWC. Get a 3/4 ton truck first.

 

[kmcintyre]

A lot of people have done this and I had an Eagle on a Dakota and then a EcoDiesel (both 1/2 ton). While the truck did ok with the weight (albeit over-weight) we had put on HD springs/coils, E-rated tires, etc. Eventually I couldn't take the risks and sold the rig(s) and bought a 1 ton.

So, it can be done but even if you can carry the weight a few things to consider:
a) stopping/brakes
b) you always carry more than you think and if you do long trips (we do 1-2 months at a time) it makes it even more heavy plus add on fuel, water, gear, dog, etc.
c) if something fails, it may be catastrophic
d) power ; we had to plan about 15mins early in the Dakota (V8) to pass anyone....

I'm sure there's more but you get the idea.

 

[buckland]

When we first got the Eagle I had a 4 cylinder 5 speed stick Tacoma for the first 5 years. Pitiful. I now have a diesel with tons of power as well as cyro-fleet brakes, 7 leaf spring packs, and Bilstein shocks. Still in all a larger platform would be safer.

 

[Dipodomys]

Thanks for your feedback everyone!

 

[rubberlegs]

We have 5 years experience with our Tacoma/Fleet. We have been up to 700 lb over GVWR, which is clearly wrong. I ain't saying this is right or smart. Our camper doesn't have some of your features, so may be lighter, and we've removed some things like the bed extender, one of the propane cannisters, etc.

The weight on the front axle with and without the camper is nearly identical unless we pack a lot of canned goods and books in the truck. Note that we don't have any extra stuff hanging off the rear (behind the rear axle). We aren't pivoting weight that's unloading the front axle. But we are as a percent of total vehicle weight. So except when braking, the weight on the steering, and front components isn't really much different.

I sweated this issue a lot before buying our truck and camper. I think our main issues over time will be with rear-axle components. But time will tell. We didn't even beef up the suspension except for "Sumosprings".

We drive a bit slowly, rarely over 65 mph, and baby it up hill. It does well on rough roads and aired down, etc. The drivetrain and brakes are designed for towing, so... hmmm... some risk on brakes for sure.

But... "don't do as we do"!

I believe a Tundra is also a half-ton pickup, so will also be overweight with a camper.

Here's our weight stats from truck scales on freeways.

Max:	        2,800 	3,580 	6,340 	96%	109%	113%	
Min:	        2,619 	3,140 	5,821 	90%	96%	104%	
Avg	        2,711 	3,365 	6,008 	93%	101%	107%
=============================================================	
	        Front	Rear	Total	%Fr	%Rr	%Tot	
GAWR	        2,910 	3,280 	5,600 	100%	100%	100%
==============================================================	
8/1/2018	2,700 	2,000 	4,700 	93%	61%	84%	empty truck nearly full tank, 2 people.
9/18/2018	2,701 	2,019 	4,720 	93%	62%	84%	full gas tank, no camper, 2 people
9/20/2018	2,681 	3,140 	5,821 	92%	96%	104%	1/4 tank, 1 propane, few gals water, 2 people
10/24/2018	2,760 	3,460 	6,220 	95%	105%	111%	3 week trip leaving town
10/24/2018	2,800 	3,450 	6,250 	96%	105%	112%	
11/11/2018	2,750 	3,400 	6,150 	95%	104%	110%	
12/8/2018	2,701 	3,280 	5,981 	93%	100%	107%	1/2 tank, 2 people
12/31/2018	2,619 	3,261 	5,880 	90%	99%	105%	solo
1/16/2019	2,760 	3,300 	6,060 	95%	101%	108%	1/4 tank, 2 people
3/12/2019	2,760 	3,580 	6,340 	95%	109%	113%	2 week trip with too much food and water, full tank
3/25/2019	2,750 	3,400 	6,150 	95%	104%	110%	Empty water, 3/4 tank on return
6/1/2019	2,700 	3,400 	6,100 	93%	104%	109%	
7/28/2019	2,740 	3,480 	6,220 	94%	106%	111%	
9/11/2019	2,660 	3,300 	5,960 	91%	101%	106%	solo
10/24/2019	2,650 	3,300 	5,950 	91%	101%	106%	solo
12/4/2019	2,640 	3,220 	5,860 	91%	98%	105%	solo, gas tank
2/6/2020	2,640 	3,220 	5,860 	91%	98%	105%	solo, hardly any gas, no water
2/10/2020	2,680 	3,440 	6,120 	92%	105%	109%	solo, long trip, 1/3 tank water
11/2/2020	2,650 	3,300 	5,950 	91%	101%	106%	solo, no water
3/17/2021	2,800 	3,500 	6,300 	96%	107%	113%	on way home from 3 week trip
04/15/23	2760	3500	6260	95%	107%	112%	near end of month-long trip

 

[Vic Harder]

as a comparison, we have a Puma/Grandby Shell that I built out, on a 2015 1 ton tuned/deleted Duramax. I rarely "feel" the camper back there and do not have to consider the camper in any way. Seems the "fine line" between "overloaded" and "can't feel it" is a pretty thick line.

 

[TacomaAustin]

I believe a Tundra is also a half-ton pickup, so will also be overweight with a camper.

My 2005 Tundra Access Cab has a GVWR of 6300lbs. - With the camper loaded, plus some gear, a full tank of gas and just me, my rig came in at 6,000 lbs. at a local CAT scale.

 

[goinoregon]

i see the camper/gear weight issue is very similar to ABS brakes - which are now standard/mandatory.
most of us are able to tool around, to and from camping, driving FS roads, etc, and never use the ABS capabilities within our braking systems.
its only when u have to perform a panic stop, or major foot thru the floor boards to avoid the dingbat pulling out onto the highway - that we engage the ABS , and this technology saves our butts/lives.

greg

 

[FreezingMan]

My wife and I are planning, in the next few days, to buy a Fleet (slide-in, front dinette, fridge, outdoor shower, awning, 2x12v lead-acid batteries, 160w solar) on a 2nd gen Tacoma (2015 double cab, long bed, base model 4x4). Now I'm getting cold feet about how overweight it's going to be. According to the build tool on the FWC website, a similarly speced camper today would weigh about 1,350 dry. The truck also has a steel ARB front bumper with winch and an Aluminess rear bumper. The total payload, wet with passengers, will easily be 3/4 ton. I've taken it for a test drive on a gravel road and it felt heavy, but not terrible. I've posted questions about how to modify the suspension for the load to this forum and others, and in others (Tacomaworld) I'm mostly getting advice along the lines of DON'T DO IT! I'm guessing that this advice is coming from people who don't have experience with FWC/Tacoma combos and are simply sticking to the (not bad) advice that GVWt should not be exceeded. I've seen a lot of FWC/Tacoma combos around where I live, so there are clearly people out there who can tell me what it's actually like. Are you one of them? What advice and experience can you share?

I essentially have the same truck and camper. At 125k miles all is good. Rear suspension was upgraded with additional leaf springs. Front shocks were upgraded when I added a front winch and aluminum bumper. We do a fair amount of off road driving with no issues. I go slow with the camper in the bed and carry a tire repair kit and pump. Highway driving is fine though I don’t go above 65-70 mph due to the mileage dropping a lot.