HELP! Did I buy the wrong truck? GVWR Concerns (02 Frontier CC LB V6)

[vintageracer]

NO you did not buy the wrong truck.

Look at this members older extended cab Toyota PU build for inspiration, ideas and simplicity in your build.

Take The Truck's 84 Xtracab Pickup Build

I'd like to start by saying thanks to all of you who have shared (and continue to share) your wealth of knowledge here on Expedition Portal. Admittedly, we've benefited a TON from this resource over the years as bonafide lurkers, and decided it's high time to share our own journey and build in...

www.expeditionportal.com

 

[rruff]

it’s all a compromise. When I don’t have to be in a city, I plan to be as far away from the sprawl as possible. Keeping it compact, simple, and light will aid me.

Indeed! I don't think putting a "tall enough to stand in" camper on your truck is a good idea. I'm not a fan of pop-ups either. But IMO (and experience), a living space that is tall enough to sit up in is a really good idea. Plus a couch that can fold out into a bed that can accommodate two (skinny) people. It needn't be heavy or complicated at all. If you wanted to keep your boards inside they would probably fit in the cabover part.

Many people overload Tacomas by 2,000lb+ over GVWR and they go offroad just fine. Not saying it's a great idea, but being a little over isn't likely to cause issues.

 

[Taylor Swift]

NO you did not buy the wrong truck.

Look at this members older extended cab Toyota PU build for inspiration, ideas and simplicity in your build.

Take The Truck's 84 Xtracab Pickup Build

I'd like to start by saying thanks to all of you who have shared (and continue to share) your wealth of knowledge here on Expedition Portal. Admittedly, we've benefited a TON from this resource over the years as bonafide lurkers, and decided it's high time to share our own journey and build in...

www.expeditionportal.com

That thing is sweet. Thanks for sharing. Their website is well done and informative.

 

[Taylor Swift]

Indeed! I don't think putting a "tall enough to stand in" camper on your truck is a good idea. I'm not a fan of pop-ups either. But IMO (and experience), a living space that is tall enough to sit up in is a really good idea. Plus a couch that can fold out into a bed that can accommodate two (skinny) people. It needn't be heavy or complicated at all. If you wanted to keep your boards inside they would probably fit in the cabover part.

Many people overload Tacomas by 2,000lb+ over GVWR and they go offroad just fine. Not saying it's a great idea, but being a little over isn't likely to cause issues.

your point is taken. Gives me something to thing about. Thanks

 

[plh]

All the ones I've experienced (Tacoma, LC), unless it is somehow made of aluminum, they're 150+ lbs.

maybe in the crate. I've shipped 2 recently via greyhound, no crate, just wrapped. 71 lbs and 82 lbs. One for a Montero, the other for a 4Runner. With a steel cable winch it will be up around 150 total.

 

[roving1]

Also keep in mind suspension component life is also a function of environment as well as weight.

I live in Detroit and with our quasi 3rd word roads and salt and snow and rain and freeze thaw cycles I have a stock truck and FWD car that get destroyed ball joints and tie rod ends just about every 30K miles. My Overlanding truck I bought that lived its life in Las Vegas had 150K on the original ball joints and tie rod ends. 30K of that at the end was spent loaded down and in 4lo but more or less out of state and garaged in the winter when back in MI. I replaced them recently because I converted to manual hubs and rebuilt the whole front end at once. But they were still doing OK when I swapped them.

I would bet on a longer life for most components on loaded/over loaded overland vehicles operating in better roads in better climates than stock empty vehicles commuting on crappy roads in crappy weather. Even throwing in off roading. Putzing around in 4lo is less damaging then constantly whacking potholes at 50MPH.

So it's all relative. Having the bumper does not guarantee instant component destruction. Running empty does not guarantee long component life.

 

[Taylor Swift]

Also keep in mind suspension component life is also a function of environment as well as weight.

I live in Detroit and with our quasi 3rd word roads and salt and snow and rain and freeze thaw cycles I have a stock truck and FWD car that get destroyed ball joints and tie rod ends just about every 30K miles. My Overlanding truck I bought that lived its life in Las Vegas had 150K on the original ball joints and tie rod ends. 30K of that at the end was spent loaded down and in 4lo but more or less out of state and garaged in the winter when back in MI. I replaced them recently because I converted to manual hubs and rebuilt the whole front end at once. But they were still doing OK when I swapped them.

I would bet on a longer life for most components on loaded/over loaded overland vehicles operating in better roads in better climates than stock empty vehicles commuting on crappy roads in crappy weather. Even throwing in off roading. Putzing around in 4lo is less damaging then constantly whacking potholes at 50MPH.

So it's all relative. Having the bumper does not guarantee instant component destruction. Running empty does not guarantee long component life.

makes sense to me! At this point, I believe I have gotten clear on keeping the bumper and installing a winch.

 

[roving1]

makes sense to me! At this point, I believe I have gotten clear on keeping the bumper and installing a winch.

This thread has me looking at Frontiers now in Mexico to leave here as my out of country adventure vehicle. Haha. I mean they were in the mix already but they have been elevated a peg or two.

 

[Taylor Swift]

Indeed! I don't think putting a "tall enough to stand in" camper on your truck is a good idea. I'm not a fan of pop-ups either. But IMO (and experience), a living space that is tall enough to sit up in is a really good idea. Plus a couch that can fold out into a bed that can accommodate two (skinny) people. It needn't be heavy or complicated at all. If you wanted to keep your boards inside they would probably fit in the cabover part.

Many people overload Tacomas by 2,000lb+ over GVWR and they go offroad just fine. Not saying it's a great idea, but being a little over isn't likely to cause issues.

rruf, thanks for being persistent. My mind has been racing since last night, and I’m now heavily leaning in the direction of a DIY cabover camper made with 2x2s and plywood. I’ll keep it light and the weight low.

once I wrapped my mind around it, I realized it wasn’t really much more of an undertaking than the path I was on. And I’ll save money in some ways. It also allows me to keep the backseat.

I have some ideas percolating, will report back.

Oh, suspension and brakes are about halfway done.

 

[Taylor Swift]

This thread has me looking at Frontiers now in Mexico to leave here as my out of country adventure vehicle. Haha. I mean they were in the mix already but they have been elevated a peg or two.

Love it. Frontiers are sweet. The one major drawback is aftermarket support for mods. Cheaper than a Toyota upfront, but fewer vendors and I believe more expensive on the mod side.

 

[shade]

rruf, thanks for being persistent. My mind has been racing since last night, and I’m now heavily leaning in the direction of a DIY cabover camper made with 2x2s and plywood. I’ll keep it light and the weight low.

once I wrapped my mind around it, I realized it wasn’t really much more of an undertaking than the path I was on. And I’ll save money in some ways. It also allows me to keep the backseat.

I have some ideas percolating, will report back.

Oh, suspension and brakes are about halfway done.

View attachment 565245

Looks nice. I'd replace the bumpstops, too.

 

[rruff]

Love it. Frontiers are sweet. The one major drawback is aftermarket support for mods. Cheaper than a Toyota upfront, but fewer vendors and I believe more expensive on the mod side.

That could be a benefit depending on how you look at it... A lot of the mods people do are gratuitous.

You said you have a 3" lift. Looks like the back is just springs and shocks (good!), what is it on the front?

If you are building a camper, what parameters have you settled on? Like flat walls or curved, bed placement, etc? I see you have a rack above the cab now, so didn't know if you intended on keeping that.

 

[Taylor Swift]

Looks nice. I'd replace the bumpstops, too.

good call. Hadn’t thought of that.

 

[Taylor Swift]

That could be a benefit depending on how you look at it... A lot of the mods people do are gratuitous.

You said you have a 3" lift. Looks like the back is just springs and shocks (good!), what is it on the front?

If you are building a camper, what parameters have you settled on? Like flat walls or curved, bed placement, etc? I see you have a rack above the cab now, so didn't know if you intended on keeping that.

yeah, as long as the lift isn’t too pricy. This one cost me about $2300 in parts. Had to replace a lot of rusted components. I bought a rustier truck than I realized, unfortunately. Not a rust bucket, just more work than I anticipated.

Lift in front includes heavy duty torsion bar, fabricated upper control arm, and new shocks. Also replaced ball joints (upper and lower), tie rods, heavy duty idler arm bracket, center link bushings, etc. And also a Bilstein steering stabilizer.

As for parameters, funny that you should ask! Did not think of removing factory rack, my current sketches have the cab over mount directly to the rack. I suppose I could skip the middle man and support the cab over directly at the rack mounting points. I sort of like the fact that the current rack doesn’t leak, and I’m hesitant to mess with it.

This is my current design:

Cab over height roughly 2.5’... remove tailgate


Modular bed setup that converts to couch with under couch storage


Overhead view of roof with 50W panels in parallel, lightweight racks for the occasional longer >10’) surfboard, and vent fan

Overhead view of interior. Want to make some system to cook outside mostly with inside galley setup for simple meals. Also storage under boards — surfboard rack goes to bed lip.


Still working on back/front porch, entranceway, etc.

 

[Taylor Swift]

Oh, and I guess I should add: current design parameters include permanently mounting the camper to the bed of my truck. If I REALLY need to use my truck, settle down and need a daily, etc, I can build a little support frame in half a day, unbolt the camper, and remount on support. Don’t want the added weight, cost, and complexity of a slide-in design, not to mention the lost wheel well space.