Is the Tacoma enough truck?

leman

Adventurer
I've read a couple of the Tacoma vs Full Size threads but couldn't find anything with the 3rd gen tacos. My current truck is a pretty stock '16 TRDOR. I love the agility on the smaller trails and forest roads that I am normally on to go camping and getting around the facility at work. Also love the look and ruggedness of the taco; however, trying to load the girlfriend, dog, and gear into the taco for trips gets a little tight. Add to that hauling a trailer with the RZR on it and it's not very comfortable for longer drives. At work with all my tool boxes and cooler in the bed there is 0 room for anything else.

I keep looking at 3/4 ton trucks but know that will limit me on what camp sites I can get to in the southeast. Any opinions?
 

Atl-atl

Adventurer
If you dont care about trail pinstriping, full size is great. I drove my old Dodge into and out of tons of places nobody thought I could. Just make sure you only get a white or silver one so the scratches dont show so much. The wheelbase actually helped more often that it hurt too, especially when you have all that room under the frame and can easily fit huge tires in the wheelwells. With all the living creatures and gear, it definitely sounds like a full size is the way to go for you. Im single with no pets, going down to a Tacoma was the right choice for me but I never would have if I had all the stuff you listed.
 
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Deleted member 9101

Guest
When I was truck shopping last year I started off looking at Tacomas and Frontiers. I ended up buying a similarly equipped F150 for less and couldn't be happier.

Also... you don't need a 3/4 ton. A 1/2 ton will do everything you listed for less money.
 

leman

Adventurer
If I'm going to a bigger truck I want a big enough truck that I don't have to borrow my uncles truck to haul the tractor to the hunting property.

But I love my smaller truck for getting around the property. I'm able to ease through areas that the heavier trucks usually sink up in unless they air down.
 

bkg

Explorer
If I'm going to a bigger truck I want a big enough truck that I don't have to borrow my uncles truck to haul the tractor to the hunting property.

But I love my smaller truck for getting around the property. I'm able to ease through areas that the heavier trucks usually sink up in unless they air down.

You’re approaching this logically, which is rare.

How big is the tractor? You may not need a 3/4 ton... maybe a Tundra fits the need? having said that, I own a lifted f350 CCSB and it’s been good.
 

Explorerinil

Observer
If I'm going to a bigger truck I want a big enough truck that I don't have to borrow my uncles truck to haul the tractor to the hunting property.

But I love my smaller truck for getting around the property. I'm able to ease through areas that the heavier trucks usually sink up in unless they air down.
I love a 3/4 or one truck truck with srw and solid front axle, I can take my truck through some nasty stuff and pull a 24 ft trailer with 2 tractors on it and a load of split oak in the bad. Last winter I sunk almost up to my hubs doing some work on the hunting property... while pulling a trailer with a tractor and loader on it, but the cummins pulled through it. I Daly drive my truck, tow, haul stuff and drive my truck around he hunting ground. My dodge is not the most nimble, but point it where you want to go and press the throttle and it makes it through some stuff that would surprise you.

I see a power wagon in your near future.
 
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Deleted member 9101

Guest
If I'm going to a bigger truck I want a big enough truck that I don't have to borrow my uncles truck to haul the tractor to the hunting property.

But I love my smaller truck for getting around the property. I'm able to ease through areas that the heavier trucks usually sink up in unless they air down.

Well... how heavy is the tractor +trailer? You can get an F150 that will pull 13,000 pounds.
 

leman

Adventurer
It's a 70hp JD that has to have the gooseneck deck over to fit.

All generations of power wagons have always been my dream trucks. But have never found a newer one for a reasonable price that hasn't been tortured.
 
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Deleted member 9101

Guest
It's a 70hp JD that has to have the gooseneck deck over to fit.

All generations of power wagons have always been my dream trucks. But have never found a newer one for a reasonable price that hasn't been tortured.


Yeah... that's expensive truck territory...Haha.
 

bkg

Explorer
It's a 70hp JD that has to have the gooseneck deck over to fit.

All generations of power wagons have always been my dream trucks. But have never found a newer one for a reasonable price that hasn't been tortured.

Yeah... that’s definitely 3/4ton territory.

If I’m channeling Clutch correctly... look for an f250/350 with the 6.2 gas v8....
 

toylandcruiser

Expedition Leader
If I'm going to a bigger truck I want a big enough truck that I don't have to borrow my uncles truck to haul the tractor to the hunting property.

But I love my smaller truck for getting around the property. I'm able to ease through areas that the heavier trucks usually sink up in unless they air down.

Well... how heavy is the tractor +trailer? You can get an F150 that will pull 13,000 pounds.

Dude stop with the f150 posts.
 

tennesseewj

Observer
You'll get a lot of **************, I mean opinions, on this question because it's really just a preference of what works best for your needs.

I like the Tacoma platform a lot and had one for my first truck. At the time I thought full sizes were way too big. Now that I have a wife, a kid, and a dog to haul around I can't imagine cramming into a Tacoma for a trip, let alone with camping gear.

I think you'd be quite happy with the added versatility of a full-size, especially since you own a RZR to play around on...


I wouldn't want to DD a 3/4 ton though, given their extra maintenance cost.


Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
Trails around me are overgrown single track. Even if they used to be roads. Big trucks carry more bikes. Seriously, small trucks don't help me, they''re still too big for most trails. I think I have to go south to Kentucky for real jeep off roading. But nobody here with a scratch free taco or 4runner is going on those trails either. Overgrown pinstriping. So that's beater jeep country that we tow the jeeps down to.

And I want to carry a small half ton friendly camper or tow a 23' TT. So I went f250. The ease of towing and hauling is nice.

I want 6.5' version of these:
https://capricamper.com/models/retreat/
1700# dry shouldn't tax an f250 much.

Last I checked, the SE was fullsize country??? And the PW has hardly more haul capacity than a Taco with it's soft rear springs.

I wouldn't tow a tractor with a 150, no matter what it's rated for. It's way more truck than a taco, but it's limited by it's soft ride and brakes. My knuckles turn white around 6000# with f150's. I towed a friends bumper pull tandem dually flatbed trailer with a larger than normal skid steer on it, with my 250 last week. Likely 10,000#, easy for the 250, a nightmare for a 150. I knew it was there, stopping and going. And stiff springs were suddenly nice to have.
 
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