Tacoma for work truck

I use my truck as a DD an work truck for my rental properties. Tow a 6x14 utility trailer with a truck toolbox mounted to the front of trailer with tools a mower an trimmer at times on the trailer. Hauled a 5000 pound towable boom lift with it last week an been hauling loads of fire wood on the trailer after taking some trees down. Been looking at getting heavier leaf springs with trailer an an saws in bed of the truck it squatted the truck badly. Looking at purchasing a dump trailer not sure if that would be too much for the truck. Great truck but I don't want to be abusing it.

 

Tacomas like abuse.

 

I purchased my '06 TRD OR used. I'm a working contractor and need a work truck that will carry a load, no lumber rack but still able to carry a shell, daily tools and materials. I had read all over the net about how wimpy 2 gen. Tacomas were. I have had Toyota trucks back to several straight axel 4x4's and 22RE 4-Runners. I just could not believe that the Tacomas were wimpy. Call it what it is, the 2 gen. Tacomas are great trucks but they carry Pu$$y loads stock. My old '99 4x4 Ranger would carry more load.

So what do we all do? We take a basically great and dependable, good looking, mid-size truck and make it the truck that Toyota should have built! We upgrade.

Obviously the week link, basically admitted by Toyota is the suspension so we make it suitable for our needs. Most of the suspension upgrade info and I'm new here to TW, is geared toward off-roading or mall crawling. There are not many postings about using a Tacoma as a daily load carrying work truck.

Suggestions:

Read the postings regarding towing a trailer especially if you have the auto trans.

Consider a mild suspension upgrade suitable for your load carrying/towing needs not a lifted OR puddle jumper.

Be hyper vigilant with maintenance both preventive and scheduled.

Drive it like a TOYOTA!!

I have had a work truck continuously for 40 years, some of my favorites; '65 Ford 1/2 ton 3 on the tree with factory over loads that put the heavy OME's to shame, '73 Ford Camper Special 3/4 ton (a beast of a truck you could load up till it squatted and peed), '79 GMC 3/4 4x4 damn good truck, '82 Toyota 4x4.

.....and my current Tacoma. Spend the money and make it what you need, treat it right and drive it!

 

I have had several myself have a 83 Custom cab I have been doing a little work to. I love Toyota trucks. Coming from a 2004 F350 CC 6.0 dually back to a Toyota for work truck DD has been a bit of a disappointment getting 10 to 12 miles per gallon towing small trailer makes me want to puke. I really hate to sell it an get a 3/4 Ram Cummins. Also dont want to destroy the truck working it hard than it should. I do have the tow package so that is a plus. Im considering just building the truck the way Toyota should have like you said. With a good used ram with the options I want it costing 35000 to 45000 I can build a serious Tacoma that will handle towing an bed capacity of considerable more weight.
Really wanting a 14000lb bumper pull dump trailer. Will rarely haul 5 tons in the trailer but its still a beast behind a Tacoma.

 

long term you will make more money having the reliable Tacoma for your business, rather than sitting at the Dodge dealership and fighting for warranty coverage losing money when the Dodge starts to fail

 

Dakars and OME coilovers in the front.
It will lift you but will be a beefier suspension and will take more abuse than the stock one.
The taller suspension might fit you a size larger tire for more sidewall to help with tow and hauling handling.

The dump trailer may be a bit much for the Tacoma depending on size. 2,000lbs of wood being dumped will lift the back of the truck off the ground lol.
A small single axle one might be fine

 

The dump trailer is more for hauling trash away after cleaing up a home or cleaning up some debris from trees.