Truck Camper

I just bought a 2020 Toyota Tacoma and I was all excited to get a big truck. i got a full size cab and a short bed. I was excited till i just realised that i can only carry 990 pounds including passengers. Thats 4 guys and a dog. I wanted to eventually get a Truck camper but i guess that is out of the question if i want to take anyone with me. i mean the smallest i could find was a barebones popup truck camper that weighs 700 pounds. So that means me my dog and no equipment. So its completely useless for what i want to do. is there a way to increase the payload capacity?

 

Welcome!

A camper/trailer will have a tongue weight, with proper loading, that's important. Also consider frontal area, ex how tall it is and how much air it sees. If you're wanting one of the campers that sits in the bed, yeah, you probably bought the wrong truck. Respectfully, you didn't buy a big truck, you bought a small or mid size.
There's no way to legally to increase the payload.

Here's a dedicated forum for you
https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/towing.34/

 

Probably should have done some research first and realized the Tacoma is not a big truck..... Sounds like a Tundra is more what you want.

 

Wouldn't even recommend the Tundra for this particular application. F250, Chevy 2500, Ram 2500. Those In-Bed campers weigh a lot, and the Tundra doesn't have an HD version.

 

There are plenty of people with in bed campers with our trucks. I meet them on the road all the time. Here is thread after a lazy search:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/four-wheel-camper-on-new-2020-tacoma.636986/page-3#post-22001436

Welcome to TW and please use the search function. Take your time and you can even direct message users.

 

I have added over 1500lbs of extra weight to my truck and still fill the bed up with 1500lbs of stuff regularly. She does just fine. I wouldnt let all those numbers tell you anything. They dont mean jack. Haul what ever you need, itll take it

 

While the FWD campers (and others that are similar) are certainly a possibility, read the threads above (especially #5). All these guys have put literally thousands of extra dollars into their suspensions, and they still exceed GVWR which can be a real legal issue if you're ever in an accident. By the time you spend all that money plus the cost of your truck, you're approaching the cost of a 3/4 ton truck anyway. You're also very limited to what cabovers you can pick with our dinky 5 foot beds. I'd rather have the factory build it with a cabover package (they deal with the springs and such when you add this as a package, not referring to it being delivered with a camper already in it) than to mess with my Tacoma, and have a truck that's too damn stiff when the cabover is removed. I'll refer you to a site outside the forum for more information: https://www.truckcamperadventure.com/truck-camper-101/ has a load of good information.

You got a great little truck, but for your intended use, I'd still go at least a 150/1500 and probably a 250/2500 series.

Now Chew above thought you were talking about trailers, thus his comment about tongue weight. If that's so, and I misinterpreted, then he's dead on, you can pull a decent size trailer with a Taco, but you will need WDH, probably anti-sways, etc. Whole different ballgame.

Finally, the real difference in most 1500 vs 2500 class trucks come down to the cooling systems, alternator, and springs. Many of them share the same engine and brakes. 1500's are a bit of a compromise, if you're going to pull the cabover out for any extended time, the 1500's are much more comfortable on the road. If it's going to stay in, then the strength of the 2500's wins out. Empty 2500's ride like hell on the road due to that heavier suspension.

Good Luck either way!

 

It is indeed useless for what you want to do. Most midsize trucks are, that said a new crew cab Ranger can carry that 700lb camper with 1070lbs to spare.

 

There are some popup toppers in the 300-450 pound range with a bed over the cab you can look at. Project m is one.

 

OP, some really good advice in here. You need to evaluate what you really intend to do with the truck. The Tacoma is good at a lot of things, but if you are going to do things such as towing 5k+ often, often hauling a camper, etc, there are other trucks that are better options.

A camper trailer is a great option to consider for the Tacoma if you plan to use it intermittently.

 

I have a 1300 lb 4 wheel camper on a Chevy Silverado. I suggest you start looking at ways to increase your payloads like e rated tires and a firestone ride rite on-demand airbag system. You can find shell versions of campers that way close to 900 that could get you close to that rating. Google search will also help you. Good luck!