Poptop camper and weight in a Tacoma

[hibernation]

Looking at a Super Pacific camper for my Tacoma, but worried it'll eat up all my capacity and an elk will bottom me out. I was pretty maxed out already with my fiberglass topper, camp, and a big bull last year. For anybody who's got a similar setup, can you still handle an elk with it? How much did you have to mod or upgrade?

I've seen a lot of suggestions but kind of out of my depth here: new leaf springs vs add a leaf, sumo springs, bed stiffeners, etc. I know it's not going to change my GVWR but if it handles just a little better for the occasional heavy trip home, that would be great. The camper would stay on year-round but I'm not looking to haul big payloads constantly - just one elk in the fall. Hopefully. The truck is paid off, new trucks are expensive, so I'm weighing all this against having to buy a full size pickup.

 

[M1SF1T]

Not much available payload on a Tacoma, especially with a camper already on it.

It would be weird to have air bags in that truck and for "occasional heavy trip" I'm not sure how much you're willing to do to the suspension. I guess the camper on full time it can't hurt to upgrade suspension and won't screw up the ride too much. Maybe a stiffer sway bar. Probably lots of opinions on aftermarket on a Tacoma forum.

 

[hoooogan]

Not financial advice, but GVWR/payload is a rating for a "safe" max load under "normal" operating conditions. It's the CYA rating for vehicles. Just like hand carrying a heavy load, you are not gonna try to run, jump or be super agile with a heavy load. You are gonna take your time and be more careful. Same for your truck. Use your judgement if you exceed GVWR and don't drive like you have no weight.

The three you mentioned (springs, bumps, bed stiffeners) are exactly what you need. The SP is not particularly heavy, so a leafpack/AAL with ~500# extra weight capacity would be plenty for a fully loaded ride out. (the extra rated capacity would mean you could throw an additional 500# to get into the same max load situation you were in last year).

On my ZR2, I run the OME (old man emu) HD leafpack with extra leaf. ~900lbs extra capacity while I'm probably a bit over GVWR. While i've never had bull elk loaded in the back, I have had a ton of weight without the extra leaf. Drove just fine. And I don't run a swaybar, so my setup is a bit more sketchy. I would not think twice about loading an elk in the back.

 

[hibernation]

Not financial advice, but GVWR/payload is a rating for a "safe" max load under "normal" operating conditions. It's the CYA rating for vehicles. Just like hand carrying a heavy load, you are not gonna try to run, jump or be super agile with a heavy load. You are gonna take your time and be more careful. Same for your truck. Use your judgement if you exceed GVWR and don't drive like you have no weight.

The three you mentioned (springs, bumps, bed stiffeners) are exactly what you need. The SP is not particularly heavy, so a leafpack/AAL with ~500# extra weight capacity would be plenty for a fully loaded ride out. (the extra rated capacity would mean you could throw an additional 500# to get into the same max load situation you were in last year).

On my ZR2, I run the OME (old man emu) HD leafpack with extra leaf. ~900lbs extra capacity while I'm probably a bit over GVWR. While i've never had bull elk loaded in the back, I have had a ton of weight without the extra leaf. Drove just fine. And I don't run a swaybar, so my setup is a bit more sketchy. I would not think twice about loading an elk in the back.

Thanks, replacing the leafpack with something like the OME is what I've been leaning towards. Did that change your ride height at all, did you need to change the shocks out for the extra weight / travel?

 

[Coopsdaddy]

I drive a dclb tacoma and love my truck but never understood why guys build them out with campers etc.
I would go with a regular topper and that’s it.
Great trucks but not for that.Need More power,more gearing,brakes and better suspension.
Buy a tundra or 3/4 ton.

 

[JoshOR]

I’ve looked into it a bit. Alcan springs seem like the way to go. They will build a custom pack according to your needs. With or without lift, whatever you want. They’re not cheap, a bit north of $1k. On my list of wants…

 

[cwitt]

There’s a few options to look at if you’re doing what you are in a Tacoma and I’d really recommend them to get longevity out of your rig.

First is absolutely get bed stiffeners with that sort of added weight on your side rails. Over time even a topper, but especially a pop up camper, will cause the sides of your bed to flex out of square and eventually crack without the added support. This is a $80-150 fix and takes 15-20 minutes to install them with a drill and a socket set. I have a set from At The Helm Fabrication on my tacoma and they’re very well made for the price.

Beyond that, there’s no getting around the fact you need a stiffer set of leaf springs. I have had good luck with my Icons but there are many options. What these will do is get you back to a correct ride height and correct amount of suspension travel based on the weight you will constantly have in your bed. There are guides to tell you specifically but a medium pack is likely what you’ll be looking for. I’d avoid add-a-leafs as they don’t do any favors to your ride quality and are more of a bandaid fix for your existing leaf pack. Which the stock pack in a tacoma isn’t great and flattens pretty quick.

To go with your leaf springs, you may want to look at something to help when your bed is full, with an elk/camping gear/etc. Many places will tell you air bags, and they can be a good option but if you’re doing a lot of off roading they may not be. I personally avoided them. The RoadActive Suspension system is an alternative to airbags and is a good option. They’re a helper spring system that engages when your bed is full. I tried them for a while and they did work well but I found they were making contact with my rear shocks when I switched to 2.5” shocks and that was the end of those for me. I landed on the Timbren SES and am giving those a try this year.

Upgrading your rear shocks will also help manage that load better. Bilstein 5160s are a good choice for the money. I’ve now moved on to Kings but there’s a lot of good options in between.

That’s just my thoughts. I guide full time out of my tacoma so I spend a lot of the year going back and forth between a totally empty bed and loaded to the gills with camp, meat, etc. That has caused me to spend a lot of time and money trying to find the right set up for a similar situation to yours. Your truck can absolutely do what you’re asking, you just need to make a few mods.

 

[hibernation]

There’s a few options to look at if you’re doing what you are in a Tacoma and I’d really recommend them to get longevity out of your rig.

First is absolutely get bed stiffeners with that sort of added weight on your side rails. Over time even a topper, but especially a pop up camper, will cause the sides of your bed to flex out of square and eventually crack without the added support. This is a $80-150 fix and takes 15-20 minutes to install them with a drill and a socket set. I have a set from At The Helm Fabrication on my tacoma and they’re very well made for the price.

Beyond that, there’s no getting around the fact you need a stiffer set of leaf springs. I have had good luck with my Icons but there are many options. What these will do is get you back to a correct ride height and correct amount of suspension travel based on the weight you will constantly have in your bed. There are guides to tell you specifically but a medium pack is likely what you’ll be looking for. I’d avoid add-a-leafs as they don’t do any favors to your ride quality and are more of a bandaid fix for your existing leaf pack. Which the stock pack in a tacoma isn’t great and flattens pretty quick.

To go with your leaf springs, you may want to look at something to help when your bed is full, with an elk/camping gear/etc. Many places will tell you air bags, and they can be a good option but if you’re doing a lot of off roading they may not be. I personally avoided them. The RoadActive Suspension system is an alternative to airbags and is a good option. They’re a helper spring system that engages when your bed is full. I tried them for a while and they did work well but I found they were making contact with my rear shocks when I switched to 2.5” shocks and that was the end of those for me. I landed on the Timbren SES and am giving those a try this year.

Upgrading your rear shocks will also help manage that load better. Bilstein 5160s are a good choice for the money. I’ve now moved on to Kings but there’s a lot of good options in between.

That’s just my thoughts. I guide full time out of my tacoma so I spend a lot of the year going back and forth between a totally empty bed and loaded to the gills with camp, meat, etc. That has caused me to spend a lot of time and money trying to find the right set up for a similar situation to yours. Your truck can absolutely do what you’re asking, you just need to make a few mods.

This is great stuff, thanks. Looks like the full leaf spring upgrade is my best bet, I haven't heard much good about add a leafs besides they're cheaper.