Palomino Bronco B-600 may NOT be for your Tacoma!

Also, with regards to our tires, we didn't like the stock tires on the truck from the get-go, put Cooper Discoverer AT3, LT model on them, before we even turned over 100 miles!

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the feedback and questions. They are all valid and useful.

The dry weight for the Bronco was advertised as 1056#, and I knew that the load capacity of our truck was listed at 1350, so I had a pretty good idea going in that just with the camper and us, we'd be bumping up against the top of that limit. We did add on a solar panel and an awning and an extra battery, as well as the TorkLift attachment system, and the dealer filled the 20# propane tank before weighing, but I am still at a loss as to why we are so far above the GVWR!

As to beefing up the suspension, the StableLoads the dealer installed (recommended by Palomino), were not doing the job so we took them off and installed Timbren SES suspension assists. When we took the camper back to the dealer on Monday to complain, the sales manager tried to tell us that the added suspension increases the payload. Timbren's own site says that's just not true, it is only a stabilizer, and that you should not exceed the GVWR. When I told the sales manager that, it shut him up pretty quickly on that claim.

I have read on other forums as well that some have driven their vehicles for years exceeding the load limits with a few problems, but nothing major. I also know, and have heard from other Toyota owners, that the suspension is somewhat soft, and I also know that even the lighter 4wd camper options, other than getting a bare shell, are only a couple of hundred pounds lighter. Right now, we are re-evaluating what we absolutely need at a bare minimum, since we are NOT your average RVers, just want a place to sleep and hang out in crappy weather without having to deal with a tent.

Thanks again for all your feedback and suggestions, will read through them all carefully before we take our next step!

I recently attended Overland Expo in Flagstaff, Arizona. As most people know it is a gathering of some of the most adventurous travelers in the world, along with their Unimogs, Earthroamers, Rovers, and other exotic machines.

What surprised me was the vehicle of choice for the organizers of OX, Jon and Roseann Hanson. Bear in mind that they are experienced expedition trekkers, having traveled to some of the most remote places on earth.... they travel in a Toyata Tacoma with a Four Wheel Camper pop up.

The model they are shipping to Africa for an upcoming trek has the V6 engine. It does not have any lifts in order to hold down weight. The bumpers are aluminum for the same reason, though there is a winch installed. There is minimal work to the suspension. They chose Toya tires with the thickest sidewalls - though Roseann said that Goodrich also had excellent tires for this application, and a locking differential.

They conceded that the vehicle was over the factory load limit, but their experience has shown that the Tacoma can handle the weight. In fact, Roseann said that at one point they had 18 Masai tribesmen clinging to the side of the camper.

I take away from their experience that it's where the rubber hits the road that makes the difference. And I would say to the OP that you may be perfectly OK. I don't know....but its possible.

All this is from a guy who bought an F350 with a 6.0 diesel engine. If you want to see brand bashing, just look up the 6.0. But, in my case, I haven't had a minutes worry. I did what I had to do to make sure the engine was sound and it just purrs down the highway.

As always, your mileage may vary.

Toyotas have always been under sprung and under powered, my friend has a Tacoma with a small 4 wheel camper maybe 650 lbs, he had to do springs on all 4 corners, then when he got it on the road, he found it under powered, so he had to add a supercharger, I would throw the Toyotas under the bus and go to a real truck brand

Toyota's Website show a 1050 LBS payload.
Subtract 2 people = 275 LBS
gear = 200 LBS
Food = 100 LBS
Leaves about 500 LBS for a camper.
Truck also comes with P metric tires. Looks like Tacoma's are not designed to carry a camper.
Specs don't lie, feel sorry that it didn't work out.

What does Toyota recommend for truck campers on Tacomas? Those ratings are surprisingly low on many pickups. I have seen other brands say they have "1/2 ton compatible" that would put the average 1/2 down on its rear bumper.

Hi, Sorry you have had a problem. My friend and I both have tacoma's. Mine is a 2004 his around 2008 or so. We both have the camplite 5.7 that comes in around 1000lbs. With adding extra springs for me, bags for him and tires that can carry the load. We have used our campers alot in the past 2years and have had no problems with the weight. I will say we are maxed out but we have everything we need to be comfortable. According to Toyota my payload is 1600lbs. which I find hard to belive. I stay way below that and when my camper is loaded the rear drops less than one inch, the front one quater inch below factory. We do know we have a load on us and drive accordingly. Bill

Im curious-advertised camper dry weight starts at 1056#, not a lot of options that can be added other than AC, 10 gal of water that have much weight.
Palamnio advertises their SS800 as usable on Tacoma-its 500# heavier. Where is the weight being used up?

What is the capacity of compact that its 560# over with camper empty/dry?
There wasn't a known number of what weight you could add BEFORE you went shopping? Having a hard time understanding how you could end up with what sounds like twice the load you can carry?
Im assuming a stock vehicle that hasn't used up it rating with aftermarket accessories-bumper winch etc.
Curious.
Yes dealers will push you into places you might not want to be but something isn't adding up? For that I feel bad and your experience is sad, I truly hope you can work something out.
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But Why do folks end up here AFTER the fact?

This just goes to prove that everyone is different. Other people would have done the exact same thing as you and never given it a moment's thought. They would have loaded up with an additional 500-750lbs of provisions and hit the road.

560lbs overweight, though, was probably exceeding the rear axle rating if not the tire capacity.

Frankly, you're probably not going to be able to do much better. Even the lightest Four Wheel starts at 775lbs, so you will *STILL* be overweight by at least 250lbs before you even get on the road.

If the GVWR is an absolute limit for you, you will never find anything that will let you be at or under, and carry any provisions with you. This will be okay, as long as you don't mind camping naked and hungry.

As far as a dealer you can trust, there is no such thing. The only person you can trust in that transaction is *YOURSELF*, so you need to educate yourself on all the issues before you set foot in that dealership, or you will find that you've committed yourself to spending tens of thousands of dollars on something that will sit in your driveway rotting away unless you take a huge loss.