Toyota trucks...for work or for parades?

[Jaybird]

At GM they call it "bed gate parallelograming" due to excessive flex causing the tailgate to be crushed at the corners by the bed sides. You see this on some older rusted bed 1970's GM and Ford trucks after the rust has rotted in critical structure areas and bed starts to flop.

The other truck has had ATVs and Golf Carts loaded into it (the white one). Golf carts are not so heavy that one axle should pretzel a tailgate. Actually you should be able to load it and haul it on the gate properly secured...not with a Toyota.

I understand that the Tundra owners manual actually warns owners not to drive with the gate down. In spite of this fact, Toyota sells bed extenders at its dealers for this truck.

Are these trucks work trucks, or for pulling parade floats?
Is the perception, that the US has about Toyota quality being superior to other auto makers, just a perception with no basis in fact?

 

[Duffman77]

My take on the Japanese philosophy of building cars was to make them light so they would have good MPG and performance. That is why I particularly do not like them. Yes they make great cars but you now know why that philosophy does not work well with trucks.

 

[GMBoy]

Great pictures! I agree with you that this shouldn't have happened on a "work" truck. I am still not convinced that Japan makes a better fullsize truck.

 

[Panzerman]

I agree. Being around big trucks and heavy equipment since puberty, when the New Toyota Tundra came out they had them at the Daytona 500 outside on display, I crawled under them from front to back and looked at everything to compare it to a recently purchased Dodge 2500, I bought. I was not impressed at all. The transfer case is itty bitty as with everything else. Its a big truck with a big motor, big brakes and a big rear end and easily impresses teenagers and mall shoppers, but any Farmboy or someone that really uses his truck under demanding conditions will see right through the facade. Its a light duty truck, and the point they advertise it as a work truck is a joke. I invite anyone else to compare it too Dodge, Ford or Chevy. Its a total joke that Motortrend made it the winner aginst Chevy 2500s and Ford 250s, Dodge wasnt allowed to enter, I guess. Tells me Motortrend is rating trucks on how their butt feels after hitting bumps. Truelly advertising bucks and steering wheel holder testing only.

 

[Camu Mahubah]

I ain't buying that a golf cart did that to a tailgate! I'm a Ford man myself but I somehow think these pictures are anti-toyota propaganda. Anyways I doesn't bother me because maybe this will lure someone into buying an American truck. And yes I know the Toyota is American made but it's not the same! I do think GM and Ford and Mopar can learn a lot from the design.

 

[TooManyWheels]

If that was done by a golf cart, why is the initial point of intrusion only ONE spot? It looks to me like some relatively small but heavy object was dropped into it's center.

 

[Camu Mahubah]

Must a been a flintstone golf cart with stone tires!

 

[wapacz]

Big bump going down the road maybe, that made it bounce up and come down hard.?

 

[road_rascal]

I see a lot of trucks (Big 3 and Asian makes) carrying motocross bikes and snowmobiles with the tailgate down. If it were a big problem I probably would have seen a situation like that by now.

 

[lovcom]

What good are domestic trucks being "tougher" if the are not dependable. I've owned Dodge, Ford, and GMC full size pick ups, and every single one of them had MANY problems. I've owned full sized pick ups from Dodge, Ford, and GMC, and every single one, with out even one exception had many issues, that required trips back to the dealer.

I think all this Toyota bashing is just posturing, dillusion, and denial to admit the truth: Domestic trucks are crud, through and through. Even my 2001 Tahoe and 2003 Expeditions had several problems even before they reached 30,000 miles.

Face it guys, the Japanese make better cars and trucks.

 

[ARB1977]

I thought about buying on sometime in the future...makes me wonder now.

 

[H2GURU]

JAY,
You gotta remember these trucks are engineered in a country where 300# people are not likely to be having lunch on the tail-gate. Anyway I'll give you a link to chew on!

http://heath.dieckert.com/images/tacoma/gal/images/20020315_00111_sm_jpg.jpg

I don't see any chevys over there!

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: lovcom
What good are domestic trucks being "tougher" if the are not dependable. .




okay, than what good is reliabilty in a truck if you can't use it like a truck....

 

[njcruiser]

i have an 07 tundra. my tailgate is fine, ride with it down all the time when I have the motorcycles in the back.
i have a crewmax, with a 5 ft bed. no issues with the tailgate, so whatever.................. anti toyota drivel. some issues have occurred with the tailgate, but not much. every truck has issues.
if you let those pictures fool you, you are easily mislead. easily mislead to buying an inferior product, such as a ford, chevy, or dodge.
i guess the fact it would be taken care if under warranty was not mentioned for something?

 

[byez]

Ford makes a real mans truck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB0araA0T_k

 

[Jaybird]

njcruiser,
Does your manual not advise to not run with the tailgate down?

 

[mikered30]

Originally Posted By: byez
Ford makes a real mans truck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB0araA0T_k

Ouch

 

[MGregoir]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LkAzt_0qIg

That's the current model. I figure for the 40 mph offset test, it looks like everything has done its job.

Where my dad works, they lease Ford, Dodge and GM trucks for 75,000 miles/2 years. This summer I worked there and I was driving their beater (109,000 mile multiple accident victim 2002 Ford F-150) that had little work done as far as replacement of suspension parts, etc, and it drove better than year old GM 3/4 tons with less mileage on their second set of ball joints and tie-rod ends.

Ford F-150 heavy halfs (8200 GVW), Dodge 2500s with the Hemi and GM 2500HDs with the 6000. The Fords and Dodges (regular cab) tie for most interior room, but the Dodge step in height is ridiculous, and they tend to go through a transmission and a transfer case under warranty. The GM ones tend to suffer from poor fit and finish, get poor mileage (although the Dodges are not much better), tend to have a lot of electrical problems and need a lot of front end work come return time. The Fords tend to be hard on brakes and in the last one my dad had, they had to replace the rear end under warranty, but come 75,000 miles of hard use everything seems to be in okay condition, it's just wear items like shocks that need replaced.

Usually by the end, all of them have warped tailgates except the Dodges.

As well, the independent front suspension (Super Duty models have a solid front axle) make them a lot more livable to drive on top of having more interior room.

Typically these vehicles are loaded to between 7700 and 8500 pounds, they carry toolboxes, barrels of oil, barrels of glycol, have quads loaded and unloaded from them in some cases several times a day, as well as seeing some light towing. They see a wide variety of roads from highway driving to driving on muddy cattle paths and unimproved roads, for a total of likely more than half their service hours spent off pavement. 20% of the mileage is done off road, and they are used in temperatures from -45 to 35 C.

Before the minimum GVWR requirement was upped to 8000 pounds, Toyotas were considered to be used as an option alongside Ford, GM and Dodge half-tons in the similar weight rating. In testing, it came down to that the Toyotas were no more reliable, no less expensive, and when repairs had to be made cost more to be serviced so they only saw one lease cycle of use.

 

[GMFan]

Bed bounce

Frame Strength

The proof is in the pudding. Ford is king of trucks with GM close behind.

Toyota's Advertising is Bull

Lou Kaltenstein
President
Gene Norris Buick-GMC Trucks Inc./Norris Auto Group
18170 Bagley Rd
Middleburg Hts., Ohio 44130

There has been a lot of talk about Toyota Tundra's new ads and how
impressive they are. Here are some myths about their spots that I
have found and that should be refuted. Also, they are offering a
"IVC" type program on Tundra to help with sales.

I would guess all of you have seen the ad where the Tundra pulls a
trailer up a steep grade (a 'see-saw'), and then barrels down hill and
locks the brakes up just before the end of the ramp. Many of you have
commented on how well done the spot is visually. However, here are
the actual facts to share with people:

1. The V.O. at the beginning of the spot says...."It's tough
pushing 10,000 lbs up a steep grade". Myth: Toyota would like the
audience to believe the trailer is 10,000 lbs. Fact: It's a 5,000 lb
truck pulling a 5,000 lb trailer. A little slight of hand? You bet.

2. Then, on the way down the grade, the camera zooms in on the
brakes as the vehicles comes to a screeching halt just prior to the
end of ramp. Next time you see the ad....look for the 'mice type'.
It indicates the trailer is equipped with electric brakes.
Fact....the electric brakes stop the trailer -- not the truck. A
little slight of hand? You bet.

3. And why does Toyota have bigger brake pads? They need
them....their truck is heavier. Stopping distance between our truck
and theirs is virtually identical. And why does Toyota have a 6 speed
transmission? To improve their fuel economy....which is still 2 mpg
less than ours.

4. And don't forget....their big V8 has one axle ratio -- a
4.3. Suck fuel much? Our trucks offer several axle options to
optimize towing and fuel economy. Bottom line: OUR TRUCK IS BETTER!
Spread the word.......we can all make a difference.

Toyota is bad for this country. Stop taking food out of hard working American's mouths. Toyota may build their vehicles here but that is low wage. Where are they engineered? Tested? Designed? You got it. Not here...

 

[ClarkB]

Originally Posted By: Duffman77
My take on the Japanese philosophy of building cars was to make them light so they would have good MPG and performance.


Maybe you haven't heard any of the complaints about the Tundra's MPG and how dismal it is? So either the truck has a gas-hog of an engine or the truck is too heavy.

I have no doubt that in 10 years Tundras will be just as stout and work ready as any American branded truck. After all, let's not forget that the Accord was labeled as one of the worst cars of all time and look at it now.

Clark