What have you done to your 1st gen Tundra today?

HELP!

So I was trying to work on the exhaust leaks some more and tightened stuff down etc.

Checked again with the shop vac and definitely have progressed to tighten some things up. However, I am still getting bubbles at the lower to exhaust ports on the passenger side.

My question is, the bubbles are coming out between the flange and pipe, does this mean the welds are cracked OR could it be I just need to tighten these some more and compress the gasket further?

See pic (hard to see up in there but best I could do).

 

Looks like situation NG (no goo) as @Tundra2 would say.

 

just soap suds dripping down. I had to use the Stream setting to reach those hard to get areas.

 

I think this is the NG he’s talking about

 

^ thats definitely my problem!

 

If you can try and pin point your spray, at either the flange only, or where the tube connects to the flange, and that might tell you if it’s a weld or the gasket

 

It honestly seems like it's between the flange and pipe which I'm PRAYING isn't the case but I don't know if it's possible for air to "leak" in that area if it was the gasket? I guess that's what I'm asking. If it is between the flange/pipe then does that mean it HAS to be the weld?

 

That’s kind of what I would assume, I don’t know how else the air would get past.

 

Forgive my brain fart, but which part of the underside of your truck am I looking at here?

 

Up skirt of the engine and specifically the header

 

Oh, gotcha. I really was not sure.

 

I see it now. Thats what she said.

Yeah, that looks like the Bubblesville to Hurtsville Express.

 

Got the rear shocks in today. Waiting on the fronts to arrive.

So from stock I had a 1 inch rake now that I did the rears I have 2 inches. When i get the new front bilstien 5100s what perch do I want to be on to be level ? I will be using my old coils for now, I dont want to be 1 inch higher in the front accidentally becuase I technically shouldn't have got the 1 inch left in the back !?

 

Went camping yesterday. Drove and then hiked to the peak of the nearest mountain. I managed to get a pic of the local fire that's ripping here.

Then last night my gunk engine cleaner came in and I gave it a shot.
Before
After
Not the best, but $5 is worth a shot. I may try the heavy duty stuff next time.
I had a great time in nature though.

 

I'm starting to hate this truck!
High mileage owners: honestly, do you ever finally reach a point where you can just enjoy the vehicle for awhile without coming up against any major repairs? Shop just quoted me $700 to put on new springs.

In my year of ownership I've replaced:
•Timing belt
•Water pump
•Radiator
•Serpentine belt
•Valve cover gaskets
•PCV valve
•Rear axles
•Rear axle seals
•Windshield
•Steering rack and bushings
•Upper/lower control arms
•Upper/lower ball joints
•Outer tie rods
•Sway bar end links/bushings
•CV axle
•Front tires
•Front struts
•Almost all fluids

And not to mention cosmetic replacements such as the bed, rims, hood, grille, rear bumper, tailgate, cowl, speakers, and countless interior trim pieces.

My AC is still leaking, climate controls don't work, 4 Lo won't turn on, and more.

Since the shop only dug into one strut assembly, I told them just put everything back together (don't want to pay their markup) and paid their labor. The 5100s were missing a bushing that goes under the strut mount, so they chewed up the mount and damaged their pistons. New mounts on the way, but where do I get the missing Bilstein bushings?

Here's a before and after of the "new" OEM springs I got from the scrapyard for about $5:


A quick cleaning, paint, and clear coat because why not.

While I got these springs off the scrapyard strut myself, I'm scared the AutoZone compressor won't be able to compress enough to raise the Bilsteins 1 notch (currently on lowest setting) and return my lift, that's why I was using a mechanic.

In terms of finding those bushings, can anyone help? That's what this site is for, right?

 

I believe you can pick up those little rubber guys at the parts store. They aren't vehicle specific so a Napa or place with a good staff would be better than one of the chain stores.

 

Honestly, no. Even if you add up the cost of all that stuff it doesn't come close to the cost of a new truck. A lot of what you listed is so routine you'd be replacing those same parts on any vehicle. You have to keep in mind it's nearly 20 years old with 265K miles apparently.

I must have missed the back story. What did you take it into the shop for? $700 to swap springs seems incredibly high. You could buy entire new coilovers from OME for that price.

 

Thanks, hearing another perspective makes me feel not as bad. It's true that even a less-used Tundra starts at about $10K, and I got mine for $4K. And I'd definitely still replace most of those things anyway. At some point it just seems to all add up, ya know?

The shop can'tj get just the bushings and would have to get all new struts at $160 apiece, which is obviously not the way to go. I guess the rest is just labor.

 

I have a set w/ 700 lb springs.

 

It can be frustrating for sure BUT I feel you're very close to taking care of all the items needed to get another 100k out of her. She's still older and may need so TLC from time to time but your big money items should be GTG.

 

Nope. It's always in the back of my head what's next on the list. Rear bearings pt. 2, front suspension, carrier bearing, HVAC lights.......

 

Don't give up, you're almost there. It's like mile 24 of a marathon, so close, yet exhausted. Push through and it will be good.

New bilstein shocks aren't terribly expensive. I'd just buy them and swap the coils over.

 

Upgraded to 2.5" OME front lift, 1.5" spacers in the back

 

@theblurry1

In almost 2 years I’ve put about $7000 in money into the truck. About half that was paying others for a front end rebuild and the other half is little stuff thats added up. That works out to about $300 a month.

I did feel like it was getting overwhelming at some points, but overall the truck is my therapy. The crap that chaps my ass is goofy shops messing up my shit! Wheel bearings, etc.

In the end, I feel like I am at the end of most of the items I knew were needing to be done before setting out on this journey. I was real close to buying a 2018 Turd Gen and was talked out of it buy both of my mechanics of which one has been fired.

If I bought the Turd, I’d be in $600+ monthly payment plus Yearly Personal Property which is yuge on my Island. The other thing is I never really did much to my truck in all these years other than tires and fluids, so I ‘reinvested’ back into her. Amazing these trucks are aging so well even when they are neglected.

 

Hows the ride?

 

Ive had my truck 5 years and done most of what you have listed. Id rather pay out of pocket for regular maintenance than ever have a car payment again. The thought of knowing every time i replace a part on my truck at 170K miles makes me feel like im only extending the life of my truck possibly another 170K miles. Sucks to put money into repair or maintaining old cars, but i have friends with newer cars that are less reliable than these. Its all worth it!

 

I honestly cant tell a difference. It's great! Turns out the shop i had rebuild the front end suspension 2 years ago added SPC adjustable control arms instead of OEM, which i think helped a lot.

 

How you like it. Very close to pulling trigger on this set... or the dobinsons
Disregard. Just missed this

 

do they normally come in 700lb springs? and what was the ride height they came at?

 

Asking myself why I didn’t do this sooner! Ride is great so far. Love the height too. If you’re debating, pull the trigger!