Needing advice starting 2006 tundra Build

Hey guys I'm starting to pick out parts I would like to purchase for my 2006 dc. I'm mainly building this truck around lighter trails and driving on long stretches of washboard. I do know that I'll probably hit some other trails around the southern Idaho region from time to time so I would like to be prepared for whatever I throw at the truck. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Thank You!

 

Bump

 

Budget?

 

Yes. We’ll spend his money real good.

 

Under 5k for now I'm 19 so I'm pretty much just aiming to get some stuff done now and then add on here and there

 

2.5” Lift/level of your choice
285 tires or skinny 33’s

With those two alone, you have a pretty capable rig.

 

Assuming all important maintenance is up to date, I concur with this. For what the OP describes describe, I think the Bilstein 6112/5160 combo with new leaf springs would be where I'd start. I think those are the best bang for the buck (not THE best quality, but damn good for the price). It's what I have and a Wheelers 3-leaf add-a-leaf, which I've been happy with, but probably should have just gone with a set of ATS HD springs for only a couple hundred more. Even if you have to pay to have all that installed, you'll be well-under $5k. If you can wrench, you'll only barely be over 1/2 that.

 

Long stretches of washboards speaks to some remote reservoir shocks to manage all that heat. Maybe a softer spring rate. Keep your teeth from chattering.

 

Custom deaver or similar leafs with some decent rear shocks
Icons or kings or even the nicer bilsteins up front.
About a 33" tire
Extended brake lines, new upper control arms, t case drop, and the ecgs differential bushing.

Might get @MDobb79 to add his two cents. His truck looks like a pretty solid all around and comfortable setup.

 

This is what I built my truck for. I’m starting on a budget and going to upgrade shocks, maybe.

I just did 200+ Off road miles in Death Valley on incredible washboard roads. Aired down to 13ish PSI I was cruising at 60mph. I average about 40mph.

My setup is; Front 5100’s with 885 Coils on lowest setting, about 2.5” lift. Rear, Icon 3 leaf add a leaf with overload removed. 5100’s and Firestone airbags with daystar cradles. Tires Toyo ATII’s 285/70r17 on factory wheels with 1.25” Spidertrax spacers.

Truck did awesome. I’ve done this $hit for years. Really all you need is a great set of AT tires and a air compressor to air back up.

That being said my friend ran the same trip with a fully stock 02 sequoia on P rated tires. We ran Titus canyon, Lippincott Rd and Saline Valley and a bunch of other roads.

 

X2 on the good tires. My tires work good on dirt roads, but I've been on some rocky trails with the rocks poking out of the hard dirt everywhere and it eats tires fast.

 

Thanks for the help guys, I also use this truck for my company (landscaping) so I may need to go a tad bit heavier in the rear when I'm loading my bed or hauling a trailer. Any suggestions?

 

ATS Springs makes a HD Version (500lbs extra per spring). A few members here have the HD and really like them. Affordable quality as well. Made in USA for less than $500 out the door with new U-bolts and mounting bolts. @rock climber @Lil Steve @onesojourner

 

Thanks I'll look into them!

 

Very happy with them. https://www.autoandtrucksprings.com/toyota-truck-leaf-springs/

https://www.tundras.com/threads/wha...t-gen-tundra-today.2558/page-905#post-2171032

 

I've never heard of the ecgs differential bushings could you explain?

 

Just tackled this swap myself. The drivers side front CV axle for the 4wd system rides on a needle bearing on the inboard side. The needle bearing is in the front differential where the axle is inserted. The needles wear out over time and the shaft has excessive play making noises and flopping a bit. The East Coast Gear Supply bushing is a replacement with no bearings in it to go bad. Pull the shaft, pull the needle bearing, replace with the ECGS bushing. reinstall the shaft.

 

Good summary right there, but if the bearing goes bad you get a serious rumble and your diff will leak like crazy because the inner portion of the cv axle will have play in it. I guess it's pretty common that the bearing goes bad after a lift due to the added angle and stress. Much like the cv boots.

Some good info here too https://www.tundras.com/threads/ecgs-bushing-tool.59664/

 

Okay so currently I'm thinking of going with the toytec alumas and then adding the ats hd leafs in the rear. Still uncertain with everything for the most part so I'll gladly take all of the input I can get.

 

I would take a serious look at the @Archive Garage Shackleton Medium Duty or Heavy Duty spring packs. I got the medium for an RTT and camping gear, tools etc and I am very happy with the ride even without a load. While at it I would do the U bolt flip kit. Eric is very helpful and answers his phone (cell) at all times if you have questions. As for the rest, I have ICON fronts at about 3" of lift with the 700# springs and ICON 2" shocks in the rear. If I did it again I would get the 2.5" with CDC valving for the rear. Also, I run Camburg upper control arms, BFG AT KO2s 295/75/16 on Stealth Custon Series Ray 10 16x8 backspacing is 4" with mild rubbing at almost full lock either way. I trimmed quite a bit of plastic out of the wheel wells and from the front bumper cover. Cut down and hammered the pinch weld on the cab as well. Photos are the only two I have on my phone with the latest setup.

https://archivegarage.com/explore-archive/ols/products/archive-shackleton-med-springs

 

@KarmaKannon are you saying you have had issues with your KO2s in or around rocks?

 

I think that is a great kit to go with and my suggestions would be to skip the block in the back and get some SPC UCAs for the front.

 

I'm so torn for a couple reasons, I need a work truck that functions well for towing/loading the bed, but I also want this truck to feel comfortable off-road. Might just end up buying an older square body f250 or something for work lol.

 

Airbag setup in the rear with the daystar cradles should stiffen things up for work, and allow you to deflate them for the trails.

 

Not really issues I guess. I have just had about 3-4 rock punctures on ko2s and I wasn't aired down or spinning and they didn't really look sharp. Both trips when this happened the areas just looked like rough dirt trails with rocks coming out of the ground. So pretty much it looked like every dirt trail coming off a fairly main gravel/dirt road. My tires are load range c, so maybe a thicker or heavier tire would help.

 

Do you or anyone you know on here run them?

 

I actually just removed my Firestone airbags as I didn't have a use for them and they were limiting my travel in back. Otherwise they were fine. I'm sure there's a way to run them with a lift so they don't cause an issue.

 

Not personally. I do have the cradles and was planning on doing this airbag setup on my long travel 1st gen, but then I bought a 2nd gen for the heavy towing duties. I've heard good things about the setup and was going all in when I bought my 2nd gen.

 

These:
Daystar aribag cradles

 

Ugh, post #10 I said I run them with cradles.