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

Anyone have any good youtube video on how to replace leaf spring bushings for our tundra? Is it a one person job? Special tools?

Mine just shit the bed and I can feel that sucker getting smacked around on every bump and turning corners.

 

@alb1k

 

Haven't done it on a Tundra but usually some 1/2" threaded rod, washers, nuts, and a piece of pipe a little bigger than the bushing works to make a press.

 

Considering they sold 120k units in 2005, I can promise it has not met expectations. I agree the new one should be much better

 

I'm kind of wondering if not replacing the rear shocks since new (20 years & 240K miles ago) influenced the life of those bushings.

 

I feel like replacing the bushings would be just as much work as installing new leaf packs. I know you've mentioned not keeping your truck much longer though. You have rust and JPink has rust. We really had to fight to get those fuckers in there on his truck.

 

Yeah, I really don't want to invest too much in the truck as most people have noticed. I wonder if putting in the new Bilsteins would take the edge off hitting potholes.

Best way from what I've been reading is to pull the leaf springs, burn out the bushings and chisel out the outer ring. A sawzall might be better if I can burn out the center.

I'm not sure of the best way to press them in though. Ball joint kit seems to be the way I see people doing it online.

 

Ah ha. So it seems we have a unanimous indication for the OEM gasket. The price of mine just went way up, lol

 

I've never done the bushings. I have replaced the leaf springs as whole units by myself. I give it a 4-5 beer rating, and you'll be wrestling with one arm while lining up bolts with the other. You can get creative with ratcheting straps for help.

It isn't all that bad. Here is the high level as I remember it. Watch your brake line as you lower the axle, you don't want to let it extend and break.

1) jack up truck and put it on stands using the frame (axle needs to hang, I used my tow hitch bar thing)

2) Do one side at a time. With the axle hanging free, Jack up the axle on the side you're doing to take the weight off of the leaf springs, remove the bolts holding the shackle to the frame at the rear.

4) Lower the Jack, you can now remove the nuts on the u bolts, then the bolt at the front hanger. Depending how high your Jack stands are, you may need to remove the tire to get the axle low enough to free it from the leaf springs.

5) Get the leaf pack out from under your truck, then do a dead lift and hold it over your head in victory.

You're now ready to install the new ones. All fasteners should be finger tight as you install, you will torque them all when you're done.

6) Take the shackle off your old leaf pack, watch the orientation and bolt it to the new leaf pack.

7) Align and slide the bolt through the front hanger first, then loosely put the u bolts on, be careful to use the center pin to align your axle. You may need to use ratchet straps to pull the axle forward or backward. Then use the Jack to lift the assembly up and align the rear shackle, get the bolts in. If you took your tire off, put it back on now and lower the Jack.

Wipe your brow, finish that beer, take a deep breath and do the other side.

Once that's all done I recommend getting in the bed and jumping up and down a few times to get the bushings to seat. Now with the truck on its own tires you can torque everything down and trim the ends of the u bolts off if needed. Mark every nut with paint. After about 100 miles, torque the u bolts again. After 500 miles do them again, then you should be good.

 

This is very exciting. It would be really exciting for me if I didn't just rebuild the lower front suspension. But this is exciting.

 

In north east wyoming its been under 0 degrees since sunday morning. its getting old! all my suspension clunks when its this cold.

 

Throw the new ones in the freezer the night before you install them, and then rub some silicone all over them. They should go right in. I did that with my 67 fastback and it worked like a charm.

 

I have one mounted for fitment. My buddy said it was a massive pain mounting it on the 8.5” wheel. I need to rebuild the suspension and will crank the co’s up to find some extra room. Then hammer what I can. If I have to, I’ll tub the firewall. Hope I don’t have to!

 

Still running SCS wheels? That is a wide tire lol. Send it!

 

Ooooo that is nice

 

@Jack McCarthy we really had to wrestle his out of the frame. By that I mean, we had to cut the leaf end down with a Sawzall just to get it to compress enough to get out of the front leaf hanger on both sides.

The stirrups or saddles or whatever on the rear of the frame didn't put up much of a fight I think. Memory fuzzy. A lot has happened since then, and I've already had a long day!

 

Dang they fixed the design that fast?
Now im interested again

 

Yeah, same stealth six’s. 10lbs of shit in a 5lb bag. I’ll make them fit. Don’t wanna go back down to 34’s.

 

Not bad on a socal truck. See below though. It sucked ass on John's. Rust makes a big difference getting them both in and out.

 

So I'm special. I can't tell is that LCA brings a uniball into the mix, or does it just attach to the OEM ball joint?

 

We definitely got bamboozled by that damned rust on his truck. I need to see how John is doing. Haven't heard from him in a while.

Like he completed his shit, and then dipped.

 

I'll drive.

 

Uses the oem ball joint, unless you buy their uniball conversion but that's an awfully expensive thing to do for a little strength gain.

 

Oof. back during my LBJ searches I looked at the Solo spindles and a whole bunch of stuff that comes with it. Just go long travel at that point. Good news is my lower suspension is not obsolete.

 

I considered their spindles long ago but I didn't like the idea of losing my ABS for insurance purposes. Their full kit (upper arm, lower arm, spindle, lower uniball/spherical tie rod) will cost you the same as just going for long travel suspension (not counting fenders or any shock options).

I wouldn't mind these lowers though.

 

I'm thinking about the shock tower gussets and calling it a day. I can get exotic on the next truck.

 

Hauled more trees today.

 

You have a baby loader? Sweet.