My 06 Double Cab Tundra Thread

Hey everyone,



I picked up this, new to me, Tundra in May 22 because I wanted to upgrade from a Colorado to a full size. This is just a blog about the work I've done or plan to do. This will be my daily driver and my everything truck. I plan on using this thing until it falls apart.



Specs on the Truck:

2006 Double Cab

260000 Miles

Blue Steel Metallic Paint

Oversized 33" tires

Lift (Not sure how much)



I am the third owner of this truck and it seems to have been well maintained. Routine maintenance was a priority with the past owner. Truck has had some work done, but only seems to be the front end and the oversized tires/lift. Overall the truck runs well but has some cosmetic issues. Paint and cosmetics are an eyesore both inside and out. I would love to paint and fix all the dents myself sometime in the future. Interior has some panel damage on the driver side door but still opens and closes. I am very happy with my purchase of this Tundra, I have been a Toyota fan boy since I was a kid and my first car was a 98 Camry, so I am well aware of how long these things can last if taken care of.



Work I've Done:

Since may I haven't done all too much but one major thing (to me at least) was a working sound system. I installed a new 4 speaker sound system, amp and display to replace the default blow speakers. Installed a backup camera tied to my rearview mirror. I have replaced the belt tensioner because it literally exploded on me. I tried to fix some dents and re finished the headlights but didn't have too much success. Lastly I replaced the tailgate latch mechanism and handle.



After acquiring this beast I have run into a few issues that I think I have narrowed down but am still unsure of the specific issues.



Current Issues:

Rough Ride constantly (Truck ride? or possibly tires)

Slight Bounce only at 40mph (Tires or suspension)

Loud constant roar (Tires?)

Steering sometimes pulls either way when braking (Stumped on this one, brakes maybe?)

Loud whine in the back when decelerating (Rear Diff pinion or rod)

Constant lesser whine in the back while driving (Same as above?)

Steering column pulls hard with puddles or bumps (Same issue with the braking?)

Dents/Paint issues (Wear and tear over the years)

Rubbing on front tires (Oversized tires with spacers maybe?)

Brakes catch after sudden stop (This issue is intermittent and it feels as if the brakes take a second to release, truck seems to jerk occasionally after letting off the brake)

Stiff suspension/Major Jerk when going over bumps (Major issue, truck feels like you just entered into a monster truck rally whenever going over a speed bump or hitting a pothole, suspension getting old?)

Driver door sags (Door hinge pins need replacement)

Passenger front door makes a loud noise when opening (Needs lube?)

Inconsistent Rough Idle (Throttle Body cleaning?)

Timing Belt replacement (Last done 190,000 miles)



These issues seem to be minor with the exception of the suspension. Hopefully this journey is fun and exciting. I am an aircraft mechanic and have some basic mechanical skills. I have never worked on cars before but fully intend to learn and record my progress through the years on this Tundra!

 

Seems like you’ve got a decent truck, being a aviation mechanic, you’ll find the truck pretty easy to work on vs the fun stuff you do.
Welcome to the forum, we’ll be sure to help you spend your paycheck

 

Welcome!

I'm going to guess all of the above are due to two things: Tire/wheel choice, and the mystery lift the previous owner installed. Actually, maybe a third: worn suspension, or improper suspension lift, cheap shitty lift like Rough Country or similar.

It looks lifted but maybe it's just the big ass wheels. If you can give a few pics pics of the fronts, entire strut, sway bar bushings, etc. someone can say for sure. It should be obvious if the rear is lifted, look for blocks, extra leafs in the leaf pack, non-stock shackle setup. If the previous owner lifted enough, and didn't adjust

While the brake issues could be something else, like prop valve on the rear axle, or misadjustment, there's also

I can't tell if the truck has been in the south its whole life (pics look like central/south FL), if it has, good for you, frame probably looks great. But frame rust is a huge issues on these Tundras. So look carefully if you haven't already.

If your truck is 4WD, see this reply from FirstGenVol expaining how to lube it, and this diagram from BubbaW for the places to lube.

If your truck is 2WD, check this thread for my reply linking to a TSB for the '05-'06. You don't need to replace the crossmember as indicated by Toyota, just verify all of your transmission crossmember mounting bolts are intact and tightened, consider putting a light-duty thread lock (Loctite Blue) on the threads and reinstall.

 

Welcome from a fellow late-model DC owner! I'm sure others will chime in, but here are some thoughts/considerations:

Current Issues:

Slight Bounce only at 40mph (Tires or suspension)
- "bounce" as in vibration, or just bouncy/floaty when driving? If vibration it could be tires, or driveshaft center carrier bearing failure is common.

Loud constant roar (Tires?)
- with 33's, yeah...probably tires.

Steering sometimes pulls either way when braking (Stumped on this one, brakes maybe?)
- probably front suspension. Could be steering rack, ball joints, or other. Wheel spacers can add to this effect as well.

Loud whine in the back when decelerating (Rear Diff pinion or rod)
- agree on pinion/ring wear, but could be wheel bearing.

Constant lesser whine in the back while driving (Same as above?)
- could be related to above

Steering column pulls hard with puddles or bumps (Same issue with the braking?)
- if you have a lift (these trucks don't lift well in general) you could be getting resulting bump steer

Dents/Paint issues (Wear and tear over the years)
- more affectionately referred to as "patina"

Rubbing on front tires (Oversized tires with spacers maybe?)
- see 33's above (LOL)

Brakes catch after sudden stop (This issue is intermittent and it feels as if the brakes take a second to release, truck seems to jerk occasionally after letting off the brake)
- this is probably slip yoke binding in the driveshaft. There are several good threads on this for reference (search for the "grease your drive shafts you lazy sods" thread)

Stiff suspension/Major Jerk when going over bumps (Major issue, truck feels like you just entered into a monster truck rally whenever going over a speed bump or hitting a pothole, suspension getting old?)
- see "lift" above

Driver door sags (Door hinge pins need replacement)
- also look for fatigued or torn attachment points. There are aftermarket bolt in and weld in kits for this.

Passenger front door makes a loud noise when opening (Needs lube?)
- I'd start there, both hinges and door check, but also check to make sure door is not contacting front fender.

Inconsistent Rough Idle (Throttle Body cleaning?)
- start there, but also check other maintenance items. Spark plugs/gaps, cracked coils, air filter, etc.

Timing Belt replacement (Last done 190,000 miles)
- at 70k miles you're probably okay, but wouldn't hurt to take a peek and do a visual check.

 

Yeah I do see the block on the rear, I know the front end was replaced but don't know when. The tires do have spacers on them which I am going to remove as long as the rubbing doesn't get worse.

 

Yup, 2" block in the rear. I'm going to guess 3" or 3.5" Rancho lift in the front.

Notice the lower mount of the strut/shock in front. The bushing is potentially blown out, which would contribute to other clunks and thunks.

Frame looks absolutely mint, btw. Good for you. Also good for you, I notice aftermarket upper control arms.

My guess is, the previous owner probably didn't fix any driveline angles with the lift, but I may be wrong. Your 40mph bounce may be related.

What size tires are on it curently?

 

The frame looks great as far as I can tell. Yes, the last owner had it for 6 years here in Florida not sure on the first owner. I am aware of the rust issues with the first gens, however I believe my trucks frame is in solid condition.

 

Welcome fellow DC owner! Lots of folks on here with more knowledge than me. Ha! I too recently acquired a pre-owned DC, and I too am the 3rd owner. Pull the round cap on the left side of the engine (facing the engine bay from the front of the truck) and take a peek at the timing belt. I did mine for piece of mind. Mine was on the original timing belt (bought with 216k miles)! I had the timing belt, water pump, cam seals, thermostat and spark plugs (and seals) all replaced. I too have some tire noise from running 33's. Safe travels!

 

Thanks for the input. Hopefully can tackle each issue one by one!

 

Sway bar link in 2nd pic looks bent. Could be solved with Suspension Maxx extended links. I was getting a clunk from mine being worn out/bent and just went to the longer ones.

Braking issue could just be the rubber lines going to the caliper going bad. Would be cheaper and easier than changing out both calipers. I'd start with just those for starters they look old/original and could be acting as a one way check valve. Make sure your brake fluid isn't too dirty as well.

 

Small update: Spent some time fixing up some small things and tried to remove the spacers, they seem to be on their pretty tight and I can't keep the rotor from spinning (don't have a strong enough impact, had to use a breaker bar) That being said I thought I'd give the underside a more thorough inspection and found some things that may not be so good.

Biggest issue: Found both the transmission and oil pan of the engine to be wet around the seals. My guess are the gaskets are wearing down or the original on the truck. The leaks seem to be small which is good for now. Only reason I believe this is due to the fact that there aren't many oil spots on my driveway. I think I am just going to monitor the leaks and just check my fluid levels more consistently for now. I'll look into replacing the gaskets, but I really don't want to open up a can of worms. Also noticed leaking a some kind of oil or sludge spray coming from where the driveshaft connects to the transmission. Also that joint appears to be dented.

Suspension: since I first posted I looked up the rancho struts and realized they have an adjustment knob down at the bottom. They were maxed out at the 9th setting. I lowered them and the rough ride, and vibrations have been greatly reduced. However going under the car today revealed that the steering column or rod has old and torn up boots on both sides. Left side is leaking some type of fluid, right side boot has almost completely deteriorated. This may be related to my steering drift when braking, but I know I'll have to replace the boots for now.

Even though the ride feels better now with the suspension adjustment, I know the vibrations are still there and I believe it is coming from the center support bearing. The rubber bushing is cracked and appears to be worn out, there is quite a bit of play right at the center bearing when pushing on the driveshaft. Hopefully this will fix the heavy vibrations.

 

Probably gonna have to get someone to hold down the brake pedal to get those spacers off. Got a pic of them? Just wanted to see what style they were.

I wouldn't worry about those oil pan/trans pan leaks. Seem very minor.

Not sure about that leak by the driveshaft. Doesn't look like a servere leak either. I'd keep an eye on it but it could be an output shaft seal.

 

Be sure to look up the proper way to replace the carrier bearing if you go that route. Most (incl me) will recommend going with Spicer brand, and know that finding the correct part is not always an easy task.

I still suspect the vibration is more related to angles than anything, maybe added to by cupping of tires, but I suppose it's possible it's the carrier bearing. Many have suspected that in the past. I think in about 1 in 10 cases it's actually the source.