2000 Limited TRD refresh/repair story

Hello all!

I’ve been inspired by a few threads on here to start my own “reinvestment” or “refresh” story. I’ve browsed this forum for a long time, but I figured it was about time to start posting.

A little about myself and my truck: My name is Jack, and I was given my ‘00 AC Limited TRD about a year ago, for my 16th birthday. It was purchased off the showroom floor of our local dealership by my grandfather, and it now has just over 198,000 miles.

In 2016, the frame was recalled, and in 2017, the lower ball joint went as well. At some point the pink milkshake happened too. The truck was neglected for years, and I’ve got a long list of items I’d like to fix.

I’ll be posting regularly with updates on my fixes/improvements to the truck, and doing my best to keep on schedule despite my limited budget.

Paint/Cosmetic:

• New Windshield
• Window Trim Plastidip
• Rust spots removed/repainted (bed corners)
• Hood rust repainted/mirror cap paint fail
• Mirror Caps Painted
• Wheel Repaint
• Bed Paint Update
• Window Visors
• New Tires
• More Bed Repainting
• New Rear Bumper
• Clay Bar/Wax

Fixes/Maintenance:

• Throttle Body Clean/PCV Valve
• Timing Belt Pt. 1
• Timing Belt Pt. 2
• Timing Belt Pt. 3/200k Miles
• New Shocks & Front Steering Rebuild
• Plugs & Coils
• Bedcover Struts
• Brake Rebuild
• New/Used PS Pump
• Surface Shield Undercoating

Lighting:

• Map Lights Mod
• Mini Projector Headlight Install
• Mini projector Results
• Cargo Lamp Mod Idea
• Cargo Lamp Mod Install
• Mini Projector Update

Interior:

• OEM Doorsill Protectors
• Torn Leather "Fix"
• 3D Printed Scangauge Mount
• 3D Printed Mount for OEM USB/USB-C Charger
• OEM USB/USB-C Charger

Other Mods:

• ADDCO Rear Sway Bar
• Falken Rubitrek Tires
• Falken Rubitrek Update/Review
• Mudflap Trim

Cargo/Storage:

• Toolbox Mounting/Bed Storage
• Tailgate and Bedcover lock fixes
• 3D Printed Center Console Organizer
• Chalk Bag Oversize Cupholder

"On Board Air":

• Harbor Freight Air Compressor Install

Maybe Coming Soon:

• Bilstein 6112s? Maybe?
• New Steering Rack
• Wolfbox dash/rear camera
• MagSafe phone mount/charger?
• Interior bulb replacements
• USB/USB-C charging for backseat

 

Welcome! If you haven't already seen it, this thread may be helpful for you. Frame looks AWESOME!

https://www.tundras.com/threads/so-you-wanna-buy-just-bought-a-1st-gen-tundra-eh.115928/

 

Thanks, I’ll give it a thorough read!

And yeah, the frame is pretty immaculate. Im trying my best to keep it that way! The grease & sponge method seems to work pretty well, it’s super easy to rinse off any dirt/dust/salt.

 

Definitely, I'm sure @FirstGenVol can give you some input.

Love the your forum avatar btw, couldn't be more fitting for the history of the truck... too many people have learned the hard way to only use OEM lower balljoints, and/or always replace the bolts with the joint, with specific bolts.

 

Welcome. Glad to see you've been doing it all the right way the first time even with a slightly higher up front cost.
Only thing I didn't see that I'm concerned of is when your last timing belt change was. Otherwise seems to be in pretty great shape.
What was the reason for the replacement driveshaft previously?

 

The timing belt was done around 115k, so it’s due for a replacement. I’m on the fence about sending it to a shop or doing it myself… I’d be much more meticulous than a shop, but one snapped bolt in the block and I’m screwed. That decision could be a whole thread in itself.

As for the driveshaft, the original one probably hadn’t been greased in 15 years, and one of the U-joints was far gone. The old one was very rusty, and I tried my best to get the old joint pressed out. After messing around in the cold for way too long, I bought a brand new (unfortunately not OEM) driveshaft that was balanced, powder coated, and had all new joints and new carrier bearing. I try my best to stick to OEM, but I’ll be greasing it regularly, and I rarely tow or haul heavy loads. I had a driveshaft shop look at the old one, and they confirmed that it wasn’t worth rebuilding.

 

Welcome aboard Jack. You've got the twin to my truck, although yours is far nicer than mine.

 

Thank you! Although, there is a reason why all my photos are 15 feet away!

I need to re-read the seat fixing and paint touch up parts of your thread, rock chips are aplenty and the driver’s seat needs some serious love.

 

I think that's pretty much everyone's driver's seat. Even my truck, with ~74k miles on it, the leather bolsters are ripped on the door side of the seat. Drives me a little nuts.

 

It's from sliding out of the truck, I imagine. I've gotten into the habit of putting my left hand on top of the lap belt housing, next to the seat, and supporting my weight as I get out of the truck. This way I'm not sliding out of the truck and tearing up my nice new leather.

.02

Maybe a mod can fix your pictures??

 

Alright time for the first (small) update!

I had a few hours over thanksgiving break to get some stuff done.

I started by fixing the fuel filler flap, which fell off upwards of ten years ago. The hinge needed to be welded back together. Lubed up the lock tumbler too…



Next I did the map lights mod, where you take the lens off and remove the ‘baffle’ in the lens. Worked amazing, took me ten minutes. Super bright now.


You can see how rough the drivers seat is in the second photo…

After that I re-sprayed the seatbelts with Blaster Silicone lubricant w/ Teflon. I did this a couple months ago, decided to do it again. Keeps them reeling in quick and easy.



I decided to use the same lubricant on the pivots on my ARE bedcover. It’s one of my favorite parts of the truck, it looks great, and it’s probably the only thing that has kept the bed so rust-free. It’s held up pretty good for 22 years outside, but it’s starting to show it’s age. A project for next spring is rebuilding the arms with new struts and bushings.

 

Have any pics of the gas door repair? Maybe I should just try and weld mine back. I've got a new unpainted one that someone is supposed to paint for me when the time is right but the time hasn't been right and I'm getting tired of looking at it and still have the broken one sitting around.
Good move on the seatbelts. I pressure washed mine first but used the same lubricant over a year ago and they still work like new.
Link
Truck looks real nice. I'm sure it'll look great when you're done with it. What are the plans on the seats?

 

The hinge is only held onto the back of the door with some tabs that are bent and folded to hold it snug. I used some small screwdrivers and smooth pliers to bend the tabs out of the way. I circled where the tabs get bent onto. I was then able to tack weld the bed side of the hinge to the rod, and then I coated it all with primer.

You could easily use the hinge from your new door on your old one that’s already painted.

For the seats, I’m not sure. You can get a new seat cover for $150 on eBay, but I’m not sure what the quality and matching will be like. I’d honestly rather have a very torn seat that matches the rest of the leather than a seat bottom that is different than the rest.

 

Hmm I'll have to give that a try.
I know you can get all the seats recovered (either yourself or a shop) for varying prices but that would be quite the job or quite the price if you pay someone to do it. Could just spend a couple hundred on some nice seat covers for now.

 

The seat cover bottom (leather) is still sold by Toyota. I can run up the part number for you if you want. will probably cost around $275-350 if you get the Toyota Parts online discount shopping through the official site. Will be a direct match.

You can also get the foam bottom replacement, but it's roughly the same price, making the expense questionable. I'm sort of in the same position on my end. All of my seat covers are basically mint, except the bottom door-side bolster and the back door-side bolster, and the arm rest cover is cracked to hell. So I need to replace the back and bottom leathers with direct OEM match @ $650-800, or consider having a shop redo both seats totally at $900-1200 locally.

Oh, and the armrest, sadly, only comes as an assembly. So I'd needt to buy the entire assembly at like $250 or something crazy like that. I keep pestering "The Seat Shop" to start making 1st Gen covers, but as of yet, they haven't come through. I think they're not seeing enough demand. Those guys make direct OEM-replacement seat covers (legit ones), but only for '07+ Toyotas.

 

Okay, now I feel old having bought mine new in 02.

 

Before you give a shop all your money, do what I did and buy the leather seat bottom cover from u.s.autoseatcover on eBay ($165.00) Great color match and very high quality. I got the arm rest cover from auto champ of Texas on eBay ($63.00) Also very high quality and great fit. The color of the arm rest cover was just a shade off, but you really can't tell. I bought a Hog Ring pliers kit on Amazon ($12-14) and pulled the seat out and replaced the bottom. The arm rest wasn't horrible to change, but it took some finesse. After I got it all back together, the cover took a few days to fit on the frame nicely but it looks great now.
I did a write up on my thread about the seat cover swap. The cushion was in good enough condition that I didn't swap it out.

All for less than $300.00 beans and an afternoon.

 

My seat cover replacement saga starts here

My 2001 TRD Access Cab Repair/Modify Thread

 

That doesn’t sound too bad at all to me!

How does the cover attach to the frame, around the bottom edges?

 

That's the fun part. It's really hit or miss what you get, and why that number is so cheap. This video walks you thru the kind of stuff the bigger names you'll see on eBay.

Do with this what you will. It's your money, and I don't knock anyone for spending it. If it's going to cost me the same amount buying a 2nd set a couple years out because of inferior craftsmanship or materials, I'd personally rather just spend the money on OEM or OEM-plus replacements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_CVpeKIgCM

 

You’re completely right, that’s the issue.

I really do try my best to stick with the nicest stuff, but with a part time job and a sports car, truck, and boat to pay for, premium isn’t always possible. Stuff is expensive!

I’ll keep all of this in mind, but the seat is pretty low on the list, and there are other things that need priority.

 

Since the current seat cover is shot, you may just consider getting some really good 3M adhesive, and a piece of pleather in the same shade and footprint that will fit between the stiches at either side of the bolster, and glue it down.

Best way to do that is to apply 3M adhesive to the seat area, then completely cover the back of the fabric patch, wait 5-10 minutes, and lay the patch in place, sticky side to sticky side.

I prefer 3M 08090 Yellow Super Trim Adhesive. That stuff and the process I've just outlined is what I've used for headliners and door cards. Just be cautious of overspray when hitting the seat and/or blue painters tape and old newspaper to mask things off as needed.

 

I used that 3M stuff when I installed carpeting in my boat… that’s some really sticky stuff. I’ll try to find some leather that’s a similar color.

 

I've always wondered if this stuff (or something like it) works...what have you got to lose?

$22 ILOFRI Leather Repair Patch for Car Seats, 60x17" Self Adhesive Leather and Vinyl Repair Tape Kit for Couches, Furniture, Boat Seats, Sofa, Upholstery, Auto Interior - Light Grey #2

https://www.amazon.com/ILOFRI-Adhes...ry-Interior/dp/B09YYMPDK9?smid=A1SONG39U9CN9V

 

Another...

 

The screencap on that video is probably my biggest concern with buying cheaper seat covers.

too many companies out there using cheap "pleather", and in the sunny south, it can easily peel.

 

Unfortunately, I have a not-so-great update.

About a month ago the transmission in my truck started shifting upshifting extremely hard. Like, it would chirp the tires and seem as if you were being kicked in the back. I had a very well established and reputable transmission shop look at it, and their diagnosis was that the internal transmission harness had shorted out and fried the solenoid that controls the smoothness of the shifting, which threw the code P1760. They replaced the solenoid and harness, and it drove unbelievably well. It shifted silky smooth and it was worth every penny of the $750 I paid them. I couldn't believe how good it was.

This afternoon, however, I get into the truck, and WHAM! Same thing happens. CEL is back too, with the exact same P1760 code. The truck is back at the same shop, I'm awaiting the diagnosis.

I looked into the diagnostic process, and it's quite simple. I've linked it here: https://caphector.com/atoyota/techi...ypdf/02rmsour/2002/02echorm/di/ax/cip1760.pdf

If you've replaced the solenoid and the harness, and there is still a fault, the only thing left to replace is the ECU. I can't imagine that the harness or solenoid went bad, especially as the original ones lasted for 22 years and 198k miles, so I'm thinking it might be an ECU issue.

Thoughts?

 

Do you know if the shop used OEM toyota parts in the trans?

Also, I have a spare ECU I'd be willing to sell to you if your numbers match mine. Other wise, I wouldn't try it out. The part number on mine is 89661-0C161 for a 2UZ-FE 4x4.

Edit: I realize your truck is at the shop right now, but taking the glove box out, and taking the HVAC piping out is stupid simple. ECU is held in with two screws once all that's out when you get her back.