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

THE TOAST MASTER GENERAL!!

WE SHALL ACHIEVE ALL!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miXol5FLRIA​

 

Testicooler

 

Well, no one has bought the truck so we decided to install the rear fiberglass bedsides. Definitely going to ask like $2k more now because this shit ain't easy I'll update once it's done. If it doesn't sell and we end up painting it, we may never sell it..

We also sold our camper shell to a dude with a nice DC.

 

Uhh, did I miss something? What happened to the truck?

 

Very late to post these updates.

Back in November, I decided it was time for a new front end and Dobinson IMS kit (SPC uppers, 33's, air spring delete, steering rack bushings, rebuilt calipers, new OEM lower control arms, sway bar end links, Yukon carrier bushing, rebuilt axles for high clearance boots, spindle gussets, eimkeith PCK, etc - I live close to Jim Smola and he helped with a few things. Used that opportunity to change all the diff fluids. Took her to Windrock in January and got pretty muddy. Ordered new Angel Eyes headlights in February. Most recently, I noticed a radiator leak (crack at the top, behind the foam) - fortunately she didn't leak too much or overheat (I was on a 200 mile round trip for work). Replaced it with an aluminum 3-core from Champion and threw on some new hoses.

Items on the list - clean the throttle body; Transmission service; talk the wife into sliders, skids, 4.56's, Eaton locker, and custom fabricated bumpers; snorkel, and a thorough cleaning. She's my daily for now. When it comes time to get a newer daily (I'm thinking a Camry or manual trans 4-cylinder Tacoma) this will become my full fledged fun vehicle (camping, dog shuttle, camper hauler, expedition and adventure).

 

We bought a single cab 2011 Tundra for better towing and the first gen sat. So we listed it up for sale. I've had one guy look at it and he low balled the hell out of us. So now we're swapping rear glass on to see if that'll help it sell. But the more we look at it (and dream) the more we want to keep it. We have a long traveled 4runner that's a blast but it's 2wd. So kicking around the idea of keeping the first gen and throwing a Solo Motorsports kit on it with it being 4wd is tempting.

 

DO IT!!!!!

 

Yeah it ain’t our money. DO IT!

 

It would be such a fun build! And it would be nice to have something to pull the 4runner out if it gets stuck. But selling it means we can get an RV so we're pretty torn on what to do haha

 

Ah, I always vote travel.

and just buy a super long winch cable

 

We definitely will be putting a winch in the 4runner bumper. Probably one in the Tundra if we keep it. We plan to go to Glamis alot so having a truck that's 4wd would be so fun. I'm sure once the rear glass is on, we'll fall in love with it again and keep it haha

 

RV = recreational vehicle.

It's clearly a win-win. You're building a recreational vehicle

I dunno though, I hear you on the RV. I'd rather have an RV than a pull-behind, but it's so much to deal with parking, rodents, upkeep, etc. with someone that only gets used once or twice a month (at most, for most people) and depending on your climate, may get put away for months at a time.

And the premiums on mobile recreational products right now are still outrageous.

 

Yeah we would need some rodent control but I think my barn cat does okay with that thankfully. We would definitely use it often. I couldn't justify a payment and have it sit. I have property so I don't need to store it anywhere which is nice and saves money. But I'd want to escape our AZ heat often. I have 4 dogs so that's a huge reason for the RV, so we can bring them all with and have space. Glamis will be really nice with an RV as well. I didn't know about premiums but we aren't exactly ready yet so we haven't truly looked into everything. Our reg cab could pull a row behind but then I'd have to tow the trailer for the 4runner behind that.

 

RE: Premiums.

My parents bought a pull-behind pop-up camper in 2017, paid ballpark in the $10k back then. Not long after they moved to Southern AL, they traded it in for $11k towards a new, larger camper that sleeps 5 adults, full kitchen, full bath, demo model, for $24k. The same camper they traded in goes for $14k-16k now. The demo model sells north of $30k now.

It's absolutely nuts to me. RVs are seeing similar bloat to what I'm seeing out of Land Cruisers/LX470 right now. What I could buy 5 years ago for $12k-15k in an LX470 I'm looking at $20k-24k now. Anything "outdoorsy" has had a major price hike since the pando started.

 

and I thought his username @FrenchToasty was because he liked French toast.

 

French in regards to his hygeine.
Toasty in regards to his habits.
FrenchToasty because he's great at brunches, covered in syrup, butter, and dusted with powdered sugar.

 

I thought he was just a stoned French guy

 

I noticed that too. Ugh. I wanna get out more often but it's proving hard with 4 dogs

 

Was checking on the rear leafs after driving on them for a bit and noticed the overload leaf had moved a bit



Not sure if it’s a big deal but it bothers me. So next time I have time probably loosen up the u-bolts move it back into place and tighten up the center pin just a smidge. Overall these things ride great

 

Time for the BFH

 

It shouldn’t be that bad to get it straight, just do blows on opposite corners until it’s straight. Might as well wait until you retorque for mileage

 

Ive got some things ive done that im late on posting as well. A few weeks ago I bought some Bilstein 6112s and 5160s and installed those. Also painted my LCAs while I had the front suspension removed. Went camping last week and the suspension felt great. Probably no where near as smooth as Kings or the like on the washboard roads, but still a big improvement over the 5100s i had on there. I could definitely hit the washboards faster and felt quite a bit smoother. Also overall they felt great on the trails over some flexy spots. Nothing too crazy though on this trip. Heres some photos for ya guys

 

Awesome!!!
Hit the washboards faster next time to stay on top

 

Oh yea i know how you either go really slow on washboards or really fast to smoothen them out. I was going around 50 on these and it felt pretty damn smooth overall

 

Hahah yes! That’s the way to do it!!!!

 

Oh, also cleaned my engine bay after the trip cuz i had mud everywhere. Probably not going through mud for awhile if i can avoid it, haha. Took several hours to clean it all. But so much fun flying through wet dirt roads with tons of big puddles. I couldnt help myself

 

For sure I’m just impatient and a slight perfectionist

 

Just to clarify, not tons of mud in the engine bay, but on the last night I had to leave in the middle of the night cuz the wind was insane and I couldnt sleep. Trying to get back to the highway at night kept coming up to huge lakes in the roads. Ended up finding a side road and came into a muddy dry lake bed area. Couldnt slow down so ended up plowing through and made it to the highway! I thought for sure I was getting stuck and camping in the middle of the mud that night. My truck was so full of mud underneath after this "detour".

Heres the lake bed I had the pleasure of driving through trying to get back to the highway. Sorry no actual pictures as it was 11pm and I was getting out of the crazy wind!



I was on sunset coming from the right trying to take a right at that main road back to the highway. It was totally swamped so i took that diagonal road trying to get to the highway. It was all going good until the big sand part. But I kept it in second gear and hit the throttle and made it through to the highway. I was so relieved! Then spent the last night of the trip at a Walmart parking lot. Was my first time camping in one of their lots. Lots of others doing the same!

 

Finished up replacing my timing belt and water pump.