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

Yep that will work

 

Yes. It's a game of seesaw where two jacks are ideal. Floor jack under the diff. Bottle jack from the truck to assist along the way. With a lifted pack you will almost assuredly need to unbolt the lower shock mount. I know I did.

 

Thanks guys for helping me out! Hopefully ill get more progress tomorrow.

But....

A: Ill need a friend to come help me lift this heavy ass leafspring in place

B: Its thanksgiving and have to be at my moms for dinner!

 

Oh, and when I say 'see saw' game ... Doing one at a time, I felt like it was see saw, where the diff was the pivot point. Not really, but it visually looked like it.

If memory serves ....

Actually memory failed me, because I remember I wrote this day-of work and it explains exactly how I did it solo, pretty easily : https://www.tundras.com/threads/wha...-gen-tundra-today.2558/page-1707#post-3334239

When you finish DO NOT forget, you'll likely be putting more strain on your upper shock bushings. I needed to spin mine down half a dozen threads, they were shrooming hard. Don't forget to tighten u-bolts down equally in criss-cross.

Sorry if preaching to the choir on this. Figure if nothing else, someone may read it and it'll help. I remember getting that shackle reattached (edit: to the frame) was a bitch until I figured out how to leverage the bottle jack (pun intended). And the front driver pack mount sucks due to gas tank.

 

@shifty` I think im definitely visually understanding what youre talking about. That is really helpful info, thanks so much!

Interesting about the upper shock bushings. Never would have even thought to keep an eye on those. Even if you are preaching to the choir with others on here, i definitely have a better understanding now so you shouldnt apologize for spreading useful information!

 

Unbolt the shocks. It’ll make life easier

 

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a cheapo parts tumbler/washer!

 

I did all the work solo, while medically not-entirely-well (like 48 hours before tonsillectomy, with an incoming sinus infection). It took me about 75 mins on the 1st side, 60 on the 2nd. YMMV. I started on the passenger side (easier) to get the hang of it and got really hung up because … I didn’t pull the lower shock bolt! And I couldn’t get that extra inch or two I needed to get the shackle bolt out freely, and get the axle tube to drop enough to take the new spring. Anyway, I’m not a big guy, a little over 6ft, around 175# currently. I am strong but not one of those guys who presents as “buff”, I don’t lift weights on any particular regimen, don’t care to make myself look larger. The springs are only 45-70lb/ea so not too bad.

Before you get started though, make sure you have u-bolts that are a couple inches longer, that’s the only thing that hit me in the ass. Fortunately I had my longer set from the AAL kit.

 

I was worried about the same (old dude brain) which is why I wrote this, in case I needed to do this again, I just forgot I wrote it!!!: https://www.tundras.com/threads/wha...-gen-tundra-today.2558/page-1707#post-3334239

Oh and on this point, remembering I initially learned from a Navy E2/P3 airplane mechanic, this is one of those places I was told never to re-use bolts due to stretch that inevitably happens naturally during proper torquing on a multi-head bolt. I was also told “in a pinch”, if you can spin the nut freely from top to bottom without any change in resistance you may be good for another torque-down.

That said, my OEM U-bolts were stouter, heavier than the fatter extended u-bolts Icon sent with my AAL kit. Almost felt like OEM was steel and the Icon bolts were alloy. Super weird.

 

U bolts are a onetime use for sure, but the shackle hardware I don’t see a issue reusing

 

Happy Thanksgiving, hope you all have much to be thankful for.

 

I have a bench grinder that's whole purpose is cleaning up hardware. One side has a brass wire brush and the other side is steel. Basically every piece of hardware I touch gets a quick cleanup before reassembly.

Watch out though. It will suck a small piece right out of your hands, around the guard, and then rocket it into your chest at a mach-FU speed. Safety Squints highly advised.

 

Today I’m making a modification to the hidden snorkel. Mr Mo Tundy, who once hooked 4 trout on a single cast reminded me our trucks defi physics when driving through puddles. Somehow ends with a waterfall on the windshield which got me worried since it draws air in the cowl space.

 

Definitely. I might've misunderstood. I think this has been the worst day of this crap I've got.

 

Oh and Happy Thanksgiving ya bastids.

 

Took a few tries but feeling like this is the final portion of the hidden snorkel in the cowl. Gives me an extra 1 3/8” higher intake while keeping the 3” opening and is well above a few places water can drain even if I get massive gush into cowl.

Sewn together with copper wire and hot glued the seams.

and she’s back in with enough time to finish b4 dinner.
Happy Thanksgiving all. Appreciate all the help I got here when I started working on my truck. Good peoples

 

Changed the oil in my new to me truck today. Was looking through some service records from the previous owner and realized the shop that did the last change used 0w20 in it and one of those dollar store looking quick lube oil filters. Got a Toyota filter and some Mobil 1 high mileage and feel better now. Side note: Toyota dealership 5 minutes down the road has oil filters for $6 I wasn’t expecting them to be that cheap. Nice surprise

 

Ya I buy them 5 at a time just in case they realize they’re not ripping us off on them lol

 

I normally get mine $2.50-3.50 each, you can definitely find them cheaper!

 

Before. Original owner 2000 AC 4x4

During. My 20 year old son learning how to wrench on his truck.


Aftermath. All new OEM LCA, Ball Joint, Cam Sleves and bolts. Bilstein 5100, Freedom Off Road UCA, new inner outer tie rods, steering rack bushings, extended sway bar end links, new carrier bearing, 1” block in the back.



Done!! 285/70/17 on Vision Flow. 9” wide , -12 offset.

 

Nice! That's practically a 34" tire. I don't see to many people running those

 

Oops sorry 285/70/17 not 75.

Josh at First Gen Off-road was a load of help planning out the setup.

 

I like the wheels. What are they?

 

Vision Flow 17x9 with -12 offset. Got them with the BFG K02s from Custom Offsets.com.

 

Got the Archive garage springs installed today. Wasnt too bad by myself actually, but removing the lower shock bolt helped a lot with lifting the new springs in place.

Ill have to double check my measurements, but it looks like I got atleast a 1 1/2" lift with these springs. Thats compared to the originals with a Wheelers AAL. So it almost looks like I have a bit of rake now, but hard to tell in my driveway. Ill have to take it for a drive and get a better view of it from the side when i can.

But so far it looks pretty good and im glad I didnt go with the HD springs and get even more lift and rake. Time will tell as they probably will settle a bit too.

Happy Thanksgiving guys!

EDIT: Also got the U Bolt flip kit installed as well. Cant wait to go camping now and see how this rear suspension feels!

 

Those OEM starfish look mint. I need to refinish my 2 sets

 

They're here! They're here!
Time to work some OT to pay them off and get some tires. Lol.

 

Fever finally blew up then broke overnight. I was out cold from 19h00 - 09h30 and don’t remember a damn bit of it.

Today was bath time, before it gets all cold and stuff.

​

 

I need to replace one of my valve cover gaskets it’s leaking where the best place to order from. I’m looking to get the gasket the half moon gaskets and new bolts?

 

Everything you need to know, and links to instructions/tips, part numbers, etc: https://www.tundras.com/threads/valve-covers-fix-or-leave.105385/#post-2712883

Go OEM on parts for sake of longevity. This is not a fun task you want to be doing again later. I feel like Toyota could've made this easier-to-do, but ... if done right, you shouldn't need to touch for another 10-15 years.