What have you done to your 2.5 gen Tundra today?

So I stopped by @therealjonwick 's house and picked up some tires. Thank you!

While I was headed there, I finally got a seller on marketplace to drop his price on these TRD Pro rims. They were apparently used only to transport a special edition Sequoia cross country and the customer didn't want the original rims/tires damaged so they bought these. They've literally got 2500 miles on them as a set. Not a flaw on them. I'm going to run these 285 dunlops and see how I like them, and I have the set I just got to swap if I don't.

Next up I want to get rid of the chrome. I have bumper shellz and a new grille/hood bulge ready to be painted, and I'm looking at running boards right now.

 

Looking good! Siked you were able to get those rims! Look perfect with your red truck.

 

Recovered a little real estate on top of my rack after installing my Yakima Major Shady. I forgot to take a before pic, sorry.

Parts: 3/4" aluminum channel from https://www.lowes.com/pd/Steelworks...nished-Aluminum-Weldable-Trim-Channel/3058185
3/8" stainless fender washers
old rubber garden hose
zip ties

I cut 4 pieces of channel at 6.25 inches, filed off the burrs, and rounded adjacent corners on one end of each piece. Laying-out and drilling the holes for the bolts was the hardest part; 3/4" channel is barely wide enough to fit a 13 mm socket into for the nuts, so if I drilled the holes, even a smidge off, I'd have to cut another piece of channel and start over (that or drill larger holes than I wanted). I then cut off two 6" sections of hose, split it length-wise, and then notched it on the split to accommodate the bolts and nuts. The fender washers were used to raise the channel off the Major Shady mounting plates just enough to slide zip ties under and around. (I may add another two washers under the upright channels so I can slip a cargo strap underneath.)

The hose sections fit fairly tight in the channel, but I added the zip ties to ensure they don't fly off.


We have a 4 person tent that is 67" long by 8" wide when all packed up. I've now the perfect place to secure it on top the the racks.

 

Got the rake back from installing the Icon rear leaf expansion pack. This pack removes two oem springs and replaces them with three more. Gained a little more than an inch in the rear. New measurements are as follows from hub to fender. Old front coilovers are Procomp Prorunner 2.5” with reservoir.

Driver front. 24”
Driver rear. 26”
Passenger front. 24-1/8”
Passenger rear. 25-3/4”

 

We went to Belize a few years back. While there we went on a group kayaking tour. Access to the put-in and pick-up locations was by 4x4 only. On our way out that morning we found the trail blocked by a fallen tree. A very large hardwood tree; at least 16" diameter. So, we all piled out of the Jeeps, and two of our guides drove one back to get a chainsaw. While we waited, two of our remaining guides hacked on the trunk with machetes. Most of us tourists thought such would be a waste of effort, but, to our surprise, and before the chainsaw arrived, those two guides had chopped the trunk clean-through and dragged it off-trail with one of their Jeeps. That left an impression as to what a sharp machete can do.

Yesterday, I picked up a shovel and machete at Lowes. I plan to mount them to my front-of-bed MOLLE panel.

 

Let’s see your molle panels in your bed. I need ideas, lol.

 

Wash tanks are now painted black and mounted up. After sanding with 120 grit, using a palm sander, I drenched them with two cans of Krylon. I am very pleased with how securely the 4.5" u-straps hold them; standing beside the bed, reaching up and shaking them rocks the entire truck. A wet-run is next. Then pump installation.

 

I apologize, but i didn't get a pic yet, and there's so much in my bed just now I would not be able to get a clear one. This is the panel I got: https://yotaforce.com/collections/t...tundra-bed-molle-panel?variant=41000524021869 It was on sale a few weeks ago for $175.87, free shipping, and YotaForce did not charge sales tax.

Installation was straight forward. It's one piece, which I like. However, mounting it to the front of the bed rail does limit use of that rail; it sticks out enough in front of the rail that aftermarket, as well as OEM, tie-downs don't quite sit right. I did have to notch my BedRug so it fits around the lower mounting brackets, but you'd never know if I didn't tell you.

 

That website is going to get me in trouble. I really need to do the shifter/cup holder mod. I am constantly getting blinded by the chrome around the cup holder. Who’s bright idea was that??

 

You clearly need to watch an older Danny Trejo movie... "Machete" for additional machete inspiration; as an added bonus Jessica Alba is in it, but it's not her best work

 

Yesterday, I installed the East Coast Gear Supply bushing. I would give this job a 3/5 banana rating. It's not terribly hard, but if you're going in cold like I did, learning things on the fly (how to remove and install a CV axle, actually tapping in the bushing, etc) and not having all the proper tools on hand (like a 250 ft lb torque wrench or axle forks) makes it take longer. I think I could fly through this in a couple hours if I had to do it a second time.

Because there are a ton of videos on this but none of them on a Tundra, I did a full write-up in my thread. Every single thing that helped me, I wrote out. The biggest tips in the write-up are labeled as such: PRO TIP. I also linked to the tools I bought and the videos I watched. I mentioned what was helpful from each video.

I am enjoying the silence from the front diff for the first time in I don't know how long. If it starts leaking diff fluid or making any weird noises, I will be real sad. Will keep an eye on it and report back.

Here it is installed, flush. The only thing left after this step was to install the new axle seal and put everything back together.

 

5 tire rotation yesterday and installed the new center caps I purchased this winter. Now I play the game of relearning the TPMS so the tires are in the right position on the display. I should just get an Autel unit and be done with it forever



I have an OBDLINK MX+ adapter, the OBDLink doesn't seem to support any two way comms with the TPMS, but it sounds like Carista allows you to Register new TPMS sensor IDs according to their website. anyone know how to do this? Is that a pay feature/PRO subscription on Carista?

 

Noticed some of the LEDs were fading on my Alpharex taillights. After reaching out about it, the vendor suggested a repair solution to try as they were out of warranty. The repair worked for the LEDs that were fading but the repair cause a different set to fade.

Decided to order new taillights and not play any games with brake lights. Upgraded to the Alpharex LUXX series taillights.

Like the brake lights being brighter on this new set and the sequential yellow turn lights are a big improvement. Taillights sequential turn signal now matches the headlights

old taillight issue:



new (right) vs old:


New on both sides:

 

The web site does not show the dimensions. I was looking at this to see if it would mount inside on the back wall where the window rolls down. Do you have the length and height of that panel?

 

Sure, I'll get the dimensions for you. Gimme a minute. Thinking about how it could mount, though. Hmmmm. Maybe build an L shaped frame (plywood)? Screws or bolts in the back wall may interfere with window operation? Rivnuts and short (just long enough) bolts? Have you removed your back seats? Else, how would you access it one installed?

 

Installed some squadrons and a RCI trans skid/cat shields.



I'm looking to change out to white lens for the squadrons. Which lens would you guys recommend for street driving to minimize blinding oncoming drivers? These are sports and I know they are designed more for off-road use but I got them at a real low price and didn't want to pass that up.

 

Wow, I hate the Itty bitty new reverse light. I had to enlarge the pic on my phone just to make it out! Im rocking the old pair now for 2+ years, had thought about getting the new one with Amber's, but the reverse light seems like a deal breaker for me.

The old one was smoked lense right? The new one seems to have a clear lense and all the components are blacked out?

 

I am ready for the panel

 

Took my TRD PRO rear sway bar off. Jeez, only after 3 years... I have less rust on the sway bar of my 19 y.o. Volvo. Polyurethane bushings feel fine.

Anyways. Will test how it drives on the highway to the offroad site and then how much does it help to articulation. If satisfied, will be selling the sway bar for cheap.

 

gotta love the amount of salt they spread around here! We probably had more inches of salt than snow this year.

 

Reverse is small in light but bright at night. Was a small turnoff for me but does match up with a lot of newer vehicles these days.

Old ones were a smoked lense and new is clear. I like the new ones better all around

 

Oh yeah, and this is not a joke.

 

Okay, unloading some stuff, and squishing, on my back (I've a Lomax trifold, and the 3rd panel does not fold up against the rear of the cab) between other stuff, I measure the panel at 58" x 20" (including the top mounting tabs). The 4 integral tabs extend 1 3/16" above the top panel edge. The lower brackets, designed to get secured by the bolts that anchor the bed to the frame, raise the panel by about 3/4", but they attach to the panel through slotted holes that give you about 5/8"+- of play, up and down. The four spacers for the top mounting bolts are approx. 1" long, so, unless you come up with some other spacer arrangement, figure the panel will install with approx. 1" between it and your vertical plywood wall. I hope that all makes sense.

 

What price are you thinking if you sell it? I might do the same. Have yet to take mine off.

 

I had my 22's powder coated satin bronze chrome, and this weekend was the first time I was able to clean them.

 

That looks stellar!! Damn!

 

Brake fluid swap and bleed. Pedal feels like a new truck again. Was getting a little spongy.

 

took a pic of the installed skids yesterday while exploring. This truck never ceases to amaze me! Found a great spot for a picnic overlooking the lake!

 

Looks great! I just installed the trans skid and cat shields on mine. Did you go with aluminum or steel? Beautiful scenery too!