Engine Coolant replacement

I'm at 86k miles, 2019 TRD Pro. Do I need to takeoff the skid plate to drain the coolant??

 

I didn’t I used a 3/8” ID rubber hose through the oil filter door and drained into a pan. pretty sure it was 3/8” if i remember correctly

 

Reached mine through the wheel wells. No removal of anything. If I recall correctly, it was behind the skid plate and I drained into a large concrete mixing tub.

I'm about to do mine again, so if my memory of the last time is incorrect, well, I'll just chalk it up to age.

 

With regards to the driver/passenger side block drains...I recall reading a post on here that suggested jacking up the drivers side of the truck and only needing to drain the passengers side block drain as the drivers side only drains a tiny bit and is harder to get at then the passenger side.

Just a possible suggestion.

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/coolant-replacement-the-easy-way.142235

 

Ahh there you are! Haha I JUST found your thread and was about to tag you

I'm at 34K miles on my '18. Bought it used from Carmax so unsure if it was ever changed but i'm going to be using your instructions when that time comes.

 

Just replaced the coolant on my '13 CM. So I was wrong. You do need to remove the pan. I'd forgotten .....that's what happens as one gets older. Even with pan removed, the coolant is going to run all over the suspension and frame components, so the big tub is necessary, unless you can push a vinyl tubing onto the fitting to direct the flow (too difficult to mess with). Getting to the passenger side not very bad...long extension with 10mm socket, going in front of the engine mount. Driver side required removal of the wheel, and going in behind the engine mount, using a u-joint before the socket due to the angle getting to the fitting. Both sides have some flexible inner fender linings to deal with.

 

In the thread linked above there's a link to $10 fuel transfer pump that makes coolant replacement easy. Don't need to bend over at all.

 

I just read that thread, and it's obviously very useful info. But I found that it wasn't really very hard, even for this near-80 yr-old. I'm thankful to be in pretty good shape for my age, but if a person should have physical challenges, then by all means, there are easier ways to do this. If age or injury is a factor, we often have to use our brains to make up for our loss of strength.

And besides, I need to keep bending over as much and as long as I can.

 

I'd say (to 24 y.o myself): always use your brains to avoid injuries and loss of strength ;-)

 

My 24yr old self wouldn’t have listened to adult me anyway…

 

Yeah, mine would just say "F-k off" =) Young stupid idiot...

 

To be honest, when I was about three years younger than your 24 y.o. self, I was invincible.....as were all the young warrant officer pilots under my command, flying choppers in VietNam. One might say we were young stupid idiots, too. But sometimes that's what it takes.

Forgive my reminiscing ......

 

No guts, no glory.