Finally Joined the 1st Gen Club - 06 DC

A few years ago, I bought a 2015 Tacoma, which was a hasty purchase after my 02 Silverado was allegedly dead forever. Turns out I shouldn't have ever gone to that shop, as they had that truck for multiple weeks and couldn't figure it out. They told me the truck was probably donezo.

In haste, I bought a Tacoma because I couldn't find a good 1st Gen Tundra on short notice. A few weeks later, and my Silverado was back with a simple new fuel pump and battery. (I even told that shop, and they insisted it wasn't those).

I spent the last almost two years, trying to make the Tacoma into something it wasn't. A Tune, cam gears, little amenity upgrades like mirror temp/direction, seat jackers... Things to make it more trucky, like bed stiffeners and upgraded suspension... Sound deadener and mass loaded vinyl, foil faced jute above the headliner... The list goes on. I refrained from wheels, helical limited slip, leaf pack, head unit, etc etc... I just couldn't justify it anymore.

I always preferred driving the Silverado, in it's LT trim it was nice, and way nicer than the Tacoma for comfort and for truck stuff. The rack and pinion and suspension travel where really the only things I liked better on the Tacoma...

Fast forward to this weekend, and I finally sold the Tacoma and purchased an 06 DC SR5 Tundra in Phantom Gray Pearl. Bonus points for a Sunroof (maybe I'll regret it later).

The Truck is (was) a 1-Owner, with an extensive maintenance history. Not a beat was missed, with the truck receiving at least an oil change every 5k, and early maintenance of everything else, even registering service at the same shop 2K before it was sold. This, to the total of 140K miles. EDIT: The thing is clean. Factory paint pen marks abound, spotless under the hood with no rust, frame is fantastic paint is great for such an old truck. LineX bed looks brand new, no dents, no scuff marks or grease stains in the LineX... Weathertech side window shields aren't UV damaged, matching floor mats. No scratches or tears in the interior, drivers seat is in great shape... Paint Matched Leer 100... The list goes on, IMO.

After driving it 200 miles home this weekend, I can say I regret not jumping on one of these sooner. The 2UZ runs so smooth, like a sewing machine. The driving experience is composed, and handling is tight. It's more comfortable and quiet than my Taco or Silverado. The interior space is great!

The only detractions are that the truck feels oversprung and stiff compared to either of my other trucks. Some of this is likely due to the 285/75R16 E-Load KO2s (On raceline wheels) that had too much air in them... But I still think the suspension is stiff...

Here's a list of priorities for me, in somewhat of an order of importance.

1. The truck goes to my trusted shop for a second set of eyes on leaks and creaks that I might not have seen. Yes yes, ball joints is top of mind.

2. Altho the previous owner put 5100s all around, I haven't yet figured out how they managed to get 2-3" of lift in the front. I don't know if I've got preload on existing springs or longer coils (they would have to be 885s, the truck is too level for 884s). However, the truck fees "preloaded" in a way that makes me suspect that the spring perches are a few notches up, or that I may be looking at a spacer if not a small one above the shock. Usually they are obvious but I don't remembered a non-spacer'd 5100 looking how this one looks, however I can't see any notches under the collar as of yet either. Personally I'm more interested in 885s on 5100s (zero notch of course). For Caster correction... I haven't decided on UCAs or solo motorsports LCAs... If the LCA eccentrics are seized and the LCA's need to be re-bushing'd, it may be more cost effective to go the Solo route anyways as crazy at the sounds... Let me know if you disagree. Oh, and I'll probably just go ahead and do an ECGS Clamshell on the dang thing... I do not enjoy pulling CV Axles. EDIT: Oh and while I'm in the wheel wells doing all this... I'll probably gusset the spindles... May just do hubs at the same time since the truck has 140. I dunno...

3. The previous owner also had a trailer brake controller and airbags installed. Yes, he kept up on all fluids including transmission, but I don't think the truck was a heavy hauler, just a weekender. Anyways, I have more use for travel, and less use for bags, so I may remove them. Curiously they are not installed like I have installed Firestone bags on Tacomas, as they are placed in front of the bump stops and there appear to be 4 holes drilled into the frame to mount the bags... I am less than enthused about the frame holes, and will probably solicit opinions from ya'll on if these holes are introducing weaknesses into the frame in that area and if they should be repaired. I am probably being paranoid. (PS the frame is spotless)

4. The truck has Amazon special headlights, with darkened lenses. Probably the most surprising move from this otherwise detailed and diligent owner who seemingly pampered this truck. CAPA certified headlights on the way.

5. The head unit is annoying. Pioneer MVH-1400NEX. The Bluetooth options and settings are all jammed up, and I can't figure it out yet. I pulled the unit to see if it will forget it's settings. Finding intact factory wiring (thank god) and a PAC rp4.2-ty11. Otherwise I have already been doing extensive reading here about how and why I should circumvent my amp, and how I can maintain steering wheel controls. might as well do backup camera while I am there.. which lead me to the DIR harness...

6. OTT. I really really liked the Overland Tailors "Overland Torque Tune" on my 2G Tacoma... It was noticeable in my hilly travels, commute, and loaded multi week camping and ski trips. After I ensure all maintenance is up to date, I may consider this tune, altho the performance and manners of the 2UZ and accompanying trans logic are far and away better than the 1GR/5spd combo. Would love to hear 2UZ experiences with OTT and if they are just as positive.

EDIT: I already bought cat guards since I definitely don't want to mess with theft and repair. I purchased the skid row pieces but am very open to feedback. I called ADD Automotive and their note about not being compatible with lifts has to do with diff drops, not suspension lifts. I asked them to confirm if tie rod angle or sway bars drops from a lift would clash with their design, and they didn't think so. So that is a tempting option from a weight perspective... Cutting a hole for the oil pan drain plug would be easy too, as this is not present in the ADD photos.

Anyways. Long introduction post but I can already tell that many of my questions have already been answered, and that there is a great (albeit slightly smaller?) community surrounding these trucks here on tundras.com Thanks to the amazing @shifty` for making things so easy to find and for the immense "So ... you wanna buy / just bought" thread!

Pictures to follow!

 

Welcome. We like pics.

 

Welcome! Thanks for the props, I'm just one of many here helping with info and access. A lot of people have done a lot of work here over since long before I arrived, and continue to. I think the 4WD diagnostics thread @FiatRunner made recently is F'N AMAZING! Solid people in this community, without drama finding its way into the mix very much.

E-rated tires will feel stiff on bumps, especially in that width and size (!) but it is what it is. Goes with oversizing, and potentially the suspension. I can tell you from experience, after running C-rated in that size, and running E-rated approximately ½" smaller diameter/width, the C-rated were a bit softer and noisier, the e-rated definitely smack a little harder on bumps. But I have really firm suspension.

1 --> Rust, know where to look. Timing belt/water pump/tensioners/pulleys. OEM LBJ. Radiator. Moly-fortified NGLI2 grease for all zerks on drivetrain every 5k miles, note the slip yoke has a special fill process that makes it oterhwise seem like a bottomless pit. Familiarize yourself with common water leaks, like the cowl leak, and rodent issues.

2 --> Pics of just under the cup on a front 5100 would be helpful so we can see what circlip it's at. If you can't see any notch for a circlip, it's at bottom setting and probably on lifted springs. If PO mixed spacers and lift, that's bad f'n news, correct it. Again, pics would help! Whether or not you need UCA or LCA is debatable based on how high you are; do you need stock measurements and lifted measurements to determine how much lift? There's a sticky thread for that, search for the phrase "MEASURE UP" on the 1st gen subforum main page. Solo is overkill if you're not hucking. JBA is extremely low-maintenance, very stout UCA at a friendly price which will help with alignment if you're over 3". SPC UCA if you intend to really tweak, although you'll need to learn how to tweak unless you have a shop (which is rare) who actually understands all the adjustments they're capable of. Cost-wise, may make more sense to buy pre-gusseted spindles with new bearings from Jim Smola. OEM CV axles are stout as hell, just be aware.

3 --> That airbag setup is common and I think it uses (some?) factory hole(s), only requires drilling one or two holes, the RideRite/Firestone setup? Anyway what you're describing is normal. You need not worry about worry about frame compromise.

4 --> ....

5 --> Happy to give audio/visual advice, it's in my wheelhouse. Know that every radio has factory reset options. Likewise, most modern double-DIN head units support firmware updates. It's recommended you do one to help with your issue, it usually requires having access to a USB port on the device, which is sometimes on the rear.
Your owner's manual is here to get info on reset: https://pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20180413123200/Manuals/130/1301400NEX.PDF
Put your model number in the search box here to download firmware update: https://usa.pioneer/pages/support
Directions for firmware update here: https://images.salsify.com/image/upload/s--05tex3Me--/esth7arsfphmi8jxkm7h.pdf

6 --> I don't buy into plug-and-play tunes, but you do you

 

Racing daylight, here's a few pics.

 

1. Yup, on all this. I have never seen such greased zerks aside from on my previous truck. Ample. I will need to read up on cowl leak, and perhaps similar to the Tacoma I'll need to wire mesh the HVAC intake? Thanks for the tip on the slip yoke fill process.

2. Pics here of hat and of lower perch.


3. That's comforting. I'll get to inspecting these over the holidays.

4. My reply above shows the darkened headlights. Maybe the look good but I cant see good!

5. Thanks. I'll check out the links and compose my thoughts on a list of components as timing allows.

6. You know, I never thought I would... But @JustDSM is a very active and positive contributor over on tacomaworld, bringing a data and maintenance driven approach to performance gains. I respect their ability reasonably and responsibly tune the Tacomas with great results. So I am hopeful for the same result on the 2UZ. I will definitely report back.

 

Looking at my own photo vs stock photos of assembled front 5100s... I am seeing a thickened rubber spacer between the top plate of the shock (below the studs) and the coil itself... With possibly an additional spacer between the top plate and the truck mount. For a total of two spacers? Gross. The question is then.. Do I re-spring these with 885s and pay my shop.. or just buy them assembled with 885s... Hmmmm. Guess I'll get a quote.. Since Coils are ~$200 and fully assembled are $700 online... If these billies are still good and my shop can do it reasonably... Maybe it pencils... Hmmm

 

A few pointers
That is the Bilstein adjustable, it has heavier coils AND the double spacer thing i think thats a 3" spacer lift. One spacer goes between the spring and top hat and one goes between the top hat and frame bucket.
The offset of the wheels and the wide tires probably required that much lift to get the truck up and over the tires, me personally i dont like those sort of lifts but the truck has obviously been running and i and others have seen way worse so.... Rock and roll.

ALSO that truck isnt near as heavy as most think and E rated tires DO NOT require 45psi like most think. You are honestly going to be about 30-32psi up front and about 25-26psi in the rear to get the tires to run flat on the road with the whole tread on the road surface. I am running E rated tires and with chalk marking them i think i am at like 31 up front and 24 in the rear (without a shell) so you can likely check the pressures and most likely bring them way down to soften them up a bit.

The lift you have definitely has the truck stood up higher than stock and with the spring spacer above the spring you are compounding the spring rate by adding more preload. Not sure of the actual numbers but yes its tall and yes that combo is a fair bit stiffer than stock.

 

Measure the height of the truck, pull the spring spacers out and re-clip the lower spring perch higher to give you the lift. This will no doubt soften the spring rate up and make it feel much more compliant. You can see the clip rings, i am pretty sure where its at is the lowest setting. You should be able to remove the spacers and clip the spring perch up to the second notch and get the lift back and a better ride.

 

Reference measurements thread: https://www.tundras.com/threads/how-big-is-yours-measure-up.46186/

Be sure to keep it apples to apples by referencing DC only, and use multiple examples.

 

I agree on all accounts. I aired those tires down and they will probably go away soon, along with the wheels. I prefer to run on the lowest perch with a longer spring, so I'll probably do that and swap in longer coils to maintain some lift while gaining travel and compliance.

EDIT: What do you mean by heavier coils? I haven't confirmed that these are the correct colors/coils, but they are in line with OEM coil markings. blue/red passenger and red/yellow driver... Probably original to the truck

 

Yup Thanks. Nice for everyone to centralize the information.

 

Definitely a 1"(ish) spacer in there.

A dead giveaway was the flat-top bolts stickout our up top, not pointed. But the presence of metal and fastener circled here was the aha. Weird it looks bent though.

Those do look similar to OEM coil markings, though unusually saturated in color still. One coil looks super fat for whatever reason. And I definitely see the circlip rings above the spring seat, but I can't tell of the PO of your truck potentially is running on 2nd or 3rd clip. Would need to count visible rings, I guess, and guesstimate which. Anyway, if it were me, with a DC V8/4WD, if I wanted to level the truck on a budget and get "right", and I had the means/confidence to swping swap, I'd get the KYB tophat/isolator kit (

$31 SM5442 - Mount and Insulator

SM5442), and a pair of OME 2885 springs, and ... you know what comes next. The lower shock bushings on those 5100s look to be in great shape. However, I'd be questioning anything the PO did, especially eyeballing/questioning the lower balljoints and their hardware.

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Thanks for the validation. Once again I agree. I've already ordered OEM ball joints and bolts. Luckily, with having done so much to my Tacoma, all of this is very familiar. Do you have a go-to ball joint tool? I'm not sure I want to buy a whole kit.

 

Uppers are a bitch, regardless what universal kit you have. Easier to pull the knuckle, press the UBJ out on the floor, press new one in, then reinstall the knuckle. Or replace the OEM LBJ, go with JBA uppers, or SPC/Eibach (buy it as Eibach, it's 30%+ cheaper).

Lowers, I used a pitman arm puller for LBJ/LCA and carefully used a pickle fork to pop free the TRE. But I've seen guys on here use the 2-arm gear puller looking thingy for the TRE. And on the UBJ, I flipped castle nut over, threaded it down with ~4mm gap to the UCA and BFH to the butt of the castle. Leaving the gap lets the knuckle drop once it frees up, and flipping the top nut upside down prevents damaging the crowns on the castle.

Happy to dump other advice on you. Many of us here did our own suspension work, and several had unique experiences and solutions for the problems based on tools we had on hand. You have a LOT of people on here familiar with suspension and mechanics.

 

I just want to add, my truck had a Pioneer unit when I bought it, bluetooth options and settings were also jammed up, I couldn't access or change them. Turns out the Pioneer unit in my truck required the truck to have the parking brake engaged in order to access those settings. I didn't want to play under the dash too much to make that happen so I installed a parking brake bypass behind the radio, which took care of my problem.

 

This is exactly what is happening. I can't update the firmware, remove bluetooth devices, add new ones... So many menu's are gray'd out.

 

I would install a parking brake bypass then. Perfect time to do it is when you install your backup camera, as you'll have to pull the radio to plug in the video wire.

Something like this should work: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1852580158...oZvlb86jNnfLmRRA5XQ+YQVE3C|tkp:Bk9SR46ny9_tZA

 

Welcome to the DC club!

 

Thanks. Curiously, the previous owner was able to add a bunch of bluetooth devices... So.... What did he do?! I'll probably pull the radio just to take a peek, now that I know the green wire I am trying to follow. Additionally, the steering wheel arrow controls are.. reversed? Up goes down on the screen, and vice versa... Any thoughts @shifty` ? (lmk if you want me to consolidate my AV questions to a certain thread...

 

You can add bluetooth devices without the bypass, but you have to have the bypass to remove them. Previous owner of my truck also used up all the bluetooth spots, and I wasn't able to remove them until I put the bypass in.

 

I'm fairly certian this is correct. Just like with OEM radios in most post-2020s vehicles, if the vehicle is in motion or in drive, you cannot tinker with any setting that would be a road distraction.

@PNW15 try this. Start the truck. Keep it in Park.

- Apply the parking brake. Check: Are the menus still greyed out?
- If yes, just in case, try pushing the brake pedal. Check: Are the menus still greyed out?

If yes, things are still locked out, you probably need to use a bypass, and that information about greyed out menus when parking brake safety is not applied/functioning is probably in the Owner's manual I linked in my reply above. Almost all newer radios have this safety feature! That head unit is great, I would keep it if I were you. But RTFM, eh?

To workaround that safety feature, for most head units you can simply take the parking brake lead from (your Pioneer in this case) radio and ground it, but ample bypasses exist like this one from PAC if you prefer to have instructions and feel like you're doing something.

Those little byapsses like the PAC TR-1 normally have three wires, one links to ground, one to the radio's p-brake detection wire, and sometimes the third goes to a power source. I'm fairly certain all there is inside that block is a basic diode to prevent backflow of power across ground, which could "theoretically" fry the head unit. And if you had any uncertainty about whether the product works, at that link I provided, clearly your radio is listed in the reviews as fixing the lockout features:

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Thanks. Yes I read all the operations manual and the install so I can check the wiring. I'll trouble shoot.

What do you think about the steer up/down buttons being reversed?

 

I didn't understand that part of your message. Are you referring to the track up/track down buttons on the steering wheel radio controls, which are between the VOL+/VOL- and MODE buttons?

If yes, I can't tell you how/why unless I know which steering wheel control adapter your PO used. There are a couple out there. I personally prefer the Axxess ASWC unit, paired up with Metra's plug-and-play harness for ease of install, it's self-learning, but Kenwood/JVC owners need to take an added step as indicated in my link there (doesn't apply to you, Pioneer guy). I'm going to take a wild guess here and suggest your PO probably used the iDatalink unit, and programmed the up/down backwards, either because they're a pilot and think in stick-format (up is down/down is up), or they set it backwards and were too lazy to fix it.

 

It's a PAC rp4.2-ty11. the instructions are quite dense. I'll read them again. Yes I am referring to the track buttons on the left of the steering wheel.

 

Wasn't aware of that one, but guess I need to add it to the steering wheel dump thread. Sounds like you found the instructions already, found the PDF.

Looking at the instructions, it looks like it is bi-functional: It provides steering wheel control adaptation and bypasses the factory amp. So you're probably going to want to keep it. I'm guessing it probably looks like spaghetti in the dash with all the wires involved but maybe I'm wrong.

The following sections look to be what you need, maybe you can just factory reset and it'll revert to default, which may be correct?

Or use their RadioPRO app (link for Windows version) to connect to it and reprogram the buttons, like the Datalink unit allows? Probably the most straightforward but also probably requires pulling the unit from the dash; RTFM will tell you for sure.

Or you can use manual programming methods, below the RadioPRO app, for short/long press adjustment...

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Yea thanks, time to RTFM. Yes, it's a total spaghetti factory behind the dash, but the factory wiring is intact. the PAC unit has outputs for Amplified and unamplified, it's hooked up to the amplified output. Not sure how it can bypass the amp when it's hooked up to the factory wiring, but im clearly no wizz. I tried resetting it, and it did not change anything.

 

In one of the previously posted pix, it appeared the coil was a thicker heavier more tightly wound coil than stock so i hastily assumed they were aftermarket coils. Now upon further inspection you clearly appear to have colored markings of OEM springs. I dont know the color chart maybe someone else does.
Anybody got the chart on which one goes where?

 

I have only seen an incomplete color chart. Pasted below from Tundra Solutions.

"These are the color codes for the 2000-2004 (at least) 1-Gen Access Cabs:

Stock 4X2 coils
- drivers: yellow-white
- passengers: blue-white

Stock 4X4 coils
- drivers: yellow-green
- passengers: blue-green

TRD 4X4 coils
- drivers: yellow-yellow
- passengers: blue-yellow

TRD 4X2 coils
-drivers: red-yellow
-passengers: purple-yellow"

 

Yeah if i recall, there are like 40 different front springs when looking at part numbers. I assume there are different variations in poundage and height depending on reg cab, access cab, double cab, 2wd, 4wd, ect ect ect. Likely different stuff on northern "snow ready" versions ect ect.