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

Same

 

Good time to upgrade to the Masters and get the metal version with backup camera

 

I mean, an authentic metal Master Tailgaters handle with built-in camera is a good upgrade option.

Doh! Should've flipped to the next page of replies!

 

Been eyeing one of those! Does it retain use of the OEM key?!

 

What about these? I've already got a backup camera. What I haven't been able to figure out is what part of the handle is metal. The entire thing? Since it's those interior plastic tabs that break 99% of the time, I sure hope that part is metal, and not still plastic.

 

When my tailgate handle broke, I went with one of the cheaper ones off Amazon, but I also greased everything really well in the latch mechanisms. The cheap handle works fine now that everything is no longer binding.

 

Performed an annual drain & fill on the trans. I confess being anal retentive about it but here in the desert where temps hit +110° daily for months, I feel more comfortable knowing the fluid is fresh and performing optimally. Overkill? Maybe, but I'm ok with that.

Also lubed control arm bushings for the same reasons. The arid conditions of the desert are harsh on rubber and poly and I don't like unnecessary squeaks

Time to move on and check sloppy gear selector function.

 

Did a shuffle. Between the camper jacks, trailer and saw horses I was able to get the camper off my truck, get my topper off the trailer and onto the truck by myself. Getting help from friends is better and more fun, but I only want to ask it of them so often, and I wanted to test to see if I could do it alone. Sometimes I may just want the camper in there for a long weekend, then back out.

 

Any pro tips for these extended U bolts that are too long for my deep socket? Cut em off? How do you ensure that each side is threaded equally haha, count all the threads?


For the side I haven’t done, drivers side is locked in, Install shocks to axle before leaf spring is bolted up or after?

thanks for all the tips as I battle through this.

 

Yes, just cut'em off as needed. Chase the threads as necessary. No need to over-think.

 

Importantly, don't torque the springs/eye-bolts to spec until the truck is under its full weight sitting on the ground. Don't torque to spec while it's unloaded/up in the air.

 

Yes and have found Interstate Battery 27F actually less expensive than the 24F at Costco.

 

Also after 50 miles or so go back and retorque them.

 

I wondered the same when I did mine. Doesn't really seem like they torque down evenly, and I was worried I tightened that bottom plate crooked. But 40,000 miles later the axle hadn't fallen off so I guess it was fine.

 

Yep, the lock cylinder swaps right over to the new handle. When you move it over, its' best to make sure the OEM latch is NOT in the locked position, take a note of the armature position OR snap a pic, then transfer the lock cylinder bits over. Too many times we've helped people on here who installed the factory lock into a new handle in the locked position, and couldn't figure out why the latch wasn't working. Like, "It's not working because it's locked, bro..."

@Desert Dog already covered the length bit, chop and clean up edges with a file. Or order shorter U-bolts.

But as for your beef with even torque, I prefer to snug nuts diagonal to each other by hand two at a time, then the other two diagonal and I'll eyeball the threads to make sure they look even, or count. Then depending on the truck in question, I criss-cross tighten all four, 1 full turn each so they're all evenly done, repeat full turns that a few times, then move to half-turns and repeat until things are snugging, then move to quarter turns to the point they're nicely snug, clearly not torqued to spec, but secure to the point nothing shifts. Then drop the truck and torque to spec. Gist being, if you start from a known position that's even, and stick to a ballpark of similar rotation across the fasteners in a criss-cross/X pattern, you should never be out of whack by more than a thread on any given fastener.

 

This is great advice, they’re just hand tight now so I’ll loosen them and try it. It’s almost impossible to eyeball level upside down, I just aimed for center of the little hole mark left from previous install.

leaf packs and 5160s installed!!!!! all bolts tight but not torqued to spec until it’s under its own weight and I find the list of specs for everything.

remaining concerns I have.

1.) It seems like at full droop these HD springs will overextend the 5160 shocks as I had to jack the rear axle UP to make the fully extended shock bolt hole align. Hopefully this will resolve itself without limit straps.
2.) how the F do I keep the shock body from spinning without clamping/damaging it while I try to torque the top nut to 15 ft/lbs?
3.) wondering if each side will have equal lift (leaf packs not side specific like oem to correct fuel tank lean) and if I might need to shim in the future, this will impact my decision on how much of the U bolts I’ll cut off.

other than that I’m feeling pretty accomplished for today. Managed to get it done solo with only one jack, two tree stumps, and zero ratchet straps. I was also prepared to disconnect the e-brake cable and rear soft brake lines but it wasn’t necessary.

 

Looks like you’ve figured it out and got it set. Cross cross pattern for u-bolts. I believe torque is 95 ft/lbs. Luckily there’s a thread somewhere with torque specs, or the manual for your specific year truck.

To answer your questions; measure your extended and collapsed lengths. If your springs don’t extend further than your shock length then you’re fine. If they do, then you need limit straps to keep from snapping other items; like your brake line. Put a rag around the shock body while tightening down. I went by feel, but if you can get a torque wrench in there great. I used the German torque spec.
Most people add a shim to the front suspension to compensate for driver-side lean. You may not have to, so drive it for a few days and see what your measurements are.
Also, get a paint pen and mark a line on all your bolts and nuts. It’s an easy way to tell if anything has moved while driving. And set a reminder in your phone for a month from now to check the torque again.
Nice work!

 

Excellent Idea!! Way better than putting a torque wrench on every bolt a second time! I’m going to be doing quite a bit of travel in the truck over the holidays and will want to make quick visual inspections along the way.

maybe I can fit the inch/lb torque wrench up there, but I will also likely just go for guttentight.

 

The 5160's dont have an allen key hole in the top of the shaft? Or maybe wrench flats? I forgot which, but my rear 5100's had a way to hold the shaft while installing.

 

A shock should never ever be used as a limiting strap! Something like that never will resolve itself. Either buy longer shocks or relocate the shock mounts on the axle up higher. Start pulling measurements with a tape measure.

Same exact thing for compression as well. A shock should never be used as a bumpstop either!

The hard truth is that just because a manufacturer sells a shock to fit a tundra with X amount of lift, it doesn’t automatically mean that it will work correctly in every application. You have to do your homework on it all. Find out the specs for your particular shock (extended eye to eye length and compression eye to eye length). Then with the axle and leaf springs at full extension and no shocks installed yet (ideally articulated full extension as well, since it might make full extension a little bit longer. Also make sure the tires are installed. Maybe even have a buddy put his full body weight dangling on the tire as well) measure distance between the upper and lower shock mounts. Fudge factor in an extra 1” for safety sake (as in if there’s 15” between the upper and lower shock mounts, use a shock that’s about 16” long when extended). Do the same thing for suspension compression as well. Also add in an extra 1” extra for the shock travel (as in the shock needs to have about 1” left of play in the stroke before bottoming out).

Change around lower shock mounts to make this all happen. Once that’s set, then go back and figure out what length bumpstop to use. The harder durometer bumps might compress only 1/3 of there thickness. A softer durometer might compress a full 50%. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but this should all be done if you plan to use the suspension offroad. Now if you’re just going to starbucks to hang out and use their free wifi, then you’ll probably be fine as is.

 

I feel like I did moderate homework on this combo, as in other members are running this setup and the numbers listed by each manufacturer seemed to be compatible, but the only way to really find out is buy the thing and put it on to see.

I am worried about overextending these shocks because as I mentioned earlier I had to jack the rear axle up 1/2” to align the bottom bolt hole. I have about 1/2” extra threads on top of the shock and I could add a 1/4” spacer (washers or larger nut) to drop the shock lower. This should be ok as I have a reservoir now so much more usable up travel, as well as an additional 1/4-1/3” height added on top of axle from the addition leaf in this pack on new stock height bumpstops. So maximum uptravel shouldn’t be an issue between these stiff springs and increased shock uptravel. My tires would go through the bed before it bottoms out the shock.

My long term plan is to tape and measure like you said to see the extent I would be overextending and modify the lower shock bracket to accommodate.
My short term plan is to use ratchet straps to limit down travel and take the truck and fill it to the brim with firewood tomorrow. This could aid in settling the springs down a bit. Then I will jack it back up, disconnect the lower shock bolt and measure at full droop with tires and all. I’m hoping that some combination of breaking the springs in and actually torquing them to spec under load will help the situation, but that wouldn’t help at all if I plan on using the full articulation available. Ideally I would get longer shocks, but realistically I’m stuck with what I have and need to make it work. Maybe that means not getting airborne anymore and only going to Starbucks, but I sure hope not.

 

I figured that comment wouldn’t go over well and I cringed a bit after I hit “post reply.” Most people are using their suspension on dirt roads and going over speed bumps. But I should have given more thorough information. I went and edited my comment. @Bed Tundy please ignore that part of my comment.
I’m guilty of doing that with my truck. I’m not using it as a rock crawler and it’s not the best platform for hard trails. It’s too big and wide and that’s not what I need it for right now. But for me living in Idaho I can get to every rock climbing crag, hiking trailhead, and to the ski hill in any conditions without worry.

 

Leaf springs will droop for days. Pretty much every truck on the road is using the rear shocks as limiters.

Had to bring my stock springs up an inch or so to fit the 5100's.

 

Changed the diff fluid this morning. It's not much, but it's honest work.

 

I'll be doing crankcase (OC) in a few hours. Oldest wants to go on a long hike in "a deep forest" first. But gives time to heat up the crankcase before emptying.

 

First off, just to keep from any confusion, maximum up travel = compression, down travel = extension. It's way easier to keep things straight if you refer to the shock's travel as compression and extension.

I place no judgement on the homework that you did. The reason being is that the lift kit manufactures don't always take everything into consideration...even the basics. Frustrating, i know. Since we don't really have a specific lift kit for our 1st gen trucks, i think the aftermarket simply just uses a particular length shock that works just "sort of'' for 50% of the truck owners. To me, this seems obvious when a particular shock has been marketed to fit a tundra with a 0-3" lift. That would be a huge red flag for me right there. Come on shock sellers, we don't have very much suspension travel in the rear, and how can one shock fit that wide of a range of suspension lift?

I'd swap your "long term plan" and "short term plan" order around. Also, "sacking out" your springs...nothing wrong with that to break them in, but all it will do is make you get even more suspension travel out of them! Once they get more pliable, you'll get more articulation, compression, and extension (which are all good things). But then your shocks will now be even more prone to getting damaged from over extending and compression. Another downfall is that you lose out on suspension travel! And that's kinda the whole point (well should be) of lifting a truck and installing larger tires.

The first thing i would do today is took for the parts number on the shock and look up online what the comp and ext lengths are for it then go from there.

 

Honestly I think we should all be doing this at least once a year on these old trucks, if we aren't already doing a more aggressive regiment.
I think I've done 3 so far on my 350k miles 03. Basically do one every two oil changes (2x a year) til it's nice n red, then I'll switch to once a year. It's still darker red than I want it to be.

 

Band saw

 

You could always ditch the overload leaf to solve the short shock issue

 

Man I thought it was leg day

I'm ready when you are.