My ongoing experience with the 2007 I bought in 2017

Repairs & Modifications since September 2017
Maintenance is performed at the 'Special Operating Conditions' level.
I am the 4th owner, it had 270,000 miles and zero service records when I rescued it.

Repairs: Components that wore out.

head & tail light housings
door checks
clock spring
steering wheel
fuel pump
flat tray on passenger seat
drive shaft & output seal
coil springs
door handles and mirrors
belt moldings
gas & oil cap
drivers wiper arm
drivers arm rest
drivers window and regulator
AC damper servo
transmission speed sensor
3UR FE 5.7L motor (head gasket failed @ 315,000)
starter
alternator
cooling system

Modifications: Performance & Convenience

BBS Forged PRO 18" alloys
Bilstein 4600 shocks
SOS Performance rear only leveling / lowering kit
Air-lift bags
Alcan leaf springs
Hellwig anti-roll bar
Dirty Deeds custom SS cat back
DAP tune
Line-X in the bed and over the rails
Wet Okole set covers
Husky Liners X-act Contour Floor Liners
Head unit & speakers
LED head & reverse bulbs
UnderCover Classic ABS tonneau
Ceramic tint
N-FAB rear bumper
Nerf bars / Steps
TRD front anti-roll bar
Debadged
PDR


At this point in time the only future mod I have planned for the truck is to install the Auburn Pro LSD that I bought several years ago.

The truck has a little more than 320,000 on it today.

 

Wow. Honestly that’s a short list for those miles, damn.

Nice short bed short cab too!

 

What about #15?

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

One or all three of the previous owners did not change the oil and filter as often as they should have, and cooling system flushes were also neglected. I drove it 45,000 miles before the head gasket failed at 315,000 ...



Once torn down damage to the cylinder was was noted...



I replaced the original motor with a one owner low mileage motor that received all new gaskets including head gaskets, new FIPG where applicable, new timing components, new spark plugs, a new water pump, a new starter and alternator plus a lot of other parts before it was installed in the truck.



I didn't realize just how worn out and down on power the original motor was until the replacement motor was up and running, it's a huge improvement.

It's humble beginnings in 2017

 

In a Subaru, headgaskets are just a replacement item. In a turbo Subaru whole engines are just replacement items. No big deal, just throw another one in there and keep on trucking!

 

haha ain't that the truth!

 

It was part of my original plans for this truck, but I am happy that I did not install a supercharger on the original motor. Speaking of supercharging here is a interesting side note, the low mileage motor that is now in my truck was a test mule for the supercharger kit XAT Racing currently sells. It was on the motor for about 20,000 miles of daily driving testing.

 

It seems that you have done the work yourself, or am I wrong? That's a good-looking truck which now has received a life extension

As I look at the 2013 Tundra TRD Off Road my wife and I inherited from our son (he passed away in March 2023), I know that sometime in the near future I will have to decide between replacing the entire 3UR FE 5.7L motor with a new Toyota refurbished one, or to have the entire engine repaired at the dealer's or an independent shop. I am assuming that the cost would be somewhere close to $20,000. But even so it will be money well-spend, since this truck can provide us (wife and I) with several more years of use since the body and is in great shape. These are the things with the engine I that are creeping in:

a. Just minor traces of cam tower oil leak at Bank 2 (passenger side), and about the same (hardly noticeable) oil leak at Bank 1.

b. Every now and then on a cold-start a short duration (maybe 2-3 seconds) puff smoke that is not completely white nor blue. Could be related to valve oil seals. It doesn't burn oil.

If I were to have a mechanic tear into this engine to replace the cam tower gaskets, then I would also need to add the valve oil seals, replace the water pump, take care of the timing chain and tensioners, and there is not guarantee that the head gaskets will stay in good shape for another 100,000 miles. But if I have the shop replacing the entire motor, all I would have to replace is the water pump. This truck shows about 98,000 miles on the odometer.

Yes, I understand that I can drive the truck the way it is now. I don't drive it very much, but it was my son's truck so "we" want to keep it for life. I will post a photo of it in the near future after I wash a thick layer of pollen that has settle all over its black paint this week. It is the "green-up" week in the interior of Alaska.

 

I am sorry for your loss... condolences.

I perform as much of the work as I can myself, but most of the big jobs are handled at my Toyota master diagnostic technicians home shop. I agree that refreshing or replacing the motor is money well spent if the truck is rust free and otherwise solid, if you can't find a Toyota tech to repair what you have then a Toyota refurbished motor with a warranty or one built by XAT would probably be your best bet. Good luck.

 

Thanks!

 

Great looking truck.

I got my 3UR-FBE 2010 a year ago at 261k with good service records. I've done valve cover gaskets job on it and what I saw under was probably the cleanest engine I've encountered. I hope i can atleast get mine to 400k and get my money's worth.

 

I would classify my RCSB a modified driver Sport Truck.

The truck is basically stock with modifications that enhance it's drive-ability.

 

My list of things to do whenever I can get around to it.

1. Install the LSD that I bought years ago.

2. My control arm bushings are showing their age, so I plan to replace the control arms, ball joints and sway bar links all at once.

3. Replace the rear rotors and pads, the rotors are warped enough to pulse when braking.

4. Replace the pitted windshield, associate rubber trim pieces and rear view mirror. I'll secure the front of the headliner cloth at this time.

5. ??

 

"Number 5" is always "profit" for some reason. LOL

 

How's the Hellwig holding up? I'm just about sold on getting one for my 2011 Tundy, she's a rolling boat in the corners but I was watching some installs and happened upon a Silverado video and the guy had to grind a chunk off a bracket in the frame to get the u-bolt bracket on. Obviously, Silverado no equal Tundra, but did you have to make any modifications to the frame like that? I'd rather not weaken the structure if I can avoid it, the TRD might be safer in that respect

 

For me the Hellwig is a substantial upgrade over the TRD bar that I started out with, because the rear of my truck has been lowered to level the stance I continue to use some of the SOS & TRD parts to run the Hellwig - short end links and some of the mounting hardware.

I began using Hellwig rear bars about 25 years ago when I installed one on my T100... I came across that old truck this spring and the Hellwig is still working as advertised. I also have one on my 2002 Tundra, plus a Hellwig front bar that needs to be installed.

You will need to check the position, tighten things up and maybe replace end link bushings if you keep the truck as long as I keep most of mine. The only grinding that I remember was on the axle brackets to clear welds on the T100 axle... no big deal.

 

Mine says TRD on the side but I need to get under it today and make sure I have everything I'm supposed to. I've only had it a year but after 14 years I'm sure everything is worn, I see bushings on my shocks (I think) that are dry and cracked, so regardless I'm getting the ARB. But I'm sold on the Hellwig I plan on having this pickup as long as the frame will let me, I'd replace/rebuild the motor before I buy a "modern" pickup, so the beefy ARB should last a long time. Thanks!