New, looking for a little advice

Hello – I just transitioned from an '09 Tacoma to an '11 Tundra. I'm a K9 SAR handler in western MT and we get into all sorts of ridiculous terrain for training and searches. The Taco served me quite well, with the only downside being that it was never quite large enough for all of the gear I need to carry + my dog's Gunner crate. I want to get the Tundra set up similarly but this is pretty far out of my wheelhouse and the options are overwhelming.

Old truck
- '09 Tacoma
- Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires
- Old Man Emu suspension
- ARB Deluxe bumper

New truck is an '11 Tundra Doublecab, stock "Limited" edition. I definitely need new tires (and wheels?) and should probably be considering adjustments to the suspension since it isn't a TRD. I would like to look at an aftermarket bumper as well, as I'm often driving rural MT highways in the early morning hours so the potential for hitting large game animals is high. I do have an XL GoFastCamper on order, if that makes any difference.

Selfishly I also feel like the truck looks kind of "chodey" so if we can make things a little more proportional with the above changes, I would be a very happy gal.

Happy to do more reading myself if you can point me in the right direction but I would also take advice. I have a really hard time parsing some of the builds I see here, on IG, other places – it seems like a lot of folks go waaaay overboard and (while I'm definitely ok spending some $$$) I'm not sure what I actually "need."

Thanks,
Alyssa

 

Welcome ma’am

 

Hey there from Virginia!
Got any pics of the new Tundra? Cool profession btw. Bet you have some stories to tell!

 

Oof, I wish it was a profession! More like part time job that I funnel all of my extra time and money toward... but so worth it!!

 

You could keep it simple and go with another old man emu suspension since you were happy with it before. Or you could go with some Billstein 6112s up front with 5100s or 5160s in the back. You may want to get a custom leaf pack built for the rear leaf springs to accommodate the extra weight you’ll be carrying or at least go with an add-a-leaf.

A lesser but decent option would be Billstein 5100s all the way around. Or the other direction would be something with some remote reservoirs if you do a lot of high speed rough roads to get to where you’re going. If you keep the lift around 2 to 2 1/2 inches you shouldn’t need upper control arms.

 

Plan on lifting it at all or do you want to keep it stock and just change the tires and rims?

 

Since you are coming from a built up Tacoma, I would say run it up through the trails you ran your Taco, and see how it handles. That will give you a good indicator of where your specific needs are lacking on the Tundra. Tires are obvious upgrade, but if you are lifting or changing the suspension, I would wait until you decide what route you want to go. Old Man Emu is definitely on the shortlist of great suspension. Billstein 6112/5160, Toytec Boss and Teraflex Falcons are some others. Check out the "Forums - Tundra Garage" it has quite a bit of information "suspension," "Wheels and Tires," etc. The Builds threads are great too, find one that looks like what your old Taco had and see what they have done. The ARB deluxe bumper is available for the Tundra. Heavy bumper will need heavier springs up front. The links below should get you started. There is a TON of information, I have been perusing this site for over 2 years now, and still keep finding new information.

https://www.tundras.com/categories/tundra-garage.17/
https://www.tundras.com/forums/2nd-gen-builds-2007-2013.23/
https://www.tundras.com/threads/falcon-shocks-are-coming.34355/
https://www.tundras.com/threads/2nd-gen-front-offroad-bumper-options.8195/

 

I was k-9 SAR for 12 years and never really needed anything other than a tacoma.

It isn't like you are driving with a dog barking out the window and you remain pretty close to base as driving in a search site would ruin the area for trackers.

If you want to contact me for funding let me know by sending a PM and we can get what you need by experts that know how to outfit a rig for the environment.

 

I've always had BF Goodrich TKO all-terrains on my Tundras. The new to me 07 came with TKO-2s and I like them. They handle very well on the road and get plenty of traction off road. The previous owner went one size larger and I doubt I could tell the difference. One thing I've never liked about the Tundras is they sit a little too low to the ground for me. However I don't do much where I need the clearance now so I'm most likely going to leave it alone. However, from what I can picture you doing, I think I would got with the suspension lift and maybe even a locking diff in the rear. It'll be an investment but the first time you "don't" get stuck you will be thankful you did. The Tundra is a different animal than the Taco.

If you find that it's not going to work out for you I would try to find a 1st gen Tundra. I loved mine, more room than a Taco but not as huge as the 2nd gen Tundra.

 

I'm partial to Nittos or BFG KO2s. I agree with Bilstein as a solid choice but I would also consider Icons with remote reservoirs for the unpredictable terrain situation you may encounter. I'm partial to Icons because it's what I run, but my rig so far has laughed at anything I've thrown at it.

 

Welcome from Colorado. Check out Cooper STT Pro's or ST Maxx's.

 

Welcome from Nevada

 

Welcome from NY.

 

Welcome from California.
Have you looked in the bed sliders? You can pack the bed full and still be able to reach everything without having to h load the entire bed.https://images.app.goo.gl/hCH9QtWSA1bUmNq4

 

Decked or similar bed system is nice to keep all the gear organized. Small lift and bigger tires can get a lot done on a trail

 

Welcome from Ohio.

 

This is all excellent, thank you! Lots of great starting points for more research on my end.

@Gotyour6 not sure where you were involved but it's not unusual for my team to travel hundreds of miles for multi-day searches... I like the extra room to carry people/dogs/gear. The Gunner kennel is a beast and ate up most of my bed space in the Taco (see photo below) so this is a big upgrade. We also cover some pretty rough country for training – I put on over 300 dirt road miles for our annual certification weekend this year. Fortunately funding isn't an issue... at the end of the day, it's about my comfort and I don't mind spending a few extra bucks. Thanks for the offer, though!

@08crewmax @denali302 Good ideas for internal organization – I had a nice homemade full length drawer system in the taco and will be doing something similar in this truck once I get the GFC (arriving Sept/Oct, hopefully.) I've considered the bed slides but I don't think they're necessary with the full length flip panels. Definitely missing my side access with the current (temporary) topper!!

Here's what our setup looked like in the Taco. My husband is very happy to have "his truck" back!!

 

Definitely planning on working on the suspension

 

@Watt maker Definitely a good point on the lights! I know ARB and Ranch Hand – the ARB looks *so enormous* on the Tundra and I have to say I'm not a huge fan of the Ranch Hand look. Lots of the bumpers I see on here/Tacomaworld don't look like they would do much to protect against an elk. I've done some googling but haven't found much, are there a lot of other brands offering full protection out there?

 

Yes – I definitely feel that! The Taco was a super truck... I felt really confident and it never let me down. Going to take some time to get used to the new rig. Fortunately we still have the Taco so I cooooooould just hop back in that for the day if I know I'm going somewhere *really* rough.