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

Brought home 1/2 a garage in the back of the Tundra today. From far away, so a Ram 250 brought home the other 1/2.
tundra felt like it was running empty of load. nice.

 

I posted this in a dedicated thread, but since this thread is what I did today (or rather yesterday) I think it fits here too....I finished up my leather heated seat install with OEM wiring....detailed thread here...

https://www.tundras.com/threads/04-...witches-w-katzkin-leather.63131/#post-1741836

I do need to wire up the heated seats for the two main rear seats I installed, but that can wait till the end of summer/early fall...

 

I have a 2007 Tundra 4.7 Double Cab I gave to my son, and I have replaced both Secondary Injection Valve's on the drivers side and the passenger side. I still have the engine light on and does not go off. The truck runs great with no issues whatsoever, except that darn light.
I need to get a "by-pass" . Can you indicate where can I buy an bypass so I can place on this truck. thank you.

 

Hewitt-tech is the bypass I’ve installed on 5-6 trucks

 

WOuld it fit on the 07 Tundra ? its has the 4.7 engine.

 

I'd thought, "Maybe I can tackle upper/lower control arms and hardware in an afternoon." How foolish I was.

Hey all. Been awhile since that deck build. If you've got staying-at-home to get back to, scroll down to the bottom for questions you might know. Also, shout-out to the one full page dedicated to drinks...

All my shot control arm bushings, especially the lowers', resulted in embarrassingly much steering play, overall suspension Jello-ness, and jacked tire wear (to the point that the fronts are ruined). Without the facilities/skill to press new bushings in, I started fresh with new parts. Until that stimmy came through, I had been procrastinating this big project. And understandably! I'm only done with one side after a weekend.

I chose Moog for the big stuff and OEM for the cam adjustment parts.

First, I applied a layer of clear coat enamel to everything because it can't hurt. I also Aerospace 303-ed all new bushings because it also can't hurt.

Didn't even try to remove the old cam bolts because I was 99% sure they were seized like a lot of stuff. Out the hackzall came, with Carbide metal cutting blades. Strut bolts, LBJ, tie rod end, sway bar end links, and steering rack bolts were removed to give access to cutting and installation. I wanted to just stick mah grinder in there but couldn't fit! It's also bad engineering that you have to loosen and pry the whole rack and pinion just to gain like 5mm for sliding the rear cam hardware in.

Thankfully, the UCA popped out with no fuss thanks to an Advance Auto tie rod puller. The long UCA bolt also slipped out without issue. Those old bushings wiggled and moved around, unlike the rock solid new ones. Coated all new hardware with aluminum-colored anti-sieze.


Unfortunately, the Rancho strut and bushing were absolutely seized to the old lower control arm. Despite the driver's side being leaking anyway, I wasn't ready to replace struts y'all! Ugh.


Stay away from Rancho quickLIFT struts!

Research will reveal that they can leak after only a few thousand miles like mine. And they might decide they don't want to be removed or reused.

This board is filled with praises for the Bilstein 5100 adjustable shocks, so I think I made a great choice by sending for them on Amazon.

Since my Rancho ones are cracky, also ordered new top

$12 Monroe Shocks & Struts Strut-Mate 907926 Coil Spring Insulator.

spring insulators, merely guessing on the fitment.

Burning questions:

• Can I reuse the Rancho 2.5" quickLIFT springs on the 5100s? They seem like an average size for front springs and have plenty of life left, but this is all new to me.
• Do I need to get a new lower spring insulator/seat like what the Ranchos have? While all the 5100 installs don't use them, I don't want any noises. There isn't a lot of info on this.
• 5100 users, did these shocks maintain or provide any lift? Hoping to keep my 2" leveling.
• Any advice on getting new strut-to-control-arm hardware? Originals aren't available on Toyota, eBay, or Amazon. Was gonna match diameter in high grade bolts from Home Deeps or an auto store.

I am aware removal of the old springs and/or installation of new ones on the 5100's will require a spring compressor. YT videos look easy enough; however, I feel safer paying a shop. There's even an offroad shop within 2 minutes' walk from me... I'm very friendly so maybe they'll give me a deal.

Suspension work is no fun to me! I'd rather do enjoyable mods like install rooftop vent fans.

Recently I took a ride in my buddy's '00 Tundra with half my mileage, and feeling his buttery smooth suspension gave me motivating hope for mine. After all this is done, with an alignment and new used front tires, she's gonna ride so well.

Until those new struts come, though, I'm without transportation for a week.

 

@theblurry1, Hey were you the one making that really cool wooden deck??? When I told my friend about it, he was very interested in seeing it. I was looking all over this thread and couldnt find your pics to show him. He's shopping for a first gen tundra currently, and if he ends up getting one he wants to possibly make a deck like yours. Care to send me some of those pictures of it? Thanks!

 

Glad he's interested in a creative addition to his truck. If you click my name you should see those photos or the write-up. It's also on Pinterest Lol. This makes me think I should just give it its own thread!

That deck has been wonderful. Recently used it for a quarantine grill-out with friends. Camping chair up there is great. Also added convenient handles, and 5 tie-down points. A deck made getting up there to haul 12-foot lumber and a ton of shiplap super easy.

 

Damn that thing is awesome! Thanks for the reply, Ill check out your write up! Maybe one day I'll have to build one just like it, or I'll help my room mate build his first and then I'll try it on mine after we learn from the mistakes we made on his, haha.

 

Received my mattresses. Tossed one back there to lay on. It's very firm which is great because I'm a side sleeper and I don't feel the wood of the drawers in my ribs. I purchased (2) thanks to another member as they were on sale for $35each.

Did realize today that, I should have built my drawers a little shorter so I could sit up on the mattress but oh well! Live and learn. I wanted to keep them above the mounting points in the bed so attach/turnbuckles would be hidden not really thinking that with my mid-rise and the fact I'm 5'8 that my head would still hit!

Going to start measuring the wings this week and get that completed and figure out the handles/latches for the drawers.

 

Cool, thanks for the tip! I have never owned a vehicle worth waxing so it's something I'll have to learn to do on this one.

 

Preventative maintenance time

 

I know what I would do.

 

Y’all got a condition or something

 

@Darkness this must be your ring tone.... ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4irXQhgMqg

 

What is that exactly?

 

I pictured him as a Simon and Garfunkel
The Sound of Silence

 

Shift mechanism for the column

 

That's my theme music, every good hero should have some

 

Do those actually ever go out?

 

Not that I’ve seen

 

Here's where I'm at.
I cut the shaft for old shock and tried to hit it out through the top. No dice there.

Tried to get a grinder on the top nut. Not enough room.

My nut cutters were junk. Ng

Now I'm using a hack saw to cut away at the top nut. I do not have a reciprocating saw that will fit. I also do not have the man power to move the bed out of the way.

Any ideas?

I'm starting to think I should have left well enough alone....


Edit: 4:13 pm central time. Just now realizing that once I get to the shaft I'm screwed anyway...

 

I greased mine without pulling it out. Smoov.

Seems like the double cab guys have more problems with this mechanism.

 

2 more handles done.
Still trying to figure out what to do about the lower dash that’s got broken tabs

 

SUCCESS​

On driver's side once I had sawed my way in to the shaft I was able to get a socket on and slowly turn the nut off. Took some time.

After doing the drivers side, and struggling I learned a lil something for the passengers side.


Ground two flat places on the old shaft for increased surface area. Used vise grips, and then began the tedious forearm workout of backing the old nut off. It uh... was fun laying under the truck with a 4 inch angle grinder right next to the gas tank...

The ride is already improved. Feels more "Truck-ish" and less "Car-ish" in the rear at least.

This was an endeavor, and I couldn't have done it without my pops. Even though he was occasionally ragging on me for spending so much on leaf springs.

After dropping the spare which is from Week 8 of 2002.... (Also topped up the psi in the spare from 1 psi to 29 psi.)

I discovered some crustiness on the very rear of my frame. I didn't measure, but if i had to guess... probably the last 10-11 inches?


The outer housing for the spare tire mechanism is crusty as well. The mechanism itself feels super smoove. Which I was surprised by.

One piece of the puzzle done.

I forgot to mention that when I was installing the drivers side I fucked up, and put the metal washers for the rubber boots on wrong.

I didn't realize until after I removed the old passenger side. Pops removed the drivers side, and I installed with new so I didn't get to use the old one for example.

I removed and installed the passengers side. After realizing my fuck up I went back to the drivers side, and fixed it.

Also, investigated the rear e-brake lever on the passengers side. I beat it in with a Non-mar hammer, and then pulled on the cord. Didn't bounce back like I'd hoped. I'm guessing from years of being sprung outward that the springs are weak, or it will need serious dismantling.

 

The bell cranks seize. You have to unseize them and grease them.

 

Ah, I see. Might be a project for tomorrow.

 

I think it was @Festerw that said he cleaned up and packed his boots housings with grease. He has the slipperiest cranks around.

 

They still seize up. It’s a 6 month service for me to grease em.

biggest reason I hate our drums. Those fuckers seize up if you look at em funny

 

Using the enrake a fair bit helps keep me moving tgoigh