squidmotion’s 2016

Thought I would copy and paste my intro....

And add to this, with items I’m working on.

This rig spends most of it's time in the driveway or on the beaches in Texas. Hauling surfboards and kayaks... towing a boat or camper, and making the journeys back home to Florida.

Standard SR-5.. cloth interior. 38 gallon tank option, window tint... 3M body film, spray in bed liner...


UPGRADES:

TRD wheels with Toyo Open Country A/T 305/70/17

I've made a few mods to make it more user friendly for the type of travels we do. I'm not really into lifted trucks.. they look cool, just not for me. This one will get a mild lift or leveling, however.

Added a Leer high-weight capacity camper shell, K&N air filter, Nfab Pre-runner bar with Hella 4000s (pencils on the outside, wide beam in the middle), power inverters, weather tech mats, slide in bed divider, air down kit, Norco jump starter, portable winch, el cheapo side steps, surfer stickers.

In the near future:
Bilstien 5100s
Air compressor



Before:



After:







Removable bed divider.



I was running the Toyo Open Country R/T 295/70/17... with no rubbing, believe it or not... didn't even have to remove the mudflaps.... great tires, but as they wore they got pretty loud. I preferred a less aggressive tread pattern, as I mostly see road use and sand.

Just put a new set of Toyo Open Country A/T 305/70/17 on it. Even though just the tiniest bit larger than the R/T, I had to take off the mudflaps this time! No rubbing.





I just finished installing the Bilstein 5100s on all corners, with a ToyTec AAL... I’ll post photos as soon as I can get to them.

 

Nice build, I like the idea of your removable truck boxes. Didn't realize there was an option for 40g tank..thats sweet!.

 

Here is the truck with the Bilstein 5100s, front and rear, middle setting on the front, with the Toytec AAL on the rear. No shims, spacers, or shackles. I have before photos with the 5100s with no AAL, that it rode on for two days while i waited on new ubolts, if anyone is interested (i’m not!).

The rear was easy wrenching, if you have a few tools and jacks...

For the front, i would recommend, at the very least, finding someone with a quality wall mounted spring compressor to build the shocks out for the front.


From my loose measurements, it looks like i gained the as advertised 2” in the front, and 1.5” in the rear, however, it may lose a little as it settles in. Here it is after about 40 miles:






Funny, it didn’t rub before, but it does now on a total lock to the left. Probably the lift pulling the track width in slightly. It just touches the skidplate, so that’s an easy fix. I’ll take it off, and either body dolly a lip on it, or simply cut some of it off for clearance on both sides.

Hoping I can get the factory front mud flaps back on, but not going to hold my breath. Mud flaps would be nice, as these Toyo ATs are gravel chunkers...
suggestions?

I’m very pleased with the ride quality of this setup, and it definitely drives better, a better match for the wheel/tire i’m using. Not as much of that leaning around in the corners... A good bit firmer all the way around, in a good way. The AALs didn’t stiffen the rear up nearly as much as i expected.

Honestly, and i’m totally open for debate on this, if you are looking for a small lift, with improved road manners and no worries of driveline issues or vibrations.. on my first impressions, this might be a no brainer.


I’ll report back on towing with it, when that happens.

 

Another recent upgrade were the load bars...

I tweaked one of my old Thule load bars (they were on my 2007, so definitely showing their age).... dead. I’ll source the foot, eventually, and use these as backups.





I went with heavy duty stuff from Rhino Rack... a lot wider. Jury is still out on how these will hold up, but they seem up to the task...










I will say these things are NOISY! There appears to be a few mods to quiet them down, but almost comical the whistling these things do!

 

I think it‘s just 38 gallons, and I doubt you actually get to use all of it. I’ll update the thread.

The box is cool. I have one side a little wider, so those large Rubbermaid tubs will slide in sideways. With the smoother Leer top i had on the 2007, you could slide the box out without removing the carpet top on the box.. with this version Leer top, the corners come inside further, so i have to remove the two carpeted halves on the top of the box... simple, still, but not as easy as the last truck, which was neat for pulling it out at the beach. We had a hole in it, for installing an umbrella.. My girls loved it.

thinking of upgrading this to an aluminum frame design i have been tossing around in my head.


I’m 6’4” and can sleep in this ok (i’m not too picky when i’m tired), but it’s nicer to remove the front window in the cap, and roll down the back window in the truck.. just a little more room to stretch out.