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

Okay, so what are you guys doing to get access to the rear shock bolt to cut them off? Do you just prop up the electrical cable and access with the sawzall underneath….


Or just cut the electrical tape and yank 2 feet back at the connectors to get it out of the way?


I’m almost tempted to just lift the bed 3 inches for better access.

 

I used a box end wrench and got about 1/8 of a turn with each wrench repositioning. What a PITA it was. You have the right idea chopping the old ones off.

 

I stuck a ratcheting wrench on it and turned it untill it just snapped off.

 

@Jack McCarthy you're dealing with rust I assume?

I've shared the tool I used for this job before. It works perfectly if not rusted.

TEKTON 17 x 19 mm Long Flex Ratcheting Box End Wrench | WRN77113

$32 TEKTON 17 x 19 mm Long Flex Ratcheting Box End Wrench | WRN77113

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F512HQS

 

Unfortunately the box wrench isn’t a good option as I’ve already used a breaker bar and can’t budge it although I only have 6-10 inches of swing from underneath. It is pretty well rusted.

 

So it sounds like I need to wait until it rusts even more? I like it! haha

Yeah, that nut is rusted in place.

 

It's coming back to me now. I had to use a very slim adjustable wrench and a box end to get the shock on and off. There is that square nub at the top of the stem and then the nut that has to be tightened/loosened. I might be inclined to use a hole saw through the bed and then RTV the cutout back in after installing the shock now. That's how much of a pain it was. Thankfully shocks last a long time, relatively speaking.

 

I used a 10" Diablo metal blade in a sawzall...took those suckers right off!

 

What did you do to avoid hitting the wiring on top of the frame rail as shown or did you do it blind from underneath where the spare tire is located?

 

I did it from outside just as you show in the picture, shoving some stuff underneath the wires to make room. With the right blade it cuts fast! Now I have the opposite problem...when I first got my truck I wasn't sure I was going to keep it, so I installed $12 shocks from Rock Auto. Now, 3 years later I took them off (not rusty at all) and installed new Billsteins. Trying to hold the little nub on top while tightening the nut was challenging, even with an extra long ratcheting box wrench. Especially on the passenger side.

You may find (as did I) that the inside of the shock tubes is crusty and rusty. Allow extra time to use a wire wheel, convert the rust, then paint (POR15, whatever) before you put the new shocks in.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the keyed shaft. I forgot about that. I may just use a tiny box wrench to hold the shaft and a flare wrench to wrench the nut on the shock.

 

I'd say "why", but I think the answer is "if you have to ask..."
Seems well done.

 

Yeah I can't imagine wanting more than my single 10" sub in this truck. Sometimes it's too much

 

Given the OEMs (KYB on mine) aren't keyed like others, and just have a flat on top for you to grab, I started with a box end ratcheting wrench, put it on, then clamped some vice grips on, and started to ratchet. Which was cool, until the nut started hitting the vice grips.

So then, I got pissed with fighting with it, and ended up cutting the plastic cover on the shock to grab the shaft with vice grips and start cranking. Shit was still slipping. So I went into "eff it" mode, got out the dremel with a cutting disk, and split the top nut, and it spun right off. 45 minutes I spent on that one shock probably.

I was smart on the other side and attacked the nut with dremel first, one push with the ratcheting wrench and it spun right off. Installation was easier because 5100s have the expected allen key in the top of the shaft. I got my "breaker bar" (piece of 1/2 or 3/4 inch copper pipe), set my ratcheting wrench on the nut, dropped in an allen wrench, and slid my breaker bar over the wrench to crank it down. Easy peasy.

 

Or you have me, who when recently removing my 5100s forgot it had the allen on top and fought for an hour with vice grips to remove. Then when I got it off I noticed the allen key on top. The second shock took a couple of minutes. LOL

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/Zeyf2uLjuhQ?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/dC5sz9hJrIM?feature=share

 

Bet that feels a hell of a lot less sloppy!!

Did you go poly or rubber on some new bushings?

 

Just did the energy Kit. Saved the rubbers just in case. (TWSS)

 

I'd be curious to hear your take as you drive it, whether you feel like it's too stiff/sharp. Swapping to poly can feel like turning on a dime, feel too sensitive for some folks.

Too soon to say b/c I'm sure it's a huge shock going from that sloppy ol stuff to this.

 

I'll get my opinion out there on it soon. I wasn't 100% on whether I should go with poly there too. The vids you see (mine included) are misleading in that some of that "slop" or movement is 100% normal and designed that way. Brand new truck would do that to some degree... maybe not quite as much as mine.

Bushings I pulled out didn't look too bad but they're shitty aftermarket that prior owner put in - but the condition of them wasn't bad. It way to early for me to tell if I like them. Were I aware of a harder durometer rubber alternative (like a wrx owner getting STi bushings) I would have gone that route. In the next few weeks I have every type of driving planned so I'll have a good idea whether they're going to stay or not. So far I like them and replacing them really isn't so bad at all.

 

Took my truck to a Toyota truck meet.

See the photos:

Spoiler: FOEDOEZ

 

Did you camp as well or just do the meet and beat?

 

I didn't camp. I haven't been camping since I was a pre-teen with the boy scouts. I did, however, show up early (for what that's worth, lol.)

 

Showing up is 90%

 

What’s the story on the blue jeep?

 

*AHEM* Jeep? What Jeep?

Ha. No. If you're talking about the blue one, it's an attendee's husband's tube chassis jeep. I believe it has most of the guts of a Cherokee.

 

Dang Jeeps always crashing Toyota parties.

 

Ordered all this just now. 00-04 headlights are only $33 a side for CAPA certified. Also got new corner lights from depo that are CAPA certified as well as one of mine is getting crack lines in the lens and the other has all the tabs broken off of it.

Hope to get this done as soon as I can but will have to see what time allows.

 

Where was this held?

 

You just need a second set of wheels to throw on whenever you need to take your main set in.
I don't trust other people working on my vehicles for most things I know I can do myself. Especially the motorcycles.