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

@455h0le_dachshund looking into this see if there is a reverse camera plug. Not video out.

 

Would you go with 12 or 24 grit?

 

Sawzall with 12” carbide metal cutting blade.

 

Read on, young Grasshopper: https://www.tundras.com/threads/wha...-gen-tundra-today.2558/page-1624#post-3199439

 

I'm an idiot. I figured it out after checking everything over again. I had it plugged into the yellow video IN, instead of RC IN. RC= rear camera. Fuckin a.

 

Probably not just "bad powdercoat job".

Powdercoat doesn't create a mechanical bond with metal the same way paint does, ala self-etching primer. Powdercoat is just a skin wrapped around the metal, similar to what dunking it in plastidip would do, but a harder shell. Plastidip would actually be more rustproof than powdercoat, though! Think of it like using electricity to force plastic dust to cling to the metal, then you bake the plastic dust to make it melt on top of the metal. The only thing holding it in place until melting is electricity, and that melting action doesnt "bond" it to the metal, it just makes it a hard shell encapsulating the steel.

PC is still porous when thin, it can be thin anywhere, including at corners and seams, or anywhere it meets the edge of unfinished metal (such as with steel tubing, usually PC isn't sprayed inside). All it takes is one thin spot - OR a transition from PC to raw steel such as with tubing - to let water under the skin, where it stays trapped by the skin, and begins cultivating ferrous oxide. Or in your case, a little rubbing to thin the coating, or a thin spot where you meet a bubbly weld, or a thin spot at a corner and BOOM. You've got water sitting on top of the metal w/no way out, and metal rotting.

Powdercoat is a sloppy, dirty, inexpensive ends to a means. Paint will always be superior in every way, except cost. You can legitimately sandblast, use self-etch primer, or have your raw steel galvanized in a dunk tank, then painted, and your part will last an eon if properly cared for, far longer and safer than powdercoat.

Powdercoat is not the miracle solution everyone makes it out to be. It has its shortcomings, and people DO NOT talk about those enough. It pains me when I see posts like yours, or like the one guy on here whose roof rack was basically nothing left but a powdercoat shell, b/c the steel had rusted out inside that shell. I truly think it has an undeserved positive reputation. But I'll jump off my soapbox right quick.

 

Torn and seized are not the same. Bushings will become torn with age and abuse, that's the rubber part. They are 'seized' when the inner sleeve is married to the cam bolt, from rust and/or corrosion. You won't know they're seized until attempting to clock the cam for alignment, or trying to remove the cam bolts AKA LCA bolts, which is necessary to replace LCA's or LCA bushings, obviously. I recently replaced my bushings because they were torn, but lucky for me; not seized. The stories you'll read about people cutting them off with a sawzall - seized. I used a socket wrench. In your case, I'd plan on buying new cam bolts when you buy bushings or LCA's

 

This. I had my bumper and sliders professionally painted satin black that way I could go back discreetly with a rattle can. Not to mention rusting hardware that will leave rust anywhere it can. I'll pay to have it look nice the first time and if I know I can make it look professional out of a rattle can you can bet your ass I'm not paying someone to do it.

 

I installed ATS HD springs today. I got about 1.5 inches of lift from them. I now have 1" of rake, which is exactly what I was hoping for! I had a bit of a scare when I was torquing the u-bolts down for what felt like forever. I suddenly realized I was blindly following fsm spec again (98 ft lbs). After looking at ATS torque specs online they do say up to 100 for non plated and to defer to the factory spec instead of their values. Phew, when will I learn? I also had to cut them down because the nice folks at ATS decided I needed 8 3/4" bolts for some reason. Bit of a hack job but I figure if they're not re-usable then not the end of the world.

 

I would have but its at my sisters house still.

 

Twinsies

 

@a55hole_dachshund @shifty` fixed that reverse rake "issue". The rear shocks were blown out completely, zero rebound in them. I swear its level.

 

so level! you could shoot pool on that thing

 

It really is just the lighting. My neighbor, first thing he said was its level now. I shouod have took a pic with the sun still up.

 

Wheel gap looks taller in front. But that's just the way the wheel openings are cut, I believe. It does look like it's squatting in the pic though.

 

I went into the photo settings and had it auto level the ground out. I posted the "corrected" photo, i had the camera 3 degrees high on the left hand side.

So yes the unaided picture does look squated. Corrected picture, well is corrected lol

 

haha yeah that looks more level. I thought you were being sarcastic on the first one. Tape measures don't lie though, cameras do.

 

So it is squatting still?

 

No

 

A big belt wieand 8-71 would hold the nose down.

 

I still think you should be the test mule for one of those pressure washer/sandblasting setups. You & @jpink

$29 Rdutuok Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kit,Sand blaster for pressure washer with Replacement Nozzle Tips,Protect Glasses,1/4" Quick Disconnect 5000 PSI for Abrasive Cleaning

Amazon.com: Rdutuok Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kit,Sand blaster for pressure washer with Replacement Nozzle Tips,Protect Glasses,1/4 Inch Quick Disconnect 5000 PSI for Abrasive Cleaning : Patio, Lawn & Garden

 

Think more like 70 grit if you want a nicer finish but that bumper looks pretty textured so courser grit would be quicker if the gun tip and compressor will push it.

Here's a video on comparing different types of 200 micron media.

And here's a chart on micron to grit conversion.

BTW, the HF gun probably has a small tip but you may be able to use to clean larger areas. Smaller tips takes a while to clean larger areas, not like this type of unit! The HF gun would likely work fine for cleaning the small rust sections you've highlighted. Blasting takes a lot of airflow so a compressor that can keep up. And suggest some type of Found blasting paint and rust works well where other tools can't really reach (like 90 degree connections) but usually only completely strip smaller objects like a battery hold down, wheel, or sections of frame. Other effective tools include

$13 WENHUALI 5 Pcs Grinding Discs, 4'' x 5/8'' Stripping Wheel for Angle Grinder, Strip Discs, Easier and Faster to Strip Old Primer, Paint, Rust from Wood Metal

this type of tool for removing paint, fitting angle grinders or with drill attachments in a variety of sizes and configurations.

Haven't tried but looks like there are videos on multiple ways to remove powder coating including chemical stripper, heat, and blasting.

Edit: This (but still need to pick media/grit size) ->

 

Oh sweet. Dustless. And looks like it works based on the reviews showing frames and diffs, etc. stripped. Just got to keep the overspray out of the bucket of media, so white bucket with hole cut in bucket lid with ID matching the OD of the pickup tube.

 

Is there any adjustability in it? Can you leave a small gap to prevent this in the future? I promise you we ain't gonna give you shit for having a small gap between the bumper and fenders.

 

I'll admit, I don't know much about brakes and pads. Had just seen someone else on here recommend these and got them. They didn't look semi-met though. Test drive after install felt about the same as what it replaced, slightly better bite.

 

Unfortunately no. It can't be adjusted. I'd have to cut the fenders. I don't think this caused the powder coat to fail all over though. I had people reach out on Instagram saying it looked like a terrible prep job.

 

Anyone have anything to report on these?


https://archivegarage.com/shop-archive/ols/products/archive-shackleton-med-springs

 

I installed those Archive Garage leafs about a month ago or so. Only went on one trip with them and didnt do much offroading but definitely felt smooth in the rear now going over bumps. Took the weight of my heavier camper shell perfectly too. Gonna go camping in a couple weeks so ill have a better idea of how they handle then. But so far, im liking them!

 

Just make sure to get the right ones for the weight you intend to put on em. If unsure, contact Erik the owner. He is more than helpful, hell of a good guy, and knows these 1st gens very well.

 

7inch cutoff wheel in my angle grinder, sketchy level 9 but worked like a charm. Do not enter the (death) plane of the blade...
(Pic is not me)