1st Gen. Lunch Table - General Discussion

I've been waiting to post this because I was looking for more long term results before recommending this. We've all torn CV boots and know that's a royal PITA. I've seen guys duct tape, super glue, and all kinds of ways to hold on to a torn boot. I threw grease so I needed to put more back in and needed a way to seal it again.

I used these needles to fill the boot back up.

$7 5pcs Grease Injector Needle, Small Bearing Grease Needle Nozzle Portable and Detachable Grease Gun Needle Tip Needle Grease Fitting for Ball Joints Needle Air Nozzle Injecting Grease Tool

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C69MMPZX?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

This was the game changer. Thoroughly clean the boot from grease. Do not apply directly to the CV out of the bottle. Put some on a glove and moderately smear over where you inserted and where torn. Let it cure overnight if possible. I have not had a drop of grease or a boot tear. I've driven about 1200 miles since doing this including a 3.5 hour trip each way to go camping with 4wd use. Next time you're at Walmart or the hardware store pickup a tube and throw it in the truck.

 

Hey y'all, Got a question for ya's
The stock headlights on my '02? There clear and beautiful, But I would be better off using a cell phone flashlights in place of the stock Low beams. The stock Foglights are like stage lighting compared to candlelight headlights, the High beams are marginal at best.
What can I do too fix that? I've tried every incandescent bulb in O'reillys too no Avail, and I cannot afford $700 headlights with projectors (Also dont like the way they look in a bone stock truck) what can I look at? HID's?

 

Mini projector LEDs.

 

^^ Yup. mini projectors are going to be your best friend for a cheaper alternative. I went through a bunch of bulbs including high power halogens, led's, standalone harnesses and none were as good.

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/amazing-1st-gen-headlamp-upgrade.127384/

 

Oooo I like that! That'll keep the stock look too!

 

Same. But nothing tops an HID retrofit.
That said, the colight mini projectors are a really nice bang for your buck.

 

As in HID behind stock reflector? Maybe I'm just spoiled by my E90

 

Yeah I'm leaning this way next time one of these bulbs go out.

 

No. I think there's a brand that makes the headlights with the projectors for our trucks now. But you can just buy a cheap set, bake em, separate the lens from the housing and install projectors and HIDs, then reassemble.

 

Ah, I actually wanna stay away from those, they look kinda "beady" to me in the front of the truck

 

TEQ customs. I saw someone on instagram that does retros and they've got this tri color projector that actually throws light with a true retrofit not just the mini bulbs everyone's running. I'm tempted.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOqpXIXEfjp/?hl=en

 

It's definitely some extra work. But they can look factory fresh too. A former forum member used to make HID retrofits to order. I wanted mine to appear stock.


Just be aware the mini projector LEDs will require you to remove the inner halogen diffuser from the housings.

 

That's dope AF!

 

Do a search on here for all the people that have bought lights from them and had problems. You can buy all the parts and do it yourself for less money.

Edit, I thought the instagram link was for TEQ customs. I don't know anything about the instagram link, but TEQ customs has a pretty bad reputation.

 

Honestly, I think every retrofit company has had a bad wrap. If they aren’t using morimoto or high end projectors I can almost guarantee I can find the projectors on temu or Alibaba. I just don’t want to do the work myself haha.

 

It's too bad @SouthPaw moved on to another vehicle and abandoned the forum.
I can attest that the Morimotos I have now are 100% better than the scamazon HIDs. I had used prior in the retros he made me. I just wish I had sprung for the higher output version of the ones I bought. Just because a brighter, slightly warmer HID would probably work better on wet back top at night. But that's why I got all the yellow pods.

 

My sylvania superdouche ultras are still kicking at ?3? Years old. No regrets, and i dont have the sharp cutoff.

 

Nah, we should be good.

 

As with everything else you need to know about your truck, we aleady put that important info right there in the megathread for you, conveniently under the lighting section, note the red text:

Lighting info ...

• Bumper/grille light bar options HERE.
• Headlights: H4 mini-projectors are available for our trucks, no oven-baking your housings required, but you'll need to remove a hat-shaped chrome shroud inside, then install the mini-projector (detailed instructions). There are bake-in options for projectors. Check THIS REPLY for links to our common headlight upgrade options.
• To retrofit OEM fog, may differ by bumper style:
  • Steel: https://www.tundras.com/posts/3873353
  • Plastic: https://www.tundras.com/posts/3861961
• If replacing headlights, always buy "CAPA Certified" units to avoid garbage. Best CAPA certified options: DEPO, TYC, EagleEyes, Dorman.
• With LED headlights, high beams & fogs may stop working. To fix that or an always-on/off high beam dash light, add a plug-and-play resistor to at least one headlight.
• Some circuits have issues w/LEDs. Mainly LED headlights, blinkers, and the gauge cluster lights for fuel and charge (always use halogen for those two)
• Hyperflash problems are common after swapping LEDs into the turn signals. One solution is the Diode Dynamics flasher module (avoid scAmazon knock-offs, buy direct).
• For interior LEDs... a breakdown of interior light sizes is here. For climate control lighting updates, see here. Gauge cluster for earlier 2000-2004 models with replaceable bulbs, check this and this. 2005+ dash gauges had on-board LEDs, it's major surgery to change colors. You can sand the rear of the guage face for white vs. green. REMEMBER: LED lights are polarized. If you install backwards, they won't light up! Test after install. If one fails to light, try popping out, rotate it 180º, reinstall, test.

You can also get these spllit-boot kits, but not sure how effective they are. I saw another interesting repair tactic recently too, but for the life of me I've been unable to find it again.

​

 

Big recommend on the Morimoto stuff


If you don't go crazy on the install options they wont stick out like a sore thumb.

 

Anyone know off top if it's okay to re-use brand new intake manifold gaskets after they've been torqued down? Installed OEM gaskets, white tab up, torqued the intake plenum back down over the starter valley, but have a hankering to go back in there to tweak something. If I loosen it, must I then install brand new ones since these have already been torqued down? For fear of air leaks.
@bmf4069 if I recall you had to do this job a few times in a row?

 

You should be good.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to reuse them this time.

 

Perfect chance to do some trimming if those gaskets reach into the ports.

 

I run the non-ultra low-beams in my 2nd gen and regularly get people flashing me as if my high-beams are on. Good enough for me.

 

My housings are original and working their way towards amber.

you really need 3 stages of intensity to wake up the autodim folk. And the people that cant be bothered to aim their lights. The left side is aimed for driver side crossovers, and the passenger side side is aimed for driver side big rigs. I can punish everyone unless i’m in the left lane wiith jersey barriers. So you need 4 stages. Adding a roof light or ditch lights.

 

How is your headlight aim? Could explain the flashing

 

MORE STAGES

 

That's a fair question, but they're in-spec and riding in a bone-stock truck with zero lift and stock size tires.

I do have the ultras in the high-beams. Hate to see what would happen if I flashed them back.