1st gen suspension advice

Long time listener, first time caller...

2002 AC 4x4 TRD at 200k with factory suspension. Just added air bags to support camper and hitch mounted moto. Need to do new shocks, struts, and LBJs...question is what else is a must at 200k?

I have done the shake test and everything seems tight still in front suspension/steering, although doing the LBJ as preventative. Anything else that should be done?

DIY and willing to spend $, just trying to limit expense and shop time for things that don't need done.

 

Timing belt.
At 200k I would look into new leaf springs

 

I take it you've already pored over the community knowledge in the "Suspension, wheel and tires ..." section here to get caught up on suspension options.

The 2nd reply of that same thread, in the "After you buy the truck (or sometimes before):" section will get you up-to-date on maintenance. But some things that come to mind that are probably in there, but you should read that anyway:

• Probably the biggest: Timing belt/water pump/tensioner/pulleys must be done by 100k or 10yrs if you're using OEM parts (Aisin is the OEM, they sell a kit ending with part# "-021" for this job - note Toyota says 90k/9yrs on interval)
• If the radiator is still original or showing signs of browning (it should be black), you should swap at same time as timing belt, Denso frand is recommended.
• If using the expected/mandatory red or pink coolant, it should be changed every 60k or every 5 years for SLLC pink (long life) or half that for red. WARNING: If it's any other color, you need to drain at the radiator and block drains, flush with water once or twice, then refill with SLLC pink; old coolant will help deteriorate head gaskets.
• Differential and transfer case fluids: Every 30k for standard fluids if you're not towing (half that if you are), or 60k for synthetic (WARNING: If you have LSD rear, they're EXTREMELY picky about synthetic fluids)
• Oil, obviously, every 12 months or 3500-5000 miles for standard, 6000-7500 for full synthetic (in my world, you do you, I won't run 10k miles on full syn myself)
• Filters: Toyota OEM filters are same cost as aftermarket, sometimes less, and they're specifically designed for your exact vehicle's engine, don't care your brand, I'm a Wix fanatic, I still use OEM filters: Air and Oil are plenty; fuel rarely ever needs to be changed UNLESS it's aftermarket (it's a PITFA to change)
• Full brake fluid flush every 30k-40k; check pads; adjust rears, knowing that the rear brake adjustment is CRUCIAL to how well your truck brakes, and the parking brake assembly/cable must be properly function to auto-adjust the rears as they wear.
• 4WD: You should be greasing all zerks in both driveshaft lines every oil change, or ever 3k-5k miles or you'll get annoying as hell clunks, and burn thru u-joints; Use a moly-impregnated grease, I prefer Valvoline Palladium #2
• Spark plugs: Check your owner's manual, stick with NGK or Denso brand and DO NOT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD order them on scAmazon or fleaBay or WallyMart, you will get counterfeits (avoid buying auto parts on all those sites for exactly that reason).
• Check for valve cover leaks, noting the bolts often back out but DO NOT over-torque, you don't want to snap one...

Suspensionwise, big thing is always use oem LBJs with new hardware every 100k, and bushings:

• UCA bushings/play
• LCA bushings/play
• Swaybar link bushings/play
• Tie rod end bushings/play, and check rack for signs of oil stains in the bellows and tears in the bellows
• Steering rack bushings
• Check the steering shaft seal at the firewall

 

Welcome. First, read the first 2 posts of THIS THREAD. Second, read the first 2 posts of THIS THREAD. There is an entire suspension section about 6 paragraphs down. That thread will answer most questions.

 

Damnit @shifty` is fast

Edit: you must have a whole file full of copy and paste responses at the ready that you've collected over the years, I'm sure.

 

Just to add.
It may seem like people steering you to that thread is a 'cop out' or a 'Go search, newbie' response, but it genuinely is not. It is incredibly useful, particularly in that it answers questions that you may not have thought to ask, but should know. I can't even imagine the time, morey and grief that thread must have saved people over the years.

 

Although admittedly as it's been said by a couple of people recently, it's a fuckload of info and can be really overwhelming.

It's intended as more of an index than anything, but giving overview on the topics that draw a lot more questions and/or have more misunderstandings.

It feels rambly. I get it. But it has cut down pretty significantly on questions, and for the repeat questions, it's a good "start by reading this, and come back to chat after" thing.

 

That page is a 10/10 resource for someone like me who doesn't know as much as you guys. Not rambly, all relevant info, and for someone who owns an old truck it's perfect. People with first gens should WANT to read all of it until it's not overwhelming anymore.

 

It's been really hard to collect so many voices from so many people and keep it concise, and within the character-limit-per-reply. I think there's like a 50,000 character limit per reply, and I'm constantly hitting the limit on that 1st reply. I almost which I could lock down the first 10 replies of that post, so I could break it all up into sections, would be so nice just to link people back to a specific reply, like, "Check reply #5 for suspension/wheel/tire info, and hit reply #9 for maintenance scheduling..."

But I don't want to bug the admins to insert new replies in the 3/4/5/6/7th positions of the 1st page.

 

Start a new thread / sticky with everything laid out and copy / paste everything in reply 1, reply 2, reply 3, ect ect. Then you can control how its all laid out and works.

 

It's been linked back to too many times. I'm cool with leaving it as-is.

Hindsight is 20/20.

 

Yes of course I have read that awesome page multiple times. While it gives a ton of info, I didn't see the answer to my question...besides LBJ, what else SHOULD be swapped out on a 200k Tundra when doing shocks & struts? Again I have done the push pull test to check for looseness, everything seems tight. Just wondering if I should do UBJ, tie rod links, etc just because of age.

 

I don't know if there's really an answer to the question. For my truck personally, I'd probably take an approach of:

LBJ is going to cause the most catastrophic issues if it snaps.

UBJ isn't going to be ideal if it snaps, but they don't see a fraction of the action, thus a fraction of the wear, drying out would be your path to easiest failure, is the boot good, grease intact, no play? Maybe bother next time you do the LBJ, pull the nuckle and knock them both out If you're in there and want extra insurance, go for it, swap 'em out, they are a wear part.

Otherwise, I'd go based on wear/signs of issue on everything else, and pay attn to the bushings for signs of wear, cracking, failure. Note that many aftermarket rubber bushings are China-sourced and tend to show failure signs within a year or two.

 

I'd also add that if you are doing work that's going to need an alignment afterwards, things that also need an alignment like outer tie rods and boots are pretty cheap. So if you look at them and they are still 'OK' but look like they might want to be replaced soon, I'd do them at the same time as they would need an alignment afterwards too and the alignment costs more than they do. Inner tie rods I think the Toyota ones are made of platinum judging by what they cherge.

If I'm making sense...

 

Could always add in big letters to original mega thread that the new link is here. That way all of the old posts would then push to new sticky mega thread.

 

I would imagine an admin adding a few reply lines would be faster and easier.

 

Maybe. I've never dealt with something like that on a forum. For myself, I would have copy/pasted everything into a Word document and break it into sections that way. Then start a new thread (or new inserted comments) and paste by section. You can keep track of character count per section easily without too much trouble.

I understand that there are other comments on the mega thread with question/answers as well, so moving to a new one loses a little bit without relinking. Just my thoughts on reorganizing. But I haven't been here nearly as long as the rest of you.

 

@BubbaW did that https://www.tundras.com/threads/so-...-1st-gen-tundra-eh.115928/page-7#post-3810779