Build or just me talking to the walls or something

placeholder while I think of more...
Had the truck less than a month but already added bumper and have a few other things on order.

Told myself I was going to keep it stock when I bought it.
2018 Limited 4x4.

pics coming eventually.

Started so far.
1. fluid changes ongoing since I don't know what maintenance previous owner did.
a. ATF (drain & fill with Toyota WS) It was pretty dark, may do again in a few months.
b. front & rear diff oil (Amsoil)
2. CBI front bumper.
3. RCI skidplate(s).
4. SS3 fog lights.
5. Pair of 8" light bars (some chinese things from Amzon)
6. DIY fuse panel and 3D printed switch panel
7. 2.5/1.5 lift (5100/5160, shackles)
8. wheels & tires: finally found something in stock that I liked. 295/70-18 Yokohama M/T on Method 314.
9. solved some rattles and stuff using the magic of zipties.

 

Order Valhallas cat protection plates.

 

Congrats!

 

Discovered that RCI skid plate has to be trimmed to fit with a CBI Baja bumper.

Aluminum skid so i just left the raw edge.
And, yes, my cut is crooked.

 

Also partially debadged recently.
That big 5.7 iforce tag on doors was too much for sure.
(Wood under tires was just making it easier to roll under while i installed the skidplate)

 

Installed suspension goodies.
Front got 5100s reusing stock springs.
Rear got Coachbuilder +2 shackles, abs wire extension bracket (DIY), Bilstein 5160 rear shocks, and modified a Fox roost shield to protect driver side shock shaft.

Got roughly 2.5" lift in front and 1.25" in back.

Had to rotate the TRD sway bar mounts on the axle to gain some clearance from the leaf spring at full droop. Because of the shackles, leaf might still touch my exhaust and/or sway bar but only when I flex it out.

With the resi piggybacked on the shock body, mounting the roost shield the normal way it's intended to go (clamped on near lower shock mount) means shield would hit the bottom of the resi on hard compression like stuffing the back wheels. Confirmed the truth of it even after cutting a few inches length off the shield by slowly flexing it through a ditch in the yard. So I cut the shield even shorter and mounted it upside down. By cutting away the screw holes and a little extra, it's basically a snap fit over the shot body and some zipties are enough to hold it now.

 

3d printed a panel for switches behind the shifter and moved rear window switch.
Welded up a mount for fuses/relays to run lights and whatever other accessories I want in the future.

 

RCI transmission skid and cat shields added.

 

@COTundra23 I'm glad we got your exhaust on smoothly. Installed on my truck in 30 minutes...
... plus 3.5 hours not counting trips to stores dealing with a bolt that sheared. The very last bolt that would have finished the job.

Felt it binding, tried to back it out and that's when it broke. Was able to get out the bolt fragment and retap the hole. Went to 3 stores to find right size bolt. When i torqued the new bolt on same hole, the welded nut cracked so the new bolt wouldn't get tight enough. Rather than go to store again, found a skinnier bolt in my drawer to run through and use regular nut & washers behind the cracked weld nut.

Slathered muffler putty in flanges while i was at it since i was reusing old gaskets.

Btw, i did start it with no muffler. Sounded awesome at idle but waaay too loud.

 

Letting a helper help but also stay out of my way.

 

Oh man…. What a pain. Sorry you had to deal with that!! But looks like new (ish) now lol

glad you made it home safely and that were able to have a good success story from this forum!

 

This is what the 3 foot difference in wheelbase from 4Runner to Tundra looks like fitting in a garage. LOL.
Parked with back wheels lined up. Funny that they have almost the same amount of overhang behind the rear wheels.

 

For historical reference that's not even on my Tundra...
The plastic sheets I used to DIY skid plates on the 4Runner were ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW PE), anti-static grade, black.
Some 3/8" and 1/4" thick.
A 2ftx4ft sheet of each did engine, mid, & gas tank skid with some leftover material.
Only added about 15lb to truck including the 1/8" flat bars I welded to reinforce OEM skids & help fasten the plastic sheets to.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/86209947
https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/86209939

 

a few pics to add.
Stuff done of the summer so far.

Pair of reverse lights in center plastic section of bumper.
Cleaned and painted front calipers.
Cleaned outside and in.
Cut some foam out from under back seats to make space for stuff.
Got 5% tint on rear glass and sunroof.

 

Nice work. Best switch bezel I've seen on here so far.