Gen 1 TRD vs. standard SR5?

From my recollection, the only difference between the early TRD and the non TRD SR5 models was the addition of Bilstein shocks and the stickers on the side. Is this correct or were there other differences?

 

That's accurate. Shocks, color matched flares, bumper trim, and stickers. I remember removing my bilsteins to install swayaways and thought "what a waste of money"

 

Even tho the Toyota brochures do not mention stickers, I suppose it was not needed as a line entry. Below is from an 03 Brochure which is when they started offering not only TRD Off Road but TRD Sport Pkg.
As for Standard SR5, not sure what you mean unless it means Regular cab ?

2001-2006 Brochures if it helps....

1st Gen Tundra Brochures & Owner's Manual | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)

 

Where’s @Darkness when we need him?!!

 

I see even in the official brochure from @BubbaW that it says color matched fender flares on the SR5. Every one I've ever seen (as far as 00-02) has black flares on SR5 models and paint matched flares only on Limited trims. Wierd

 

So when it says "offroad tuned suspension" thats just bilsteins? or are there other components that are upgraded and or adjusted / tuned for different use case?

 

The 02 Brochure shows that also regarding black flares. There are some subtle changes year to year.

from 2002 Brochure....

Access Cab SR5

• TRD Off-Road Package (not available on 4x2 V6 models) — includes off-road-tuned suspension, Bilstein® shock absorbers, P265/70R16 BFGoodrich tires on 5-spoke aluminum alloy wheels,black fender flares with integrated mudguards and fog lamps

 

Subtle changes year to year is absolutely right.
Gen1.0, 00-02
Gen1.1, 03-04
Gen1.2, 05-06

 

Thanks everyone for your comments! BubbaW, thanks for posting the brochure, very interesting. I pulled out my Tundra files and find the 2003 Tundra brochure I have is entirely different, likely an earlier version. Different photos and layout. There is no mention of TRD Off Road or TRD Sport package.

From the original window sticker off my truck it shows it was loaded with about $4K of options, basically everything included in the Limited and TRD models except the leather seats, Bilsteins and the TRD stickers.

It would be interesting to see articles from Road and Track and Car and Driver about the early Tundras and their evolution. I remember reading them at the time and thought the TRD packages weren't worth the premium given the meager add-ons.

 

A little story about when I bought my 2003 Tundra: Mrs. Hummer and I were driving from CO to a conference in California. Our Jeep Commanche pickup was loaded with gear and when we hit Las Vegas the truck overheated again in 115◦ temps. The truck had been in the shop several times for overheating and the dealer kept throwing my $$$$ at it but never managed a permanent fix.

In Vegas, we went to the nearest Jeep dealer which happened to also sell Ferarri, Masarati, Lamborghini, Hummer, and other luxury cars. I thought this is going to cost me a fortune. But we left the truck and walked across the street to the Toyota dealer.

Over the previous year I had been looking at Tundras but couldn't pull the trigger. Now faced with needing to get to CA, we were more serious. We looked over a couple used Tundras but they were pretty abused. The only new 4WD Tundra at the dealership was the loaded model we ended up driving out with. It didn't take long to realize that we made one of our best buys ever.

Back story, on the way back home we stopped in Vegas to pick up the Commanche. The dealer had investigated the service record of the truck by the Grand Junction dealer and contacted Chrysler. The truck was repaired and they didn't charge me a penny! When I got home I sold that truck for twice it's book value and never looked back.

 

The TRD coils are supposedly different. They use a progressive spring rate where the standard coils do not.

 

Unless you get the weird truck like mine, with DIFFERENT colored flares.

 

Yeah your truck is the weird one. Non TRD and the flares aren't even physically the same as TRD ones and they are painted like a limited trim truck.

 

It seems to be the same case in present day

 

The two tone (green/tan) came with painted flares in an SR5 version which Boch Toyota carried back in the day. Never saw the red/tan though.

 

I think I’ve seen a white top and silver lower out here before

 

That doesn't seem right. Pic?

 

I’m a safe driver and a terrible in motion picture taker…….
If only I could have taken pictures of 1% of the crazy shit I’ve seen on the road!

 

@Jack McCarthy you guys would love the toy caravans; that everyone thinks goes to Mexico, supposedly they go even further south into Central America.
Usually 3-4 deep, a precoma towing another, both loaded to the gills with parts and usually other beds flipped upside down ontop of their bed.
Or some sort of unmarked Uhaul with a older Tacoma hanging out the back with another bed on its bed, towing another of the same set up.

 

Bed flipped on top of another bed to make a boxed truck? Wow.

 

Haha no two separate things.
As I type this, I guess yes, a box truck but not in the traditional forum.

 

For that kind of travel to Central America, I'd want an offset axle setup like a unimog for better clearance.

 

I see two-tones occasionally. Since the 1950's, two-tone paint schemes have always been a premium option. Kind of curious how conservative Toyota decided to produce them, but they were trying to break into the American truck market. What amazes me more is how many Gen 1 trucks I see on the road every day. And, most look really good. Mine will hit 237K miles this week.

 

So early trds DONT have progressive rate coil springs? @empty_lord

i’ll compare my bilsteins to the coils we pulled off bmf’s truck.

 

I genuinely do not know

 

I’m actually surprised I didn’t see them make them after the 1st gen. They were available on the t100 as well.

 

I am still confused about the TRD suspension on my 2005. It has a very stiff ride, but the shocks are still working correctly, after 289k miles!!
FWIW, Bilstein doesn't make coils, as far as I know.

 

My 2000 has the progressive TRD coils. They are hard to compress due to the narrow space between rungs.

 

Thought the TRD Off-Road package included an LSD? I've got a 2WD 06 DC SR5 TRD O/R with bilsteins and LSD. Haven't seen any mention if LSD was just an option or part of a TRD package.