OCD from Billings MT with a new to me 2014 TRD :)

Hi all, found tundras.com after some other defunct forums. I go through trucks faster than underwear as my wife says, and have had f150's from work, Duramaxes, many vortec gm trucks, dodge gassers and diesels etc etc.

First and foremost I think all trucks now a days are much better than they used to be even 20 years ago. But I will say having all the trucks I have had I am very impressed with my new to me 2014 Tundra limited trd. I purchased trading in an 07 with 390k miles on it with nothing but Bakken life and oil changes and ran and rode great.

2014 is a one owner with dealer records with amazing maintenance and new waterpump all fluids belts etc recently done. 160k miles. Love the truck already and look forward to wasting hours of time and energy here.

Excited to be a part of a new active forum. Thanks!

 

Far Out! I got a 2015 2 years ago and it's really good. See you have the same cowcatcher as mine. I went from an SR5 I bought new in 2002 to the 2015 and the advances are amazing. I speak a few words of Bakken since I travel to Williston every year to camp out and boat.

 

Nice. I miss living up there.

 

Well I vacationed to Fort Myers Beach last year and fell in love, so if you ever want to trade houses just lmk.

 

I think new trucks are garbage compared to 20 years ago. Emissions requirements and electronics have destroyed reliability…since you mention diesels.

 

I won't disagree, but a stock 2022 duramax will walk all over a big tuned 2002 duramax. I agree emmissions requirements are not good for anyone, but if you take 2 diesels and delete and tune them 20 years apart there is an impressive difference.

All I know is I grew up on 80's pickups that I seemed to spend more time working on instead of driving. The feel fit and refinement of my 2014 Tundra is incredible, and knowing its reliable makes it so fun to drive.

 

Lol. I'm in the Tampa area. Im from the Carolinas originally but I was stationed in Great Falls from 1992-1996. Beautiful state.

 

Welcome, awesome grill guard i love the classic look

 

Without a doubt a love hate relationship with the brush guards. I work with a bunch of co-op lineman who give me shit about doing a full bumper replacement. In Montana the interstates are 80mph speed limits and the brush guards at that speed wont do well. Considering going to a local dealer who has some heavy duty bumper deals. Would love to hear other real world opinions on the ranch hand grill guard vs deer at 80 mph. In some situations I do understand nothing will help.

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)!

 

Welcome and greetings from Minnesota.

 

Welcome from SoCal

 

Love that color!!

 

Welcome from Ohio

 

Welcome from MA
Beautiful truck I think most people on here call grill/brush guards “damage multiplayers”
I’m a Billings native been living on the east coast for the past 20 yrs.
I will be in Paradise Valley this summer fishing the Yellowstone

 

Welcome from Helena!

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome from NY.

 

Welcome from the WestEnd of Billings!

 

There was a debate about these kinds of guards on another thread. Seems to me that for highway collisions, they are a damage multiplier and a surefire way to warp your frame since they are completely rigid. It's like extending your frame out in front of the truck. The OEM bumper cover and crumple zones, at least as I understand it, are meant to slow down the rate of deceleration upon impact, and in the way that they explode, they actually dissipate some of the force laterally in a head-on collision. I've always thought of those things as damage multipliers. Some here disagree. I spent a long time looking for any kind of legit study and didn't come up with anything scientific that said one way or the other.

I'm not saying they don't serve a purpose. If you drive around on a ranch and sometimes need to gently encourage a stubborn cow to get out of your way at 2mph, it's probably a great thing to have. But as far as a protector in any kind of roadway collision (especially at highway speeds), no thanks. I think they make it worse.

 

That elk picture is unbelievable, I can't help to wonder what the truck would have looked like without the full heavy duty replacement bumper. I am lucky enough to live where there are quite a few manufacturers and fabricators around me that make awesome bumpers, but the price is really hard for me to justify. I do commute 20 miles one way a day through deer country and hope I don't regret not buying one. I really like the prerunner look but again worry if it would be enough to throw a deer off or if it would still wind up in your grill. Would love to hear anyones experiences with these.

 

Watch out, those are fighting words in the first gen section!

Welcome aboard from SoCal.

 

Welcome from So Cal

 

Welcome & congratulations!

 

Can confirm. That first "grille guard" is an ornament, not a shield. They are okay for mounting lights or tying your mountain bike to for transport, but that is all.