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Starting suspension work...

Discussion in '1st Gen Tundras (2000-2006)' started by Voss, Oct 10, 2020.

  1. Oct 10, 2020 at 2:39 PM
    #1
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Hi all, started working on changing out UCAs, coilovers and noticed my front sway bar is floating on passenger side/not bolted on.
    Now I have basically no mechanical knowledge but I’m pretty sure this isn’t supposed to be this way. 3A0BC146-EC06-49AA-89F6-09061AD6CD69.jpg
     
  2. Oct 10, 2020 at 2:47 PM
    #2
    Kongap

    Kongap New Member

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    Did you not notice that when driving? Yikes

    looks like the bolt snapped off. You need a stabilizer/sway bar link.
     
    G10dra and Voss[OP] like this.
  3. Oct 10, 2020 at 2:49 PM
    #3
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Noticed when I took off the tire. Hopefully can find a replacement over weekend. Thanks
     
  4. Oct 10, 2020 at 2:53 PM
    #4
    Kongap

    Kongap New Member

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    Didn’t feel any different recently?

    at least they’re a cheap part to replace. Hope you find one locally easily
     
  5. Oct 10, 2020 at 2:56 PM
    #5
    Professional Hand Model

    Professional Hand Model A.K.A ‘Golden Hands’

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    Situation Normal for a truck this age. Both mine snapped off years ago, on different occasions, and I drove without them for a few years.

    Replace both at the same time. Plenty of choices out there and many here recco Suspension Max. I have no idea which links a shop installed on mine. They are stout compared to OEM, though. Truck drives so much better with the sway bar reattached.
     
    ventorph, jpink and Voss[OP] like this.
  6. Oct 10, 2020 at 2:56 PM
    #6
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Actually thought I wasn’t handling as well about a month ago but didn’t think much of it.

    Appreciate the input
     
    Kongap[QUOTED] likes this.
  7. Oct 10, 2020 at 2:57 PM
    #7
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Thanks. I’ll look into sus max
     
  8. Oct 10, 2020 at 4:34 PM
    #8
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    5C11AB51-643D-4842-A305-93FAF406E446.jpg Any tips on how to remove an axel nut that won’t budge? Stuck here for 45mins. Wd40 applied 3 times.
     
  9. Oct 10, 2020 at 4:53 PM
    #9
    Casper421

    Casper421 Toyota RidgeTrac driver!

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    Impact or a breaker bar.
     
    Luckydog and Voss[QUOTED][OP] like this.
  10. Oct 10, 2020 at 5:06 PM
    #10
    bassman417

    bassman417 "Tundra Time". My favorite time of day...

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    Heat that shit up with a torch also.
    Try to use a pipe on the end of the wrench if you have one as an extension to get boo-koo leverage.
    If you can get a tight grip on the nut, use your foot and put all your weight on it. Be careful.....
     
    Voss[OP] likes this.
  11. Oct 10, 2020 at 5:43 PM
    #11
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Thanks. Have a friend coming over with an impact gun and have a torch at home which was my next step.

    I can’t get good leverage on the nut since it’s less than half an inch thick. Thinking maybe my CV joint being ruined on this side might have something to do with it being so tight. My car would shake when accelerating fast 1st & 2nd gear. Also when I would slow down quickly exiting freeway right around 2nd gear.
     
    bassman417 likes this.
  12. Oct 11, 2020 at 12:34 PM
    #12
    blackdemon_tt

    blackdemon_tt Battery Slayer

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    Make sure there is no indentation on the axle nut, or it will ruin your threads.... I'm not sure if they still indent the axle nuts, or they use a pin, but it doesn't appear to have a pin....
     
    Voss[OP] likes this.
  13. Oct 11, 2020 at 1:53 PM
    #13
    Kongap

    Kongap New Member

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    Iirc, I was able to break free my driver’s axle nut with a cheapo electric Harbor Freight impact gun when I had to punch out a broke ABS sensor... But then again it didn’t look like it had as much corrosion as yours
     
    Voss[OP] likes this.
  14. Oct 11, 2020 at 1:55 PM
    #14
    Professional Hand Model

    Professional Hand Model A.K.A ‘Golden Hands’

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    Any pics of this job you did? Just curious of the set up.
     
  15. Oct 11, 2020 at 3:26 PM
    #15
    Kongap

    Kongap New Member

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    Unfortunately I didn’t take any pics. Here’s the new sensor installed after though:
    30BB8EEC-0DC5-44EA-84E1-5A4F57E958AF.jpg
    And here’s the screen grab from 1A Auto with the hub pulled and the hole for the ABS speed sensor:
    4E30C248-2323-466B-8A6C-2AD590405193.jpg
    While trying to do some rotor & brake work, I tried removing the sensor so the caliper could be more free to move. It had so much corrosion build up that it got stuck in place which resulted in trying to use more force to pull it out. That meant snapping the already brittle 16y/o plastic sensor off partially in the hub. Watching the 1A Auto video gave me the idea to punch it out.

    It was funny enough that when my local shop recently replaced the bearing on the other side of the truck that they ran into the same problem and replaced the sensor too. (Noticed while doing brake work)
     
  16. Oct 13, 2020 at 10:58 AM
    #16
    bmf4069

    bmf4069 Yup, that's car parts in a dishwasher

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    20200208_170451.jpg
     
  17. Oct 13, 2020 at 3:02 PM
    #17
    Professional Hand Model

    Professional Hand Model A.K.A ‘Golden Hands’

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    Hand Protectors
    :yes:
     
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  18. Oct 13, 2020 at 4:03 PM
    #18
    Darkness

    Darkness Allergic to white

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    WD 40 can't help much on that sort of thing. You need something like Liquid Wrench or Kroil or any other penetraiting oil. It makes a difference.
     
    N84434 and Voss[OP] like this.
  19. Oct 14, 2020 at 8:48 PM
    #19
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Breaker bar did the trick. Then I got stuck for about 4 HOURS!! trying to get the upper ball joint to release from the UCA. YouTube videos make it seem so simple... Ended up cutting it off after pounding it with a full size sledgehammer with no luck lol.

    After a couple rentals tries from the local auto part store, ending up ordering ball joint remover from Amazon. Had trouble at first but used another car to hold down the large C clamp(ball joint remover) and got it off. Basically impossible to Torque it enough to pop out without someone/something holding things in place.

    After 2 cuts, the axel was ready for high angle CV boot. Also got a new boot from Toyota for the outer CV boot.

    Now I just need to apply the final clear coat(s) on the spindle gusset my friend welded to put it all back together.

    About 12 hrs in so far and I gotta say, one of the more rewarding experiences I’ve felt in a while. Love learning and working on my truck!

    Appreciate you all!
     
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  20. Oct 14, 2020 at 8:54 PM
    #20
    Darkness

    Darkness Allergic to white

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    Thats good stuff. The problem i had with upper ball joint removal was limited space. No room for an impact gun and I couldn't get the leverage with a long socket wrench. My buddy cut one end off his snap on box end and we stuck a 4' pipe on it and got the joint off. I made him best man at my wedding for cutting his snap on wrench lol
     
  21. Oct 14, 2020 at 8:59 PM
    #21
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Lol, man deserved it!
     
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  22. Oct 14, 2020 at 9:23 PM
    #22
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Pics of progress cause well, pics or it didn’t happen lolB37CB7C7-5134-48A6-A1A7-A1841343D17F.jpg

    The CV axel cut was by far the scariest part of everything. Cut it once but there was a section going inward which touched the CV (arm I wanna call it) so I called and asked, was told to cut a bit more. Then assembled it all... oh, I even marked the location of notches so I could connect at same spot. Yeah I did my homework.
    FDCBF442-6637-47BF-B946-6EB0EF025AB9.jpg
    1E679E39-3CD3-420D-AD0D-A5FE8C93B52D.jpg

    Spindle gusset. Here’s to good friends! Mainly welded on back side.

    oh and ProHandmodel, Got the suspension max sway bar links. Order Sat, arrived Monday and they look beefy. I actually think I remember the exact moment my old link broke. Was off-roading with a buddy and heard metal break but couldn’t find anything at the time. Pretty sure it was the link snapping off now.
     
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  23. Oct 15, 2020 at 7:17 AM
    #23
    KNABORES

    KNABORES Sarcasm incoming

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    What exactly were you cutting on the CV?
     
  24. Oct 15, 2020 at 7:56 AM
    #24
    Professional Hand Model

    Professional Hand Model A.K.A ‘Golden Hands’

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    Nice work. Yeah. I heard mine snap going over a speed bump at the mall.
     
    Voss[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  25. Oct 15, 2020 at 8:11 AM
    #25
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Cut the extension off. Not all of it, just the outer portion.
     
  26. Oct 15, 2020 at 9:07 AM
    #26
    KNABORES

    KNABORES Sarcasm incoming

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    Gotcha, I was thinking you were lengthening the shaft or something! ala longer travel setup.
     
    Voss[OP] likes this.
  27. Oct 17, 2020 at 6:01 PM
    #27
    smokey0810

    smokey0810 New Member

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    Gonna feel real satisfaction knowing you did all the work yourself. Just make sure you got proper torque specs on those front end nuts and bolts.
     
    Voss[OP] likes this.
  28. Oct 17, 2020 at 7:22 PM
    #28
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Finally... 00974645-8770-45FB-9586-5CED9542BD4E.jpg Passenger side complete. I was told the king coildovers were set at a 2” lift out the box, I was expecting about the same lift I had before with the TRD springs and Bilsteins set on 1st notch but I’m over 2” of lift from before. I was around 35 1/2” from ground to fender, now almost 38”. Not complaining lol but guessing it’ll settle lower.
     
  29. Oct 18, 2020 at 2:22 PM
    #29
    smokey0810

    smokey0810 New Member

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    Where’d you buy the setup at?
     
  30. Oct 18, 2020 at 4:04 PM
    #30
    Voss

    Voss [OP] Dust in the wind

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    Different places. Coilovers from Wheelers over Labor Day sale. Got a great deal. Camburg UCAs from KT Performance while on sale. Total chaos spindle gusset, suspension max sway bar links from Summit, high angle CV boots from off-road solutions, threaded brake lines in think we’re from Wheelers as well. Been ordering parts from about 3-4 months ago lol. Finally had enough to get started
     
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