What have you done to your 1st gen Tundra today?

Someone put up a business link for transmissions the other day. Re-maned transmissions in the $2000 range shipped to your door from Colorado. Can’t find the post.

 

I found a 2004 (used) from a local dealer for $350 with 86K miles. Some say it will work in the 2001, just have to change out the tail piece, and there's others that say it won't. I'm almost willing to take a chance for $350

 

Installed OEM Carrier Bearing and Nut.

Pics tell the story AND yes I did NOT remove the prop shaft completely. I disconnected the middle jointery (between the front and back) of the rear assy propeller and cracked the two apart. Pulled the Bearing off (slow pry/tap from backside with screw driver and hammer tapping). Cleaned up everything and regreased. Reversed order for install. Greased all the zerks. Total job about 4 hours, start to clean up, with drive test time.

Every youtubes vids I’ve seen on our 1st gens show complete removal of shaft(s) and the Bearing install on a vice/work bench, then put the prop back on. I bypassed that mess. Also, I’ve not seen any Tundra vid with a double cardan joint like mine. ANYTHING I’ve read about these double cardans is to replace the entire prop shaft. Stealerships won’t even talk about doing the double on the phone.

The joints seem fine and that double cardan is HEAVY DUTY. No problems with any of the joints as far as I could see/feel. Test drive was successful. Put above 20 miles on her with half highway at 60-70mph. No vibes. Feels different because its new and NOT a wobbled out tired bearing. See pics.

 

Bungee rig holding the double cardan up and out of the way. Cleaned up spline to the left after pulling Bearing off.



Fresh new OEM Toy Carrier Bearing in place. Locktite (blue) on all nuts/bolts. Moly Lithium Grease in all zerks.

 

Keep us posted.

 

Other control arm arrived. As I guessed it is not the SH branded product of Taiwan, in fact I see no brand so far but a stamped ID number. The build looks better and the paint not as glossy, bushings have thicker contact area than the passenger side one.

Going outside now to install. It's about to be an exciting night, too bad I only have one beer in the fridge.

 

I wish you good luck and pray for more beer.

 

I’d save it as a reward. Drink it first and then you’ll be running to the store for more.

 

Yeah I got pillaged at $350 each OEM arm. I found another site for $275 OEM, but not until after the work was done.

 

Change bulbs behind dash. (Note added so I can find this in a search; I suck at it otherwise.)

 

Note to self:
Toyota does not include new bolts with new lower ball joints.

 

Yeah. Every bolt, washer, etc on just about everything is ‘extra’ from Toy.

 

The brewery is a 6 minute walk away, theres a police station between me and the brewery so I walk it often.
And thanks @because_v8

 

Replaced 5 bulbs behind the A/C controls. Now they shine, first time in like 15 years. Not sure why they all died at once that long ago. All the rubber nubs stayed on old bulbs so now everything shines more than than it did.


Replaced rear differential fluid. Fill plug was seized, ended up drilling it out. Bought both replacement plugs and washers, added anti-seize, and used that handy pump to refill the fluid.

Replaced transfer case fluid, very straightforward.

Replaced transmission fluid, super easy.

Forgot about the front differential, ran out of fluid and time. I’ll get to it soon.

Local Brakes Plus quoted me close to $500 to replace the fluids. Disregarding cost of 24mm socket and the new plugs, I think I spent like $50 in fluids.

 

You’ll need a 10mm ‘allen’ socket for the front diff. It needs to be for a 3/8” socket wrench. A 1/2” wrench doesn’t fit (too big thats what she said). You’ll need a pipe to slip over the wrench handle as a breaker bar lever. Make sure you clean out that allen hole and your allen wrench sits square inside. Otherwise, you’ll be drilling that out too. Maybe PB Blast and do some love taps with a hammer a few days before just to break up the ‘seize’.

 

Thanks! Is 10mm Allen socket a must? I just bought a nice set of Allen wrenches and I thought they would work. If not, I’ll just stop by Lowe’s and get one.

 

A must.

 

Got a bath
I tried out 303 for the first time and I love it.

This weekend I am installing 5100s on the front on the highest setting. I cannot wait to see how the truck will look

 

I bet you its gonna look amazing!

 

You have a way with words Sunnier! That sums it up

It was dark outside and since I'm nursing an injured back I went easy for tonight. Got both lower arms in with cam bolts just snug for now. I eyeballed the rear bolts, took advice from SPC and ran the nuts towards the steering rack. Doesnt look like they will hit the boots.

Then I dug around in my garage (apartment life means the patio closet where laundry machines should go) and found the spare lower ball joint bolts that I knew I had. Take THAT Toyota! Cleaned the female threads, applied red threadlock and bolted down at 59ftlbs per corner.


Then I swung the lower ball joint main bolt into the lower arm, tickled the nuts on and swung the whole assembly up to meet the uniballs. I put new bolts in those new balls while I was at it.


Jacked it up a bit to check out the superbumps, if my ride height comes out where I want it I will just be on them. Took a minute to clean off and attach the ABS sensors and connect the tab to the upper arms. I put my tires on for now and lowered the arms so the tires sit on the ground, because my apartment managers agreed not to bother me if the tires are on the ground.

Cleaned up and called it a night. During my next episode I will clean up the rotors and reinstall them and the calipers. Then I will replace the inner tie rods and install the outer ones. Then I will start going over the torque for everything. Upper arm pivot, uniball, lower ball joint, lower arm cams, steering rack. Not particularly in that order. Then I will put the wheels on and jump start the truck, make an appointment to get alignment.

Almost there lmao!

 

I sure am glad you’re tackling this before I am! Appreciate the update!

 

My advice is, if you can have the truck down long enough to cut the old bushings out and swap them with either Toyota or Poly, do that. If not go with aftermarket arms but know their bushings aren't quite as good. I just found myself out of time, I don't miss weekends when snow is here and I only have 2 hours of daylight after work so I realized I had to change plans... for now.

And buy lower ball joint bolts.

And probably cam bolts.

Other than that it's not too bad.

 

I’ve got new oem bushings and plan to have a shop press them and new bearings after the gussets are welded.

The lower ball joint bolts looked good when I replaced it a few months ago.

I’m interested to see how the SPC cam bolts work out for your alignment.

I plan to have the truck on stands and under the knife for only 4 days.

 

It's like a foreign language I'm trying to learn. The part I understand is the excitement! I'm really happy for you; your truck is getting 'more awesomer'.

 

Finished off installing that last T-5 matching blue bulb that came in the mail today. The last 10% of a job takes 90% more effoert than the first 90% of a job. Bulb fell into cluster housing. Had to remove the entire assy. to retrive it. Then during put back, one of the screws fell behind the bottom cover and had to remove that. Finally success!

Will try to take pics later. Looking good!

 

The phone cam doesn’t seem to be able to grab a proper image, but here it is.

 

Muted the stereo green by pulling off the face cover and sharpie fading the diodes. Took it down to half intensity. Not able to do anything with the display crystal.

BEFORE (OEM STEREO BRIGHTNESS)




AFTER (MUTED WITH SHARPIE)

 

I can't believe you're still rocking the original stereo! First mod I did was have a new headunit installed with Bluetooth capability. Going to be upgrading that eventually to one with a backup camera. LOL

 

I like OEM as long as it works. Its amazing how well this stereo sounds since doing the sound enhancing/deadener work on all 4 doors. Night and day difference.

BTW, I’ve had satellite radio since the beginning. Shoulda took XM up on their $600 lifetime purchase when it was available years ago.

Gonna figure a new way/place to mount the satellite receiver soon.