'10 Tundra CrewMax

[rruff]

Ive been playing awhile now with this thing and its finally time to step it up to where i knew i should go i the first place but tried to put it off as long as i could tolerate. I am going to keep it streetable. This is to say- there are some very sweet LT suspension kits in this Tundra market that would be AWESOME to run, but there is common consensus that these kits do not maintain a very street friendly drivability. All to do with the steering geometry and behavior on pavement. I almost went there, then common sense and practicality grabbed me and knocked me back to reality. So, what am i talking about? Real world truck use. I Daily Drive my rig. Uniball UCA joints maintain street drivability. More on this later, I'm sure there will be some opinions on this. >

I wasn't aware that most LT kits compromised street performance. Seems like steering geometry should be easy to fix...?

I have a question about your old setup, as I'm planning some wheel/tire/suspension upgrades. As I recall you have 35x12.5 MT ATZs, on 9" rims with +18mm offset? Did your front tires fit under the fender at full compression?

 

[zidaro]

yes.

no issues.

and my full ICON setup will be avail. for sale soon if interested.

 

[zidaro]

I wasn't aware that most LT kits compromised street performance. Seems like steering geometry should be easy to fix...?

I have a question about your old setup, as I'm planning some wheel/tire/suspension upgrades. As I recall you have 35x12.5 MT ATZs, on 9" rims with +18mm offset? Did your front tires fit under the fender at full compression?

To expand on the Methods , no worries there for you. The method 18mm offset wheels fit perfect at full articulation both front and rear no fender rub. I added the glass fronts to accommodate the front LT width coming soon.

So, thats actually what I'm talking about when i say a street ability sacrifice. Turning radius and scrub. SOME sacrifice, Most don't.
I'm not talking about highway driveability/handling- that has mostly to do with shock valving or sway bar if running (I'm not). All these suspensions should be valved for your style of handling. Body roll, front dive, etc... all can be tuned, with corresponding sacrifices naturally

My understanding. Simplified. -

The big differences in LT Kit Geometry has everything to do with turning radius. Its very important to have a somewhat tight turning radius under all conditions aside from flat out hauling *** down the whoops. Tight trees, rocks, narrow canyons, any obstacles to maneuver around, my snowy driveway, a parking spot in the Mall.... all require a good turning radius.
There are 2 styles of LT kits out there. Standard LT built with a wider stance and more travel in mind, and then your Full Blown Big Boy Race LT Kits made for going straight fast and steering with your rear.
Both have small amounts of adjustability with the Heims at the UCA and LCA to frame, (i.e. tuning caster) but the overall geometry is set in the suspensions design.
Your standard LT/MT/OEM suspensions maintain a good turning radius. Their design maintains a mostly OEM style geometry keeping a balance between high speed stability and turning radius. There are a number of LT front kits that run the Uniball style upper joint on the spindle. TC, Camburg, Solomotorsports, Mazzulla. That joint allows for high articulation when flexed, keeping the geometry working proper when one tire is up and other is down.
LSK, Solo XLT Race Kits, some others- These Big Boy Race Style LT kits have a geometry best suited to hauling ***. Great in straights, whoops, fast turns steering with power. More poitive cuter gives a more stable run. It also sacrifices steering radius and increases scrub huge (causing excessive tire wear when turning slow). They also run horizontal heims at the UCA/spindle mount. This has huge advantage for strength at speed, but does not have the same geometry behavior with respect to camber/castor in tight turns. I ALMOST went there with LSK! Almost. Then i remembered i live in the real world.

EX. of that Upper horiz. heim in the Big Boy Kits-

I'd love to hear what everyone has to say. This is just my opinion after talking with as many people as i could find with both standard LT and Race LT kits, being used- not sitting in their Man Toy Garages.



Heres some other goodies I've accumulated for the rear!
DMZ Mr. Beefy spring plates, and a pair of King 2.5x2.5 bumps

 

[drobb]

Going to be watching your progress since I have the same truck......even down to the color Great build so far and we seem to frequent the same places, Baja, Carlsbad, Mammoth

 

[zidaro]

Going to be watching your progress since I have the same truck......even down to the color Great build so far and we seem to frequent the same places, Baja, Carlsbad, Mammoth

Would be back in No.Co. SD if there weren't so many dang people! In a heartbeat! Best climate in the world

 

[Redline]

Good update posts

 

[bkg]

SUA????

 

[zidaro]

Alrighty! Moving forward, slowly but not. Been a busy few weeks in the Sierras with 4th of July Holidays and mega touristos. Was in our big 4th Parade, FUN!

Have been on the hunt for a LT front suspension or parts. Had narrowed my search to:

Total Chaos http://www.chaosfab.com/2007-2017-Toyota-Tundra-Long-Travel-Suspension-Kit-87000.html

Camburg https://camburg.com/shop/suspension/camburg-toyota-tundra-2wd-4wd-07-17-l-t-kit/

Mazzulla https://mzoffroad.com/collections/t...oyota-tundra-performance-long-travel-mzs-t3-1

Solomotorsports https://www.solomotorsports.com/sho...t-series-front-suspension-kit-2nd-gen-tundra/

Each kit in this list is quite similar. All run an upper and lower uniball at the spindle, all run factory spindle and hub, all run an 8" stroke 2.5"coilover netting ~16" claimed travel, similar track width on each, all have a bypass option. Most have options for heims frame side at the UCA/LCAs for ultimate ability to dial the alignment/wheel placement.
All are reputable and proven kits, and companies that will stand behind their product from what research i have been able to do.

The one kit that caught my eye and has real differences from the others is the Camburg.
Camburg runs a 1.5" lower uniball in their arm that they claim is much stronger, this larger uniball also gives their arm less ground clearance right at the tire due to its size. Some say it matters and makes the arm more vulnerable to hits. Since I'm not racing the Baja (yet) i see the arm possibly dragging over a rock, but don't see myself slamming random boulders at high speeds too regularly. **** does happen though.....
Camburg also has a cover for the upper uniball on their Kinetic billet arm (upgrade), something i swear by over and over living up in snow country. I currently run the ICON billet UCA with the covers! Having the uniball protected from the elements i believe, really saves it. Road grime, dirt, snow, water, ice, for months on end, accumulates in the cup atop the UCA, freezing and thawing constantly- and this causes huge damage to any surface ultimately wearing that joint prematurely. Anyhow- cover is sweet! my opinion.

Ultimately i had decided to purchase (or atleast focus on) the Camburg Kit. if and when, it ever showed up on sale or at a convenient time/price, i was going to grab it or parts of it. These dang front LT kits are pricey!!! (i already knew this but was in denial)

Low and behold, I'm cruising the web with some key words and i find a RaceDez add for a coilover/bypass shock set built for a 2nd gen Tundra!
I call, naturally Guy is pulling them off his '16 CM and stepping up to bigger? Whoa!! he's gonna go play with the big boys and is building his truck to huck! Just so happens he works for Camburg. AND- he is selling his whole front LT setup, just hadn't listed it yet cuz he wasn't ready to swallow the meal. Only been on his truck a few months, so the story goes.
Anyhow, price was right. I bought it all!

Not my vehicle, this is the truck it came off.

Guy lives in So. Cal., so i jumped in my truck and went down to check it all out after asking plenty of ?s and getting lots of pics of everything on the celly.
Everything looked clean and cared for, normal use, couple small dings in the LCA's- cuz that dang huge 1.5"uni
Includes Fox 2.0 bumps and new cans, Fox DCS 2.5" dual rate coilovers, Fox 3.0 triple bypasses, bypass mounts, the new billet Kinetic UCA with frame side heims, LCAs also have Heims frame side. He is 2wd, so no LT CVs in the deal.

Still need to pile it all up and take some pics of the bling!
Then i need to acquire all the little ancillary items, like LT axles, and the time and balls to install!

 

[rruff]

Good deal, thanks for the update!

 

[zidaro]

So excited to get theses under the truck! I think even more than a front LT setup. The 3.0 bypasses should outperform the Tundra without batting an eye. And i am told they should really help with body roll as well, since i plan to not run a front sway bar (and have not for years). I know some are going to 3.5s and even 4.0 (way overkill), but for my uses the 3.0 bypass will handle all i have to throw at it. Not to mention i will also be running bumps and they will certainly absorb the bottom or any errant huge hit. Heat is the enemy and so far I am only seeing excess heat on REALLY long rough days on HEAVY washboard. Rare enough, but now should be a non-issue. And with the ability to dial in compression/rebound without internal revalving! Yeehaw

Same goes for the Fox DCS. Nice to be able to dial in the valving without opening them up. I have the DCS Fox setup on the front of my 4runner and its a very nice ride, expecting the same outta these.

And heres a pic of those Camburg Kinetic UCAs. Weird color saturation, but you get the idea

 

[nuclearlemon]

nice! everytime i see this thread, i want to go the same way, but have to remind myself i have my 80 series for camping/wheeling...the tundra is a work truck.

that doesn't mean i don't want to get out a bit more with it, though, and i'm wondering how well your ss budbuilt plates have held up through the years.

 

[Redline]

Great updates.

 

[zidaro]

Got some very little stuff done today with an amazon delivery that arrived.

Secondary Air Intake Pump Relocation DIY.
Didn't want to pay for these kits that are out to relocate the intake tubes for the AIP. Camburg and SDHQ both offer very nice kits if your not interested in sourcing nd dabbing up your own.
The OEM intake is located inside the Tundra inner fender, PS. The pumps are very susceptible to failure by moisture and debris exposure and are completely exposed to the elements when fiberglass fenders are installed due to the lack of an inner fender well. The OEM intake has no filter or cover, it is just an open tube. Pump failure due to contamination can total up to $4K at a dealer and not under warranty.

There are 2 pumps with an intake for each under the fender. The object is to pull the intake into the engine bay and add a filter on the end, both giving better protection.
OEM hose diameter is 1" ID off each pump.

I chose silicone hose off amazon, Pegasus Racing 1"ID hose. 1 6"L 90* elbow, one 180* U-bend, and a straight section (length was 1meter- WAY more than i needed) of silicone hose. 3 unions, 2 filters from UNI with an ID 1" inlet, box of SS 13/16-1-1/2" lined hose clamps. Used bicycle tubes as hose guards where the hose passes thru the fenders into the engine bay.

Pulled the OEM plastic tubes and hose off the pumps. Slipped the elbows on each pump and marked location to drill a hole up into the bay between the CAI box, washer resi, and brake resi. Luckily for us there is just enough space to drill a couple 1-1/2" holes for this.
Wrapped the Silicone hose with a few layers of cut bike tube to protect it from the filed smooth sheet metal holes i cut. Trimmed the 108* U hose to about 140* on the inner pump.
Heres the underside finished. Mosquitos came out before i could wrap up the engine compartment, so no pics of that side till tomorrow All in all, very smooth. Drilling the holes was the only difficult part. Cost was considerably less than purchasing a complete kit. I spent ~ $100 on this, but i used silicone hose. Could easily been done considerably cheaper with rubber gas or coolant line- likely even easier since silicone hose does not necessarily bend much.

also- can go this route if you are not trying to comply with federal emission regs. It Tricks the ECU into thinking the AIP is connected and working properly

https://rutechsolutions.com/collections/all

 

[Redline]

Nice mods.

 

[zidaro]

Slow going parts accumulation.

Coveted Camburg bits have arrived! Ive heard its not easy getting items from Camburg, rumors are true Shawn at http://www.rogue-offroad.com was my go to guy pulling off the impossible!

LT inner axles for the Camburg kit. Ive heard that the Total Chaos inner axles are the exact same dimensions (Camburg shafts are 19-3/16" L) but could not get this verified by anyone. Chaos axles are considerably less expensive, and available. Camburg axles are unicorn-like at times.

Also picked up a pair of the Tundra specific shackle hangers. Have a slight taper at the axle mount to complement the spring angle at the frame. Easier than coping out a set of generic 3.5" hangers myself and essentially the same price as say from Ruffstuff.

Dang, now all i need to do is plan out a good design in my head for trusses, boxing the frame, airbag mounting location, hydro-bumpstop mounting, and that pesky 3.0 bypass shock mounting and how much spacing will be required for my tires to not contact them.
Almost ready to start cutting!!!

anyone have great ideas or pics/examples of bypass mounting that does not cut into the bed? and hydrobumps with SUA? Airbags and SUA, or even just airbags using brackets OFF the frame inboard? Throw some ideas my way