2005 Tundra novice build - "The Rez"

[mancusodr]

Thanks for sharing your build and the journey brother! I’m in the process of building out my 04 DC and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I’ve encountered many of the same issues from the overheating on climbs in 4lo to the thunking sound in front. Now it’s time for some work/play!

 

[Kpack]

Thanks guys for taking a look and enjoying the thread. Hopefully it's been helpful for you.

I'm still enjoying the truck, just didn't get out on the trails as much as I wanted to this year. I've been doing routine maintenance on it when I can....oil change with Mobile 1, wire wheeling and repainting the sliders (those things take beating with all the gravel and rocks getting thrown into them), headlight restoration, etc. Still need to drain and fill both diffs, and probably need to drain and fill the transmission again here soon.

Been taking a few trips up into the hills with some of the snow. Pretty slick up there, and this truck is definitely not fantastic in deep snow. I'm so heavy that I just fall right in and I can only air down my tires so much. Guys that really wheel in the snow around here are running 40's with beadlocks, and air down to 2 PSI. Even they are having to dig themselves out. I had an acquaintance take his built rock-crawler 4 runner up to a hunting cabin that would normally be a 1.5 hour trip, and it took close to 8. Yikes. Digging out of the snow all the time doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me.

Still, had some great views and some fun times. Looking forward to when things melt and open back up.

-Kevin

 

[DzlToy]

Guys that really wheel in the snow around here are running 40's with beadlocks, and air down to 2 PSI. Even they are having to dig themselves out. I had an acquaintance take his built rock-crawler 4 runner up to a hunting cabin that would normally be a 1.5 hour trip, and it took close to 8.

It's time for a Sherp.

 

[onesojourner]

Thanks OP!

 

[Kpack]

Thanks OP!

Nice. I do like that you can display it on your head unit. I've toyed with the idea of replacing my current Pioneer unit with a Chinese one with all the Android functionality. But so far I've left it alone and just used my phone for Torque Pro readings.

-Kevin

 

[smokeysevin]

Heck, I like that it has buttons. My alpine one is full touch and I kind of hate that...

Sean

 

[Kpack]

Been a really crazy year so far and I haven't been able to do hardly anything with the Tundra. Had some unexpected things come up that completely trumped everything else, thus making it impossible to do any sort of trail running or exploring. The truck has been relegated to a daily driver so far this year.

I'm finally getting back to doing some routine maintenance and will hopefully be hitting some trails next week.

Brakes were pulsing like crazy, so I went ahead and replaced them with Stoptech slotted and drilled rotors, with ceramic pads. They're supposed to be better for towing and off roading, so we'll see. I'm pretty sure towing warped my old rotors. They were so warped that they were causing the steering wheel to shake just driving straight down the road with no brake application. Install was pretty straightforward. I broke in the new pads according to the directions and so far all is well.

Side note....check out the corrosion on the coils. Those are only a year or so old. I had to keep the truck outside all winter (ran out of garage space) and the corrosion was so much worse because of that. I have a ton to clean off the frame this year before I coat the frame with Fluid Film.

Drained and refilled the rear diff with 75W-140, greased all the zerks on the driveshaft, and checked the front diff. Plenty of fluid, but probably due for a drain and fill. I'll take care of that and the transfer case next week.

Truck is making some popping noises that I'm trying to figure out. When going into gear from park (reverse or forward) I often hear a click or light snap from under the truck. Hard to localize, but my assumption is a u-joint....putting the truck in gear moves the driveshaft a bit and if there is play in a u-joint I assume it could make that noise? No squeaking or anything. All joints have plenty of grease.

Also sometimes making a loud pop in the front when turning while stopped (reversing). I checked the LBJ's and didn't see any play, bolts are still torqued. New OEM LBJ's about 40K miles ago. I'm thinking outer tie rods? Visually they don't look bad, but I don't know. Outer tie rods new about 40K ago, non-OEM. I just don't want anything to fail on the trail.

 

[smokeysevin]

Truck is making some popping noises that I'm trying to figure out. When going into gear from park (reverse or forward) I often hear a click or light snap from under the truck. Hard to localize, but my assumption is a u-joint....putting the truck in gear moves the driveshaft a bit and if there is play in a u-joint I assume it could make that noise? No squeaking or anything. All joints have plenty of grease.
Check the carrier bearing in the driveshaft, the slip yoke, and the u joints. I have had each of those make noise at various points.

Also sometimes making a loud pop in the front when turning while stopped (reversing). I checked the LBJ's and didn't see any play, bolts are still torqued. New OEM LBJ's about 40K miles ago. I'm thinking outer tie rods? Visually they don't look bad, but I don't know. Outer tie rods new about 40K ago, non-OEM. I just don't want anything to fail on the trail.
I have had the alignment cams move and make noise, the upper uniballs also can make popping sounds when you turn

Sean

 

[Kpack]

Thanks Sean. The carrier bearing is new within the last few years. Seems to still be doing fine, although the rubber is starting to squish down again. Front driveshaft makes a slight click when I twist it by hand...front u-joint. Nothing I can tell on the rear unless I drop the driveshaft. Slip joint is well-greased.

I checked the torque on the alignment cams are they are still good. I replaced them with OEM about two years ago. I checked the lower shock bolts and LBJ, but did not check the upper uniballs. I really ought to replace them anyways....I'm way outside the recommended window. But they've been doing fine so I haven't bothered.

-Kevin

 

[smokeysevin]

If you need new drive flanges or cv joint parts, fort wayne clutch has most of the oe parts. I replaced most of the front driveline when I had bad vibrations.

Sean

 

[Kpack]

Well, not great news for the Rez.

Wife was heading to the airport in the truck, someone cut into her lane and she swerved to avoid and lost control. She almost never drives the truck and isn't used to how it handles....not like a car or minivan. It looks like in the process of overcorrecting she nailed the cement barriers next to the left lane with the driver's rear of the truck....judging by the height of the cement marks on the side of the bed, she must have been on two wheels. That pushed her over into the right lanes, where she ended up hitting the side of a refrigerator semi with the passenger side of the bed. That hit knocked off the refrigerator unit's fuel tank which spilled everywhere. She's fine and everyone else was fine. The guy that drifted into her lane didn't stop. Either didn't see it or didn't care.

The pictures don't do a good job at showing the actual damage to the bed. I'll see if I can get better ones tomorrow.

I went and picked up the truck and drove it back home. It drives, though the alignment is obviously off. I have no idea yet how bad the damage is.

The bed looks to be a total loss. Both sides are pushed in, and the hit to the passenger side shoved the entire bed an inch to the driver's side. The Brute Force Fab bumper did fantastic though. Some good scrapes on the driver's side, but no other damage. I don't know if there is damage to the frame or the axle. How would I go about determining that? If the frame is bent, then the truck is likely a goner.

So what do you guys think for the bed? Replace with a donor bed (if I can find one)? Figure out some sort of flatbed option, like a ute? I don't want to give up the Brute Force rear bumper, so whatever I do needs to be planned around that. I need the integrated tow hitch, and I love the protection the bumper offers. A ute tray can't give me those.

-Kevin

 

[huntsonora]

Damn! I’d just look for a new used bed or go flatbed.

Most important thing is that your wife is ok

 

[WVI]

Glad your wife and the semi driver fared well!
Maybe time to consider a flatbed?

 

[smokeysevin]

Takeoff bed may be viable, depending on damage to the inside, you might be able to just do a reskin with outer fenders.

I would start by checking the alignment and getting that squared up, odds are the alignment cams just shifted. Then check the wheelbase and measure axle squareness to make sure that the frame didn't tweak too bad. My truck was car number 3 in a 4 car pileup and while the rear of the frame was tweaked, the damage was mostly limited to the hitch and where the hitch attached. Since the bed is all that appears to be messed up, I assume you are in much better shape frame wise.

All that said, check all the lugs, ball joints, tie rods, etc.

Glad the truck did it's job and kept your wife safe. Repairs can be made, people can't be replaced.

Sean

 

[DzlToy]

A crude frame measurement can be taken using a plumb bob dropped at various points along the frame to tape or stickers on a flat level surface. Move the truck and measure between the marks to see if there is anything unusual. If the truck is relatively safe to drive, just take it to a body shop that has a frame alignment table or jig.