2006 Toyota Tundra DC hunting rig/family wagon/adventure mobile

huntsonora

Explorer
I almost traded my 2011 4Runner Trail Edition in on a 2014 this past September but the dealership tried to change the deal we made after I put down a deposit so I backed out. I just wasn't comfortable with dealing with somebody that was going to try to change the deal after the deposit had been made. I just continued to drive the 4Runner and I loved it but I really needed a pickup so last month I put the 4Runner up for sale and it sold a couple of weeks ago.

I decided I didn't want to buy new as I can be tough on equipment and I wanted to buy a vehicle with a proven track record of reliability and durability. I have followed 1st gen Tundra builds by Derek24, the dude, Haggis, JCMathews and other so I honed in on finding a 2005 or 2006 Double Cab Tundra. The 2UZ-FE engine is one of the best Toyota has ever made IMO and I like the 5 speed transmission. I almost pulled the trigger on a low mileage truck here on Expo but I had to buy a pop up camper with it and I really didn't want the camper or the hassle of trying to sell it myself.

I have my little 93 Toyota hunting truck that I have a built thread here on Expo to drive so I took my time and watched Craigslist every day locally and just couldn't find a truck I was comfortable with. I finally decided to look nationally to see what else was out there. I found a nice truck in Tucson but there was an accident reported on the Carfax and it had 4 previous owners so I was a little cautious. I have a friend that offered me his 08 double cab(basically extended cab with doors) Tundra with 88,000 miles on it in Phoenix for $14,000 and seriously considered pulling the trigger but it was a tight fit with 2 car seats in the back of that truck so I passed. Two kids under the age of 2 means they'll be growing and will be in car seats for years and the back seat of that DC just wasn't going to cut it. Besides that, I had my heart set on the 1st gen due to the drivetrain.

I finally looked to my home state of Texas and found a truck that peaked my interest. Not only that, I had some good friends that I trust in the immediate area where the truck was listed for sale so I called them up to see if they could check it out for me. Here is the craigslist ad and pictures that were posted….

"2006 Toyota tundra SR5 4X4 42000 Miles original owner title in hand Before you ask everything works and works well just don't need it... Has a load leveling kit all else factory V8... Need has a dent from someone that shouldn't had been in my truck moving a trailer around... Price is negotiable if you have cash if you don't have cash when you come to negotiate don't negotiate…"



















I like people that are to the point so I called him up. The owner is a super nice guy and told me to send my friends over to look at it to see what they thought about it. I knew about the damage to the bed on the drivers side so it wasn't a surprise when they told me about it and they said that the truck was in fantastic shape with the exception of that. Interior is flawless and it drives like a champ. We discussed price and came to what I feel was a fair agreement for both of us and I bought it.

Immediate plans are just to go get it, have the oil changed and get it back up to Colorado. I am going to go with the Bilstein shocks and OME 885 coils and I have a call in to Deaver to see about a spring pack but might just go with an AAL for the time being. I loved the Duratracs on my 4Runner but might have to go with the ST Maxx tires this go round. I may get the bed fixed and I may not, depends on how bad it is but I am not too concerned about it. I am not sure how I feel about the blue steel metallic color but I think I will like it. I just don't see enough of them around here but its cool that its not a real common color so we'll see. I did find a truck online in this color that looked pretty darn good so I am hoping mine will be as sharp. I really like this truck and the color looks great in his pictures…







Anyway, I will update this as it progresses and any input would be appreciated
 

deadbeat son

Explorer
Congrats on the purchase!

For springs, have you considered Alcan in Grand Junction? They do a really good job with custom spring packs, and are somewhat local.

Enjoy!
 

character zero

dangerfoot
That is great! Welcome to the 1st gen club!
I was in the same boat as you - 2010 T4R Trail Edition with KDSS 4x4 etc...really just preferred the capacity of having a truck for mountain biking/dog/life. I sold it and put $10k+ back in my pocket. Just like you, I ended up searching nation-wide, and picked my 2005 DC Limited 4wd up with 38k on the odometer about a year and a half ago!

I'm in the process of building mine up as well, nothing extravagant, just getting it right. So far, that has included an audio overhaul, BAMuffler and King/Bilstien/Deaver AAL that went on last weekend. I'm taking it for the 9-year timing belt/water pump this week, just to ensure it is all in order.

Oh, and the color is great. I almost bought that same color truck and sometimes regret ending up with another grey truck, but so it goes!

I guess great minds think alike! ;)
 

bbaker22

New member
Good choice! I've had my 06 DC since 06. Used as a family vehicle, bike hauler, trailer tower, road trip vehicle, etc. I haven't really done too much to my truck, as it has generally met my needs. Looking forward to seeing your build progress!

13411837914_43b597b392_b.jpg

13411802334_5e76387745_b.jpg
 

jim65wagon

Well-known member
42,000 miles! You bought yourself a new truck! Awesome and congrats! It looks like it's already lifted, or have you done the Bilstein/OME already?
 

Haggis

Appalachian Ridgerunner
Welcome to the Tundrabirds!

That's a good looking truck. We are all looking forward to seeing what you have planned for it but more importantly what you do with it.
 

huntsonora

Explorer
Thanks guys! There are some great 1st Gens on this site! I guide and outfit hunts in Colorado, New Mexico and Mexico for a living and this truck will be a part of many memorable hunts I'm sure
 

huntsonora

Explorer
I know this is probably a dumb question based on the positive experiences everybody has had with the OME coils and bilstein shocks but does anybody think that the Toytec BOSS system would be worth the money? The front shocks are rebuildable

http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com/BOSS-Suspension-System-for-2000-2006-Tundra_p_1140.html

This is what Toytec says about the front shock setup…
"The main difference is the front shock itself. We have run the Bilsteins for many miles both on road and off road and they are a great setup. However, we felt that the valving could be improved to help with additional weight handling. By tweaking the valving, we were able to get them to provide much more control over bumpy terrain and still give a really nice ride. Also, the shock shaft has been bumped to 5/8's for some additional strength and the gas pressure raised a bit to help reduce shock fade. Before we ship them, every shock is thrown on the shock dyno and tested to make sure that everything is built exactly to spec"
 

trailscape

Explorer
I would be interested in how much difference those improvements make. I have Toytec/eibach coils on Bilstein 5100's presently and it has always seemed a bit too soft for my liking.
 

deadbeat son

Explorer
I knew Alcan was there but I was just unimpressed with how they handled the issues in this thread…
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...WAY-from-ALCAN-SPRING!!!!!!!!?highlight=alcan

Makes me nervous I guess.

I understand your concern. The only experience I have with them has been indirect, albeit positive. A friend ordered a custom set of springs for his Tacoma with a Flip-Pac. He underestimated his weight, because he didn't weigh his setup on a truck scale. The springs were a little softer than he needed. He called Alcan and discussed his problems. They asked him to return the springs, they fixed them, and sent them back. He was out the cost of shipping, but then again, he neglected to get an accurate weight. The replacement springs have been perfect. They handle the weight without any issues and ride much better than my stock springs. When it's time for an upgrade, they'll get my business.
 

huntsonora

Explorer
My ticket is bought and I am flying to Texas tomorrow afternoon and driving it home. I will get in a hog hunt tomorrow night with my friends in east Texas and will head back to Colorado on Friday. My plan is simply to get the oil changed and drive it back. It will be a good trip to see if there is anything that needs immediate attention

I am looking at a set of used Icon coil overs that have 20,000 miles on them.

http://iconvehicledynamics.com/shop...dra-ext-travel-front-coil-over-shock-kit.html

They would basically be half the cost of new ones. What do you guys think of these vs the OME/Bilstein setup that is so popular? The Icons would be close to the same price as those. I need to make a decision pretty quick so any input would be appreciated
 

character zero

dangerfoot
20k? Hmmm...might be worth servicing. Call ICON and find out what a service costs, or if you can find someone local, even better.
 

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