Go4Lo's '02 Tundra build

[WASURF63]

Go4lo,

Great rig choice! You picked one that was well taken care of too!
We loved our '00 Tundra. It was a great family exploring/camping rig.
We kept it for just over 200k, before trading it in on a DC Tacoma.
Looks like you've got a good build plan all lined up. Have fun. :sombrero:

 

[Go4Lo]

Go4lo,

Great rig choice! You picked one that was well taken care of too!
We loved our '00 Tundra. It was a great family exploring/camping rig.
We kept it for just over 200k, before trading it in on a DC Tacoma.
Looks like you've got a good build plan all lined up. Have fun. :sombrero:

WASURF63,

Very nice set up you had with the Tundra. I had seen pictures of your truck before and was inspired by it. How do you like the DC Tacoma in comparision to the Tundra? A DC Tacoma was actually my first choice but we decided not to spend that kind of money right now. :smiley_drive:

 

[Blender]

This thread is great. i was just joking with my girldfriend that there are probably only 10 first gen tundras in the country that have ever been in 4lo... I am indeed mistaken.

 

[Go4Lo]

This thread is great. i was just joking with my girldfriend that there are probably only 10 first gen tundras in the country that have ever been in 4lo... I am indeed mistaken.

I'm sure 99.99% haven't been in 4lo. I hope to use mine more than the average....:elkgrin:

 

[Go4Lo]

The topper is working out great so far. Over the last few days I've been cleaning the topper up a bit and doing some minor things to it like removing the bulbs from the third brake light and bed lights that were mounted on the cab, I know it's anal but I hate seeing a truck a night with a topper and the cab mounted third brake light still coming on when the brakes are used.

Along the lines of a third brake light, the topper does have an LED third brake light that I wired in last night. However, to my disappointment a lot of the individual LEDs are burned out so only about half of it lights up. I emailed the shell manufacturer (ATC - Astro Truck Caps) and surprising got a response within 12hrs. There response was they would sell me a new brake light for $50 + $10 shipping. I guess that's not too bad of a price but I'm going to keep looking locally to see if I can do better.

I do have a few questions for you guys....

It's DARK inside the topper at night...what type of interior light set up are most of you using in your camper shells?

There are a few small spider web cracks in the paint around the corners, can I do anything about those to prevent them from getting worse? I was thinking maybe Superglue?

 

[SC T100]

It's DARK inside the topper at night...what type of interior light set up are most of you using in your camper shells?[/

I went the modular and cheap-o route with a coleman magnetic tent lamp, drilled and mounted in the wood block portion of my cap's roof. The lamp is magnetically held to the base so it can be used under the hood or anywhere else. Removeable and easily (and cheaply, $10) replaced...And (my favorite aspect) no wiring! :sombrero: I went this route because my cap doesn't stay on the truck all the time and I can keep the magnetic light in the truck for other uses.

 

[WASURF63]

WASURF63,

Very nice set up you had with the Tundra. I had seen pictures of your truck before and was inspired by it. How do you like the DC Tacoma in comparision to the Tundra? A DC Tacoma was actually my first choice but we decided not to spend that kind of money right now. :smiley_drive:

To be honest accessing the back seat via the half doors on the Tundra started to become a PITA (especially parked on a hill or in a tight parking lot, moving a toddler in/out of the vehicle). It's more convenient with 4 real doors and rear windows that roll down (vs tilting out a couple inches) now that our daughter is older. The slightly bigger back seat and legroom of the DC Tacoma also makes quite a bit of difference for us.
That being said, the overall size and maneuverability of both vehicles is very similar. The stock load carrying capability of the Tacoma is wimpy in comparison to the Tundra. The Tundra 4.7L V8 had a lot more pep, but the Tacoma 4.0 V6 is adequate. I averaged 13-14 mpg with the Tundra and 16-17 mpg with the Tacoma and both had/have been on "the weight gain" diet.
I only listed a few comparisons but, both are great vehicles IMO. :sombrero:

 

[ExpoScout]

Very nice. I saw this truck in the classifieds....great deal!

And where in NW NC do you go shoot? I'm always up for exploring and shooting.

 

[Go4Lo]

Very nice. I saw this truck in the classifieds....great deal!

And where in NW NC do you go shoot? I'm always up for exploring and shooting.

Thanks man! So far the truck is working out great. My parents have some land in the foothills of NC that we were shooting on.

 

[Go4Lo]

It's been a while since I've posted any updates on the build. Frankly, between the busy holidays, starting a new job, and the snow I haven't had much time spend wrenching on the truck. It's primarily been pulling daily driver duty through the rough weather. We did have a nice day today so I spent a few hours doing some small mods and needed maintenance. :wings:

Today's to do list consisted of oil and filter change, install Total Chaos steering rack bushings, and install Wheeler's poly sway bar and bump stop bushing set. All in all both installs were fairly straight forward. The most aggrevating part of the work was removing the old steering rack bushing on the driver's side....they brought the major suck

With 120,000 miles on all of the bushings it goes without saying that they were ready to be changed and the truck feels much tighter now so I'm happy :sombrero:

Out with the old and in with the new....

Sexy red bushings

The Wheeler's sway bar kit included new poly bumpstops as well.

I got tired of the silent V8 so a few weeks ago I cut the trash can size factory muffler out and replaced it with Flowmaster Super 44 muffler tucked up in original location and of course it sounds great!

Out playing it the snow after the work was complete..

I managed to mangle my front bumper in a fender bender earlier this week in the snow and ice hence the pic above sans bumper.

The carnage...

 

[01tundra]

This thread is great. i was just joking with my girldfriend that there are probably only 10 first gen tundras in the country that have ever been in 4lo... I am indeed mistaken.

Mine's been in double low a few times

 

[jim65wagon]

Mine's been in double low a few times

That should make up for two that have never been in 4lo....

 

[Go4Lo]

Mine's been in double low a few times

My truck has dreams of dual transfer cases.....:drool:

 

[Go4Lo]

On a serious note....

Are you Tundra guys still using a front sway bar with the front end lifted with either the Bilsteins set at the top notch or aftermarket coilovers?

I have the front sway bar on the truck now with the new bushings; maybe I'm crazy but I really feel like my truck rides better with it off altogether.

My theory is that with the Bilsteins set on the top notch the spring pressure is increased signifigantly so there is less side to side body roll with or without the sway bar. And the sway bar end links were designed to be run at stock height so they are maxed out with the lifted front thus limiting the front suspension travel when hitting bumps, holes, etc causing the rougher ride. What do you guys think?

 

[jim65wagon]

I've still got the sway bar, but I've also got the original bushings. I'm thinking that with 160,000 miles on the bushings they really aren't doing a whole lot in the anti-sway business. The Donahoes are nice and firm and I noticed a significant handling difference going from stock coilovers to the Dons...

For you, I'd say disconnect the links and see how it handles (especially in a simulated emergency maneuver) if it's still stable you could get by with removing it altogether. If you put a lot of street miles on it though, I'd leave it in place....