*Rickashay's 04' Tundra* - A build of Compromises

[lhanson]

I would to. Place looks amazing. I'm sure the pics don't do it justice.

I'm buying a Canon 7D hopefully in the next couple of days from a friend. Can't wait to test it out and take some night shots.

I would strongly push you towards the 7D MkII. The ISO and image quality is much better. The 7D Mk1 is great day time camera and action camera but the 7D Mk2 has a bountiful amounts of improvements.

If you do mostly landscapes and wheeling shots ect you may considered a canon 6D full frame. It is full frame and that does make a difference in images. Gives it that full affect and that "pop". Sorry didnt mean to thread jack.

 

[lhanson]

Awesome pictures Rickashay. I am getting ready to design my bed rack for my Tundra this next week. I am planning to make it telescoping so that I can have it low below the roof line to keep aerodynamics and then be able to raise it up so I can get full use of the annex room. Keep the photos coming! Your truck looks great!

 

[EscapeDivision]

Wow. That bed rack looks GREAT. It is very similar to what I had in mind, only much more refined and cleaner! I absolutely love it. Your truck looks fantastic. Dig the sliders, too!

Also, great photos. Place looks beautiful.

 

[rickashay]

I would to. Place looks amazing. I'm sure the pics don't do it justice.

I'm buying a Canon 7D hopefully in the next couple of days from a friend. Can't wait to test it out and take some night shots.

Thanks Mike! Canon 7D is a great camera.... see the comments below but if your just jumping into a DSLR and don't want to blow the bank, it would be more than excellent to learn on. Great action shot camera with the dual sensors and it's faster (continuous) than my 6D.

Great pics! Looks awesome!

PM sent! Pics look great

Thanks!!

I would strongly push you towards the 7D MkII. The ISO and image quality is much better. The 7D Mk1 is great day time camera and action camera but the 7D Mk2 has a bountiful amounts of improvements.

If you do mostly landscapes and wheeling shots ect you may considered a canon 6D full frame. It is full frame and that does make a difference in images. Gives it that full affect and that "pop". Sorry didnt mean to thread jack.

All valid points for sure. As mentioned above, I'd first be curious of his exposure to photography (no pun intended) and his budget. Damn it.... the 5DS/5DS-R just got released. WANT.

Awesome pictures Rickashay. I am getting ready to design my bed rack for my Tundra this next week. I am planning to make it telescoping so that I can have it low below the roof line to keep aerodynamics and then be able to raise it up so I can get full use of the annex room. Keep the photos coming! Your truck looks great!

Very good idea. Thats one function I love about that Thule rack. Can't wait to see some pics of it!

Wow. That bed rack looks GREAT. It is very similar to what I had in mind, only much more refined and cleaner! I absolutely love it. Your truck looks fantastic. Dig the sliders, too!


Also, great photos. Place looks beautiful.

Thanks for all the kind words. The tundy is growing up fast! haha

 

[dyogim]

I would strongly push you towards the 7D MkII. The ISO and image quality is much better. The 7D Mk1 is great day time camera and action camera but the 7D Mk2 has a bountiful amounts of improvements.

If you do mostly landscapes and wheeling shots ect you may considered a canon 6D full frame. It is full frame and that does make a difference in images. Gives it that full affect and that "pop". Sorry didnt mean to thread jack.

Thanks Mike! Canon 7D is a great camera.... see the comments below but if your just jumping into a DSLR and don't want to blow the bank, it would be more than excellent to learn on. Great action shot camera with the dual sensors and it's faster (continuous) than my 6D.

I would love the MII. I'm getting the MI with lenses for cheap. I have the original rebel XT. So anything is an upgrade from that. LOL. At least I can use my lenses on the 7D.

 

[98WhiteT4R]

Tundra looks awesome man! I've been following you're builds since I stumbled upon you're 4Runner build on T4R.org (which was a big help when I started building mine) a few years ago. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for having awesome builds!:bowdown:

 

[rickashay]

Tundra looks awesome man! I've been following you're builds since I stumbled upon you're 4Runner build on T4R.org (which was a big help when I started building mine) a few years ago. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for having awesome builds!:bowdown:

Thanks man I appreciate it, glad I could be of some influence on yours!

Whole front suspension is out of the truck - shocks, spindles, LCA's, UCA's, etc. Lower control arms had 3 of 4 sleeves seized inside the bushings. Managed to get a grinder in there and cut the sleeve enough to then pound a chisel through and break the end off. Once the ends were off I just pried and bent until the LCA's dropped down. Bought all new OEM Bushings to replace the bushings with, took the arms to work and ended up torching out the old bushings. 2 of the 4 still had the external metal sleeve on the OEM bushing stuck in the LCA hole, but I couldn't press them out b/c the press was broken at work. I then took them home and attempted to cut a small notch in the metal sleeve so I could get the rest of the bushing out and finally get the new ones in. Ended up cutting too deep on one of the arms and effectively added the whole LCA to the junk pile. I didnt cut all the way through but I feel that it is such a crucial part that even if I filled the small cut mark with a welder and smoothed it down I just wouldn't trust it anymore. So..... complete new LCA's on the way cause I'm sick of dealing with all the running around.

Icing on the cake is I went to pull off my Bilsteins in the rear tonight. Both the top nuts are seized despite them being only two years old.... oh and the little allen head on the top of the shaft to hold it from spinning is also rounded out. What a nightmare.

F U Doug. /rant.

EDIT: Oh and now I have 4 BNIB Toyota Lower Control arm bushings. Spent $220 US + Shipping on them from Toyota Parts Express, I'll let them go for $125 US if anyone is in the market to replace their worn out LCA bushings and wants to tackle this! PM me.

 

[wrenchMonkey_]

Whole front suspension is out of the truck - shocks, spindles, LCA's, UCA's, etc. Lower control arms had 3 of 4 sleeves seized inside the bushings. Managed to get a grinder in there and cut the sleeve enough to then pound a chisel through and break the end off. Once the ends were off I just pried and bent until the LCA's dropped down. Bought all new OEM Bushings to replace the bushings with, took the arms to work and ended up torching out the old bushings. 2 of the 4 still had the external metal sleeve on the OEM bushing stuck in the LCA hole, but I couldn't press them out b/c the press was broken at work. I then took them home and attempted to cut a small notch in the metal sleeve so I could get the rest of the bushing out and finally get the new ones in. Ended up cutting too deep on one of the arms and effectively added the whole LCA to the junk pile. I didnt cut all the way through but I feel that it is such a crucial part that even if I filled the small cut mark with a welder and smoothed it down I just wouldn't trust it anymore. So..... complete new LCA's on the way cause I'm sick of dealing with all the running around.

Icing on the cake is I went to pull off my Bilsteins in the rear tonight. Both the top nuts are seized despite them being only two years old.... oh and the little allen head on the top of the shaft to hold it from spinning is also rounded out. What a nightmare.

F U Doug. /rant.

Brutal! I know what you mean, when I did my Camburg UCA, when I took it to the shop the next day I told them very clearly if that cam/caster adjusters dont move at all, stop, they are seized and I'll fix it before we do the alignment. Long story short, they didn't stop, broke off one of the frame mounted tabs and stripped the bolt for the adjustment. I was not very happy, but after doing some reading back then, and just reading what you want through again I am happy I struck a deal with the shop to just pay for my own parts and they would cover the labor.

I hope you did not get MOOG's from Rock Auto? They sent me two rights three times, even after I sent it back in with pictures. They said if the package is marked corrrect as the website and the same as a plastic, its a MOOG issue, not a Rock Auto issue. Very frusterating when your looking at 5 days to ship it up from the USA. Ended up going with some MevoTechs from a source in the GTA for ironically a bit less.

Hope you get the front end sorted. Make sure to use some grease/anti seize of your choice on the new bushings cam/caster assembly to prevent them from seizing. Oh Toyota, only you would put two disimilar metals on the a ID and OD of a sleeve and say its good.

Not sure if you need this,but from my notes these are OEM Toyota PN's for the full cam/caster kit.
I ordered from a US Dealer that shipped to Canada. Cost me $207 CDN landed. Mevo lowers were $330 for a set, MOOGS were $350. A deal really when you factor in that they have the bushings already in.

48409-34020 x 2
900900-11275 x 2
48452-35020 x 4
48409-34030 x 2
90080-11410
Complete Camber/Caster CAM Bolt Kit


Sucks about the rear shock mount. Perhaps a good candidate for getting a pair of vice grips on em and a torch
I pretty much coat everything on my 06 with grease or anti seize, still never works 100% tho.

 

[rickashay]

Brutal! I know what you mean, when I did my Camburg UCA, when I took it to the shop the next day I told them very clearly if that cam/caster adjusters dont move at all, stop, they are seized and I'll fix it before we do the alignment. Long story short, they didn't stop, broke off one of the frame mounted tabs and stripped the bolt for the adjustment. I was not very happy, but after doing some reading back then, and just reading what you want through again I am happy I struck a deal with the shop to just pay for my own parts and they would cover the labor.

I hope you did not get MOOG's from Rock Auto? They sent me two rights three times, even after I sent it back in with pictures. They said if the package is marked corrrect as the website and the same as a plastic, its a MOOG issue, not a Rock Auto issue. Very frusterating when your looking at 5 days to ship it up from the USA. Ended up going with some MevoTechs from a source in the GTA for ironically a bit less.

Hope you get the front end sorted. Make sure to use some grease/anti seize of your choice on the new bushings cam/caster assembly to prevent them from seizing. Oh Toyota, only you would put two disimilar metals on the a ID and OD of a sleeve and say its good.

Not sure if you need this,but from my notes these are OEM Toyota PN's for the full cam/caster kit.
I ordered from a US Dealer that shipped to Canada. Cost me $207 CDN landed. Mevo lowers were $330 for a set, MOOGS were $350. A deal really when you factor in that they have the bushings already in.

48409-34020 x 2
900900-11275 x 2
48452-35020 x 4
48409-34030 x 2
90080-11410
Complete Camber/Caster CAM Bolt Kit


Sucks about the rear shock mount. Perhaps a good candidate for getting a pair of vice grips on em and a torch
I pretty much coat everything on my 06 with grease or anti seize, still never works 100% tho.

Thanks for the info and PN's. OEM Toyota LCA's are what I ordered. A little spendy but they did last 240,000kms on the original set and the IFS will be cut out or Long Travel before they need replacement again. Already got the new alignment cams and bolts from Toyota also. Tried the vice grip and torch method already on the rear shocks. No dice. Going back under today and will probably be quite destructive. haha

 

[marathonracer]

Whats your plan for the 5100s you took off the front?

 

[vicali]

F U Doug. /rant.

Hahaha, poor Doug!

 

[rickashay]

Whats your plan for the 5100s you took off the front?

Sold em' already!

Hahaha, poor Doug!

Lol no kidding... I feel sorry for the guy sometimes.

On a positive note I did spend another 2.5 hours under the back of the truck today. Had to cut both rear shocks out which was unfortunate seeing as how they both were in excellent working order.

Got the new rear Fox's installed but at a glance with the factory mounts it looks like I'm going to have to bump my uptravel an inch or so. These are a 10" stroke vs. the regular spec'd Tundra 0-1" lift shocks which are only ~8" stroke. Not ideal as I was hoping I wouldn't have to touch them at all but it was an expected disappointment to some degree. They definitely gained me 2.5-3.5" more droop though, now lets just hope the leafs will flex enough to make use of them.

Off to Houston tomorrow for work and the rest will have to wait until I get back. Highly doubting I will be able to make it out wheeling next weekend looking at how much work is still left to do. August long might be the maiden voyage I had hoped to have in early May. haha good thing this project doesn't have late fees.

 

[Blackdawg]

Sold em' already!



Lol no kidding... I feel sorry for the guy sometimes.

On a positive note I did spend another 2.5 hours under the back of the truck today. Had to cut both rear shocks out which was unfortunate seeing as how they both were in excellent working order.

Got the new rear Fox's installed but at a glance with the factory mounts it looks like I'm going to have to bump my uptravel an inch or so. These are a 10" stroke vs. the regular spec'd Tundra 0-1" lift shocks which are only ~8" stroke. Not ideal as I was hoping I wouldn't have to touch them at all but it was an expected disappointment to some degree. They definitely gained me 2.5-3.5" more droop though, now lets just hope the leafs will flex enough to make use of them.

Off to Houston tomorrow for work and the rest will have to wait until I get back. Highly doubting I will be able to make it out wheeling next weekend looking at how much work is still left to do. August long might be the maiden voyage I had hoped to have in early May. haha good thing this project doesn't have late fees.

dude relocate the shocks!

Whip out the welder!

 

[seanpistol]

New LCAs? Yikes!

 

[Muttle]

If you need a hand this weekend i might be up in Calgary. Let me know dude.