2nd gen differences

currently own a 1st gen , and in that forum there is a nice sticky about all the differences and or issues , but does not look like there is one here.
my first gen is tired and a beater with a heater. recently a 2009 and a 16 came up,
just trying to do research, ive got time, as this 1st gen willl get me through this winter, and winter here good rigs do not come up for sale.

 

@shifty` maintains an excellent and informative 1G thread.

I dont know that we have something as nice for the 2/2.5 trucks.

I believe they come down to body style (2 vs 2.5), tech level you want, engine, driveline, and trim package choices mostly.

Wikipedia does a pretty decent job here. (not sure if it is 100%, but it is pretty decent on the variations of the truck.)

The cab is the same cab for the run of the second gen. 18+ gets the most serious tech upgrades with the TSS.

It is possible to swap the bed and front end sheet metal from an earlier onto a later year of the 2nd gen, to make it appear as if the facelift 2.5.... so much of it stayed the same.

The standard stuff for any facelift, Toyota change some connectors, they added various tech over the years, the radio got nicer and worse all at once...

Really it will mostly come down to buying what you need for any 2/2.5. Cab size vs bed size, driveline, and inspecting the vehicle. Snowy areas are not just rough on the 1Gs, they can destroy the 2/2.5 also.

Other than that...

We aren't as old and cantankerous as most of those 1G guys. Feel free to ask away and we will help where we can.

 

thanks

 

2007-2009 had issues; sinking dashboard, axel seals on the rear end, exhaust system changes one side is longer then the other, and some other I can’t recall. They are listed on the “other” site.
2010-2013 had improvements but not much.

If it were me knowing what I do now and had a 2.5 gen available I’d buy that. The rear seats have limitations over the second gen. Mostly due to the raised rear floor. Also Toyota changed up some tuning, lots of 2.5 guys report slightly better fuel economy.

Doing a front end swap isn’t cheap or that easy. Wiring and plugs for the head lights need to be altered. Brackets add up quickly if you don’t buy a full front end clip. The bed bolts up from a 2.5 to a second gen but again the wiring becomes the issue. Jeff_5.7 has info on how much and long it takes.

Save the time and headache, buy a 2.5 if you can swing it.

 

so I can say one thing I need is a 6.5 bed for hauling either my oil tank or water tank, heated mirrors would be real nice ( 1st gens dont have but my 2000 4runner does). my 4runner has a locker rear end and the tundra has lsd,,,when its snow and ice they help. Remote door locks is nice too when I have auto start...even if aftermarket like my 4runner( auto start) space on dash or someplace to mount some rocker switches for extra lights...we call them moose lights here in alaska..1st gen is not easy
otherwise I want to stick with tundra...but if I have to I can do a taco. but the things I listed above I have on my 4runner and have become real accustomed to when its minus 40. And my current 2002 does not have those things...and the 2002 is at 257k and starting to hurt. up here its so brutal....they say...add 100k to whatever the speedo says

 

and a 2.5 is what ? meaning what difference makes you say that

 

Buy one from the continental and drive it up. Not from the rust belt. Would be a good stress test to see if she can handle the last frontier.

 

14+ the facelift.