SouthPaw’s 2000 Tundra Limited 4x4 Build

how you do!

Thank you! It’s a work in progress but it’s coming along.

 

Better than I deserve

I understand, our truck is stock but working on my other ride currently, check the link below.

 

The tundra is my daily work horse and gets driven 90% of the time while the duramax sits. Since getting the torque app on old work phone I’ve been monitoring the readings from the ECU very closely. The transmission temp in town ranged from 160*-170* but I noticed it climb up to 185*, sometimes 190* when I go up in the mountains for work. After @Surf_spear_Mex mentioned installing a Hayden Cooler, I was convinced.

Got it put in today and I’m impressed. I took it on a 30 min test drive in OD, really getting after it and the temps never got above 150*. It was raining a little cooler outside so the real test will happen next Friday on my next mountain drive. Installation was pretty easy, a few bolts to remove the old one and mounting the new one with the included zip ties.

 

Awesome job man, I've been super stoked with mine too. I lugged 4800 lbs of a scrap last week and stayed under 155° while at highway speeds in 80° weather with 75% humidity. Enjoy amigo!

 

Couple of items added. I added a Derale 13011 ‘fluid control thermostat’ inline with the Hayden 679. After another member shared his driving experience in 35* weather, I wanted to add it before the temps started dropping in Colorado. Transmission seems to love the new setup, smooth shifts, lower temps and now it gets completely up to operating temp in a short time.


Also snooping around, I found an old thread about switching the dash/HVAC bulbs for LED’s in different colors. I chose ‘ice blue’ and it really gave it a nice modern look while also being brighter.

 

Snagged a quick pic next to our Dozer at the job site.

 

Great build,man!

 

Been kind of absent lately but no new upgrades or changes. I’ve been strongly considering some 5100’s to level/lift it some to run some 33x10.5R17’s. I keep putting it off but that is most likely the next big upgrade.

 

just do it.. its worth it.. i mean look at it

 

That is purty. I thought about doing all new springs with shocks but for me, it’s mostly a pavement warrior so figure my OEM springs should be fine. My build list so far includes

5100’s front and rear
1” lift block for rear
Freedom UCA’s
OEM lower ball joints
33x10.50R17 Kenda Klever R/T10’s
17x9 wheels (haven’t decided on these yet)

 

i cant comment how the stock springs would ride. but lowest setting on the shocks with taco 885 springs, this thing drives like a dream

 

I’ve read mixed reviews on the 5100’s. One guy spent $2000 trying to get it to ride well and ended setting on strut spacers claiming it was by far the best ride lol.

Where did you get your parts from?

 

Amazon... couldnt beat that next day shipping.
if you use stock springs and just lift the base plate up to a different setting all your doing is the same thing as a strut spacer. running proper coils and having the perch as low as it can go really helps ride. alot

i will say it is firmer than stock.. but my suspension was WORN OUT (the strut was actaully broke..) its nothing insane though. its actually smoother riding than my tacomas icons. most of the firmness in my truck is actually from the E range tires.. but i prefer it firmer than softer

 

Good to know. Can you provide the link to the coils/springs you bought?

 

When I get home I’ll dig em up.


I think first gen offroad has them for sale

 

I’ve always wanted to detail the engine bay but never got around to it. Well I decided to look at it earlier this week and noticed the driver side valve cover looks it had been weeping for for quite sometime. I guess I never really paid attention to it but it was definitely a lot darker than the passenger side. Nothing was dripping but just crusty all around it.

I decided today was the day. I soaked it in some degreaser and hotsy’d it all off. Got it all cleaned up, dressed and all bolts tightened. They were all pretty lose on both sides of the engine, I’m surprised the passenger side wasn’t leaking.

 

Clean engine is a happy engine

 

Now you’re just showing off lol jk, very clean. Did you have the VC powder coated? I just a video on how ‘hard’ they are to change and might see if I can snag a junk yard set to get powder coated.

 

Yes. These are sone of the easiest v8 cover gaskets you’ll ever do

 

My engine bay is powdercoated brown, its a fine dusting of dirt everywhere you look

 

That engine bay looks amazing. The ephemeral nature of clean white is something to behold!

 

So some new progress is coming finally. I found a lightly used set of Toyotec Boss Coil overs for a smoking good deal. I was just about to pull the trigger on some bilstein 5100’s and I’m glad I waited.

I also found some lightly used OME-60091’s rear shocks for ~$100 but I’m still debating on going with these or new 5100’s for the rear. That will be determined later. Along with replacing these, I plan on doing the UCA’s (haven’t decided on brand), OEM lower ball joints, rear drums/shoes and rear axle seals w/vent breather.

The final step will be 33x10.50R17 Kenda RT’s on some new 17” wheels. Baby steps but finally moving along.

 

So got my coil overs showed and I’m stoked! This is the plan so far:

• Toytec Boss coil overs - 2.5”
• New front sway bar links, painted red
• Rear 5100’s
• New drums, shoes, wheel cylinders and axle seals
• Fix/adjust parking brake as it’s weak
• R/R front diff plug and new fluid

All these items are kind of the last of the last to make the truck ‘perfect.’ I figured the drums being as cheap as they are, just replace them instead of trying to clean all the crud out. With my new job, I lost my availability to use a shop at my leisure. I wouldn’t mind doing most of this work myself but will probably have my buddy that did the timing belt do it since I don’t want to do it in the cold. If anyone is following and has other suggestions on what to replace while I’m there, please feel free to chime in. Final step will be 17x9 wheels and 33x10.50 or 285/70 tires.

 

The backing plates if they're rusted out would be a good time to slap new ones on.

Sounds like your pulling the whole axle apart?

Heres a link to what my old ones look like.
Link.

I don't seem to have these pictures anymore.

Heres another link to a post by @bmf4069

 

Whatever is needed to replace the seals. The driver side is the only side leaking at this point but I figured just do them in pairs. Backing plates might be a good idea as well, good suggestion.

 

Finally got some extra time to get the new rear view mirror installed. Installation was fairly easy, power, ground and two wires for the temp sensor. I pulled down the drivers visor and A-pillar to hide all the wires. Calibrated the compass and the temp sensor was dead on comparing it to my iPhone weather app. Just need a small piece of wire loom or may remove all the wires and put some shrink tube over the exposed ones. Otherwise, it looks OEM.

Parts list:

• GNTX-177 used mirror w/temp sensor - $43 (eBay)
• H501SSA041 Subaru mirror adapter - $12 (eBay)
• butt connectors and 16g wire

For less than $60, it was a good upgrade that is something you can use every day. If you are planning on doing this mod, make sure you get GNTX-177 mirror that displays both temp and compass at the same time. They do make one that only displays one or the other at a time. Now to decide on adding seat warmers or not..

 

That's awesome, where did you run power from?

 

I used a fuse tap off the ACC fuse on the drivers kick panel.

 

More goodies showed up today:

JBA Offroad upper control arms

 

Nice! Did you leave the coilovers at 2.5?