Build 2006 Tundra DC 4x4 mild build

[ToyotaMatt]

i am on the HUNT for First GEN. Sequoia front cloth seats now , there are a Varity from 2005-2007 that rival the JAPAN Fully Adjustable styles and features

 

[joseywales]

I feel the same way. The puny tires on there are embarrassing. LOL

It's been next on my list after the suspension was done.

And I had been having seconds thoughts on going to the 17s or just sticking with the 16s. (Or going to something after market... Or finding some take-offs that already have tires...) I much prefer the 17s look and they're an extra .5" wider. And while I've been looking for tires, it seems like tire availability and cost is a little better for the 16". In the end, I've made up my mind and am moving to the 17s.

Had them sandblasted and now I just gotta get them painted.... (though I'm currently dragging my feet on that while I try to justify paying to have them powder coated instead... lol )

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I ran those same wheels on my 4Runner. Love them. I wish they were a 5x150 so I could run 17s on my Tundy.

 

[Drugolf]

There are a lot of deals on Take-offs out there right now that are nice options for sure. I picked up a set of toyota 17" wheels taken off an FJCruiser. All 5 for $200 and they had rubber on them (265) that you could have gotten another 8k off of if wanted. Found some 285 KO2's taken off a new Rubicon after 5k miles all 5 for $400. 3rd gen 4runner.

 

[theferg]

There are a lot of deals on Take-offs out there right now that are nice options for sure. I picked up a set of toyota 17" wheels taken off an FJCruiser. All 5 for $200 and they had rubber on them (265) that you could have gotten another 8k off of if wanted. Found some 285 KO2's taken off a new Rubicon after 5k miles all 5 for $400. 3rd gen 4runner.

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Few and far between where I live. I actually looked for a couple days in Phoenix too while I was there getting the truck and surprisingly there was just garbage take-offs or super expensive or both. Still keeping my eye out.

 

[theferg]

So measured the front mid-hub to fender and its sitting at 20.5. Super low. Was looking at the coil-overs and wondering what the deal was. Contacted Dobinsons and they helped me determine that the coil seat is lower than their suggested minimum setting. It's supposed to be at 6.45in, but it's sitting closer to 5.5in (edit: looking at their diagram, i see i measured slightly incorrectly, but still the seat is quite low). Also talked to the guys that assembled them and they said they were a huge PITA but they could try again and set them closer to the 6.5in.

So pulled them off today to take them over this week. And when I pulled them off, I found the top coil isolator is totally deformed and squished out on the driver's setup. Pretty sure I woulda saw it if it happened before it went on the truck, so must've happened in the less than 100 miles I drove it on the highway yesterday. Lame.

I got the recommended smaller diameter isolators that Dobinsons recommends. (They are the 1G Taco/3G 4Runner isolators cause thats the coil width size). But this one sure squished right out.... And we're supposed to crank the coil seat up another ~1in still??? I feel like the entire isolator is just gonna squish right out all around now. Kinda frustrated.

Prob call Dobinsons again tomorrow and get their take on it, but something seems off. I already asked them last week if they would set them up correctly if I paid to ship them back to them and they said they don't do assembly on these Tundra ones. Lame. (Edit: see next post, but after email correspondence with Dobs, they said they *would* assemble them for me if i shipped them back.)

But one piece of maybe good news I guess is that the rear Dobinsons shocks have FINALLY shipped this past Friday. Supposed to get here this week.

 

[theferg]

Sent an email to Dobs last night regarding the front coil-over situation. They replied this morning and said they would get them properly assembled for me if I get them sent back over to them. That's awesome (and opposite from what they told me last week on the phone. lol) I'm prob going to go ahead and do that, but man, they are in Miami and shipping one-way takes like a week without spending a fortune for faster shipping. Truck has already been sitting apart in the garage since I bought it in mid-July. I want to DRIVE the dang thing. LOL. Now I'm looking at another ~2 weeks waiting. Guess maybe I might spring for that faster shipping.....

 

[Drugolf]

Few and far between where I live. I actually looked for a couple days in Phoenix too while I was there getting the truck and surprisingly there was just garbage take-offs or super expensive or both. Still keeping my eye out.

Try the Toyota dealer and other similar shops that install upgrades. Last time I was at the Toyota dealer they had about 8 stacks of wheels and tires taken off trucks etc sitting there and pretty good prices because everyone is doing it.

 

[theferg]

I did end up sending the fronts back to Dobinsons for re-assembly. Sucks to sink extra money (and time) on shipping, but think they should be able to get them set right on the money. Hopefully they'll get them set up and turned around quickly.

Got the rear shocks finally this past week. Started installing them late one night, but it'd been 110-112*F all week and I have no AC in my garage so it was just too damn hot to work out there. Finally got a nice overcast cool morning today that I could jump on them. Easy peasy. I love how clean this truck is. I've never had a super crusty truck, always had pretty clean trucks, but this one is ridiculously cleaner than all those prior (and anybody that knows me, knows I've had a LOT of trucks... lol)

Lower bolts look brand new. Even old shock bushings look nearly new. LoL

Anyway, some pics.

 

[theferg]

Sweet! Got an email a bit ago from Dobinsons saying they have the shocks all re-assembled and ready to ship and gave me a tracking number. Yay! Being as its Wednesday, prob wont see them until Monday at the earliest.... but might finally have the suspension ALL done next week and finally be able to drive this thing...

And then I'll drive it right over to get some new tires.

 

[theferg]

So had heard stories of winches being activated via wifi at random in garages, on the trail, etc. Some newer winches have wifi toggle switches built into the control box, this cheapo winch didn't. I also just don't like having the winch always fully connected to the battery, so I put in this BlueSea 350amp on/off switch for the positive side of the winch.

Had it in a couple weeks back with the winch, but hadn't figured out a good spot to mount it, so had it just ziptied to the fusebox next to the battery.

Ended up grabbing one of these KamDesignStudio electrical mount brackets in hopes it would work. KAM DESIGN STUDIOS - Electrical Mount V1.5 - https://www.kamdesignstudios.com/electrical-mount-v1-5

Fit it up, drilled up some holes, and bolted it down. Works a champ.

The switch sits a bit high, but it does clear the underside of the hood. I may try to find a different switch thats a little lower-profule, but for now it works.

 

[theferg]

Finally the Dobs coil-overs made it back to me. Took two flipping weeks. Sucks, but oh well. Threw them right on. Easy money.

Now to get an alignment and some new shoes. Still having zero luck finding any take-offs or even anything slightly used anywhere near me and not much around up in SLC area either. Might end up just buying new.

 

[theferg]

Also had a replacement driveshaft carrier bearing that I needed to install since the one on the truck was done-for. Did the whole thing while still on the truck, just disconnected the rear part of the shaft from the front, undid the stake nut, and then the flange and bushing came right off by hand. Threw the new one on along with a new stake nut i had around, as well as an OME carrier bearing drop dpacer kit, and got it all back together in about an hour.

 

[theferg]

Drove across town and got an alignment and drove back home. It drove super nice. Was so stoked.

Had one last main item to cross off my list for now (besides tires) and that was re-clamping the CV boots cause I saw they were leaking a bit of grease out at some point. CVs and boots seem great, so was just re-clamping. Went with the good old "smooth band" worm screw type hose clamps like I've used on lots of my other rides (same things PFran sells).

So pulled the truck back in the garage and pulled the fronts wheels off so I could get to the boots easy.

Much to my disappointment, I found the coil isolator had again squished out on the drivers side coil. Dammit.

Searched around to see if others have had this issue and have found a good few having issues with these same energy suspension poly coil isolators. Switching to rubber ones seems to be the answer. Contacted Dobinsons again and they said theyve never heard of it happening before, but also, they've now switched to using rubber isolators. Seems kinda suspect. But they also said if I sent them back (again!) they'd fix me up with the rubber isolators.

WTH.

Super freaking bummed right now. I NEED to just be able to DRIVE this damn truck now. I cannot take two more damn weeks of downtime again shipping these things back and forth across the country again.

Trying to figure out some place else at least semi local to get it fixed up.

 

[theferg]

Ordered the KYB rubber isolators for a Tacoma (KYB SM5413) off Amazon and they showed up this morning. Stopped by the local shop and showed them everything and talked about it and they gave it another shot. They were able to get it apart and get the rubber isolators in there.

Got it all back together again and hoping the rubber isolators don't squish out. And that the alignment isn't too far out.... :-/

I need to just be able to just drive this thing now.

 

[theferg]

Been searching hard for tires. Seen lotsa good stuff hours and hours away, but not having much luck local to me. Finally found a set that looked interesting enough to check out, and I ended up getting them.

Set of nearly new Sumitomo Encounter AT 285-70-17 on Sequoia wheels. Never ran these tires before, but I couldn't pass up $700 vs buying new bigger name brand for $1500+. I just can't do that right now. Hopefully these will be decent and last a while.

Too bad for me I already had bought a set of these same wheels separately a couple months ago and have spent hours and hours painting them black... gotta decide if I want to pay to make the switch. Seeing how the tires go first for a bit.

Also gonna have to massage the inner fender liner a bit for clearance.

 

[theferg]

Happy to report that I've been able to JUST DRIVE the truck now the past ~week. Ran it on a ~600 mile roundtrip without issue. Tires rode great. And the KYB rubber isolators have stayed put up top of the coil.

 

[theferg]

Oh and looky there.... Dobinsons now recommends using the KYB rubber isolators with their kit.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I wouldn't have thought I was the first person running their IMS kit on a 1G Tundra.... but now I'm wondering if I'm the first to get it direct from them....?

 

[joseywales]

Wow. You should ask them for all your shipping and alignment expenses to be reimbursed. For them to go from “there’s no problem” to “this kit REQUIRES“ is a clear acknowledgment that there was in fact an issue with the kit as sold to you.

I also noticed your tires are P rated rather than LT. I’m sure that’s fine for light loads on pavement, but if you ever tow or haul much weight, or spend much time offroad, you best be keeping an eye on things. I’d be nervous with passenger tire sidewalks on any trips off pavement in your area. There’s more than a few rocks out there eyeing up your sidewalls…

 

[theferg]

Been just driving the truck a lot the past buncha months. Started a new job that required me on-site ~250 miles away so been driving the truck up and back weekly.

Brakes have always not been awesome (as with pretty much every Tundra of this Gen), and they got less awesome real fast with the miles and stopping accumulating much more quickly than normal.

Then I bought a little travel trailer to pull around and the s***ty brakes are really glaring thru (I think I'm using the trailer brakes a bit heavier than I should to compensate for the sh1tty Tundra brakes.)

So picked up a crap load of stuff to give the whole truck a brake makeover.

• GX460 front calipers machined by Jim Smola
• GX460 front discs from Toyota
• GX460 OEM front pads
• SOS complete rear disc brake conversion kit with park brake kit
• SOS master cylinder (which I think is just a T100 MC, but not 100% sure there)

Don't have to travel for a couple weeks so the truck will be down and out in the garage the next week or so getting this all done.

 

[theferg]

I also noticed your tires are P rated rather than LT. I’m sure that’s fine for light loads on pavement, but if you ever tow or haul much weight, or spend much time offroad, you best be keeping an eye on things. I’d be nervous with passenger tire sidewalks on any trips off pavement in your area. There’s more than a few rocks out there eyeing up your sidewalls…

The cheapy P tires have done well enough for me the past few months and thru the gnarly winter Utah just had (I did TONS of wintery snow and ice driving). But they've worn pretty fast and I have recently started pulling a smaller ~5000 lbs travel trailer so I'll be getting some D or E tires very shortly.