Build Rigger's 2025 Tundra

[Rigger]

Last August, I decided to get a new truck. I drove a few Tacomas and I drove a few Tundras. Decided on a Tundra.

There's a bit of a back story on the actual purchase of one Tundra, then a month later trading it on another one, but here is what I ended up with:

 

[Rigger]

There have been some engine issues with the Gen 3 Tundras. But this truck drives and rides smoothly, and the engine is strong and smooth and quiet. It does not drive and ride like a truck whose engine is about to crater! Anyway, hoping for the best.

I have been driving it for a year now, and I like most things about it. There are, however, a few things about it that are somewhat irritating. I am going to edit this post and list my praises and gripes.

Praises:
Factory TRD lift.
Acceleration; the truck is amazingly fast!
Flip-out step for bed access.

Gripes:
No front recovery points.
AC settings have to be selected each time I start the truck.
Auto shut-off at traffic stops.
Plastic bed.

 

[Rigger]

So far, all I have done in the way of mods is a wheel & tire package and a set of Decked drawers.

 

[whitec13]

Beautiful truck! The acceleration with those is insane. But as for the failure, from what I’ve read and from the couple guys I know who have been through it; it comes out of no where. Not much warning. Which sucks. The motor feels, drives, and accelerates so nicely. I took one for work for a weekend and loved it

 

[Rigger]

Here's a funny thing I discovered. My truck has the factory lift, which I understand is the best lift for this truck. Factory designed, factory installed, factory warranty. What could be better? HOWEVER: When they factory-lift the rear end, they leave the same track bar on the truck that the non-lifted truck has. So, the rear axle is actually off center! Not by much, mind you, but once you know it, it's hard to not know it. I added a Dr. KDSS bracket to the rear and it re-centered the rear axle. Yeesh! Come ON, Toyota! How'd this one get past your QC department?

The coil sprung ride is oh-so-nice, though! Ideal for a guy like me who is getting old.

 

[Rigger]

Here's the Dr. KDSS bracket:

 

[Rigger]

Pretty much gotta have a 'Mud sticker ...

 

[vtl]

Beautiful truck! The acceleration with those is insane. But as for the failure, from what I’ve read and from the couple guys I know who have been through it; it comes out of no where. Not much warning. Which sucks. The motor feels, drives, and accelerates so nicely. I took one for work for a weekend and loved it

It runs fine until it grabs the main bearing once. Then it goes south pretty quickly. I'd be putting 10w40 oil in it, and avoid lugging, and doing zero-to-speeding-ticket, and having fun in general. Also premium gas to reduce detonations and drive it like baby in hot weather. "Luckily" the 87 vs 93 price difference at local pump is not that big anymore...

OP, I'm serious about 10w40, this stuff is thick! Engines with diesel-like torque need diesel-like oil. 5w30 won't do it, it is much closer to 0w20 than to 10w40. The oil film is what keeps the metal surfaces separate when the oil pressure becomes insufficient.

Rear axle on my '19 is also a bit off-center, straight from the assembly line. I suspected that after measuring with a tape, and 100% confirmed when bought a 4WD alignment rack.

 

[Rigger]

Decked drawer system ...

 

[Steelisreal]

It runs fine until it grabs the main bearing once. Then it goes south pretty quickly. I'd be putting 10w40 oil in it, and avoid lugging, and doing zero-to-speeding-ticket, and having fun in general. Also premium gas to reduce detonations and drive it like baby in hot weather. "Luckily" the 87 vs 93 price difference at local pump is not that big anymore...

OP, I'm serious about 10w40, this stuff is thick! Engines with diesel-like torque need diesel-like oil. 5w30 won't do it, it is much closer to 0w20 than to 10w40. The oil film is what keeps the metal surfaces separate when the oil pressure becomes insufficient.

Rear axle on my '19 is also a bit off-center, straight from the assembly line. I suspected that after measuring with a tape, and 100% confirmed when bought a

Bud, the dooming is getting old. Let's give the OP the benefit of the doubt that he knows how to operate and maintain his truck. It looks like he's been around for a while!
Do you have any experience operating a 3rd gen Tundra? I think everyone's aware of the issue at this point. I would imagine the owners of 3rd gens know that it's an undersquare engine. Not everyone here is on the "ignorance is bliss" frequency.
I have significant experience with both platforms.
I use Schaeffer's lubricants (5W30, 3k intervals).
I don't lug the engine.
I do zero-to-speeding-ticket all the time and sometimes triple digits. The truck's happy at 80.
I can pull stuff without the engine screaming.
And I have fun all the time the truck is a pleasure to operate.
Add a Dirty Deeds Helmholtz system. It's not a mobile sensory deprivation chamber; ask Keith at Dirty Deeds. He has a new pro with 100k that he beats and pulls with. He loves it! These trucks like to work.

 

[Steelisreal]

Here's a funny thing I discovered. My truck has the factory lift, which I understand is the best lift for this truck. Factory designed, factory installed, factory warranty. What could be better? HOWEVER: When they factory-lift the rear end, they leave the same track bar on the truck that the non-lifted truck has. So, the rear axle is actually off center! Not by much, mind you, but once you know it, it's hard to not know it. I added a Dr. KDSS bracket to the rear and it re-centered the rear axle. Yeesh! Come ON, Toyota! How'd this one get past your QC department?

The coil sprung ride is oh-so-nice, though! Ideal for a guy like me who is getting old.

Its fun like a 80 but not slow truck fast.

 

[vtl]

Bud, the dooming is getting old. Let's give the OP the benefit of the doubt that he knows how to operate and maintain his truck. It looks like he's been around for a while!
Do you have any experience operating a 3rd gen Tundra? I think everyone's aware of the issue at this point. I would imagine the owners of 3rd gens know that it's an undersquare engine. Not everyone here is on the "ignorance is bliss" frequency.
I have significant experience with both platforms.
I use Schaeffer's lubricants (5W30, 3k intervals).
I don't lug the engine.
I do zero-to-speeding-ticket all the time and sometimes triple digits. The truck's happy at 80.
I can pull stuff without the engine screaming.
And I have fun all the time the truck is a pleasure to operate.
Add a Dirty Deeds Helmholtz system. It's not a mobile sensory deprivation chamber; ask Keith at Dirty Deeds. He has a new pro with 100k that he beats and pulls with. He loves it! These trucks like to work.

Yes, I owned "3rd gen" long before Toyota came up with it. Turbos, thermally stressed engine and engine compartment, way too complex electronics, corporate thirst for customers money above all. That was the reason I decided to get a Gen 2 in the first place. And then another one. I have better use of my remaining days than laying under that chunk of metal and making it running again.

All the cr@p I was very skeptic about in Gen 3, based on my experience with similar machinery, turned out to be true there as well. Well, in fact, Toyota went above and beyond: I wasn't expecting the main bearings problem at all. It's, like, not very hard to do it right. From engineering prospective, I mean.

 

[Steelisreal]

Yes, I owned "3rd gen" long before Toyota came up with it. Turbos, thermally stressed engine and engine compartment, way too complex electronics, corporate thirst for customers money above all. That was the reason I decided to get a Gen 2 in the first place. And then another one. I have better use of my remaining days than laying under that chunk of metal and making it running again.

All the cr@p I was very skeptic about in Gen 3, based on my experience with similar machinery, turned out to be true there as well. Well, in fact, Toyota went above and beyond: I wasn't expecting the main bearings problem at all. It's, like, not very hard to do it right. From engineering prospective, I mean.

Real and reasonable. I got into it knowing the issues. I like going against the grain.
I get heckled daily by my buddies that all drive 2.5 Tunds. In fact, my project manager that works for me owns my old 15 pro DC. We have fun with it!