TravelsWithRalph
Adventurer
sitting a little low with 300# in back.
2001: The Tundra Access Cab (AC) was Consumers Report's truck of the year and was to be featured on a segment of Good Morning America in NYC. Unfortunately Consumers Union, the vehicle test division of Consumers Reports, had already sold their test vehicle and didn't have one to display. As luck would have it, the head of Consumers Union at the time was a friend of mine as was a mutual friend who happened to have a 2001 Tundra; this 2001 Tundra. They borrowed the truck and detailed it before it's TV debut. In early 2009 I bought that truck from the my friend for my son to drive. With 120K on the dial, I immediately had the timing belt done, did a brake job and got new tires. Once my son graduated high school he went off to college in Boston and was in no need of the truck, so I began driving it.
New Frame: thanks Toyota
In 2011, Toyota recall provided a new frame and brake lines, lower control arms, lower ball joints, rear spring hangers and body mounts and bolts. Since the engine was out on a pallet, I had toyota install some JBA Headers before reassembling the truck. From that point on the truck has been a work horse for me, pulling my landscape equipment around. Maintenance has been high on the list the past few years with lots of new parts added:
2006 front brake parts upgrade,
Rack and Pinion,
Transmission service
Front wheel bearings,
front brake dust plate,
Rear wheel bearings,
rear brake backer plate,
E brake cable,
E brake Bell Crank Levers,
plugs,
timing belt (at 120K),
front bumper (deer strike)
tie rod ends
all fluids
Scan Guage (love that thing)
Now it's about to begin transformation into my overland rig. After several years of outings in my Jeep TJ to the hills of Vermont and the logging routes of Maine, it's clear the size of the jeep, while agile and ever capable, is limiting in comfort. The goal is for this truck to be a vehicle for my wife and I to travel the US and Canada. And to do so while pulling a new off road teardrop from Moby1. And of course, all good rigs have a name and since the trailer will be "Scout", it seemed only right that the truck would be "Atticus".
New brake backing plates.
To get to this point meant a lot of reading and forum members here have been prominent on the reading list. So a shout out to Toytec, AddictedOffroad, Haggis, Rickashay and seanpistol. Some of you showed me what I want to do, others showed me stuff that it's just not for me (right now). I think one of the best things I read and I'm sorry but I forget where I read it, was to pick a tire size and build to that. So that's what I'm doing.
Because I'll be towing a 2,000 lbs trailer all over the country, highway manners is essential. I live in Connecticut so getting to Utah to explore the area's I'd like to see is a 4,000 mile round drip just there and back. To that end, I've decided to go up only one tire size; From 265/70/16 to 265/75/16. I'd love to go with 255/85/16 but regearing just isn't in the cards right now.
Having driven on washboard roads before, an upgrade to the suspension would help quite a bit. So some Icon coil overs are on order. Because of the harsh salt and magnesium Chloride used on the roads here, (technical name is liquid car dissolver) I'm staying away from uniballs so Light Racing's upper control arms with ball joints has been orders.
Rusty OEM springs
I was planning on keeping the stock front bumper but I had a great deal on an ARB and Superwinch from a couple of friends so I took it. I also ordered the Icon's with their heavier spring. I'm still working out the rear suspension but have a set of Firestone airbags ready to go in. Because of the rust on the original springs I'm considering a set of Alcan's for the rear.
Parts On Order:
Icon standard travel coil overs with 14" 700# springs
Icon 2: VS rear shocks
Diff drip kit
Rear brake proportioning valve relocation kit
Light Racing UCS w/ball joints
ARB front bull bar w/fog light kit
Superwinch Talon 9.5 with Synthetic line (in garage)
Skid Row skid plates (in garage)
A.R.E truck cap
Firestone airbags (in garage)
Pending decision: Rear springs
to be continued.
2001: The Tundra Access Cab (AC) was Consumers Report's truck of the year and was to be featured on a segment of Good Morning America in NYC. Unfortunately Consumers Union, the vehicle test division of Consumers Reports, had already sold their test vehicle and didn't have one to display. As luck would have it, the head of Consumers Union at the time was a friend of mine as was a mutual friend who happened to have a 2001 Tundra; this 2001 Tundra. They borrowed the truck and detailed it before it's TV debut. In early 2009 I bought that truck from the my friend for my son to drive. With 120K on the dial, I immediately had the timing belt done, did a brake job and got new tires. Once my son graduated high school he went off to college in Boston and was in no need of the truck, so I began driving it.
New Frame: thanks Toyota
In 2011, Toyota recall provided a new frame and brake lines, lower control arms, lower ball joints, rear spring hangers and body mounts and bolts. Since the engine was out on a pallet, I had toyota install some JBA Headers before reassembling the truck. From that point on the truck has been a work horse for me, pulling my landscape equipment around. Maintenance has been high on the list the past few years with lots of new parts added:
2006 front brake parts upgrade,
Rack and Pinion,
Transmission service
Front wheel bearings,
front brake dust plate,
Rear wheel bearings,
rear brake backer plate,
E brake cable,
E brake Bell Crank Levers,
plugs,
timing belt (at 120K),
front bumper (deer strike)
tie rod ends
all fluids
Scan Guage (love that thing)
Now it's about to begin transformation into my overland rig. After several years of outings in my Jeep TJ to the hills of Vermont and the logging routes of Maine, it's clear the size of the jeep, while agile and ever capable, is limiting in comfort. The goal is for this truck to be a vehicle for my wife and I to travel the US and Canada. And to do so while pulling a new off road teardrop from Moby1. And of course, all good rigs have a name and since the trailer will be "Scout", it seemed only right that the truck would be "Atticus".
New brake backing plates.
To get to this point meant a lot of reading and forum members here have been prominent on the reading list. So a shout out to Toytec, AddictedOffroad, Haggis, Rickashay and seanpistol. Some of you showed me what I want to do, others showed me stuff that it's just not for me (right now). I think one of the best things I read and I'm sorry but I forget where I read it, was to pick a tire size and build to that. So that's what I'm doing.
Because I'll be towing a 2,000 lbs trailer all over the country, highway manners is essential. I live in Connecticut so getting to Utah to explore the area's I'd like to see is a 4,000 mile round drip just there and back. To that end, I've decided to go up only one tire size; From 265/70/16 to 265/75/16. I'd love to go with 255/85/16 but regearing just isn't in the cards right now.
Having driven on washboard roads before, an upgrade to the suspension would help quite a bit. So some Icon coil overs are on order. Because of the harsh salt and magnesium Chloride used on the roads here, (technical name is liquid car dissolver) I'm staying away from uniballs so Light Racing's upper control arms with ball joints has been orders.
Rusty OEM springs
I was planning on keeping the stock front bumper but I had a great deal on an ARB and Superwinch from a couple of friends so I took it. I also ordered the Icon's with their heavier spring. I'm still working out the rear suspension but have a set of Firestone airbags ready to go in. Because of the rust on the original springs I'm considering a set of Alcan's for the rear.
Parts On Order:
Icon standard travel coil overs with 14" 700# springs
Icon 2: VS rear shocks
Diff drip kit
Rear brake proportioning valve relocation kit
Light Racing UCS w/ball joints
ARB front bull bar w/fog light kit
Superwinch Talon 9.5 with Synthetic line (in garage)
Skid Row skid plates (in garage)
A.R.E truck cap
Firestone airbags (in garage)
Pending decision: Rear springs
to be continued.