Atticus, a 2001 Tundra build

TravelsWithRalph

Adventurer
Tundra repairs-1762.jpg 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.
tundra new frame.jpg 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".
Tundra repairs-1754.jpg 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.
Tundra-1661.jpg 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.
 

TravelsWithRalph

Adventurer
tundra parts-100.jpg
Parts are starting to show up.
Rear shock and upper control arms with ball joints. Coil overs are on back order due to the 700 lbs springs. Spoke with Bill Ford of Alcan and ordered a custom spring pack with +300 lbs capacity and 1.5" lift over stock. Those will be about 4 week getting to me.
 

TravelsWithRalph

Adventurer
IMG_1644.jpg As back-order parts dribble in, this one is the first outward visible change. A.R.E Cx cap. The fit of this cap is excellent and adds a secure space, weather protection and in my opinion, looks pretty good. I've never liked caps on pick up trucks but now it seems to fit my needs. Icon rear shock arrived and the Icon front coil overs should arrive any day now. ARB bumper won't be here till mid July. No word on shipment of the custom Alcan spring pack.
 

AaronK

Explorer
Interested to see how your ARB bumper install goes. Mine was a pain

Sent from my OnePlus One using Tapatalk.
 

AaronK

Explorer
The driver's side bracket didn't want to line up to the frame horn. We ended up putting the front bolts/nuts on and then winching on the bracket to get the two side holes to line up. I was too busy being frustrated get pictures of any of it.

Sent from my OnePlus One using Tapatalk.
 

TravelsWithRalph

Adventurer
Thanks for the heads up on the front bumper mounting issues. With the front bumper still in transit I addressed the issues with the rear bumper - RUST. bumper works-100.jpg
The OEM chrome bumper was shot and so was the OEM reinforcements. Taking off the bumper cover resulted in broken bolts and I wanted to reused the larger M12,1.25 frame bolts and the M8,1.25 bolts if I could. PB blaster did some work, but on the throw away parts I split the oem nuts with a chisel. They were so weak from rust it only took one hit to open them up. The frame mounted nuts needed to be saved so I brought out the MAP gas torch which worked like a charm. bumper works-109.jpgThose 12mm bolts came right out.
The trailer hitch is not OEM but rust had begun to attack under the powder coating. (I'm starting the dislike powder coating) With the bumper out of the way it was easy access to grind it down, prime and repainted it.
In the end I needed six new M8,1.25 bolts and one M12,1.25 bolt to finish it up. bumper works1-111.jpg Now no worries of my wife cutting her leg on a jagged piece of chrome plating.
I do plan to move that low hanging trailer plug to a safer spot. But to where is the question?
 

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Cletus26

Adventurer
If needed I could find an old photo but when I had my Factory bumper I removed the left licence plate light and enlarged the hole to house it there. Worked perfectly
 

TravelsWithRalph

Adventurer
I like that. Did you have to cut through the metal bumper or was there enough room between the plastic cover and the metal bumper to fit the back of the plug.
 

Cletus26

Adventurer
I like that. Did you have to cut through the metal bumper or was there enough room between the plastic cover and the metal bumper to fit the back of the plug.

Had to cut some of the metal behind. Took 5 minutes with a die grinder to make enough room
 

AaronK

Explorer
I need to relocate my trailer connector as well. Whacked it pretty good this past weekend

Sent from my OnePlus One using Tapatalk.
 

TravelsWithRalph

Adventurer
Tundra build-1848 copy.jpg
Parts have been arriving regularly. Last piece, the ARB front bumper, will be here by the end of the week. Ubolts are not pictured. They're off to the side being painted. Time to head off to West Marine to pick up a battery disconnect and some #2 cable for the winch connection.
 

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