4 Wheelers need love too

[Bulldog9]

Took some time this weekend to attend to a few projects I've wanted to do on my truck.

Added a rear mounted bed step, makes getting up in the bed much easier. BONUS is that AMP research is a US company and made in the US! Pretty ingenious and well built!








Of course, you cant do much without it being routed through the land of the Rising Sun, and I upgraded my Horns to Hella high output and swapped my Halogen Headlight Bulbs for drop in LED's. Had good results with similar drop ins on my Griso and Vy, so figured I'd throw a set in. Funny Story on the Horns, these were originally bought for the MGX, but I neglected to notice they were almost 6" across.... lol. So I figured why not throw in the Truck as I had to take the grill off for the headlights.















Really love this truck. Is my first truck, and first Toyota other than one I married into back in 1985. Sold it at first chance for a GTI, but havent had one since.

[Vagrant]

looks like the stay at home blues got to you big time.
thanks for posting. I have a 17 Tundra steel bumper and was looking for one of these. sounds like your happy right. carrying a 4" ladder around is getting old like me. 

[LowRyter]

Car was running doggy in top gear, felt like a typical ignition fault, (wire or plug).   First I checked the air filter and it was really clean.  Then I inspected the MAF and took out the throttle body which was also quite clean.  So then I bit the bullet (Guzzi content) and paid $150 for wires and plugs.   

So I did one side of the engine and discovered one burned plug and had "Aha" moment and test drove it.  It seemed a little better but I was only lugging it in town, not on the highway.  Then I did the other side and found three of the four were burned.  After replacement, the car does indeed run better. 

ACs came out, ACs went in.  Iridium (delirium?), $9 ea. I assume the old plugs were OEM, since they're "good" for 100k miles.  Anyway, I can't trace the lineage of AC part numbers.

[Dave Swanson]

I think that Toyota needs a Milano stablemate.  The colors seem to be very close!

[Murray]

Don't run it fully loaded too often don't run it in dusty conditions or off road generally, don't expect the automatic gearbox to be in the right gear at the right time ever and you'll get years practical uninspiring service while it drinks like a fish and parts make euro cars look cheap. The Toyota off road vehicle owning experience.

[Bulldog9]

looks like the stay at home blues got to you big time.
thanks for posting. I have a 17 Tundra steel bumper and was looking for one of these. sounds like your happy right. carrying a 4" ladder around is getting old like me.

The main support for the step bolts to the side of the frame on the hitch carrier. Pretty easy install. Really works and was needed as my truck has a 2" lift. Step is perfect height.

[Bulldog9]

Don't run it fully loaded too often don't run it in dusty conditions or off road generally, don't expect the automatic gearbox to be in the right gear at the right time ever and you'll get years practical uninspiring service while it drinks like a fish and parts make euro cars look cheap. The Toyota off road vehicle owning experience.

Yeah, poor me..... Shoulda got a Ford huh?..... 

[LowRyter]

Car was running doggy in top gear, felt like a typical ignition fault, (wire or plug).   First I checked the air filter and it was really clean.  Then I inspected the MAF and took out the throttle body which was also quite clean.  So then I bit the bullet (Guzzi content) and paid $150 for wires and plugs.   

So I did one side of the engine and discovered one burned plug and had "Aha" moment and test drove it.  It seemed a little better but I was only lugging it in town, not on the highway.  Then I did the other side and found three of the four were burned.  After replacement, the car does indeed run better. 

ACs came out, ACs went in.  Iridium (delirium?), $9 ea. I assume the old plugs were OEM, since they're "good" for 100k miles.  Anyway, I can't trace the lineage of AC part numbers.

4 wheelers?  And I was thinking vehicles with 4 wheels.  My bad.

[Murray]

Yeah, poor me..... Shoulda got a Ford huh?..... 

Never had much to do with them the local Colorado holds up o.k. although no longer available after that you are into a Dmax or a step into the unknown with a G professional. Had plenty to do with the 70 series Hilux and 200 series Toyo's none of them have exactly covered themselves on glory let alone gone anywhere near backing up the reputation.

[Bulldog9]

I think that Toyota needs a Milano stablemate.  The colors seem to be very close!

I know............... EVERY time I see one...........

[PeteS]

If you have to deal with salt in the winter or by the ocean I hope you got it rustproofed. The frames still rot like they did in the Tacomas. Frames and everthing else underneath like brakes, brake lines, control cables.

Pete

[Bulldog9]

If you have to deal with salt in the winter or by the ocean I hope you got it rustproofed. The frames still rot like they did in the Tacomas. Frames and everthing else underneath like brakes, brake lines, control cables.

Pete

Very little, but always wash the undercarriage for this regardless. I looked into this before buying, spent 3 years looking driving and researching. TMC addressed the frame rot issue several years ago and it was only the earlier models, but time will tell.  I had driven a Tundra, and have a couple buddies with them (and ever other big truck you can imagine) but didn't like the huge grill and chrome treatments. I was 95% planning on a GMC AT4 when a buddy showed me the TRD PRO trim which checked every box.  I did a quick search through my USAA car buying service (was in Afghanistan), found only one in the color and model I wanted and bought it on the spot.  Dealer held it for me for 7 months. 

I likely wouldn't own a Tundra if it wasn't this truck, trim and color. Had everything I wanted, and most importantly nothing I diddn't, and to my good fortune and blessing, where most dealers mark this model up over MSRP, I got $2K off MSRP and an OTD price less than $10K cheaper than the OTD on the GMC (and $20K under the MSRP).

The suspension is not Raptor Ready, but close enough. Is a blast off road and on the beach.
   

[PeteS]

Mine was 2007, first year of the 2nd edition. Never any motor or transmission problems in 70k mikes but I did have to install a mod to get around the cold start valve issue. If it sticks it puts the engine in limp mode and costs over $5K to fix. I assume they changed the design since plus all the new trucks up north get undercoated at the dealer.
After replacing all the brake lines I sold it. I usually keep my vehicles until they stop dead but this one was just getting to be too much work.
Good luck with yours. They have a pretty sweet motor even if it is thirsty.

Pete

[Bulldog9]

Mine was 2007, first year of the 2nd edition. Never any motor or transmission problems in 70k mikes but I did have to install a mod to get around the cold start valve issue. If it sticks it puts the engine in limp mode and costs over $5K to fix. I assume they changed the design since plus all the new trucks up north get undercoated at the dealer.
After replacing all the brake lines I sold it. I usually keep my vehicles until they stop dead but this one was just getting to be too much work.
Good luck with yours. They have a pretty sweet motor even if it is thirsty.

Pete

Yeah, I've read about that. Seems to be infrequent these days, but Murphy's law and all that..... I tend to keep vehicles a long time, and plan to keep this for the duration. Is my DD right now, but plan a small light sports car with open top in the next year or two.