When you buy a new truck, you want people to notice it. After checking off a couple of the bells and whistles boxes at the dealership, a new truck can soar past $50,000. Writing that check every month will be even more difficult if your truck looks just like everyone else's rig and it easily gets lost in a sea of boring, stock trucks. It's what we affectionately call the "new truck blues". We had a new '10 Toyota Tundra Platinum edition that looked nice, but once we rolled off the dealer lot, it looked just like every other Tundra. To cure this illness, we logged on to www.autoanything.com and searched for our specific truck make and model. Within an instant, we had dozens of parts ready to be bolted onto our Tundra.
| After
First, we installed a new 3-in-1 ReadyLIFT SST lift kit at ReadyLIFT's facilities in Santa Ana, California. Nice and simple, the ReadyLIFT 3-in-1 kit is easy to install and gives the Tundra extra height without compromising ride quality. The three-inch front lift and one-inch rear allowed us to clear 34-inch tall Nitto Terra Grappler tires mounted on 20x8.5-inch MB Motoring Gunner 5 wheels supplied by Discount Tire Direct. A true perk to buying online, Discount Tire Direct shipped the tires premounted, already balanced, and included tire pressure monitoring sensors. All we had to do was bolt the wheels and tires in place and call it a day. To squeeze out some more horsepower and MPG from the big 5.7L V-8, we bolted on a new K&N intake and Borla dual exhaust system in our in-house tech center. With these high-quality aftermarket parts, not only did we make Toyota's best Tundra yet even better, but we also made it stand out in the crowd.
| Before
HIGHS
Better looks, quick and simple install, increase HP and MPG with intake and exhaust, relatively low investment for a high gain
LOWS
Lift and wheels/tires cancels out HP and MPG gain, tire rubbing when making hard turns, intake whine at constant speed
FROM THE DRIVER SEAT
This truck definitely turns heads as it cruises down the road, which is exactly what we were looking for. The lift kit maintains the factory suspension geometry, provides a smooth rides, and requires no specialty tools to install. We did have to trim the plastic liner on the inside of the bumper to alleviate rubbing when lock-to-lock. We thought, with the MB Motoring wheels having a +25mm offset and only being 8.5 inches wide, we could rule out any rubbing, but the 34-inch Nittos do rub the bumper edges when the suspension is compressed. But, it's a compromise we're willing to make. The intake and exhaust added 21 RWHP to the 5.7L and counteract the MPG effects of the lift and tires. Our only complaint is a random, high-pitched whine that occurs at cruising speed and comes from the intake. We've tried everything we know of, and that annoying whine won't go away. The time spent working was very minimal and it was simple enough for someone to do in his or her driveway. To say that we are pleased with the results wouldn't cut the mustard. We are ecstatic. Finally, our new truck blues have been cured.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Time Spend Working: 5 Hours
Degree Of Difficulty: Beginner
Tools Needed:
10-17, 19, 21-24mm sockets and 1/2-inch ratchet, Phillips screwdriver, prybar, and WD-40. A breaker bar or impact gun helps the process along as the suspension bolts are large and quite stubborn.
Parts Used:
K&N 77 Series cold air intake kit 77-9031-1KP
$356.79
Borla cat-back exhaust system 140333
$1,016.10
ReadyLIFT 3-in-1 SST lift kit 69-5075
$329.95
MB Motoring Gunner 5 wheels 20x8.5 in.
$160.00 (each)
Nitto Terra Grappler tires 295/60R20
$306.00 (each)
Total: $3,566.84
(Prices not including tax, labor, or shipping)
