tundra-lover

I would agree! The wheelskins looked awesome on my 4Runner, and matched the leather perfectly. Only $40 I think, but a real pain to install. For a replacement wheel, you might want to check out car-parts.com for nearly anything. Most toyota steering wheels are probably the same fitment, but may cost anywhere from $70- $900 from what I've seen. eBay didn't have much to look at, and most had the wood trim.

Well, sounds like I'll have to endure till the temps warm up. This spring I think I'll just tear into the dash and sound deaden everything I can get my hands on. Lots of dynamat, spray foam and sticky felt should do the trick....maybe a really big hammer.

It's been a while since I've been on the site, and recenlty purchased a 97' LX450 after looking forever. This one had been sitting for about a year, and was originally from California. It looks like it has every option, and had about 97k miles when I picked it up. It needed some work, and I ended up changing the battery, plugs, wires, brakes, wheels, tires, fluids, shocks and a couple small things. Next will be the windshield and antenna. Now that it has been in the single digits, and way below freezing, I've noticed some rather anoying rattles, accompanied with a big squeak when I hit a small bump or man-hole cover. Sounds like the dash is rubbing the windshield, or the dash is ready to fall off the truck?? Its too damn cold to take anything apart just yet, but I wanted to see if anyone has encountered this problem?? I did attempt to stuff a piece of black felt between the dash and the windshield to see if it would help, but it didn't (recommended in a toyota forum). Anyway, please let me know if you have any ideas. -Dustin

Sounds like I might just have a squeaky motor on mine then. It seems to only do it during really cold temps. recently, it has been in the single or negative range.

I'm sure the compression is fine, and if it isn't, you may as well run it hard till she dies on you. Why not enjoy it, it's not like your running twin turbo's and nitrous. There isn't much you can do without dropping big dollars. The Lexus version 3.0 is allready tuned up from Toyota.

I don't think the KYB's are stiff at all! I put them on over the summer, and I think they're way to soft. I wish I would have gone with the Tokico's. And even with a discount through a friends car shop, I paid $100 each plus tax. The OEM struts are probably made by Monroe, and they should have a lifetime warranty from the dealer, at least they do at my dealership.

It's not very fair to jump all over K&N filters, when Toyota Racing Development (TRD) as well as many other manufactures make re-usable/washable free-flow filters. I agree that they would allow more air and contaminants in, but not enough to have Toyota pull their TRD filters off the market. For those of us who change our oil frequently, it shouldn't be a problem (no, I do not have my phD in filter technology). However, many of the off-road racers use a pre-filter with the cone style filter to prevent contaminants from building up or clogging the filter. This may be a good option for daily drivers to use if they want the use of the washable filter, and added protection. For the average commuter car, a three horse power difference may not be worth it? It's up to them to decide. For high-performance; A lot of the new intake systems for Turbo and Supercharged applications only offer reusable style filters. TRD superchargers do allow the use of the factory air box, but most I've seen are running the TRD reusable filter. Anyway, this topic is old and I for one am tired of hearing it every few months. There will always be some sort of extreme idea for each side of the filtration argument. If we all listened to what people told us not to do, they we might not do anything at all. ;)

Everyone I know that has run spacers has had vibration issues. Being on the rear only, don't know?

Most of the noise is from the rubber strut mounts. Make sure you replace those at the same time ($63 each). I am not real happy with the KYB's. They are nice, but they can still bottom out very easily. Very soft ride, and there is only one style of KYB for that year. I would rather have bought the Tokico's.

I'm kind of reading this at the end here, but I kind of relate buying a car to the way people practice religion. What I mean is, you don't judge the religion by the people who practice it. In other words, you also wouldn't judge a car on who sells it, or who maintains it. I learned a long time ago that you should buy want you want, even if it may not be in the best circumstances. If you really like it, and it meets all of your criteria- then go for it. However, I for one will not purchase any vehicles from a specific local dealer because of similar dirty practice (same story as you mentioned on the first post of this thread). I agree with some of the other guys- don't let them shy you from a reputable car. Word of mouth goes a long way with bad customer service. Good luck.

SWO3ES: I said Platform! Not drivetrain! I also didn't say they were similar. I know what both vehicles have in them, how they work, and have driven all of them. I heard my information from some friends at Toyota, who are going to verify it. Yes, the substructure is beefier for the heavier engine, and the outer skin is different- though strangely similar in size to the Corolla?? Hmm..... It's possible, no? I will admit my sources have been wrong before.

They'll do anything you want them to, it's all about the Franklin's. Some of the mechanic's don't know the different parts available, and don't want to work with products they don't know. For the most part, I've had better luck doing it at a specialty shop for less money and more experience. My ES mechanic is the same guy and friend who also worked on my Tundra, and Runner. He was all about the aftermarket parts- ARB, Old Man Emu, KYB ...... I gave hime the parts, and he installed.

I don't know how the IS could compete with the TL, when the IS is built on a compact Corolla structure? It's like comparing a Civic and an Accord. Someone is smoking a little crack!

You could have it cleaned off, and clear coat it? The probelm is that the clear just comes off after a while. I would just clean it off, and wax it if it bothers you. For the winter you can take them off to keep the salt off them, or use a rag with some protective coating like WD-40, just don't get it on your rotors.

How did yo post those pic's? I want to give it a try.