Magic Age

Rock62

Rock62

Well-Known Member
Apparently, my '06 Tacoma has reached the magic age of either mileage or years (132,xxx and 17 years)

Its sucking up parts like a Hoover lately. Recently, I replaced the front CV axles, rotors, pads, RH caliper, sway bar links. Now, its needing inner and outer tie rods and exhaust. The tie rods will pull in a front-end alignment too. Then Its getting close on tires/TPMS sender/balance/mount and the battery is 7+ years old. I expect the battery will give up this winter. Spring 2024 will be time for the next 30 kmile service interval.

Last weekend, I replaced the ol' OEM head unit with a nice Kenwood. The original unit had its own set of issues.

I don't mind doing the work, but geesh, does it all have to happen in a short time frame. Really cramping the budget. I am fortunate. I have the skills to diagnose and execute repairs, so I can save as many $$ as possible. The payback is every repair gives me a truck in better condition and farther from the scrap heap. The hidden bonus is the truck is more reliable and safer on the road. Its definitely not like other clapped out rides rattling around on the roads.
 
Rock62 said:
Apparently, my '06 Tacoma has reached the magic age of either mileage or years (132,xxx and 17 years)

Its sucking up parts like a Hoover lately. Recently, I replaced the front CV axles, rotors, pads, RH caliper, sway bar links. Now, its needing inner and outer tie rods and exhaust. The tie rods will pull in a front-end alignment too. Then Its getting close on tires/TPMS sender/balance/mount and the battery is 7+ years old. I expect the battery will give up this winter. Spring 2024 will be time for the next 30 kmile service interval.

Last weekend, I replaced the ol' OEM head unit with a nice Kenwood. The original unit had its own set of issues.

I don't mind doing the work, but geesh, does it all have to happen in a short time frame. Really cramping the budget. I am fortunate. I have the skills to diagnose and execute repairs, so I can save as many $$ as possible. The payback is every repair gives me a truck in better condition and farther from the scrap heap. The hidden bonus is the truck is more reliable and safer on the road. Its definitely not like other clapped out rides rattling around on the roads.
Click to expand...
I had a 2001 tundra that was the same way. Seemed it needed $5k, or better worth of parts almost overnight. I had been looking at tacoma's for a couple years already taking test drives, but at nearly 300k miles, the tundra was still running great. Then in jan. of 2020 covid was on the radar. Having a weird sense that the economy was about to go tapioca, it was now, or empty my checking account into a 19 year old truck. To me it didn't make sense to invest all that cash into a truck that was worth just that. At that point it was off to a few dealers, till I found a regional one in Boston that was able to order the truck I wanted made in texas. These local dealers were only interested in selling what they had on their lots....mostly leftovers that had just about nothing I wanted. All in all, it's worked out well for me. The new truck couldn't be better.
 
Is that $5k just for new tundra parts?
I betcha I got about that amount going on new taco parts :(
Probably more...
 
Yeah, just parts. It needed an another timing belt kit, new exhaust all the way from the exhaust manifolds back, 4 o2 sensors, disc brakes and drums were coming due. Probably a new battery also...it was 9 years old. One of the power window motors were acting up. I think it was due for all the fluid changes, and spark plugs too. I'm sure I missed something else. At any rate a friend that has a large automotive repair shop offered me $5k cash for the truck as is. He made the same offer weeks before. This time I took it. He already had a buyer for it, and made a little on it. On occasion when I drive into town I see it still on the road, but its now missing the front fender flares, and the rear bumper is no longer looking like chrome...its nearly rusted off.
 
I tried to replace the outer tie rods, buuuuut the jam nuts on both sides are frozen beyond belief. Thats ok, because I was able to check the inner rods for play...... Yeah, they have more play and looseness than I'm comfortable. Some would say, "Good to go", but I walk a little different path. If I can make it "clunk" by hand.......then too loose, too worn, time to repair/replace.

So, the repair will be both inner and outer tie rods on both sides. I'll need to hacksaw thru the inner to get stuff apart. Break the outer joint, loosely assemble, cut the inner, remove the outer, then remove the boot, then the inner can come out. Assembly with the new parts should be a walk in the park. Then front end alignment. Planning on a set of Michelin Defender LTX in November. So need to tighten up the front end.

To give you an idea of the level of frozen on the jam nuts. 14" pipe wrench plus a 3 ton floor jack against the pipe wrench, generous PBlaster, heat...........NADA..... o_O Brute force was not successful, so........hack time. Hope my Armstrong cordless reciprocating saw can cut thru the inner rod.

I did check for play on the UBJ and the LBJ, both sides are tight. So, those will remain untouched.
 
I had a set of the same michelin tires on my tundra....they wore out at 35k miles, and sucked in snow. One of the worst tires I had on that truck for the money spent. They are not what they use to be. Been having good luck currently with these firestones. I plan to get another set of their destination series tires when the time comes.
 
I've had Uniroyals, Goodrich, Goodyear and Michelin.

So far, Michelin has been the best rubber I've had....by far.
 
I've had generals in the past which I'd rate as good as the michelins for wear, but not as quiet on the road.
 
Inner tie rods arrived today.

Saturday is inner/outer tie rod day. Then I'll need to find a shop for an alignment. Been a long time since I had alignment work. Can anyone give a ball park cost estimate??? Not CA prices, think mid-West.
 
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