[JasonH]

Hey ya'll from South Carolina,
I'm a new guy to TT and Tundra, but a long-time owner/lover of the smaller Toyota trucks. I presently have a 2002 Tacoma double cab limited 4x4 trd that I'll be selling, and I've had a couple older hilux 4x4s in the past. They've been very good to me, but I need a bigger truck that has more power for towing, etc... Naturally, I'm looking at a Tundra.
I expect to purchase a 2011 CM sr5 trd this week that I've been looking at from carmax. I am very excited about it. I love my Tacoma (but my wife has been hating it for many years) and didn't expect to get rid of it any time soon, but the need for more towing power finally convinced me to step up to the Tundra.
I look forward to reading up on Tundra , beginning friendships here at TT, and learning all I can from all of you.
Jason

 

[Tyotayoda]

Welcome from nc!! I had the exact same Tacoma! And moved up to the crewmax too. Why did your wife hate the Tacoma? What kinda milage did you get with the Tacoma? I averaged 16 and 18 on road trips. Getting the exact same with crewmax and the 5.7 to boot. Couldn't be happier!!


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[JasonH]

Hey Tyotayoda. You and I having similar paths to a Tundra, and your happiness with your Tundra, makes me feel good about getting one.
I have been able to get 20mpg, but that was really babying her. Like you I normally get around 17 on the highway (not too much to brag about with the anemic 3.4L on a small truck). And this is one of the reasons I am so excited about the Tundra - I'm looking forward to the 5.7L power, and yet be able to get the same mpg.
My wifes has always hated the Tacoma just because its small and doesn't have much room. We have the seats adjusted all the way back and still don't have enough leg room, but that never bothered me so much. Still, the additional room of the Tundra I am also looking forward to.
My only misgiving about going from my ood Tacoma to the new Tundra, is loosing the locking differential. I gather that the Tundra TRD package doesn't include the locking differential anymore - is this true?

 

[Tyotayoda]

You won't have any worries about room in the crewmax!! Lol. The power if the 5.7 is awesome. Unfortunately there is no locking diff for the tundra. I do miss that! You can always add an arb , but I don't make that kinda money!! Lol.
What do you plan on towing? We switched up from a pop up camper to a 30ft bunk house. Tundra pulls it great all day long. The first thing I added were tow mirrors. Parking this beast takes some getting used to coming from the little Tacoma!


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[Cruzrtwdgt]

Welcome. You are going to love these trucks!

 

[tonto340]

Actually, the tundra does have the electronic locking differential.

 

[Tyotayoda]

Actually, the tundra does have the electronic locking differential.

Um, no. Maybe the first gen did, I don't know, but the op is looking at a 2011 2nd gen. They offer a lsd system that uses the brakes to simulate a limited slip. Kinda works, but nothing like the ole Tacoma. Especially If you did the grey wire mod and could use the locker anytime.


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[Tyotayoda]

By the way Jason, if you ever want to take the tundra offloading, make sure you learn the 3 second button push (done twice) to shut off all the nannies. Otherwise you will most likely get stuck. Speaking from experience here lol


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[JasonH]

Hey Tyotayoda,
Apologies for my slow reply.
I just tow around a couple different work trailers. The heaviest is tandem axle 6x14 enclosed and loaded with home remodeling tools/materials. But the straw that broke the Tacoma's back (tranny) was a 6x8 u-haul trailer loaded and a 600 mile trip. I made it 450 miles when my tranny let loose on I-40. Fortunatelly it happened near Sevierville, before I got too far into the mountains. Yet, still a expensive repair bill!. And it made me realize that I need a bigger truck.
I don't know anything about "the 3 second button push"... Please enlighten me.

 

[Tyotayoda]

Dang that sucks! How many miles did you get out of the Tacoma? I towed a pop up, but also added a tranny cooler. To turn off the traction control and roast your tires, you have to push the vsc button for 3seconds till you get two lights on the dash and let go, then do it again for 3 seconds till two more lights light up. Seems stupid, but it works. You are now free to roast your tires. If you have them turned off and switch to 4x4 they stay off and nothing gets in your way of having fun off road. If you select 4x4 first, then it only takes one 3 second push to turn everything off. At least that's how it seems to work on my '12. Playing in a mud field, it only takes seconds for the nannies to cut your power and get you stuck.
Here's a pic of my upgraded camper!



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[JasonH]

Wow, that's a huge camper. How much does it weight? And what is the tongue weight?
I had almost 150k miles when the tranny went out and the flex plate shattered. She's all fixed now and also has a tranny cooler. Part of me would like to keep rolling with the Tacoma, especially with a freshly rebuilt tranny, but I know I need the Tundra. I'm really looking forward to more power, and same mpg.

 

[Tyotayoda]

Dry weight is 6900 gross loaded is 9500. Had it weighed at a cat scale and it was only 8400 on our last camping trip. Don't know the tongue weight. Added some airbags and e rated tires. Pulls great.


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[Tyotayoda]

Did you get the tundra yet? If so, we need pics!!


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[Big Tundra]

Good choice of truck ya got into. So welcome to the chaos, have fun.

 

[Thurgood]

Good decision. Welcome aboard.

 

[chphilo]

Welcome to the forum. I sorta went similar route, not really, but similar. I was shopping for a Tacoma when I made a mistake of test driving a Tundra. Tundra basically blew my socks off. Then I had to have one, so I got one, haha.

 

[JasonH]

Yep, I got her yesterday. 2011 Tundra CM TRD silver with inside-the-bed retractable tonnou cover. I'll work on getting pics on here (I may have to go ahead and subscribe to do so?). Here's the carmax link to pics of my new baby CarMax
My first mod is to find a ladder rack that I can mount to the bed rails (without clamps) without disturbing the tonnou... any ideas?

 

[Tyotayoda]

I think the link is broken, or at least on mobile devices it doesn't work.
Congrats on the purchase!


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