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Building the Tundra- By Joe Adnerson

Here you will find a New Toyota Tundra Highlift during the build progress. From start to finish we will show you how and what it takes to build this Highlift truck.

Product used:

#58416 Toyota Tundra Highlift Kit
#53957 Highlift Multifunction unit
4ch Radio (Futaba Attack Ebay Score)

Tools Required

#2 Phillips
Tamiya Side Cutters
Hobby Knife
Needle Nose Pliers
Calipers
Decal Scissors
Extra Thin Needle Nose Pliers
Soldering Station
Metric Allen Wrench set
Hot Glue Gun
Airbrush
List will continue....

Supplies

CA Glue
Extra Thin Cement
Paint
Solder
Zip Ties
Primer
Assorted Sandpaper
Lots of Caffeine

Modification Status

Steering Servo -Completed
3rd Brake Light -Completed
Snowboard rack -Completed
Suspension lift -Completed
Adding 2.2 Tires/Wheels -Completed
Running Boards -Completed
Mirrors -Completed
Fender Flares -Completed
Snorkel -Completed
Decals -Completed
More...

We open the box to check out our build

Stop!!! Before you continue you need to decide are you going to use the supplied metal bearings or ball bearings. You will get better efficiency with ball bearings but at a cost to your build budget.

Make sure you Threadlock EVERYTHING it says to, ThreadLock is included in the kit!

Steps 1 & 2

Setting up 3Speed gears, be careful not to loose any e-clips!

Steps 3 & 4

Assembly of gearbox plates, takes a bit to get all gears and shifters together to fit in the shaft holes.

Steps 5 & 6

make sure you lube the gears before you assemble the sides!

Steps 7 & 8

Make sure your spur/pinion gear mesh is correct to avoid binding or slop

Step 9

Chassis Rails are added, I did install the rear supports but they will be removed later during the MFU install.

Steps 10 & 11

Mounts for dampers and leaf springs added. I did not install the from chrome bumper as instructed, it's being painted.

Step 12

Grease the gears and threadlock the three screws that hold it together

Steps 13 - 16

Assembly of Axles, uprights and linkages.

Steps 17 - 18

Assembly of leaf springs on axles

Step 19

Assembly of front Axle on to the chassis

Step 20

Assembly of rear axle with rear steer lockout.

Step 21

Assembly of dampers

Steps 22 - 23

Assembly of rear axle and dampers on chassis.

Steps 24 - 27

Assembly steering/shifting servos

As you can see the above pictures do not follow the instructions. The instructions call for you to mount the steering servo on the side and add linkages. This will help you if you plan on adding rear steer down the line. I like to mount both servo's together and get rid of some slop due to long linkages. By swapping the side the shift servo is mounted to and mounting the steering servo there instead, all you need to do is add some small spacers between the servo and its mount (approx 5mm). You will then get the clearance you need. You will need to add a much smaller linkage between the steering servo and the steering ball end (Approx 40.58mm). **This is a MOD**

Step 28

Assembly of rear lockout and right side of battery holder

Steps 29 - 30

Assembly of left side battery holder

Assembly of fuel tank blank, I moved this from left side to right. Since the steering servo is upfront and I will be using the MFU later it will give me a filled undercarriage on both sides.

Step 31

Assembly of Transmission skid plate

Make sure H4 is facing correct direction per instructions on page 17

Steps 32 - 34

Assembly of Electronics tray

Assembly of running boards

Assembly of Bed body mounts

Drivers side rear mount of running board is attached by magnet so you can swing the running board out of the way for Battery removal.

Notice:

At this point it may seem a bit jumpy as I will be not only building the Tundra but installing the MFU. So you may notice certain things that are not included in Tundra Manual or mentioned in either.

Step 38

Assembly of Front Guard and Lights

This is a optional step as you do not need a guard if you wanted a different look. Also note the MFU symbol on manual as lights would be added here.

Steps 39 - 40

Assembly of Wheels/Tires

If you plan on painting wheels or beadlock rings for a different look do it now or before gluing tires.

Assembly of rear Body hinges

How to use your box as a cheap spray booth

Use either top of bottom of Tundra box

Mark center to cut both sides

cut both sides

fold where you cut the sides

tape it to hold shape

cut open front

Your new paint box

ready to airbrush

Let's Mask!

Ready to go!

Step 41

Tailgate painted and trimmed

Bed painted and trimmed

Cab painted and trimmed

Step 42

Choose your grille style and install it

Rubber trim added to grille

Step 43

**Note shown with addition of MFU lighting

adding headlights

Headlight

Use adhesive hooks supplied

Step 43 completed

Step 44 -45

Adding bumper, tailights and exhaust

Step 46

Mount tailgate and lightbar

Step 47

I will not be adding mirrors at this time in build. Look for them after body assembly.

3rd brake light

3rd brake light after adding decal

Adding a Mod, drilled hole in body and plan on adding a LED to light up 3rd brake light

Wiring Diagram for 3rd Brakelight

Working 3rd Brake Light finished

Door Handle glued on

Wipers Glued

Step 48

**Note shows step including MFU lights installed

Wiring bed (Used hot glue and wire ties to keep wires in place. Light bar harness has heat shrink tubing to keep wires clean and safe.

Mounting bed and routing wires

Bed finished

Rollbar wiring

Battery Holder

**How the Battery is removed and inserted

Rear mount is magnet pull down

Rotate running board toward you

Once pulled all the way out you will have access to Battery Compartment

MFU tips

Best to install as you build
Take care in routing wires, if you plan ahead you can make a clean install and avoid using bundles of Zipties
Heat Shrink Light Leads to stiffen them up and a cleaner look on exposed areas
If you mount your steering servo up front you can move the blank tank to other side so MFU controls will even out the under chassis (see Steps 29 - 30)
You can spray the insides of windows black to hide the MFU from view
Use the wire labels, makes it easy to trouble shoot or move things around
More to come

MFU Steps

Adding the Vibration Unit

If you plan on adding the MFU this is best to install before you get the chassis rail assembles together.

Mounting the Speaker Box

Mounting the rear bed body mounts over the speaker box

Labeled and connected control leads

Finished Shots

Well the truck is pretty much finished as far as factory assembly. I hope you enjoy the finished images, now on to the other Modifications.

Front grille with lights

Lower shot of brush guard

Side shot of grille

Stock tires and wheels

Exhaust with weights for MFU vibration

Mirrors and door handles

Rubber tow mirrors will take abuse

front skid and front diff cover

Rear diff and axle

Rollbar lights and 3rd brake light.

Chrome running boards with rubber inset

Side shot

Rear shot

Rear side shot

Front shot

Front left

Front right

Snowboard Rack MOD

The Tundra comes with different options. You can add the snowboards to a roof rack and use cab lights instead of using the rollbar/lights. But what do you do if you want to use the rollbar and still have the snowboards? I decided to mount them in the bed and create something sturdy and useful for this function.

Boards on the mounts

Boards are easily removable

Here you can see one board removed.

Finishes of the rear bed nicely

With the use of some old Tamiya bushings, mounts and threaded Rod I was able to create something that is not only useful but clean and sturdy. Each mount is bolted to the bed and thread locked. Use of small bungees hold the boards securely but allow for easy removal. Currently looking for small rubber tube to wrap a portion of the bar to protect the underside of board from rubbing.

Suspension Lift MOD

The Tundra comes setup for stock 1.9 tires and wheels. I wanted to add to 2.2's to increase the ground clearance and give it a mean stance. To do this you have 2 choices either lift the body or the suspension. I'm not into body lifts and it comes stock with a bit of one already. So you will need to add some type of spacer between the axle and leaf springs. This will also require longer screws to make up for the distance.

Shot of right side lift

Complete Axle Lift

Spacer: Aluminum standoff (7mm) Screw length: 3x##mm

**Note this mod also requires you modify the running boards to get clearance for front wheels

Running Board MOD

Since we are lifting and adding 2.2's we will have problems with the running boards hitting the front tires. You have two choices either ditch the running boards or move them back a bit. I'm opting to move the back. Front mount uses the screw hole for the body mount l-bracket and 2 standoffs. Since the left side is hinged with a magnet to get access to the battery, it will be a bit different then the right. By adding a pin and using the magnet to help secure the pin during operation I still keep the use of easy battery removal. Right side just bolts on the front and rear with the same brace.

moving the front left back

This is where it gets creative

Simply slide down and away

Easier side

Front moves back

Rear bolts to a brace

Spacer: Aluminum standoff (XXmm) Bracket: **x**

2.2 Wheels and Tires

Now that we have the suspension lifted and running boards moved we can add the wheels and tires

mounted

rear clearance

New front clearance

Mirror Blinkers MOD

I noticed that the Tundra came equipped with Tow mirrors but it had no blinkers? I also noticed that on the lens tree there were lens' that were made for this purpose? Maybe it was not meant to be.... Right, so we are now modifying the mirrors each to have a blinker.

cut a bit of inner ledge so you can drill straight in

Make sure it's flush

I used a pinvice to start to make sure my first hole was right on

Take it slow so you do not brake through the rubber on the thin areas

take it all the way through

Drill back the opposite way slowly

Chuck up a drill while the bit is still in take it nice and slowly to ream out the hole a little more.

I used a single strand of 22ga wire from a cat5 cable and fed it through the whole

Once my one wire is through I solder it to my 2 leads from the LED and use it as a pull wire

Pull your wires through slowly

Pull your wires and leave enough slack for now

Tape off end of mirror

trace the lens

Cut smaller than you mark, you can always cut more

Look from inside

After painting lens (if you choose) glue lens to outside of mirror

Look from outside

another look

Drilled small hole through for wire

Wiring it into front blinkers

A look at wiring in front cab area

Diagram on how to wire into the MFU harness

Mirror mounted on outside with 2-sided tape

Testing the Mirrors

Fender Flares and Snorkel MOD

These were Designed by lowslowTJ of Scale4x4.org, you can find them for sale soon at http://rpphobby.com

They are made from black Resin and require very little sanding, primer then the finish color.

For my build they were primed the painted black then a covering of TS-82 Black Rubber for color. I added a bit of Tan to the grill on the snorkel to help off-set the detail.

After a light sanding, Tamiya primer is added (two coats)

After primer drys a light sanding and a coat of black. After black drys, two coats of black rubber(TS-82). After drying a light sanding and clear coat on top. I wanted to keep some texture so it looked like semi-soft rubber

Used the same process on the snorkel

Installed Flares using shoe-goo and a few small pieces of 2-sided tape to hold the flares until the shoe-goo dried.

Snorkel installed same way as the flares

Thanks to lowslowTJ, for some great craftmanship!

Decals

Thanks to http://www.vinyl7.com for some great work. They worked with my small details and put out a emblem that was far better than I hoped. If you need scale detail Vinyl you know where to look.

When I was thinking of building the Tundra, the theme kept heading up into the mountains. With snowboards and the rugged looks, it had to be a Forestry truck. enlisting the help from Vinyl7.com would pull the whole build together.

I needed a forestry emblem on the doors, and some decals for the bed. My needs were very specific and Vinyl7.com worked with me to get the look I was needing.

to layers of vinyl in one decal set off the emblem

using the same decal from the side the tailgate is finished

decals matching the color of the emblem fit right in place.

Thanks to vinyl7.com, for putting up with me and creating some great details.

Video of some runs

Adding a winch MOD

Updated 4-1-09 With the new pushguard on the Tundra, winch mounting is a bit tricky. After some planning the best way to make it clean/stock was behind the guard.

By using a dremel and notching both the plastic on the bar and metal of skid, you can sandwich the unit in there. It makes for a clean install and you don't have to hide the winch assembly behind the grille.

From the side you can see it's tucked in tight

Since I have the MFU and it used all 4channels, I opted for use of a 2nd remote to control the winch. (I will post pics of it later)