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HELP! 4.7 Test Track Truck

2533 Views 17 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  headleyj, 
T
Ok some history first on my 2007 SR5 Db Cab Tundra.

I purchased it as used/new from the dealer at a great price, I was told that the truck was a Toyota Test Track Truck with 7200 miles. Fully loaded with a tow package, "Great"

That’s when it all started!

Of course I want it fix her up like I want (after having it for six months) so I add a slilly Brake light bar to the rear end,(between and tailgate and rear bumper) and notice that the light bar looks crooked! No matter how many times I try to get it straight its crooked!

So now I really start to look the truck over (Bed and Rear Bumper area) and notice the right rear corner of the bed is about a inch lower than the left! But the bumper is straight,@#$#@@!!!,

I take the truck to the dealer the next morning and the service tech says "bed looks straight to me" and I about pass out from my high blood pressure! I get the service rep to write it up and leave it there. The next day I call to check in with them and am told, yes the truck is sagging to the right rear but the service tech don’t know what to do and is talking to someone in Calf, on what to check. Three days pass and I stop in and theres my BIG BLUE up on the rack and the service tech is measuring underneath at the springs, frame, lower body parts... ect.... and tells me Toyota thinks it’s a weak right leaf spring, @#@##!!! What, how could it be a weak "leaf spring" (think about it) if the bumper is straight and its mounted to the frame and only the bed is sagging in the right hand corner.

But I shake my head and leave, Next day I get the truck back with a new leaf spring and the bed is still leaning in the right side corner! @#%#$!!!!

So now I have to take her back Monday (9-8-08) and they tell me the Toyota rep has to look at it. While there at the dealer I start to look around the other 07-08 Tundra's on the lot and notice no leaning beds, but do notice that my tow hitch is very different from all the other Tundras's on the dealers lot (hint, hint.....,,,here we go!).

Remember the first part of this message? "TEST TRACK TRUCK", Seems I have a hitch that Toyota was testing (BIG HITCH, REAL BIG HITCH, not kidding!)for use on the "All New 2007 Tundras" and they left a one of a kind hitch on my truck. Hmmmmmm? So the smart guy I am, I take my Tundra to a good friend that works for many of the Toyota Dealers in the Metro Detroit area and show him whats going on, new leaf, bed sagging and last but not least the "BIG STRANGE TOW HITCH" and he freaks! His words were, Where the hell you get that from? I tell him it was on the truck when I got it from the dealer and I can't seem to find any other Tundra with this hitch and what he tells me floors me. He says it’s a Toyota Prouduction Test Hitch and it didn’t make the cut for the new Tundras because of the way it had to be mounted to the frame (hint, hint again....) He shows me how there is these two 1/2 inch thick steel plates 3ft long mounted (bolted) halfway up both sides of the frame (above the rear axle) were the bend is just above the rear axle. And said it put to much stress at that point (the bend) and slighly bends the frame just anuff the cause the right side of the bed to sag and that’s why Toyota cut it from production as its tow hitch.

Ok thats my story and I'm sure some of you guys will say no way! And I'm sticking to it! And I'm flipping out too! Can't wait to see the Toyota Rep next week and hear his crap! :eek:

Help, what would you do or say?
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T
No comments on this whole mess I got myself into?

Anybody out there think they know anything else that would cause the right rear corner of the bed to sag other than a bent frame from the "TEST TRACK TECH's" towing something to heavy for their test hitch? Or overloaded the bed.

I checked the four bed rails to see if they maybe bent or crushed and also checked the bed mount bolts to spec's, the bed has a liner but no crush spots there, and the bed floor itself has no dents or crushed areas. All the body lines,tailgate rear fenders seem to line up but the rear right corner of the whole bed sags.

Tat
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R
I hope you get it sorted out ...

But, did they tell you up front that it was a "Test Track Truck" ....

and you bought it, anyway .... even knowing it was a test bed ??

I bet you won't do that again .. :shockeda:


Have you tried just un-bolting the hitch and seeing if everything came back to normal...

If it were me, I would be saying that I did not know it was a test bed, and that I want a different truck .. one that was not beat up, tortured, and then shined up to hide it's flaws...

Well, you asked for comments ...

Rex..
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AZApplebee
Do you have pictures of the hitch?
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GORILLA
god! i hope you got a really good deal. for a test truck, 07, 4.7, etc.
& i hope you get it fixed for free.
i wonder if it has a bent frame. if it does they sold you a UN-SAFE vehicle. check the tire wear.
and take a ride behind your truck in another vehicle just to see if it ride's sideway's.
good luck
gorilla
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Tundraman10
Why would toyota sell a test track tundra in the first place to buyers. I thought that they would use that truck as a crash test truck or spare parts or something else.
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Dim Sum
I dunno why Toyota would sell a tester or why they would be testing towing capacity with the 4.7.

If you can prove they bent it, I'd lawyer up pretty quick about this.
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T
Ok,Ok, dont beat me up to bad, I know it should't have bought a Test Track Truck but yes I got a great deal, SR5, DC Fully Loaded for 17.5

Full factory warranty and the extended warranty. I will get photos of the hitch and post it in my album, as for proving the Toyota testers bent the frame with the test hitch that may be hard to do. From what I have been told is not all test trucks go to the crusher, some are sent to the dealers to be used as shuttle, parts, and demo's..... My dealer knew I wanted the truck so he told me he had to call Toyota a see if I could buy it, as for them knowing something was wrong when they sold it to me I dont think they would have done that with a 20 year customer that has bought over 20 Toyotas from the same dealer for my wife and myself.
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R
Again, I hope it works out, .. but I would never buy a test bed ANYTHING .. let alone a truck that I will need to depend on day in and day out ..

It's just not worth the small amount of money that is perceived as "saved" (not really that much ... my 08 SR5 DC was only about 1500.. more NEW)

I would have a talk with an attorney ... if I were you... this truck could cause you sleepless nights for years to come .... as in ... what's next ?

ima
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T
AZApplebee said:
Do you have pictures of the hitch?
Click to expand...

I added photos of the hitch to a album in my profile.

If any 07/08 Tundra Owners have this same hitch and setup please let me know,

I think this is the root of my troubles with the bed flexing. I think the way its mounted to the frame and somehow causing the bed to sagging because the frame flexs and the hitch mount panels are keeping the frame to rigid to the rear on one side causing the right rear corner of the bed to appear to sag.
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JBK23
Well update us some more Monday so we can get a better under standing. But that's a big hitch got any pic's of the whole truck over all and what was so loaded about it that you had to buy a test truck !
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T
No updates from Toyota yet other than Toyota is sending someone from R.D. in Ann Arbor Michigan to look at the truck. Posted some photos showing how the bed is sagging to right rear side in a album on my profile. Will update as to what they say soon I hope!

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE LOOK AT THE PHOTOS AND TELL ME I'M NUTS AND THAT THE BED IS "NOT" SAGGING!
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JBK23
Nope your not crazy it is sagging to the right rear you need to try and dump it's going to be nothing but a pain in the but !
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T
I hope you get this worked out, push hard on it. I think the dealer might be the main responsible for selling you this truck. One of the points you should argue about hard should be safety, IMO. Even if they told you, it was "a test track truck" it does not justify it.

Now just a thought: the guy already bought the truck, the comments about what he should not have done, the gay price comparisons b/w your deal and what he paid are pretty much useless. The fact is he owns the truck and has a problem that needs to be solved. Put yuorselves in his position and think about it....

gl man
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T
Thanks guys, I know I F*ke*d up with this buy and I think the dealer knows too. lets see what the R&D rep says about my sagging 07. All I can do now is wait and see then if it don't workout, off to the lawyer, don't really want to go that route but may have no choice. Keep in mind a 20 customer at the same dealer who has bought 20 Toyotas (wifes, two son's .....,) dont think they want to lose that? Or maybe they do? just by selling me the truck in the first place! Now I,m getting a little pee'ed off. Will give a update soon.
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T
Did you not notice that it was sagging when you bought it?
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T
No, If you look at the photos you will see that I installed a third brake light (led light bar) under the tail gate thats when I noticed the light bar was / looked crooked and keep trying to ajust it, then thats when I started looking the whole bed over and noticed the bed was sagging.
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headleyj
yeah they shouldn't have been selling the truck in the first place. Keep it on the Toyota plantation as a parts runner/ play toy or something.

Seriously hope they buy it back form you or make it right some other way man, BC IMO they shouldn't have had the truck to sell in the 1st place.
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