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Let me start by saying that I think I have had the worst possible experience trying to get new rims and tires put on my 2006 DC Limited 4WD. Hopefully this post will help some other people know what to possibly expect when looking to do a small lift on their trucks.
Back in October, I purchased a set of American Racing Trench 17" rims and a set of Nitto Terra Grapplers (285/70/17) to put on my truck. I ended up buying the wheels and tires from different online vendors because it saved me about $700 total over the best price in town (Indy).
I obviously knew when I bought this set up that I would have to do a leveling kit or something to fit these wheels and tires on my truck. I went to 4 Wheel Parts (I hear your boos) because I know a guy there and they have don me right on trucks in the past. Unfortunately, this is also where my nightmare begins.
Back in November 2009, I went in and ordered a Pro Comp 2.5" coil spacer leveling kit for my Tundra. They scheduled an install date of a week later. I went back to get this leveling kit installed a week later and about 15 minutes after they took my truck, the salesman comes back to me and tells me he ordered the wrong leveling kit (he ordered one for an 07-10 Tundra) and that he would have to send it back and get the right one sent to him. He ordered the kit and scheduled me a new install time the following week.
So....I cam back the following week to have the CORRECT leveling kit put on. This is where the nightmare gets worse. About 20 minutes after my truck went into the shop, the head mechanic came out and said "we have a problem". DAMN. He took me back in the shop and proceeded to tell and show me that my alignment cams (3 out of 4) were all frozen up and unusable. He was not going to be able to do an alignment so he would not be able to install the leveling kit. Since my truck is under the top level extended warranty with Toyota, he told me to take it into Toyota and have the cams replaced and then he could install the leveling kit. I drove away bummed out.
The next week I took my Tundra into my local Toyota dealership and explained to them that my alignment cams were bad and needed to be replaced. The service tech looked at me like I was crazy when I told her this. She said that cams don't typically need to be replaced until over 50,000 miles. (my Tundra has 28,000 miles). But she went ahead and got it into the shop and up on the rack. The serviceman called me back to him about 30 minutes later and proceeded to tell me that nothing was wrong with my alignment cams and showed me that he could turn and adjust them. He did an alignment and sent me out the door ($85.00 later). I drove away confused.
Needless to say, I called 4 Wheel Parts and explained to them what had just happened (in a slightly annoyed tone...I am sure). They were great and said of that was the case that they would go ahead with the install and not charge me for the alignment after the leveling kit was put on. I was happy with that response.
However....in the weeks that had passed, I had done a lot of reading on this forum and came to the decision NOT to install a coil spacer leveling kit. Instead I decided to go with adjustable Bilstein 1500's (and a differential drop). I told 4 Wheel Parts that this is what I wanted to do and they happily sent back the (correct) Prom Comp leveling kit and ordered the Bilsteins. I hung up satisfied.
About an hour later, 4 Wheel Parts calls back to tell me that the Bilsteins are on back order until mid-January. So I wait.
In mid January, I call 4 Wheel Parts to check on the status of my order....Bilsteins are now back ordered until mid-February. So I wait some more.
Finally, I get a call from 4 Wheel Parts in early February telling me that the Bilsteins are in. I set an appointment for install the next week.
So....on February 17th, I take my Tundra into 4 Wheel Parts (for the third time) to have the Bilsteins, diff drop and wheels/tires FINALLY installed. My truck had not been in the shop 15 minutes when the service tech comes out looking annoyed telling me that my alignment cams are indeed still frozen up and unusable. Me = PISSED. I immediately get on the phone with my service person at Toyota and have the 4 Wheel Parts service tech explain to her exactly what is going on. She goes and talks to her serviceman and gets back on the phone about 10 minutes later telling me me that yes my cams are probably bad and need to be replaced (i thought they were good for at least 50,000 miles???) However...then she proceeds to tell me that these parts are not covered under my warranty since they are a "wear item". Me = SUPER PISSED. Since Toyota was not going to replace these parts for free, I went ahead and had 4 Wheel Parts order the new alignment cams as they said they would install them for a minimal charge since they were already going to have my truck up on a rack. They order the parts and we schedule a new install date for Feb. 25. I drive home frustrated and out an extra $300.00
So yesterday, I get up early and head into 4 Wheel Parts to have my bilsteins, diff drop, wheels / tires and new alignment cams installed. This time they at least had my truck in the shop for about an hour before I hear the service door open and the head tech coming out. NOT GOOD! He tells me....."we got another problem". OF COURSE WE DO! When he ordered new alignment cams, he did not order new lower control arms bushings and sleeves because he was confident he could use the ones that were already on the truck. As would be my luck....he was not able to save these parts and had to break them out of the lower control arm to get them removed. Here is a picture of my lower control arm and the bushing/sleeve I am talking about
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The solution....$150 more in parts and another day of my truck in the shop. Oh...and to make matters worse...my truck is "beached" with the control arms off. So I have to call a buddy to come pick me up (25 minute drive) and take me home. I (did not drive but ) rode away feeling like if I would have know all this was going to happen, I would have never bought new wheels / tires.
So...here I sit today waiting....hoping....praying that I do not get another call from 4 Wheel Parts telling me there is another problem. I just want to be able to go over there this afternoon and pick up my rig with all my new parts installed.
I will update this story later today...hopefully with new pics of my ride.
Thanks for listening to my nightmare rant.
ACC
So...now
Back in October, I purchased a set of American Racing Trench 17" rims and a set of Nitto Terra Grapplers (285/70/17) to put on my truck. I ended up buying the wheels and tires from different online vendors because it saved me about $700 total over the best price in town (Indy).
I obviously knew when I bought this set up that I would have to do a leveling kit or something to fit these wheels and tires on my truck. I went to 4 Wheel Parts (I hear your boos) because I know a guy there and they have don me right on trucks in the past. Unfortunately, this is also where my nightmare begins.
Back in November 2009, I went in and ordered a Pro Comp 2.5" coil spacer leveling kit for my Tundra. They scheduled an install date of a week later. I went back to get this leveling kit installed a week later and about 15 minutes after they took my truck, the salesman comes back to me and tells me he ordered the wrong leveling kit (he ordered one for an 07-10 Tundra) and that he would have to send it back and get the right one sent to him. He ordered the kit and scheduled me a new install time the following week.
So....I cam back the following week to have the CORRECT leveling kit put on. This is where the nightmare gets worse. About 20 minutes after my truck went into the shop, the head mechanic came out and said "we have a problem". DAMN. He took me back in the shop and proceeded to tell and show me that my alignment cams (3 out of 4) were all frozen up and unusable. He was not going to be able to do an alignment so he would not be able to install the leveling kit. Since my truck is under the top level extended warranty with Toyota, he told me to take it into Toyota and have the cams replaced and then he could install the leveling kit. I drove away bummed out.
The next week I took my Tundra into my local Toyota dealership and explained to them that my alignment cams were bad and needed to be replaced. The service tech looked at me like I was crazy when I told her this. She said that cams don't typically need to be replaced until over 50,000 miles. (my Tundra has 28,000 miles). But she went ahead and got it into the shop and up on the rack. The serviceman called me back to him about 30 minutes later and proceeded to tell me that nothing was wrong with my alignment cams and showed me that he could turn and adjust them. He did an alignment and sent me out the door ($85.00 later). I drove away confused.
Needless to say, I called 4 Wheel Parts and explained to them what had just happened (in a slightly annoyed tone...I am sure). They were great and said of that was the case that they would go ahead with the install and not charge me for the alignment after the leveling kit was put on. I was happy with that response.
However....in the weeks that had passed, I had done a lot of reading on this forum and came to the decision NOT to install a coil spacer leveling kit. Instead I decided to go with adjustable Bilstein 1500's (and a differential drop). I told 4 Wheel Parts that this is what I wanted to do and they happily sent back the (correct) Prom Comp leveling kit and ordered the Bilsteins. I hung up satisfied.
About an hour later, 4 Wheel Parts calls back to tell me that the Bilsteins are on back order until mid-January. So I wait.
In mid January, I call 4 Wheel Parts to check on the status of my order....Bilsteins are now back ordered until mid-February. So I wait some more.
Finally, I get a call from 4 Wheel Parts in early February telling me that the Bilsteins are in. I set an appointment for install the next week.
So....on February 17th, I take my Tundra into 4 Wheel Parts (for the third time) to have the Bilsteins, diff drop and wheels/tires FINALLY installed. My truck had not been in the shop 15 minutes when the service tech comes out looking annoyed telling me that my alignment cams are indeed still frozen up and unusable. Me = PISSED. I immediately get on the phone with my service person at Toyota and have the 4 Wheel Parts service tech explain to her exactly what is going on. She goes and talks to her serviceman and gets back on the phone about 10 minutes later telling me me that yes my cams are probably bad and need to be replaced (i thought they were good for at least 50,000 miles???) However...then she proceeds to tell me that these parts are not covered under my warranty since they are a "wear item". Me = SUPER PISSED. Since Toyota was not going to replace these parts for free, I went ahead and had 4 Wheel Parts order the new alignment cams as they said they would install them for a minimal charge since they were already going to have my truck up on a rack. They order the parts and we schedule a new install date for Feb. 25. I drive home frustrated and out an extra $300.00
So yesterday, I get up early and head into 4 Wheel Parts to have my bilsteins, diff drop, wheels / tires and new alignment cams installed. This time they at least had my truck in the shop for about an hour before I hear the service door open and the head tech coming out. NOT GOOD! He tells me....."we got another problem". OF COURSE WE DO! When he ordered new alignment cams, he did not order new lower control arms bushings and sleeves because he was confident he could use the ones that were already on the truck. As would be my luck....he was not able to save these parts and had to break them out of the lower control arm to get them removed. Here is a picture of my lower control arm and the bushing/sleeve I am talking about
The solution....$150 more in parts and another day of my truck in the shop. Oh...and to make matters worse...my truck is "beached" with the control arms off. So I have to call a buddy to come pick me up (25 minute drive) and take me home. I (did not drive but ) rode away feeling like if I would have know all this was going to happen, I would have never bought new wheels / tires.
So...here I sit today waiting....hoping....praying that I do not get another call from 4 Wheel Parts telling me there is another problem. I just want to be able to go over there this afternoon and pick up my rig with all my new parts installed.
I will update this story later today...hopefully with new pics of my ride.
Thanks for listening to my nightmare rant.
ACC
So...now
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