LS6 Swap 2nd Gen Build + New Tundra

Because the Ron Davis is bigger and has more volume and was designed around those fans with a shroud and everything. It won’t be hard to change it out.

 

I was using a massive press but no combination of the spare steel I had lying around worked. Just kept bending the backing plate.

 

I had a feeling that's what your reasoning was. At least yours will be better suited for weight distribution than mine is being behind the grill and intercooler. Those fans move some serious air. Can feel them pulling air through the intercooler. Get a Lingenfelter or AutoCoolGuy PWM controller. If you weren't already planning on that.

 

I just have two relays in the back for the fans, one for each.

 

With these fans that high starting current may melt connections, plugs, and/fuse holders. If that happens, then look into one of those PWM controllers.

 

Hopefully not, They should design those fans with integrated soft start circuits. I need to put a circuit breaker going to the rear connection, I haven't done it yet, but need to. I dont like the fact that that length of wire is unprotected right now. There's fuses on the fans and relays, but if the wire dead shorts, its unprotected.

 

Our shop here at lexus has the axle bearing tool, im going to borrow it tonight and hopefully get these axles done. It sounds like when I pop the axle out, the bearing race is probably going to be stuck on the shaft and I'll have to cut it off. Anyone with experience on this? Im going to try and vinyl wrap the surrounding part of the grille with leftover vinyl I have from the fenders.

Im debating painting the truck, so Im not sure that I want to buy 400$ worth of vinyl to wrap the hood when I might repaint it in a month.

 

Yeah but it’s some clapped the fuck out maaco white paint. It’s horrible. I’m painting a 2012 Camry right now trying to learn the process.

 

I hope not as well. Otherwise it looks like this.

 

I'll figure it out. Everything is 10 gauge wire back there.

 

Of course. This will be simple, compared to everything else.

 

Yeah I think I’m going to paint it Lexus’s Incognito Gray to match my IS500, which I believe is the same as the 3rd gen “Cement Gray”


i painted my old 1985 k10 a few years ago, and it came out fucking horrible. The finish of the paint was like sandpaper, I think my biggest issue was the paint gun and pressure I was using. The paint adhered super well though.

 

Thought I was making excellent progress now that I have all the correct tools for the job. Got the axle out and the bearing races off and reassembled. Got back to the truck and…


First of all, Fuck Pedders. None of their instructions are coherent. The new backing plates come with the parking brake installed. You have to remove the parking brake to press the new studs in. They don’t mention that you need to immediately reinstall the parking brake afterwords, before you press the axle in. Once the axles in, you’re unable to install the parking brake.

so now I’m on my way to 24 hour autozone to go get new bearings since these ones will break when I press the axle back out. Cars and trucks are pain, I hate it all. I’m losing my mind over this brake kit.

I’m going to make a detailed write up here on the correct process on installing this, because this is fucking bullshit.

 

Since you're at this point, and a Lexus/Toyota employee, how feasible is it to use the disk brakes from the new Tacomas? Or is that even out yet? I haven't kept up.

 

It’s not out yet, and we don’t know if the rear axle is the same or not yet.

 

I ended up getting the passenger side done, but the driver side bearing race will not come off. I keep snapping the bolts holding the race removal tool to the press tool. Tried torching it, no luck either. Bought some better hardware to try again tonight, and if that doesn't work I have one more idea. I will never recommend this kit to anyone ever.

 

can’t you just ignore their instructions and trim the backing plate in place ?

 

Im too far deep to do that now.

 

may the force be with you… you may remember i warned you about the PITA factor with that parking brake config. Just wait until the first time you have to service that p brake stuff by working through a 1” gap you’ll want to light the truck on fire

 

I simply wont service it. Lol