We've had a lot of fun playing with our 2007 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4x4. We started this project with one goal in mind: making the Tundra into a truck the avid outdoorsman/hunter would love to own.
During the past few months we've worked our way slowly toward that goal by adding aftermarket products as they became available for Toyota's brand new full-size pickup. As fate would have, the most anticipated - and most difficult to install - upgrade for our project, the six-inch suspension lift, arrived last.
Pro Comp Suspension was actually the first company to jump at the prospect of helping us out with Project Deepwoods. They knew at the first mention of Toyota's new full-size pickup that there would be a lot of owners interested in making it stand taller so bigger tires could find their way underneath the muscular body.
Designing a completely new suspension from the ground up, so to speak, takes a lot of R&D time. The Tundra sits on an all-new chassis, so none of Pro Comp's previous Toyota suspensions were even close to the same. Like the truck, Pro Comp's engineers had to start from a clean sheet of paper to arrive with the new product offering.
NO EASY TASK
It took their designers almost six months to design a kit that 1) provided the correct attitude and ride; 2) installed with a minimum of modifications to the chassis; and, 3) was as strong or stronger than the stock suspension and steering after installation.
Many lift kits sacrifice ride and handling qualities for the added air under the fenders. Not this one. The Pro Comp six-inch lift actually made our Tundra Double Cab SR5 ride and handle better than it did stock.
Is the kit easy to install? In a word, no; it takes a lot of time and some tools the average Off-Road Adventures reader isn't likely to have lying around in their toolbox. The difficulty of such a suspension lift isn't a reflection on the kit. It's just the nature of lifting any four-wheel-drive that has an IFS suspension.
Let's face it--gone are the days of just adding a couple extra leafs to the spring pack and a lift block to attain a lift; when you and a buddy could install one in the driveway in a leisurely half-day. This kit takes a well-equipped shop at least a full day to install-and that's with two mechanics hard at work.
As you can see from the basic installation steps shown here, lifting Deepwoods is one project you want handled by a good installation center such as a 4 Wheel Parts Performance Center or other shop that specializes in such work.
We didn't have a 4WP retail store within driving range. But our close friends at Spears Auto Repair, in Long Beach, Mississippi, are well-equipped to handle such projects. If you've been an ORA reader a while, you'll remember they helped us build the Maya Hunter Tacoma project a couple years back.
TIRES & WHEELS
Of course our main reason for lifting the Tundra was so we could gain a few extra inches of ground clearance by running 35-inch tires. The 2-1/2-inch leveling kit we'd previously installed (November 2007 issue) allowed us to run 33's, which may be enough for a lot of Tundra owners. But we had our sights set on the taller treads, and as such, needed to get the body farther away from the axles. Pro Comp's new kit does just that.
Pro Comp Tires provided us with a set of their 35x12.50R18LT, triple-ply sidewall, Mud Terrains and a set of their ProComp 7028 Series wheels.
The Mud Terrains are well-proven. We chose to stay with 18-inch rims instead of the more trendy 20s or 22s because off-pavement you want a lot of sidewall to maximize flex and traction.
As for the wheels, nothing looks cooler on a camo truck than flat-black wheels. The 7028 Series Pro Comp alloys we chose are simulated bead-locks with high offset brake clearance and powder-coated flat black. These wheels are made from aerospace alloys and state-of-the-art "Low-Pressure-Casting" technology to provide superb wheel strength and beauty. Pro Comp backs them up with a Lifetime Structural Warranty.
NEARING THE END
The Pro Comp Suspension lift and the Pro Comp Tires' 35-inch tire/wheel package really make a great finishing touch to Project Deepwoods. The Tundra stands just tall enough to give the ground clearance we sought without looking ungainly. In fact, we think Deepwoods looks deceivingly average in height until a stock Tundra rolls up along side. Then there's no doubt this is a big pickup.
Next month we're taking Project Deepwoods on a duck and deer hunting trip into the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Deepwoods will be our primary means of transportation to and from the hunting areas.
We plan on doing a little ATV trailer towing, a little four-wheel-drive backwoods exploration, and a lot of sitting in blinds and stands.
The trip will wrap up the project truck - and our hunting season-all on a fun-filled, adventuresome, and muddy note. After all, the reason we built our Project Deepwoods Toyota Tundra in the first place was to use it in pursuit of our passions.
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Spears Auto Repair, 18265 Commission Road, Long Beach, MS 29560; 228-863-1878
Pro Comp Suspension: www.explorerprocomp.com
Pro Comp Tire & Wheel: www.procomptires.com
GearWrench:www.gearwrench.com (X-Beam hand tools)
