This review is a comparison of the trucks and determining which best fit my needs.

2010-Toyota-Tundra-Limited-TRD

I seriously considered the:  Ford F150, Chevy Silveraldo 1500, Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan.  I was looking for 6.5ft truck bed (5.5ft too short / 8ft too long), 4 wheel drive and it needed four true doors.  I wanted a truck that was comfortable, quality, maneuverable, reliable, efficient and powerful.

2010-Toyota-Tundra-Tailgate

Ford F150 SuperCrew features 5.4L 310HP / 365LB FT, 6 speed Automatic, 14 mpg city / 18 mpg hwy,  11,100lb max towing and 1,810lb max payload, spacious interior (leg room front 41.4″ / rear 43.5″), overall length 243.7″, good quality construction, average turning radius and average reliability.  The biggest factors for not choosing the F150 were the reported transmission issues (new design), overall length / maneuverability and exterior styling feels dated.

Chevy Silveraldo 1500 CrewCab features 5.3L 315HP / 365LB FT, 6 Speed Automatic, 15 mpg city / 21 mpg hwy, 10,400lb max towing and 1,655lb max payload, spacious interior (leg room front 41.3″ / rear 39.0″), overall length (not available in 6.5ft bed), good quality construction, average turning radius and average reliability.  The biggest factor for not choosing the Chevy Silverado was that the 6.5 ft bed was not available with the CrewCab.  This truck has the best rated fuel mileage and excellent exterior styling (personal preference).

Nissan Titan CrewCab features 5.6L 317HP / 365LB FT, 5 Speed Automatic, 12 mpg city / 17 mpg hwy, 9,100lb max towing and 1,644lb max payload, spacious interior (leg room front 41.8″ / rear 40.4″), overall length 244.2″, average quality construction, average turning radius and good reliability.  The biggest factors for not choosing the Nissan Titan was the plastic feeling dated interior, poor fuel mileage and overall length/maneuverability.

2010-Toyota-Tundra-5.7L-Engine

Toyota Tundra DoubleCab features 5.7L 381HP / 401LB FT, 6 Speed Automatic, 13 mpg city / 17 mpg hwy, 10,200lb max towing and 1,620lb max payload, reasonable interior leg room (front 42.5″ / rear 34.7″), overall length 228.7″, good quality construction, good turning radius (44ft) and excellent reliability.

2010-Toyota-Tundra-Limited-Interior

I chose the Toyota Tundra after extensive research for the following reasons:  best maneuverability, shortest overall length with 6.5ft bed, incredibly powerful engine, reasonable fuel mileage (many have reported 16-20mpg online), reputation for reliability and good resale value.  I like the exterior styling (personal preference), interior layout, quiet/smooth ride and storage spaces.

The next best options were the Chevy Silverado, Ford F150 and Nissan Titan (in that order).  All of the trucks are good and highly competitive.

2010-Toyota-Tundra-Limited-Leather

My Toyota Tundra is a Limited TRD.  My favorite features include: parking sonar, rear view mirror backup camera, JBL 10 speaker stereo w/ Ipod USB/ XM / Sub, power adjustable headlights, power folding mirrors, memory seats / steering wheel, power sliding rear window, heated leather seats, dual zone climate control and shock tailgate.  Have you heard about the TRD Supercharger?  It boosts the engine over 500 HP!  Although, this truck seriously doesn’t need it with factory 0-60 times in the low to mid 6 second range.

I’ll share my future modifications and long term reliability feedback.  Feel free to post your comments or questions.Similar Posts:

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1. They are HEAVY.  Most weigh 20+ lbs more than stock tires.
2. Increased Rolling Resistance from aggressive tread.
3. Incorrect odometer & speedometer.  Larger tires travel further per rotation.

Tire Rotation Diagram - Distance Traveled per Rotation

There’s nothing that can be done about the tire weight or rolling resistance of your tires (beyond proper air pressure).  But you can do something about the odometer.

There are 2 simple ways to learn how to calculate your gas mileage after increasing your tire size.

1.  With GPS:  Drive your vehicle at 50 mph (gps speed).  Read your odometer speed.  Take your odometer speed minus 50mph and multiply by 2.  This will tell you the % your odometer is off.

2.  Without GPS:  Measure the diameter of your old tires and new tires.  Divide your old tire diameter by your new tire diameter.  Subtract from 1.  This will be the % your odometer is off.

Odometer Calculation Chart

If your vehicle odometer registers 250 miles and it takes 16 gallons to fill…

Multiply 250 miles by 10% (amount odometer is off calculated above) = 25 miles.  Add 25 miles to your odometer reading = 275 actual miles traveled.  Divide 275 miles by 16 gallons = 17.18 MPG

Your non-adjusted gas mileage would have been 250 divided by 16 gallons = 15.62 MPG

That’s nearly 2 MPG better!  It’s also good to know your “actual speed” on the highway and in school zones to avoid getting tickets.  We will talk about the other expensive alternative alternative (regearing) another time.

Share your comments and questions!Similar Posts:

• BFG KM2 Mud Terrain Review On Road
  Part I
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Destination: Rubicon Trail – Lake Tahoe, California
Distance: 952 Miles
Attendees: Peter, Rich


View on Vimeo.

Our expedition began September 10th; we hit the hwy after making final adjustments and checking everything on the Toyota 4runner.  Our destination was the Rubicon Trail entrance where we planned to camp for the night.  We stopped briefly for additional supplies, gas and lunch in Eugene.  At this point we had fallen behind schedule but we were determined to camp at the Rubicon.  We drove non-stop until after midnight when we finally rolled into camp.  We setup camp in the dark and slept like a rock or was that on a rock. 

The next morning Friday September 11th we broke camp and loaded up the 4runner.  After doing safety and mechanical checks we discovered the rear elocker wasn’t engaging.  Who needs a rear lock for the Rubicon anyways?

I’ve never driven a trail with so many people!  It was an off road traffic jam.

Rubicon Trail 2009

The first sections of trail were fairly easy and required limited technical ability to navigate.  Our truck was fairly well equipped with 35″ BFG KM2 tires, gears, front elocker, broken rear elocker and armor.  I can imagine driving this trail with an IFS rig on 33″ tires would be intensely challenging.  About 1 mile into the trail our rear axle seal blew out.  We decided after considering our options to continue on rather than turn around.

The Rubicon Trail earns it’s difficultly rating.  The trail is a relentless non-stop rock garden.  Here in the Pacific North West our trails may have are several obstacles whereas the entire Rubicon trail is an obstacle.  Many consider it the ultimate test of a vehicle.

Rubicon Trail 2009

It was dark for the final hour of trail driving which increased the challenges drastically.  Thankfully we survived and made it to the Marlin Crawler Event camp.  We setup camp and enjoyed sleeping on a rock slab.

The next morning Saturday September 12th we ventured into camp to ask if anyone had an axle seal.  A couple campers suggested we find Marlin.  Marlin is an amazing guy.  He dropped everything to come look at my truck and  then proceeded to help replace the bad wheel bearing and axle seal.  He truly saved the day.  Beyond that he wouldn’t accept any payment.  Thank you Marlin!  www.marlincrawler.com

Rubicon Trail 2009

We drove out of the camp via “Cadillac Hill” which is anything but smooth.  Thankfully we survived the entire Rubicon trail.  We camped out at the Tahoe Valley Campground which boasted a heated swimming pool.

The next morning Sunday September 13th we hiked the Vikingsholm Castle trail (about 2 miles).  We had a great time and enjoyed the views and beautiful sunny weather.  We stayed a second night at the Tahoe Valley Campground.

Vikingsholm Castle - Lake Tahoe California

The next morning Monday September 14th we woke up early and began the 13 hour voyage back to Portland, Oregon.  Thankfully our return trip was uneventful.  This trip is certainly an experience that won’t be forgotten!

Sunrise over Lake Tahoe California

Share your comments and feedback.  Similar Posts:

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BFG KM2 Mud Terrain - Off Road

Off Road Trips Included:  Tillamook State Forest (NW Oregon), Goat Mountain (Estacada Area), McGrew Trail (Southern Oregon), Pacific City (Oregon Coast), Iron Chest (Colorado) and the Rubicon (California).

BFG KM2 Mud Terrain Off Road Driving Conditions (35″ x 12.5″)

Sand Traction: We tested the BFG KM2 tires at Pacific City, Oregon.  We tried to get the truck stuck but couldn’t even with the tires at 35 PSI.  The tires dug down but kept pushing the truck forward.  We climbed a couple soft sand hills without issues.  The KM2 tires did much better than my previous Toyo MT tires which seemed to dig straight down.

BFG KM2 Mud Terrain - Off Road 2

Snow & Ice Traction: My BFG KM2 tires are siped in the center which increased slippery surface traction.  There were no traction issues whatsoever in wet or rainy conditions.  Ice traction isn’t great in comparison to the Toyo MT tires.  Snow Traction is alright but not incredible; once again the Toyo MT tires are better.  I would highly recommend siping the center lugs if you drive frequently in snow or ice.

Mud Traction: The BFG KM2 tires are excellent in mud.  Here in the Pacific Northwest we have tons of rain, mud and gooey clay.  These tires hook up.  I never hand an issue with traction in mud.  The tread on the tire sidewall helps immensely when properly aired down.  You won’t be disappointed here.

BFG KM2 Mud Terrain - Off Road 3

Rock Crawling Traction: BFG KM2 tires are incredible in the rocks (very similar to the BFG Crawler tires).  I aired the tires down to 9 PSI and had  ample traction.  The tires grabbed and clung onto every rock surface we drove on.  The sidewall construction is tough; we didn’t have issues with flats or beads coming off.  These are the perfect tires for rock crawling.

BFG KM2 Mud Terrain - Off Road 4

On Road: Check out our previous BFG KM2 Mud Terrain Review On Road

I would highly recommend purchasing the BFG KM2 Mud tires for all around solid off road traction with good road manners and seemingly long tread life.

Please comment with your questions or experiences.Similar Posts:

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Before Headlight Restoration

Most modern vehicles including my 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport have plastic headlights.  They look much more stylish than the older glass sealed beam headlights but they age poorly.  My headlights were discolored, scratched, hazy and looked horrible.

Originally I planned on replacing the headlights until I discovered they cost over $200/ea on Ebay.  I was determined to find another alternative.  After searching Google I discovered several headlight polishing restoration kits.

The kits use fall into 2 categories:  1. polishing no sanding  2. wet sanding and polishing.  The no sanding kits are more or less a short term solution that will need to be repeated; the wet sanding kits are a better long term solution.

Permatex Plastic Headlight Lens Restoration Kit

I chose the Permatex Headlight Lens Restoration Kit.  It can be found at Schuck’s Auto Supply or O’reilly Auto Parts for about $17.50.  There are other similar kits; be sure that the kit you choose includes sand paper (for wet sanding) and polishing products.

The process is fairly simple just follow the instructions included with the product.  There are several steps involving wet sanding with various grades of sandpaper, cleaning and polishing.  I went a bit overboard on the polishing and used the entire bottle of polish on the headlights.

I’m very impressed with the results.  The headlights aren’t new but they look very good.

After Headlight Restoration - Plastic Polishing

While this may be considered a “cosmetic” repair it also allows the headlights to project slightly brighter light.  This is definitely a worth while project that may save you hundreds of dollars in headlight replacement costs.

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Date: October 24, 2009
Meeting Location: Naches Pass Trail – Greenwater, WA
Meeting Time: 9am
Who: Anyone!

Naches Pass Event

Some quick ground rules for all Gitout.com events:  ensure your vehicle is in safe, reliable condition; no drinking or drugs on the trail; responsible care and respect for others.

Vehicle Requirements:
1. Reliable – Street Legal w/ Insurance
2. 31″ Traction Tires or larger
3. 2″ Lift or more
4. Tools and Recovery Equipment

The objective is to explore some great trails, enjoy fellowship and make new friends.

Join us on the forum for additional details and to confirm attendance!Similar Posts:

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Destination: Denver, Colorado Springs, Ft Collins, Buena Vista, Fox Field, Durango, Colorado City — Colorado
Distance: 4,609 Miles
Attendees: Peter, Charlie


View on Vimeo.

Day 1 (July 19):  We gassed up and hit the hwy around 7am.  Our destination was Salt Lake City, UT.  “Ah Yeah” my 1986 4runner was loaded with camping gear, food, supplies and mt bikes.  We made good time and crossed the border into Idaho in the early afternoon.  Our progress was slowed when the truck’s alternator failed.  Thankfully, Schuck’s Auto Supply had the part and we kept driving until night fall.  We found a great camping spot right on the Salt Lake.

Day 2 (July 20):  I got up early to replace the truck’s alternator and enjoyed an antifreeze shower (good times).  We packed up and left for Salt Lake City, after stopping for supplies at Target we hit the hwy.  We drove through a monsoon in Arizona.  We arrived at the Grand Canyon North Rim that evening and setup camp.

Road Trip Utah

Day 3 (July 21):  We spent the day exploring the North Rim, relaxing at the lodge and hiking trails.
(be sure to check out our “Grand Canyon” post for more details)

Day 4 (July 22):  We packed up and headed towards the South Rim (240 miles).  We stopped for a shower around the Marble Canyon Bridge.  We arrived at the South Rim in the early afternoon and visited many view points.  We found camping at the Ten-X campground.

Grand Canyon South Rim

Day 5 (July 23):  We left the South Rim and headed towards Durango, Colorado.  We stopped at 4 Corners for pictures.  We found camping about 10 minutes from downtown Durango.

Day 6 (July 24):  We went Mt Biking in Durango, relaxed at the river and attended the Durango Rodeo.  Durango is an active city full of fun shops, restaurants and recreation.  Definitely a favorite recreational destination.

Mt Biking Durango Colorado

Day 7 (July 25):  We left Durango and drove towards Denver.  Unfortunately, a storm slowed our progress when it flooded a small town and a landslide covered the road.  We decided to stay in Colorado City instead.

Day 8 (July 26):  We explored Bishop’s Castle which is located about 40 minutes from Colorado City.  This is a must see destination if you visit Colorado.  Jim Bishop has been building this castle single handed for the past 30+ years.  He might be thought crazy but he demonstrates what one person can accomplish in a lifetime.  After our tour we hit the hwy for Ft Collins, Colorado.

Bishop's Castle

Day 9 (July 27):  We stayed with Charlie’s “Campus Crusade” friends in Ft Collins.  We did some biking, exploring and hanging out.  Special thanks to Scott “Addicted Off Road” for shop use.

Day 10 (July 28):  We drove to Denver, CO and stayed in a hotel about 10 minutes east of downtown.  We spent the day exploring downtown.  We had dinner at Casa Bonita (fun mexican restaurant) and enjoyed a concert at a local venue.

Dinosaur Ridge

Day 11 (July 29):  We explored Dinosaur Ridge and Red Rock.  We then met up with Charlie’s relatives (Margi & Tom) in Fox Field, Colorado.  We hung out, played games and watched a movie.

Day 12 (July 30):  Margi took us about 40 minutes outside of Fox Field for some mt biking and she rode horse back; it was a fun, muddy time.  Huge thanks to Margi & Tom for your incredible hospitality.  Our stay was fabulous!

4wheeling Buena Vista Colorado

Day 13 (July 31):  We left early for Buena Vista, Colorado.  We met up with a group from YotaTech for the 4runner Jamboree.  We had a blast exploring and 4wheeling the mountain peaks of Colorado.

Day 14 (August 1):  We explored more trails and mines in Colorado.  That evening we packed up and drove to Grand Junction, Colorado.

4wheeling Buena Vista

Day 15 (August 2):  We began our drive to Nampa, Idaho.  The 4runner ran out of gas in Utah; we pushed it for a mile or so until someone stopped and offered us some gas (thank you God).  We arrived in Nampa in the evening and stayed with my friend Dan (thanks for the room!).

Day 16 (August 3):  We drove home!  Over 4,600 Mile Road Trip, Camping, Mt Biking, Hiking, 4wheeling and crazy times!

Check out our:  Grand Canyon AdventureSimilar Posts:

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Destination: Grand Canyon Arizona
Distance: 1,409 Miles
Attendees: Peter, Charlie


View on Vimeo.

The Grand Canyon was the first major destination on our Colorado Road Trip.  We arrived at the North Rim late Monday night July 20th and stopped at Jacob’s Inn for dinner.  Jacob’s Inn is located at the junction of US 89A and SR 67, the gateway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (45 minutes away).  Be sure to order the “Grand Bull Sandwich” it is touted as the best hamburger west of the Mississippi.  Jacob’s Inn offers: lodging, restaurant, bakery and gift shop.  www.jacoblake.com

We were under the impression that the North Rim was remote with less tourists; that assumption proved incorrect.  Nearly every campground was full and the majority were reservation only.  We stopped at the Kaibab Lodge located 5 miles from entrance to the Grand Canyon and asked about camping.  www.Kaibablodge.com This guy came up to us and gave us directions to free camping.

Campsite directions from the lodge: drive 3/4 mile past the Kaibab Lodge towards the Grand Canyon, Left FSR 611, Right FSR 610, Left FSR 568, Right to dead end.

Grand Canyon North Rim Camping

Tuesday July 21st we cooked up some breakfast and drove to the North Rim of the canyon.  There is a $25 vehicle entrance fee which allows access to the North and South Rim for 7 days.  Visit here for more details:  www.nps.gov

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is at over 8,000 ft and receives more rain and snow than the South Rim.  Road closures are common during the winter months.  Be prepared for cooler temperatures and heavy rains “monsoons”.  We drove through a monsoon coming into the Grand Canyon; thankfully the weather was mild during the remainder of our stay (mid 70s).

We explored the various view points and relaxed in the North Lodge built in 1922.  www.foreverlodging.com Our next destination was hiking the North Kaibab Trail;  this trail winds along the North Rim with numerous viewpoints.  This trail is located a couple miles before the North Lodge just off the main road (watch for signs).

North Kaibab Trail

We spent a second night at our free campsite and the next morning we packed up and began the 240 mile drive towards to South Rim.  We stopped for showers at a small laundry mat by the Marble Canyon bridge; that’s a great place to stop for remote campers like us.

We arrived at the South Rim that afternoon and stopped at numerous view points and tourists stops including the Desert View Point.  The South Rim is a HUGE tourist trap; there are shops everywhere and tons of people.  Pushing through crowds and waiting to take photos at the view points isn’t much fun.  Although, there are some amazing views and exceptional hikes depending on time constraints and physical conditioning.  I liked the view of the Grand Canyon from the South Rim better whereas Charlie preferred the North Rim.

Grand Canyon South Rim

We found a great campground just outside of the South Rim entrance called “Ten-X” campground.  There were plenty of sites available and only $10/night.  TenX Campground – Other Camping

The campground host gave us recommendations for hikes and suggested that we view the Omni Theater Grand Canyon Tour.  Omni Theater The Omni Grand Canyon tour was incredible; it’s definitely worth watching.  We also had the opportunity to watch the sunset over the canyon.  Take a look at the sunset schedule.

We departed from the Grand Canyon on July 23rd for Colorado.

Check out the:  Colorado Road TripSimilar Posts:

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  Off Road, Camping, Biking, Hiking
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  Hwy 101 Beaches & Lighthouses

Destination: Oregon Coast Beaches – Hwy 101 – Oregon
Distance: 370 Miles
Attendees: Peter, Lisa (sister)


View on Vimeo.

Our Oregon Coast Beach Road Trip began Sunday afternoon in Cresent City, California.  We crossed the border into Oregon and stopped for lunch at Harris Beach.

Harris Beach:  Has the largest island off the Oregon Coast (“bird island”).  The beach is clean and family friendly.  There are plenty of things to do including: climbing on the rocks (recommend shoes not flip flops), bird watching, sea wildlife and more.  We enjoyed our short stop here.  Note to self: be sure to not lock your keys in the car!  Thankfully Toyotas are easy to break  into…  Why do I lock it anyhow?

Whalehead Beach:  This is a much more secluded beach.  There are rocks and driftwood on the beach but still beautiful and quiet.  We enjoyed our short stop here.

Arizona Beach:  Is a quiet beach with plenty of hiking opportunities.  It’s also a cold beach with the high summer temperatures only reaching the high 60s.  It was windy too.

Bandon Beach:  This is my second favorite beach on the Oregon Coast.  The scenery is beautiful.  The sand is clean and there is plenty of beach to hike.  This was an excellent stop.  Definitely worth the drive!

Umpqua River Lighthouse:  Built in 1888.  This was a fun stop.  We didn’t go inside but enjoyed reading about it and enjoying the views.

Oregon Dunes:  This is the place to visit for ultimate sand fun!  Bring your sandrail and quads here.  There is plenty of space to explore and have a blast.  We checked out the views and dune map before finding a campground.

Oregon Coast Hwy 101 Beach Road Trip

We camped out at Sutton Campground just north of the Oregon Dunes.  It’s a clean campground with restrooms, hiking trails, private campsites and $20/night.  My sister Lisa camped in a tent while I slept in the truck on an air mattress.   We enjoyed roasting marshmallows and exploring the beach trail.

Yakima Bay Lighthouse:  This was one of our first stops on Monday morning.  It’s a beautiful lighthouse with wonderful views.

Lincoln City Beach:  We  stopped shortly at this beach.  It’s fairly crowed due to the discount shops and tourist attractions.  The beach is mostly flat and lacks many hiking and exploration opportunities.

Pacific City (Kape Kiwanda):  This is my favorite beach on the Oregon Coast.  Some of the attractions include:  vehicles permitted on the beach (I drove the 4runner on the sand), dorries (fishing boats), huge sand dune and many exploration opportunities.  It’s beautiful here.  Don’t tell anyone about it.  It’s the hidden secrete of the Oregon Coast.

The views and scenery made this trip incredible.  Feel free to share your comments and favorite beach spots!Similar Posts:

• Off Road Trip Report: Rubicon Trail 2009
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• Road Trip Report: Colorado 2009
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• Road Trip Report: Grand Canyon 2009
  North Rim & South Rim Exploration

Destination: Molalla River Corridor – Molalla Oregon
Attendees: Jason, Peter


View on Vimeo.

The Molalla River Corridor is an incredible location to explore.  The scenery is beautiful and it has much to offer including exceptional mountain biking trails.  There are many trails to choose between ranging from intermediate to advanced.

Jason and I decided to ride a fairly extensive network of trails.  We arrived in the early afternoon, unloaded our bikes and did some minor brake adjustments.  Our goal was to find the more technical “advanced” trails and ride a loop back to the trail head.  Our trails included:  Huckleberry Trail, Rim Trail, Bear Woods Loop, Rim Tie Trail and Deer Skull Trail.

The initial gravel road from the trail head is fairly long and steep which gets the heart racing.  We rode gravel roads to the rim trail which was the first in our series of trails.  All of the trails here are single track which means they are narrow.

I would highly recommend the rim trail if you are looking for a technical trail.  It has sections that are fast, roots, rocks, small drops, stream crossings and trees to maneuver around.  There was one section of trail that we couldn’t ride up.  Our tires were too muddy and the trail was steep, rocky and slick.  We had fun attempting different lines though.

The bear loop was scenic and less technical.  The deer skull trail was a bit disappointing in comparison to the rim trail and we felt it didn’t earn the advanced rating.

We had a great time and managed to escape without injuries or mechanical failures.  I can’t wait for the next trip.

Total Distance: 8.8 miles
Total Time: 3:16:07
Average Speed: 5.7 mi/h
Max Speed:  28.5 mi/h

Min Elevation: 599 ft
Max Elevation: 1512 ft
Elevation Gain: 3433 ft
Max Grade: 9 %
Min Grade: -18 %

Feel free to post comments.Similar Posts:

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