Author Archive for Benjamin
Benjamin Hunting is a freelance automotive writer who has been involved in racing, restoring and writing about cars and trucks for more than a decade. In his spare time he enjoys keeping the shiny side up on track days. You can find out more about Benjamin’s writing at his website, http://www.benjaminhunting.com.
Timbren AEON Hollow Rubber Springs
The Toyota Tundra was designed from the outset to offer an exceptional amount of towing and hauling capability, but like all street vehicles it does feature some compromises built into its platform. In order to make the Tundra comfortable enough to drive on the street, its suspension system can’t be as stiff as that of a commercial or purpose-built cargo vehicle. This means that in certain situations – heavy-duty snow plowing, max-sized trailer towing – the vehicle’s front or rear suspension might sag.
Timbren manufactures a line of suspension components designed to help fight against the tendency of stock suspensions to sag under load without increasing harshness or bounce during daily driving. Timbren’s solution for the Toyota Tundra is its AEON Hollow Rubber Spring, a product which has been on the market for three decades and which is produced for a wide range of different industrial and commercial applications as well as for passenger vehicles.
Timbren AEON Hollow Rubber Springs
I spoke with Andrew Hodgson at Timbren to get a better idea of exactly how AEON springs could benefit Tundra owners looking to beef up their suspensions.
Fox Coilover Suspension Kit on a 2010 Tundra
A coilover system is one of the most cost-effective ways to upgrade the suspension on your Tundra. Fox Racing has come out with a set of coilover replacements that can tighten up the front end of your pickup for driving over rough terrain and which don’t require any special modifications to install.
The Fox Racing 2.5 coilovers make use of Eibach springs and come with all of the necessary hardware for installation. The nitrogen shocks are pressurized to 200 psi, and they can be tuned on the truck. Out of the box, they offer 2.5-inches of lift (hence the name) over the front wheels. The coilovers make extensive use of billet aluminum and really look great once installed.
Off Road Evolution’s Solid Front Axle Tundra – The Details
At this year’s SEMA show, Jason encountered a very interesting custom Tundra put together by the people at Off Road Evolution. Off-Road Evolution is one of the premier off-road rig builders and 4×4 parts fabricators and suppliers on the West Coast. The truck was sponsored by Falken Tire, and perhaps the most unique aspect of the entire vehicle was the fact that the front end had been converted to a Dynatrac 60 series solid axle setup – perhaps the only Toyota Tundra currently out there sporting this particular modification.
The Falken Tire Tundra's Solid Front Axle.
I had the chance this week to speak with Mel Wade at Off Road Evolution and discuss some of the details surrounding the truck’s build process.
Best Tundra Mudding Videos
The Toyota Tundra is one tough truck, which has helped to make it a popular platform for mudding. For anyone unfamiliar with the sport, “mudding” (also known as “muddin“) is the act of taking a pickup through one or more deep mud holes without getting stuck – or at least, without getting stuck too badly.
Some people choose to mod their Tundras for more effective mud play, while others run what they brung and take their stock rigs through the pits without batting an eye. Either way, it makes for some entertaining video footage. Let’s take a look at some of the best Toyota Tundra mudding videos available online.
Steam Car Wash – Get Clean The ‘Green’ Way
Car wash technology has moved forward ever so slowly over the past several decades, advancing from prickly bristle brushes to no-touch high pressure water jets to modern units which use a combination of soft foam padding and blasts of water to bridge the gap between both worlds. While automatic car washes have their place, some people still prefer to hand wash their vehicles in their own driveways, taking a Sunday afternoon to bond with their cars and trucks while scrubbing down sheet metal and glass to a nice, even shine.
The trouble with hand washing at home is that it produces a lot of waste water – and depending upon what types of cleaners that you use, it could also potentially lead to runoff that is filled with chemicals that are fairly nasty to the environment. It was with these facts in mind that Steamericas introduced the Optima Steamer car wash system.
Steam Instead of Stream
What sets the Optima Steamer apart from traditional driveway washing techniques is that it replaces a steady stream of water from a high pressure washer or a garden hose with what it calls “temperature-safe steam.” The Optima’s dual steam guns allow two people to tackle a single vehicle at the same time, and the company claims that it takes only 15 minutes and a single gallon of water to clean a normal-sized sedan.
A single gallon of water to clean an entire car is certainly an impressive accomplishment.
