Author Archive for Mark

Off-Road Tire Basics and Buyer’s Guide

As with most specialty tires, when you’re looking to purchase a set of off-road tires, a lot of the knowledge you might have about standard street tires simply won’t apply. The tread styles, construction and size of off-road tires are quite different than what most people are used to, and it’s helpful to take a quick look at the basics of off-road tire design before heading to the local tire and wheel shop to have a set installed.

Big tires on Todd's 2008 Tundra - featured last week.

Almost everyone is familiar with the look of off-road tires – tall and aggressive. Even tires that are meant to fit on rims as small as 15 inches can be 30 or 33 inches in height (visit TireRack.com to see exactly which tire sizes will fit on your Tundra). A common misconception with larger tires is that the giant sizes are meant to provide extra grip and traction. While there is an off-road benefit in a tall sidewall (especially when you make the tire pressure artificially low), the main benefit to over-sized tires is that they get your truck up in the air as much as possible and boost ground clearance.

When it comes to boosting traction, there are two aspects of off-road tire design to consider: tread type and tire construction.

Biggest Toyota Tundra Road Trip Ever

The lure of the open road and the promise of adventure that a road trip offers is something that appeals to a wide demographic of car lovers. For many, the ultimate vacation would be a cross-country drive that provides ample opportunity to stop and explore the cities, places and sights that help to make America what it is.

For Steve Bouey and his friend Steve Shoppman (the Steves’), the dream of driving across the country didn’t stop when they reached the ocean on the other side. They chose to extend their journey into a 2 year odyssey that stretched across 67 different countries and a total of 66,000 miles – and they did it all from behind the wheel of a 2007 Toyota Tundra (and an 04′ Sequoia).

Looking across the Tundra's hood at a burned out Angolan tank.

While some might be surprised at their choice of vehicle, it was an easy decision for the two young globetrotters to embark on their adventure from behind the wheel of Toyota’s flagship pickup truck.

My Other Truck is a Thule Roof Top Cargo Carrier

If you have a car that you want to use to haul some “stuff,” this article is for you.

There was once a time when car owners who wanted to haul anything would have to borrow or rent a pickup truck. Cross-country moves and/or extended vacations would often entail renting a truck in order to handle all of the “stuff.” Naturally, the Swedish (a crafty and clever people) invented a way to avoid all this extra expense and inconvenience.

Thule cargo box kind of like a truck for car owners.

Thule, a company once known exclusively for their ski and snowboard racks, is at the forefront of extending the cargo capacity of the average automobile. How do they do it? The answer is through their line of cargo boxes, such as the Atlantis, the Spirit and the Boxter, are meant to attach to the roof of almost any car, big or small, and provide an extra dollop of cargo storage that is waterproof, windproof, and stable enough for extended trips. They”re kind of like trucks for car owners…except they can”t tow or haul more than a few hundred pounds and they don”t do off-road.

You take what you can get though, right?

After-Market Truck Wheels – Materials and Methods Explained

When choosing a wheel for your truck, sometimes the number of different options can seem overwhelming. Not only are there many different designs and brands to choose from, but the way the wheels are manufactured, and the material used, are important as well. This article deals with common materials and manufacturing methods – we’ll have something on wheel finishes a little later.

Here’s a break-down of common wheel materials and manufacturing methods:

Steel wheels are great for trucks because they're cheap and strong.

Steel wheels are the most basic and inexpensive type of rims available. Steel wheels are usually stamped out by a press in two different pieces and then welded together. This makes them easy to repair, which isn’t usually a major concern because steel is a very strong material. Of course, steel is also very heavy. The large un-sprung weight of steel wheels can have a significant negative impact on suspension performance, not to mention acceleration and fuel mileage.

Transfer Flow Extended Range Fuel Tanks For The Tundra

There are times when your work or leisure activities might take you a fair distance away from the closest gas station. If you find yourself frequently exploring off-road trails, working on a large farm property or making long-distance drives through isolated areas, then you are probably all too familiar with that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you nervously eye the fuel gauge nearing empty. While it is always a good idea to carefully plan fuel stops along a long drive, not every eventuality can be planned for, and this can introduce a degree of uncertainty when it comes to fuel consumption.

Extend the range of your truck with a bigger fuel tank.

Fortunately, there are a few options available to extend the range of your Toyota Tundra.