Builds Added a Sequoia.....so far, I like it! Now, to start building it.... (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

dnp

Supporting Vendor
SILVER Star
Joined
May 2, 2004
Threads
304
Messages
5,939
Location
Jackson, MS
I've had Land Cruisers for years, but I wanted to try something "additional" (didn't want to get rid of the Land Cruisers, but when I started to see more trucks like GX470s, etc. on the trail, I decided I wanted to get/build something you don't ordinarily see "outfitted.") That being said, I set out to find a suitable 1st generation 4wd Sequoia.

The first thing I noticed was how difficult it is to find (a) a 4wd Sequoia, and (b) one with a rust-free frame (in the deep south, anyway - There's currently a recall on the early Sequoia frames for trucks that have spent time in salty road states.) After several months of searching for the right truck, I found a rust-free truck in Texas, and I went and got it.

There aren't a lot of accessories for these trucks, so I'm starting to discover what all can be done to them. So far, I've added adjustable Bilstein 5100 shocks up front, and I bought a set of rock sliders from Stubbs Welding......with the extra 10" of wheelbase over the 100-series Land Cruiser, rocker protection will be mandatory.

Next, was my choice of tires. Without a lot of lift, tire choices are limited. Therefore, to hopefully avoid driveline vibrations and other problems from a large lift, I decided to lift the front and limit the eventual tire size to a 285/75-16. However, in order to fit 285s, it requires a wheel with 4.5" of backspacing........well, coincidentally, an 80 wheel has 4.5" I've never seen 80 wheels on a Sequoia before (although I've seen plenty of Sequoia wheels on 80s), but I like the way they look......and they serve a purpose.

At this point, I've removed mud flaps and running boards, installed the Bilsteins with 1.3" of front lift, and installed the 80 wheels with some 275/70-16 BFG AT's I already had. The truck rides and drives MUCH better now, and it definitely is starting to look different/better than all of the other Sequoias in the area (98% of which are 2wds)

Many on other boards have talked about the Sequoia's off-road capabilities, and although I've not had a chance to get it off-road yet, that's the reason I bought it. So, I'll report back when I do.

Hopefully, more to come..........
Tires and wheels.JPG
 
Clean. What perch from the bottom did You set the front Billies at? Do You have the air bags in the rear and if so, are You going to swap it for coils/shocks? I bought my wife a 07 Limited Sequoia and she wants a small lift. I'm looking to swap the rear bags for some stock 100 series coils/shocks.

SUBSCRIBED
 
Clean. What perch from the bottom did You set the front Billies at? Do You have the air bags in the rear and if so, are You going to swap it for coils/shocks? I bought my wife a 07 Limited Sequoia and she wants a small lift. I'm looking to swap the rear bags for some stock 100 series coils/shocks.

SUBSCRIBED
I set the shocks at the middle slot (3rd from the top - I believe the instructions said that slot would provide ~ 1.3" of lift). Mine has the coils in the rear, and if I go to 285/75s, I'll move the front coils to the 2nd from the top (2" of lift) and add a 1" spacer in the rear. That being said, there's a guy on TundraSolutions that's running 285/75s with no lift at all.....I haven't see photos, but that's GOT to be close to rubbing / rubbing in all situations.

The truck drives / handles MUCH better after the front shock swap, so I think Ima go ahead and swap the rears out as well. Again, the tire size is smaller than what I set out to do from the beginning, but since I already had the 275/70s off another truck, it also saved me $1,000 for now......

There are quite a few people on TundraSolutions.com starting to modify their Sequoias. I wish more on here were, as this has always been the best place for Toyota information (especially Land Cruisers.)
 
One last question did you use the stock springs for your front lift?
 
Nice. Thanks man. I was just on Tundra Solutions forum and forgot that I registered when we 1st bought the truck. I've been around Toyotas all my life and I'm mechanically inclined. Not used to small lifts, but it's the wifes so I have to listen to her needs. Happy wife, happy life.
 
Pull that roof rack off and rattle can it. Will look much better. I've always like the Sequoias and I think they're a bargain compared to some other Toyotas. It's like someone took a 3rd gen 4runner and put it on a copier machine at 130%.
 
Yes, they're factory Toyota springs. Didn't want to go to OME, etc., because I didn't want to stiffen the ride
Are you running spacers to clear the brakes? I just did a Tundra brake upgrade on my 3rd gen 4runner and had to used spacers to make it fit. I'm running lx450 rims and have and extra set of FZJ80 rims. It was only rubbing in 3 spots, so I just sanded the calipers alittle to make them work. Thanks
 
Are you running spacers to clear the brakes? I just did a Tundra brake upgrade on my 3rd gen 4runner and had to used spacers to make it fit. I'm running lx450 rims and have and extra set of FZJ80 rims. It was only rubbing in 3 spots, so I just sanded the calipers alittle to make them work. Thanks
Yes, I did use spacers at first; however, since they were only 1/4" spages, they couldn't be made hubcentric/wheelcentric, and the steering wheel shook like a motherbear!

I ended up taking off the spacers and ground both the calipers and wheels just a bit for clearance.

Smooth as silk now.
 
Well, I finally had the opportunity to test the Sequoia off-road, and I can tell, you, I was surprised (in fact, all of my wheeling buddies were surprised). As I've said in the past, the Sequoia isn't a Land Cruiser (the LC's build quality is better, it's full-time 4wd, it's shorter, etc.), but I've come to find the Sequoia is surprisingly capable, it's a great people/gear hauler, it gets better fuel mileage, and they're generally a good bit less expensive than a LC.

Our local LC club - CottonLand Cruisers - held its 10th annual Southern Cruiser Crawl at Hot Springs ORV Park in Hot Springs, AR this past weekend, and there were 1254 acres on which to try out this truck. It's still outfitted like I described in my original post, but I added the Stubbs Welding sliders before we left (excellent pieces, by the way). On past events, I've either taken an 80 or 100 Land Cruiser, so I had real word experience for comparison with the Sequoia. All I can say is that the Sequoia took us everywhere an 80 or a 100 Land Cruiser had taken us in the past, the ATRAC working like a champ when needed. In fact, we never high-centered, we never hit an area that the Sequoia wouldn't turn through just like the Land Cruisers, and the engine braking down steep inclines was probably better than the 100 and MUCH better than the 80.

Again, all things being equal, I certainly expect the Land Cruisers would get through areas where the Sequoia won't; however, we traversed up, down, and across some really challenging terrain, and the Sequoia never got to a point where it couldn't keep moving. I think more than anything, I didn't expect it to be able to go the places it did.....and many other people were as surprised as I was.

Bottom line: if you need an on/off road vehicle that's bigger, yet more fuel efficient, than a Land Cruiser, it might be worth giving a Sequoia a look. I think you'll be surprised!
On crawl 1.jpg
On crawl 2.jpg
On crawl 3.JPG
Post crawl 7.JPG
 
I am super excited to see this! I just pulled the trigger on an 03' Limited with 86K miles on it! And I live 2 hours away from Hot Springs!
 
Looks good David. I was sorry that I didn't get in on one of the above runs at 'Crawl (only got to attend one day this year) and see this thing in action. I'd imagine this generation of Sequoia has a locking center diff like every other 4WD Toy of this vintage? Being a Limited, does it have center row captains? I'm excited to see this rig progress.

Justin
 
Looks good David. I was sorry that I didn't get in on one of the above runs at 'Crawl (only got to attend one day this year) and see this thing in action. I'd imagine this generation of Sequoia has a locking center diff like every other 4WD Toy of this vintage? Being a Limited, does it have center row captains? I'm excited to see this rig progress.

Justin
Hey Justin, yeah, sorry we didn't get out on the trails together this time. Granted, you know I don't wheel as hard as a lot of the guys at the crawl (body damage DOES bother me, and driveline breakage can be a real PITA when I'm driving home 300 miles in the truck I brought to wheel!), but I think you would have been impressed to see just what the Sequoia accomplished! I gotta tell ya, I went into the weekend already expecting to have trouble going the same places I've gone with my 80 or my 100, but even with the Sequoia's bigger size, I had none. Zero. It went every single place I've gone with either of the other trucks......even through that tough spot in the photo that lifts the front wheel (if fact, I almost didn't try it, because I didn't want to get hung up and delay everyone else. Much to my surprise, it never even checked up. It went through that obstacle - and all others - as competently as any of the others. Even on that long, tight, steep, loose climb out of Chrysler Canyon, not a single problem!)

To answer your questions: Yes, it's got a center diff. lock (A-TRAC wouldn't be nearly as effective without it), and mine has a second row bench. I think only the later model 1st gen. Sequoias had a second row captain's chair option.

Being that SCC is a predominantly Cruiser event, I was met with a bit of skepticism in bringing the Sequoia; however, most changed their minds when they saw what it did.

Sequoias are a good bit cheaper than 100s still, so if anyone needs a little more room than a 100, it's not a Cruiser, but it's definitely worth considering....
 
David I though you were going to hit that tree on the left when you dropped down. That why I went around the second time I came through. I was about 3 inches away and it came down fast.
 
Sequoia .jpg
Nice David, I'm combing Mud for some ideas and read your posts here and on Tundrasolutions. I've seen you at the crawl but didn't see your Sequoia or I would have stopped to chat about it. I've been wanting to do something for years with my wife's 02 but other than maintenance she wouldn't let me touch till now. She just took delivery of her 15 Highlander last Friday so now I can start getting my hands in it. Its bone stock with exception of headers and a gutted and custom exhaust NO CATs and 240K on the clock. Still runs and drives great. Really want to chop the IFS and hang a solid axle under the frontend and go from there. What sliders are you running I just may toss those 15 year old running boards in the trash this weekend :)
 
View attachment 1054652 Nice David, I'm combing Mud for some ideas and read your posts here and on Tundrasolutions. I've seen you at the crawl but didn't see your Sequoia or I would have stopped to chat about it. Hey Larry, I didn't know you had a Sequoia....GREAT trucks for the money! I've been wanting to do something for years with my wife's 02 but other than maintenance she wouldn't let me touch till now. She just took delivery of her 15 Highlander last Friday so now I can start getting my hands in it. Its bone stock with exception of headers and a gutted and custom exhaust NO CATs and 240K on the clock. Still runs and drives great. 240k is nothing on the 2UZ. As long as you don't have transmission problems - and you shouldn't - you've got another trouble-free 150k miles in that truck! Really want to chop the IFS and hang a solid axle under the frontend and go from there. It's possible - as I'm sure you saw that other guy who did it - but you're talking BIG bucks and a LOT of time to do that! What sliders are you running I just may toss those 15 year old running boards in the trash this weekend Yeah, your truck will lose 1,000 pounds (visually) if you shuck the running boards/mud flaps. They just look SO much cleaner overall without them! As for the sliders, I ordered them from Stubbs Welding in California. They are weld-on units, and they fit PERFECTLY......the guy really does a good job in fitting them to a Sequoia
 
Very cool David thanks for the heads up on Stubbs and the feedback. Did you go with the double-cab tundra versions? I contacted All Pro about their Tundra sliders fitting a Sequoia and they said they couldn't say for sure. I'm doing a bunch of mods to my 3/4 tow rig getting it ready for a big family trip May/June to the Grand Canyon/Sedona area then I can focus on the Sequoia :) Trying to see whats out there to work with right now and build my shopping list. You never know I may give the 80 a breather and take the Sequoia to SCC this year and wheel with ya :) Have you done anything new to it since? Was looking to see if anyone did a frame winch mount plate to work with a factory bumper?

http://www.stubbswelding.com/page2.html
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom