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..........
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..........