La Puerca Plata - 2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited

[J4roe]

I decided to make a build thread for a new vehicle my GF and I purchased last week. I saw a little bit of action on the Sequoia-Forums so I put the thread there. Obviously now I realize all the PROS are on IH8. I've actually lurked and found some recon information from this forum before for an off road trip we wanted to go on here in AZ. I'm a Toyota guy through and through.

I'm going to copy and paste my introduction and subsequent plans for our tow/camping/overland rig from SF out of sheer laziness and also because I'm on like 4 other forums at this point and forum maintenance is now taking up too much time LOL. So here we goooooo....


Hello all. First time caller, first time listener. Or something like that, not sure. Just picked up a new to us 2004 Limited. 204 and change and the thing is in immaculate shape!!! Wowzers! AZ desert car so absolutely no rust anywhere. Truck came with tranny cooler and sending unit/gauge in the cab. Tow hitch receiver in the front of the vehicle behind the lower grill for presumably a winch as there is also power that has been fed and fastened on the lower front bumper grill next to said receiver. The truck also came with a good light subtle sounding exhaust, remote start and limo window tint. The latter two are absolutely worth their weight in gold out here in Phoenix in July and August on those 116 degree days. Leave the truck running with AC, run in to the grocery store for 15 minutes come back out to a cool cab vs coming back out to a 152 degree cab and then it takes the whole 10 minute ride home for the evaporator to get cold... LOL tough for us dezert rats.

That's a brief summary of what we have to get the page started. We bought this truck for towing, camping and light overlanding around the southwest and mainly and more importantly MEXICO. In saying that, I do have limitations on the styling/body/ride height because the truck's main purpose above all else is that it has to tow down the highway and do it efficiently. I don't want to ruin the aero package with bumpers or crazy lift height. No long travel even though my brain wants to. Initially, I want to see if I can retain a little rake for that purpose.

What I've done so far:

1. 55w HID headlights
2. LED 3k Amber Fog Lights
3. Disconnected DTRL
4. Full interior dome/door panel light swap 6k wedge style LED (bright AF)
5. I cut and polished the clear coat 3 times with MeGuires (only the best) and then I sealed the clear coat with a Ceramic coat

What I have on the way (have received last night and will receive today):

1. 1.5" billet aluminum strut spacer
2. 1.25" billet hubcentric wheel spacer

Items ordered and on the way:

1. 285/70/17 Toyo Open Country AT3 (10 ply E1)
2. Motor Trend floor mats

We have a time crunch to get this stuff on the truck as we have a Mexico trip planned a week from today. I really didn't wan to go down the route of Bilsteins for the lift because it's a waste of money. I come from the prerunner mafia and all those little nickel and dime middle steps break the bank. Our future plans include a mostly stock looking Sequoia but with full heim UCA's that I will fab and factory replacement (possibly extended travel) KINGS BROOOOOO! This will truly be a beefed up mid travel looking stock vehicle nothing crazy. 33" tires for a little ground clearance and the absolute least amount of lift we can get away with. The rear will go with the 100 spring or equivalent aftermarket and 2.5 smooth body shocks. I would also like to fab my own beefy lower links, possibly the pan hard bar and I will 100% be deleting these running boards and fabbing some clean, tight and right rock sliders.

My posting might be sporadic because I'm on about 3 other forums and I'm currently about 70% done with fabbing my roll cage for my Tacoma. I 100% hate Facebook with a passion and personally I believe it's a national security threat so you will never find me over on that part of this forum. Either my thread brings ALL THE BOYS TO THE YARD or it doesn't...

If you want to check out my build thread for my truck you can wonder over to either Tacoma World (more preferable if cursing and obscene comments are offending to you) or DezertRangers but reader discretion is advised on DR as there are no rules.

TW

El Honcho - 1st Gen Taco build​

BUMP!!! Any more updates?

www.tacomaworld.com

DR

Chair-Runner (Honcho) - Gen 1 Taco​

Ok DR, I've introduced myself and now it's time to start an official thread so I don't convolute the introduction section with a million pictures. My introduction includes a little back story and history of the vehicle. The truck is a gen 1, 99 Toyota Tacoma 3.4 auto. 295,xxx and change on the...

www.dezertrangers.com

Well SF hope that was entertaining and you'll have me back...

Joe

 

[J4roe]

The condition the day after we picked her up...

 

[J4roe]

The first shakedown outing...

 

[J4roe]

JBL SPEAKER UPGRADE. FLEX SEAL... almost factory!!!

 

[J4roe]

3 cut and polish coats of Meguires and one ceramic top coat by Shine Armor...

 

[J4roe]

Here's the mirror image of the truck this PIG is going to be towing in the future! Jet ski too...

 

[J4roe]

Hopefully the moderators give me approval quick to get this THURST TRAP started...

Joe

 

[J4roe]

BUMP!

New MEATS

Decided to go with BFG because they were in stock and I used to be BFG for life so I said BFG it is. 285/70/17. I had to cut the pinch seam for the cab and remove the mud flap to get them to clear at full bump, full lock.

Also installed the 2" coilover spacer. I think I'll have to add one inch to the back to get rid of the CALI LEAN. Also known as the BRO LEAN. Overall she's starting to shape up.

@ Discount before lift



Rubbing with 1/4-1/3 steering input




Cut out the pinch seam for the cab and removed mud flap. This area will get bed liner coat in a few days. 33's are now clearing at FULL BUMP, FULL LOCK.




2" coilover spacer



Finished shots

 

[turbo8]

I assume you checked, but did you make sure your shocks don't bottom out before you hit the bump stops with those 2" spacers?

 

[J4roe]

I assume you checked, but did you make sure your shocks don't bottom out before you hit the bump stops with those 2" spacers?

I didn't have to check. I know for a fact the bump stops won't hit now. Essentially you're increasing the shock length at both full extension and full collapse. I didn't measure the spacer but I don't think it's a one to one ratio. It's a 2" lift spacer but I don't know the exact thickness of the spacer but whatever the spacer is exactly, you would just add that number to the full extension eye to eye number and that would be your new fully extended eye to eye number and then you'd do the same to the total collapsed eye to eye measurement and then add the spacer thickness to get your new collapsed eye to eye length.

I was only cycling the suspension to clear the 33's at full bump full lock. The picture of the tire clearing at full bump full lock is about 1/2" off of the bump.

The only true way to cycle the suspension with the shock in place is to remove the coil. Because I don't want to F with coil spring compressors and mostly because I don't care right now I chose not to do that. Regardless, it's pretty easy to assume where the new bump point would be by adding the additional length and then simulating the eye to eye length while cycling the geometry. Put the arms at full extension, measure center of wheel hub from ground. Put the arms at full bump, again simulating the new shock length eye to eye and then measure from ground to the center of the wheel hub. That will give you your travel numbers and it will also show you where the bump will be during full compression. Or I guess you can do it the hard way...

This truck will never be at full bump in the next 4 to 6 months. If I really care enough I might put on some custom bump stops for the time being but very shortly I will be making my own uppers and possibly lowers depending on how frisky I get. Full heim uppers are 100% coming and then not sure if I want to waste money on factory replacement coilovers or make my own 1" over lower arms and use an 8" race series coilover from King.

This lift is just to get by for a couple of months while I save money.

Not sure if you saw my other truck... ???

 

[J4roe]

In retrospect. There is one other possibility. If Toyota designed the front geometry to hit the bump stop with a little compression travel left in the shock then in theory if you added 2" to the collapsed length, in theory, the truck might still bump out correctly. If Toyota designed the geometry to bump at exactly the same point the compression travel runs out then adding 2" to the total compressed length will almost certainly allow the truck's geometry and shock to be the BUMP limit. This would be NO BUENO, which as I'm sure you know is not good. I'm assuming you know a thing or two about desert racing and or suspension geometry being that you're from Vegas.

But yea, I know what you're saying. I just didn't care enough right now but yes, it is very likely the truck isn't going to bump now on the stock bumps.

 

[J4roe]

When I started cycling the suspension I was shocked to see that with the factory sway bar hooked up there was almost a one to one ratio on the bump to arm distance as there was on the full travel number at the hub. That's nuts. I think I saw 4" at full droop between LCA and bump. That's 4" of travel on the inside of the geometry. I only saw approximately 5" or so of total usable travel at the hub. Disconnect sway bar and it's like 7" up front. At the hub. Which is where wheel travel is measured from. So I figured and guesstimated that the shock will be full bump about a quarter to half an inch from the factory bump stop. So for now the truck is just a people mover and camping. The truck will never be placed in a compromising position until everything is squared away.

That's what my soon to be caged prerunner is for....

 

[J4roe]

This is my current progress on the truck. The Sequoia is just meant to get us around and tow this thing. If there's any BUMP beating, it's not going to be in the Sequoia lol

 

[J4roe]

EL BUMP

We took our new 2004 Limited down to the Sea of Cortez for it's first Mexico trip. Didn't really get a chance to test the 4wd much but we'll be back later this month just the wifey and I so it will get tested to the full extent then. We took some first timers with us so I had to pretend to be responsible for the weekend. Overall this thing is a beast and I can't wait to start making it ours! She's off to a good start though with 33's and a 2" lift. I still need to get around to doing the diff drop and I also purchased and received a rear 1" coil spacer lift so it evens the truck out. I think the springs in the rear might be shot. I will do the 2862 or whatever the LC spring is and smooth body or bypass at the same time in the future. Until then, this will be good enough to do what we want to do.

The only casualties of the trip were a broken rear hatch and third row seat that is now stuck to the floor. We have the metal handle but it bent and there wasn't enough throw in the cable to pop the latch. The other issue is that I bought brand new floor mats from Amazon. I got the Motortrend brand because it was $50 for the entire vehicle! The cargo mat does not have holes in it for the third row seats to go down into the latch. That was fine for us because we will never use the third row. This weekend unfortunately we had to use one of the 3rd row seats and whoever put it down didn't know that I had the mat back there and it pierced the rubber and latched. Now I can't get the mechanism to unlatch to put the seat back up into the stow away position (folded up against backrest of second row). I assume rubber mat is wedged up into the latch mechanism. I have absolutely no idea on plan of attack....

Regardless, the truck is MINT. We are beyond pleased with our purchase. I have a Toyota 8.4 carrier with Loc Rite locker and 488 gears that I bought for my Tacoma but I think I may go a different route with that and put this in the Sequoia. I just don't know if the Locrite is going to be ok with highway use...

Until the next outing. Peace out MUD.

Joe

 

[J4roe]

EL BUMP!

La Puerca's passport book is starting to fill up as she has been to Mexico twice now in just a month of time and has performed fairly well... mas o menos. Our only concern has been the stupid VSC traction control. I guess in the limited there's no switch to turn it off so when you're in 4HI and break the smallest amount of traction in sand it just puts the motor into limp mode. Pedal to the floor, engine at 1,500... so stupid... No donuts? No fish tails??? WTF?! No chance!

Our first trip with the PIG went pretty well aside from the few casualties noted above. The only downside was that we couldn't get up this steep 3 or 400 ft sand hill outside of our little home away from home, Cholla Bay Sonora Mexico. We realized the VSC was killing power and we had two kayaks on top of the roof and 6 people in the car bitching so I said F it we'll try again in a couple of weeks when we come back.

Our second trip it was just the GF and I. We towed our 97 Seadoo GTX Fish Pro down to do a little fishing. The Sequoia doesn't even feel a single trailer w/ jet ski. We got 14.4mpg on the way down, 220 miles. I never saw more than 120 degrees on the gauge for the inline sending unit for the transmission. Torque Pro reads a little high I believe and it never got above 150. While we were there on one of the days it was too windy to get out fishing we decided to do some wheeling and see if we could redeem ourselves and make it up Competition Hill. We again had issues doing anything remotely satisfying with the stupid VSC. We then tried the center diff lock and learned that it turns the VSC off. Once that was off it's a different machine. We made it up without effort and without airing down the tires. I've since learned that you can go under the hood and unplug the sensor from the master cylinder and that will turn off the VSC as well. Kind of dumb really. I will pry wire in a switch to disrupt the circuit essentially making it seem like it's unplugged.








Overall we're really satisfied with our purchase and hopefully soon I will start fabbing up some items like rock sliders and maybe modify the bumpers a little bit. Until next time.

Peace!

Joe

 

[muttsinapig]

Thanks for posting all this up! I just picked up an '03 in the plata color as well--my favorite. Just a quick question on the suspension--do I understand correctly that in order to achieve the lift, you used only spacers and retained the original springs? I'll go re-read, and I do admit to missing stuff sometimes, so sorry if that was stated (or implied) above. Keep up the good work.

 

[J4roe]

Thanks for posting all this up! I just picked up an '03 in the plata color as well--my favorite. Just a quick question on the suspension--do I understand correctly that in order to achieve the lift, you used only spacers and retained the original springs? I'll go re-read, and I do admit to missing stuff sometimes, so sorry if that was stated (or implied) above. Keep up the good work.

Yep! 2" spacers only. We're not going to waste money on stupid s*** like Krautstein 5100's which essentially do the same thing. Personally, I like the spacer more because it did two things. Lifted the front end to fit the 33's and because you're compressing the spring with the spacer it has changed the spring rate and now when you go over a speed bump or something similar the front end does NOT dive now. The stock springs are super soft. Either way, the Krautsteins also compress the spring by increasing the preload when you go up in the lift notches. There's just not a lot of suspension educated people in overlanding so if you do a search you're going to find that everyone does the KRAUTSTEINS for lift and thinks they're also getting a PERFORMANCE advantage. Over the stock coilover???? It's negligible. Why waste money??? The ultimate goal is race series or performance King coilovers and upper and lower control arms. Not wasting money on stupid middle steps. I also have a 1" spacer for the rear because it sits just a tad bit lower... Eventually, same will be applied for the rear. King bypass or smooth body shocks with reservoir, the Land Cruiser 80 springs that everyone uses for lift and fabricated lower, upper links and panhard bar. Just keep remembering the golden rule: DONT WASTE MONEY ON MIDDLE STEPS!!!!

I'm not saying I know anything about suspension but....

 

[muttsinapig]

Thank you, sir--I'm definitely not into spending money for no gain beyond saying I have XX brand (KRAUTstein, e.g...) stuff on my truck. I take it that for spacers, any vendor's aluminum hockey puck is the same as anyone else's?

Further question: do you take any spares to Mexico beyond the normal? This is my first modern vehicle (like with an ECM, etc.). So, do folks traveling to Mexico and beyond carry a throttle position sensor, MAF sensor, that sort of thing? Just thinking there are a few small things like that where if they take a dump, you're dead in the water, but otherwise easy to carry along.

 

[J4roe]

Thank you, sir--I'm definitely not into spending money for no gain beyond saying I have XX brand (KRAUTstein, e.g...) stuff on my truck. I take it that for spacers, any vendor's aluminum hockey puck is the same as anyone else's?

Further question: do you take any spares to Mexico beyond the normal? This is my first modern vehicle (like with an ECM, etc.). So, do folks traveling to Mexico and beyond carry a throttle position sensor, MAF sensor, that sort of thing? Just thinking there are a few small things like that where if they take a dump, you're dead in the water, but otherwise easy to carry along.

I think they're all made in China at one of many factories that produce the same product and slap a different label on it. I bought the cheapest garbage I could find. The rear spacer I think you may be able to find in a pollyurethane but from what I saw on Ebay they were mostly steel vs the front were all aluminum. I opted for 2" instead of 3" because the higher you go with stock width arms, the more angle you're putting on the cv, tierod, upper/lower ball joint. My decisions are based on necessity. Our use is light overlanding/towing/Mexico/camping. Never doing anything remotely resembling rock crawling or anything dead serious. I'm really trying to stay away from doing bumpers or anything other than suspension. Definitely plan on doing some sliders and roof rack at some point but I'm neck deep into a roll cage for my truck... Too much going on right now lol. We'll get there soon though.

I need to jack this thing up again and look into what it's going to take to make some sway bar quick disconnects/extended sway bar arm when I make upper control arm and we buy a coilover... The stock suspension on the front of the truck is only getting like 5" of total travel with the sway bar hooked up. I couldn't believe it. It blew my mind. That is atrocious! LOL Sway bar disconnected I saw MAYBE 7" total travel. True mid travel with upper control arm and coilover will get you 8" and will be much beefier. Still have to worry about the lower ball joint unless you nut up and go with a LT kit that has the lower control arm with 1" uniball. I still haven't looked at the back yet. I need to though because I need to take some measurements and look at some things to see how I can get the most travel out of the stock geometry in the rear.

The only other thing that I've bought but haven't had the motivation to put on yet is the diff drop spacer. This also played a role in my 2" lift decision vs 3". Lift is 2", diff drop is 1" so the net difference is only 1" on the angled components I mentioned earlier. I have no idea what the angle difference is with one inch but I guarantee it's a better angle than 2" and so on.

Mexico? Well it depends on where in Mexico you're going. It's Mexico not Iraq so let's call it second world. I see you're located in Tucson? The Old Pueblo... I would assume you're asking about Rocky Point then. That's where those pics are taken. For going to Rocky Point you really just need the basics for any other vacation. There's an Autozone for emergencies and Mexicans are resourceful. You'll never be stranded.... Now, if you're going further south where I've been a few times fishing, 100 miles from Rocky Point then yes it's better to have tools and anything else that you might feel pertinent. I wouldn't worry about the fuel injection stuff. I've owned my 99 Taco 12 years and never had a MAF failure. I have had one TPS failure but I was lucky and in Phoenix. U joints are a good one to carry. We've broken u joints on the Taco in Mexico but again, Autozone saved the day. Radiator went out in the Taco beating the piss out of it racing it through the whoops up the sand hill in the pictures in Rocky Point. Autozone. That one wasn't perfect though. They didn't have a V6 Taco radiator so I made the 4 banger Taco radiator work. I was lazy and ran it like that for 2 more years until that one blew... We plan on taking this Sequoia, down to Baja and it's going to be epic! For things like that yea, you need to plan ahead and have a few things for emergencies.

Anyways, I could talk for days about trucks and Mexico LOL...

 

[muttsinapig]

Awesome, thanks again. Been to Rocky Point a few times, but dream about hitting Baja or driving from RP up to San Luis Rio Colorado up the coast, etc. Cheers, man...