2006 Sequoia Limited 4WD

[Wisconsinite762]

I will be using this thread to document the "build" of my 2006 Sequoia Limited 4WD. It will be slow in the beginning as most of the work will be maintenance type things, which I will document, but won't go into too much detail because it's pretty basic and boring stuff.

My goal is to slowly build this into a daily-able camping/light overland vehicle. I've gotten a lot of inspiration from Sal R.'s build of his 2002 both in the Sequoia itself and in the way he formats his posts.

This will be done in stages, but I won't strictly follow the plan I lay out below. i.e. I might do something in stage 2 before stage 1 is complete.

Vehicle:
2006 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4WD
193,XXX Miles
Originally from NJ, then Michigan, now with me in Wisconsin.
Surprisingly little rust for where it has been driven. Mostly surface rust on the frame and it still has lots of the original coating on it. I don't believe it has been replaced under recall, and it does not have that weird undercoating that Toyota put on some frames.
Lots of maintenance records.
Completely stock, except for 265/70/R17 Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S (~80% life)

Stage 0: Maintenance
Air Filter ✅
Oil Change ✅
Transmission Fluid ✅
Front and Rear Diff Fluid ✅
Transfer Case Fluid ✅
Timing Belt/Water Pump ✅ (Link to post)
Radiator and Hoses ✅
Heater T's
Heater Valve
Rear Latch ✅

Stage 1: Daily Driver
Interior

Scan Gauge II ✅​

Android Auto Head Unit ✅​

Rear View Camera​

Dash Cam​

​

Exterior

Catalytic Converter Protection ✅ (Link to Post)​

4020 Aluminum Extrusion on OEM Roof Rails​

Bi-LED Headlight Retrofit ❌​

Upgraded Halogen Headlight ✅ (Link to Post)​

Fog Light Retrofit​

Hidden Winch Mount w/ Winch​

Frame Recondition and Oil Coating​

​

Suspension

Front​

Quick Struts (Current struts are bad)​

Small Spacer Lift​

Lower Ball Joints ✅​

Rear​

Shocks​

​

Steering

Steering Rack Bushings ✅​

​

Brakes

GX Big Brake Upgrade​

Crown Performance Stainless Brake Lines - Extended​

Brake Fluid​

Stage 2: Camping/Lite Overlanding
Interior

Roof Cargo Net​

Tailgate MOLLE Panel​

Rear Window MOLLE Panel​

Drawers/Sleeping Platform​

Accessory Electrical System (Dual Battery? Single Battery? Inverter?)​

​

Exterior

Full Length Roof Rack​

Solar Panel​

Diesel Heater​

Front High Clearance Bumper w/ Winch​

Rear High Clearance Bumper w/ Tire Carrier​

Water Storage​

​

Suspension

2in Front / 1in Rear Lift (Brand undecided)​

Moog Upper Control Arms (SPC Rebrand, and cheaper!)​

Double Shear Upper Control Arm Mounts​

Refresh Lower Control Arm Bushings​

Cam Bolt Tab Reinforcement​

Spindle Gusset​

Custom Rear Control Arms​

Wheels and Tires

17" Wheels (prefer something with some bead retention)​

33"-34" Tires​

​

Drivetrain

High Angle Boots​

Re-Gear for Taller Tires​

Front/Rear Eaton E-Lockers​

 

[Lost_Soul_Ryan]

definitely following, ill hopefully be starting mine next year.... I thought the GX brakes are the same as the 05+ so now i need to look into that.. glad i saw that.

 

[WASURF63]

Good platform to build out.
I'm sure you're getting around to it, but no pictures, no proof it exists...

 

[Wisconsinite762]

definitely following, ill hopefully be starting mine next year.... I thought the GX brakes are the same as the 05+ so now i need to look into that.. glad i saw that.

Yeah, so the early Sequoia's have the 13WE calipers with 199mm long pads, the later Sequoia's have the 13WL calipers with 231mm long pads. The larger brake pads is what gives these calipers better braking performance. They use the same rotor, 319mm diameter and 28mm thick.
The GX and 4runners use the 14WA caliper which has the same length pad as the better 13WL calipers, 231mm. But the rotor is larger, 338mm diameter and 32mm thick. Also I am fairly certain the caliper piston diameter is larger on the 14WA calipers, which gives better braking performance as well.

Good platform to build out.
I'm sure you're getting around to it, but no pictures, no proof it exists...

Ahh yes, I forgot that nothing exists without pictures! I'll have to grab some this weekend.

 

[Wisconsinite762]

MODIFICATION: Catalytic Converter Protection

GOAL:
Provide some theft protection for the catalytic converters

PURPOSE:
The catalytic converters on the Sequoia are really easy to access, replacements are super expensive, and I live in a city that requires emissions compliance. For those reasons I'm willing to spend a few hundred bucks to prevent spending a few thousand on replacements. There are a couple companies that make catalytic converter guards (CFM Industries and Skid Row Offroad come to mind), typically as part of a skid plate. But I had a trip that was taking me to a city with high property theft, and their lead times were too long/I had procrastinated too long. Also, while I do plan on eventually doing full skid plates, I wanted to do the catalytic converter protector for cheaper than buying the skid plate from these companies.

DURATION:
4-6 hours broken up between designing, prototyping, and actually installing the finished guards.

MATERIALS:
3/16" thick steel

COST:
$200

INFO:
Lucky for me, I have an 05+ Sequoia, which means that it has those braces that go from the frame to the transmission crossmember. Removing these provides the perfect spot to mount the catalytic converter guards with bolt holes already drilled and tapped. I lifted the Sequoia up on ramps to provide a little extra room while crawling underneath and used CAD (Cardboard Aided Design) to get a rough shape for the guards. From there I used an actual CAD program to design the guards based off the carboard templates I had made. Then I made a prototype out of 22 gauge steel sheet, and test fit them on the Sequoia. I'm glad I did this step because they required some trimming to clear everything. Which is much easier to do on the thin sheet steel with some tin snips than it would have been on the actual 3/16" steel plate. After I was comfortable with trimmed up prototypes, I made the required changes in CAD and then ordered them from an online vendor, laser cut and bent to the correct shape.

They fit great! Other than me accidentally making the bolt holes for 6mm bolts instead of 8mm, which is what it needed....nothing a drill couldn't handle though.
I could definitely tweak the design to fit a little closer in some areas, like around the drive shaft and sway bar mounts.


Another place for improvement is here at this small flange, getting closer the frame would make it more difficult to get a saw blade into the gaps and potentially trying to saw the plate off to get to the cats.


I feel like I could have added a bent flange here as well to add a little more protection. It's not possible to get a saw blade or grinder up in there with this gap. But it does provide an easy edge to try and cut the plate apart.


All in all, I am happy with the protection, especially for the price. I will eventually go to full skid plates with integrated catalytic converter protection. But for now the cats are safer than they would be hanging out in the open.

 

[Lost_Soul_Ryan]

ya i ended up lokking up the brake upgrade, originally when i looked all i was seeing was people just upgrading to late model setups... will definitely be doing it.

 

[Effin_New_Guy]

Looks like a good start. I’m interested in more details on those skid plates.

 

[Wisconsinite762]

Looks like a good start. I’m interested in more details on those skid plates.

Designed it myself and had a laser cutting service cut and bend them for me. There are a few refinements I want to make first, but I will likely release the DXF file once I update the design.

 

[Wisconsinite762]

Finally, the maintenance I have been dreading is done! I replaced the timing belt and water pump, along with a bunch of other "while you're in there" type of stuff. It was 10k miles away from needing it but the pump was leaking. Turns out the previous person that did the WP pinched the o-ring for the coolant crossover tube. Also one of the WP bolts was only finger tight...yikes. Only a few wrinkles to iron out in the process, but all in all it was a fairly straightforward experience.

My camshaft sensor wiring (the short section from the sensor to the main harness) was a chewed up and had some bare wire exposed. The connector was easy to de-pin though, so I just threw some heat shrink over the wires to seal them up and some more abrasion resistance.
The crankshaft seal was a little tricky to install, seemed like the ID was a hair too small. I would recommend going OEM. Hoping the Timken one holds ok.

Parts list:
Aisin TKT-021 TB/WP Kit, including idler and hydraulic tensioner
Aisin Fan Bracket and Fan Clutch
Aisin Thermostat and Seal
Denso Radiator
Denso Alternator (old one had low voltage at idle)
Gates Serpentine Belt, Tensioner, and Idler Pulley
Gates Radiator Hoses
Timken Crankshaft Seal
OEM Crank Pulley/Harmonic Balancer (Don't ask)

Action shot, this is right after installing the TB/WP and pulling the pin.

 

[whododat]

And not 1 pic of the actual truck!! I love Sequoias.

 

[AggieOE]

And not 1 pic of the actual truck!! I love Sequoias.

Rumor is that it isn't even a Sequoia. Could be a V8-swapped Miata.
Pics!

 

[CandyGram4Mongo]

My camshaft sensor wiring (the short section from the sensor to the main harness) was a chewed up and had some bare wire exposed. The connector was easy to de-pin though, so I just threw some heat shrink over the wires to seal them up and some more abrasion resistance.

Hey is this the wire that passes dangerously close to the serpentine belt and can fray?

if so i was on a trip to the mountains and threw a code because of this (pre-code reader) had a shop diag it for me, and then was able to replicate it by pulling the connector and getting the CEL, then connecting it again.

It was due to the previous shop running it on the wrong side of the serpentine belt, but you gave me a reason to go back and check it again.

 

[Wisconsinite762]

Hey is this the wire that passes dangerously close to the serpentine belt and can fray?

if so i was on a trip to the mountains and threw a code because of this (pre-code reader) had a shop diag it for me, and then was able to replicate it by pulling the connector and getting the CEL, then connecting it again.

It was due to the previous shop running it on the wrong side of the serpentine belt, but you gave me a reason to go back and check it again.

Yes, that is the wire. When de-pinning the connector I broke the white locking tab that keeps everything in place. So I ended up super glueing what was left of it in place. Been holding up just fine since. But I am now down due to the dreaded secondary air system...

 

[Wisconsinite762]

Finally got rid of my foggy headlights. The mounting tabs were broken and cracked as well so I opted for TYC branded replacements. That coupled with an upgraded halogen bulb really helped the poor light output of these aging headlights.



The upgraded lights are Philips RacingVision GT200+ H4 bulbs. Which are the current top contender for stock wattage halogen bulbs according to crashburn over on TacomaWorld. I'm not a fan of dropping LED bulbs into halogen reflectors which is why I went this route. If I need or want more light output the next step is high wattage h4 bulbs with a relay/wiring harness, and ultimately an HID or LED projector retrofit. But at the moment, that money is best spent elsewhere.

Also working on a fun little foglight project. Here are some teaser pics.

 

[LRNAD90]

Wonder if those Cat Guards might reflect/contain too much heat?