Sequoia Family Crawler

[rockota]

I have not, that is based on assumptions made from the LS400 trans and pickup I converted already. This may get awkward...

NP231 mainly cause I'm cheap. A $55 dollar shaft, free housing from a friend, and a $270 tcase converts the trans I have versus the local dismantler quote of $650 for trans and $350 for J-case. It also opens the door for stronger cases without expensive adapters from the Northwest.

Sequoia is currently 2wd?

 

[Penetrode Offroad]

Sequoia is currently 2wd?

Currently it is.

 

[Blase]

I'm in to watch this one.

 

[Pitbullcruiser]

I know a guy that has a solid axle Sequoia. Great platform.

TOYOTA SEQUOIA MAKES NOTABLE FIRST AT KOH

Being the first Toyota Sequoia to compete in King of the Hammers comes with its own emotional ride of excitement and challenge. This one tests the limits.

www.treadmagazine.com

 

[ridered3]

I know a guy that has a solid axle Sequoia. Great platform.

TOYOTA SEQUOIA MAKES NOTABLE FIRST AT KOH

Being the first Toyota Sequoia to compete in King of the Hammers comes with its own emotional ride of excitement and challenge. This one tests the limits.

www.treadmagazine.com

Always liked that truck. Was thinking he parted it out after bending the frame pretty badly.

 

[smracing]

FYI. The AW4 output shaft will have to be modified to work in a Sequoia A340. That trans has a 5 pinion planetary unlike other A340s that have 4. This requires a new snap ring groove and oil passage hole in the AW4 shaft.

 

[Motiracer38]

I have seen that Sequoia, one of the few SAS and definitely the most built.

Thanks for the info on the trans, I'll likely pull it apart tomorrow so I'll keep a lookout for that. I have a few cores sitting around so could swap in a 4 gear if it is too much of an issue.

I did take a look a the sensors last night and they are the two separate VSS sensors, one two wire for the trans speed and one 3 wire for the shaft speed same as the pickup. Didn't pull the tail shaft housing yet but it felt like the same 4 prong steel target as pickups.

Turns out the two tcase extension housings I have are different. Same length and bolt patterns but the left has a single long reach VSS port where the right has a short reach as well as the long reach boss. Sequoia and Tundra use long reach, LS400 use short reach.

 

[Motiracer38]

I gave in to peer pressure and trimmed 2in off the driver side casting which allows for 3-1/8in clean tube between the outer C- weld and the forthcoming tube to housing weld. Not quite enough for two tabs but an improvement nonetheless. I trimmed the steering stops to get 40deg of steering and measured 36-1/2 of width between both tires when fully steered out meaning they would rub the stock frame. New frame rails from the firewall forward will be somewhere around 32-34 outside width. Going to be working towards lower link mockup next to clear the front driveshaft and tires and attempt to not have bent links.

 

[chaplinfj60]

I gave in to peer pressure and trimmed 2in off the driver side casting which allows for 3-1/8in clean tube between the outer C- weld and the forthcoming tube to housing weld. Not quite enough for two tabs but an improvement nonetheless. I trimmed the steering stops to get 40deg of steering and measured 36-1/2 of width between both tires when fully steered out meaning they would rub the stock frame. New frame rails from the firewall forward will be somewhere around 32-34 outside width. Going to be working towards lower link mockup next to clear the front driveshaft and tires and attempt to not have bent links.

wow no looking back

 

[ridered3]

I gave in to peer pressure and trimmed 2in off the driver side casting which allows for 3-1/8in clean tube between the outer C- weld and the forthcoming tube to housing weld. Not quite enough for two tabs but an improvement nonetheless. I trimmed the steering stops to get 40deg of steering and measured 36-1/2 of width between both tires when fully steered out meaning they would rub the stock frame. New frame rails from the firewall forward will be somewhere around 32-34 outside width. Going to be working towards lower link mockup next to clear the front driveshaft and tires and attempt to not have bent links.

 

[Motiracer38]

The oil pan was in the way of up travel so had to go. Sc400 is the best factory option but would have hit the pumpkin pretty quick, premade rear sump pans are real expensive so I took 4 days to make my own. Ordered the ring on eBay, designed and hand cut the sheet metal, tig welded it all together to prevent leaks, modified the stock pickup and ended up with a whole bunch of added clearance.
The dipstick was replaced by an inspection hole, and I need to make a new trans closeout sheet but the flex plate screws are still accessible. It was handy having an extra motor laying around to build off of.

 

[ridered3]

Well that's pretty dang cool!

 

[Motiracer38]

I also got the axle truss complete a bit ago. Couldn't find a low profile truss that was sealed up from dirt and mud yet had enough clearance to the motor. 1/4 cold rolled plate above the pumpkin MIG welded with Ni55 pre-heated to 350 and wrapped up overnight to cool down. Tube ends welded at the same time. The Ni55 did not weld clean but it it's passable. The rest is 1/4 cold rolled 3in wide with internal ribs including the last 4in on each end for use as bump pads. The axle bent up about .200 total but I'll just call it added caster.

 

[Motiracer38]

I built a front frame section using 2x4 .120 wall and 2x3 .188 wall to the internal 32in width of the stock frame and a 6in or so kick up.

Once dry fit I found interference with AC and power steering pump lines so ended up reworking down to about 4in. Added some fish plates on the inside and started welding it into place.

Holding off finishing the tie in till after lower link and coilover clearances are determined.

 

[7.3_6speed]

Looking sick. Keep it coming

 

[bdkw1]

You going to run the same glass as the T100?

 

[Motiracer38]

You going to run the same glass as the T100?

I'm on the fence about running fiberglass fenders, for the short term the stock fenders will get cut to clear and see how much of them are left. Roadrunner seems to make the highest clearance without going one piece but even they will have to be reworked quite a bit to work with 40s pushed 4-6in forwards.

The rear will likely get rub rails to help keep the windows intact and I'm leaning towards making fiberglass flares from scratch to mimic the stock profile but with ample tire clearance. This whole build started with a powerpoint mockup and I've been massaging it as I go.

 

[bdkw1]

Ha, remember the kid on DR that made his own fiberglass? That shit looked good. Just making flares should be way easier than that.

 

[rockota]

I'm on the fence about running fiberglass fenders, for the short term the stock fenders will get cut to clear and see how much of them are left. Roadrunner seems to make the highest clearance without going one piece but even they will have to be reworked quite a bit to work with 40s pushed 4-6in forwards.

The rear will likely get rub rails to help keep the windows intact and I'm leaning towards making fiberglass flares from scratch to mimic the stock profile but with ample tire clearance. This whole build started with a powerpoint mockup and I've been massaging it as I go.

That looks awesome

 

[Motiracer38]

Progress continues with motor mounts. Built up on a spare motor using a polyurethane bushing and the Toyota style bolted plate to be able to slide the motor forward and out. Designed in CAD to hug the stock manifolds and keep ample room underneath for the upper link. All cut by hand on a bandsaw, coated with Seymour SS paint, and got the motor mounted solid.

 

[Motiracer38]

Rear axle is a sterling from an 03 ish Excursion. First step was chain it to the work bench and preload with a jack. I got nervous at .060 and figured it was good.

Preheating didn't go well, set off the fire sprinkler in the garage with a weed burner torch and had a ton of cleanup. Second try got to 300 before burning the tubes and housing in with Ni-55 wire. The Barnes truss took a bit of cleanup in the bends and trimming to set at 9deg from flat. 4 link tabs welded in place for dual triangulated with the uppers spread to make room from a 5th seat. Once cool the jack was removed at it sprung back to .015 of nominal.

 

[Motiracer38]

With the frame being so wide, it added some challenges when it came to mounting the lower links. The fronts are angled in quite a bit to get 40deg steering and the rear match to dual triangulated. I figured a subframe was the best way to accomplish this. The front and rear were built separate and tied together all square on the bench. Notice the front upper link is also incorporated and I hope proves strong enough.

Slid it all in to place and welded up. This will allow the links to stay in place while the transfer cas is removed. Slid plate, trans mount, and triangulation to come.

 

[Blase]

man that subframe is tits!! Love this build. Keep the updates coming.

 

[chaplinfj60]

yes tits for sure....

 

[the_white_shadow]

Yep. That subframe was definitely the way to go. Nice job.

 

[ridered3]

Looking great!!

 

[Toy4rnr]

This is awesome, keep up the good work!

 

[buc4x]

Keep up the great work! this thing is gonna be killer.

 

[TTMotorsports]

Looks awesome. I also agree the sequoia frame's are un-necessarily wide. So much that going to 285/70R17 tires on my 04 stock height the tires would rub the frame behind front axle when at full lock.