Tow and adventure build

Hello and welcome to my build thread. It's going to be garbage, rambling, and scattered at times. Between buying my rig in August and now, I have spent more money than my wife would approve of, and dedicated more hours building it than she is happy with. Luckily, there will be more posts to come!

Rig: 2013 Sequoia Platinum. Black with red rock interior.

I do not have pictures of the day I picked her up. I got a great deal on a VERY used, but well-maintained truck. The previous owner added a cheap, small roof top basket; 20" bronze, fuel wheels and KO2s; and LED low beams. He/she also removed the rear center console.

The dealer added bushwhacker fender flairs so that the truck would pass inspection, and (I suspect it was the dealer) paid someone to touch up the driver door panel. Which led said upholstery expert to paint the front seats and front center console lid. It looks like crap, but I have not gotten around to fixing it.

The first thing I did was the 120,000 mile service. ALL fluids and filters replaced--except transmission fluid... Long and uninteresting story. I will do drain and fills sometime in the next month or so. I also had them replace the spark plugs.

Current list of upgrades:
Exterior front to rear:
- rough country tow hook, shackle mounts
- Baja designs squadron sae, amber dogs
- Baja designs S2 wide, spot lights as ditch lights (repurposed from my power wagon)
- SDHQ ditch light brackets
- Midland ditch light NMO bracket with Midland ghost antenna
- black door handles and mirror caps (Amazon)
- morimoto puddle lights
- 50x84 roof basket (Amazon)
- Midland mag mount CB antenna and 6db gmrs antenna
- bushwhacker fender flares
- rear bumper reflectors replaced with KC cyclone, white lights--hardwired as backup lights
- full LED upgrade for rear lights (lasfit turn signal bulbs, auxito for backup, side marker, and stop lights; precision LED license plate lights )
- agency 6 hitch shackle mount

Suspension:
-JBA upper control arms
- freedom off-road coil-overs
- jomax customs sway bar end links
- wheelers super bumps with 3/8 spacer
- tandem off-road airbag spacers
- Bilstein 5100s in rear
- timbren SES with 1" spacer
- Dobinsons front diff drop

Interior:
- precision LED interior bulb kit
- ICS center speaker mount with four bullet point mounts
- hard wired phone charger
- amazon TPMS
- victory 4x4 center console molle panels
- Midland MXT575 radio
- Midland CB radio
- GMRS switch for ghost and 6db antenna
- Redarc trailer brake controller
- S&W equalizer holster
- Sig P365 xmacro holster
- desert does it seat jacker (will add passenger side later)
- replaced the missing, second row center console
- oem trunk area, all-weather mat and dog retention stuff

I'm sure there is more that I am forgetting. But, you all get the idea.

Future adds (in no particular order):
- power stop brakes all around with stainless steel brake lines
- transmission cooler
- talons garage skids
- SDHQ hidden winch mount
- tandem offroad maner mount
- form 18-20 head lights
- TRD pro grill
- steering rack bushings
- solid off road motor mounts
- mud flaps
- battery (I have an upgraded bracket built by a member here; and the SDHQ battery terminal kit already)

Ok, now some pictures:

 

Looks like fun. Nice job.

 

Here are some interior pictures. You can see the various mounts, radios, and the 2nd row center console that I sourced to replace the missing one.


You can also see in this last picture what looks like a wrinkley finger. That is the seat and how the dealer-painted seats look.

Again, I need to get around to fixing them.

Instead, my daughter and I installed coastal off-road bump stop spacers on the front bump stops--to complement the wheelers super bumps--and reinstalled the bushwhacker flares.

These flares were installed by someone that cannot follow directions. Our first indicator was the front driver-side flare coming off on the highway and beating up my driver door before we could pull over. I reinstalled it, but the rear door caps also kept falling out.

After a bunch of research, I ordered the bushwhacker parts kit from Jegs--it took about 1.5 months to get.

So, my daught and I (using the bushwhacker parts and not self tapping screws) fixed the rusty holes on the rear fenders and reinstalled the flares with the proper hardware.

This weekend (depending if my recently thrown out back cooperates), we will install the tandem off-road mare mount and some of the tacky third row window decals.

The mare mount will double as a mount for the winch control box (when I finally order the winch and winch mount) and a mount for the transmission cooler.

The decals are tacky, but my daughter is 5. She will enjoy the install lol.

Some of the oem transmission cooler parts should be in this weekend as well.

Fun times!

I will try to make time for more photos. I am sure if you made it this far in this post that you're tired of reading my memoir

 

Looks like a lot of family fun for sure! Nice setup!

 

Thank you! It's slowly coming together.

 

It's another busy weekend. Received the parts to install a transmission cooler (with fan) and towing specific brake kit from power stop. Will also install stop tech brake lines and flush with Motul 5.1

We pick up our travel trailer next weekend. So, I have to finish everything this weekend. Fun times!


More pics coming during install.

On a side note, I am also debating on lowering the front coil overs slightly; and removing the diff drop. We'll see..

 

Knocks out the brakes and installed the transmission cooler (did not plumb it though)

Power stop rotors and extreme pads went on easily. The only surprise for me was the front calipers. I wasn't expecting a hard line to run from the caliper to where it mounts to the flex line. I took my time moving the caliper, without disconnecting, to remove and replace the rotor.

I also briefing starts playing with the rear flex line to replace with the stop tech lines. Once I couldn't get a nut off due to bracket flex, i moved on. I did swap out the front flex lines to the stop tech lines.

I'm owned a motiv pressure bleeder for years. It's always worked great-- except today. I had to use the universal cap and, once I had it pressurized to 15 psi, brake fluid steadily flowed all over.

Once I figured it out, by shear luck, I was able to flush the fluid and bleed the front calipers.

Here are pictures of my transmission cooler. The tandem off-road mount worked perfectly and there is still room to mount the winch controller.



I will put the oem parts on the transmission, drain and refill the fluid, and plumb the cooler another day.

 

How much are you in on the transmission cooler set up? Tandem sells a bracket now?

 

About $380 in OEM parts
$100 for cooler, hose, and the fan.
$65 for the maner mount from tandem

Total about $545 before fluid.

I also will add a diverter valve so that I can drain old fluid from the outlet line coming out of the thermostat.

With the diverter valve, cooler parts, and 14 quarts of OEM fluid; all in I am at $776.00

 

considerably cheaper than the kit!

 

Long story, but we didn't get the travel trailer this last weekend.

I did, however, enlist my daughter to install rokblokz mud flaps and the decal that she picked out.

The mud flaps are for a tundra. So, the front fit perfectly, but the rear has some mounting points that are unused. I'm not sure if I like the look of them, but they will protect the trailer (and other motorists) from anything that I kick up:



The decal is subtle. I like it and my daughter is happy. I let her do one side by herself and it has some issues. But she's happy and that is what matters as I get her interested in wrenching:

 

Did a little work today.

Installed the transmission cooler hard-line and plumbed the cooler to it. I added some grommets into the plastic air director (or whatever it is called) to protect the line. I didn't not install the thermostat and plumb it to the hard line yet. I also installed a diverter valve to drain transmission fluid from the output line.





I also installed the new form lights. I "recycled" the original headlight filler panels until I can get the new ones painted. I found that there is not a provision on the bottom of the new lights for the headlight washers. So, I removed the washer assemblies and clamped the lines.


I did find that there is a small gap at the grille / hood intersection. I hope that the new TRD grille and hood bulge will cover it.

 

Finished wiring the daytime running lights on the headlights. I wired the transmission cooler fan into my aux beam panel.

On the inside, I installed the passenger side seat jackers and added a tablet mount for the RV backup camera monitor.

 

Been splitting time between upgrading our new RV and the Sequoia.

Added the TRD replica grille and Talon's garage skid plate.

It was interesting getting the skid plate lined up with the dobinsons diff drop. Talons garage does send spacers if you tell them that you have a diff drop.



Next up (maybe) will be the SDHQ hidden winch mount and a winch.

 

Nice build!

 

Thank you!

 

Once you get the trans cooler finished and operational would love to see a parts list if possible. Your cost basis is so much lower compared to the kit I would definitely DIY it. Build is looking awesome!

 

Thank you so much! My build has slowed with funds going to upgrading the travel trailer, but things should pick up soon. I did an oil change and installed the metal oil filter cap and fumoto valve.

Here is the transmission cooler list:
32970-34030: transmission thermostat
32907-0C020: hard lines

See picture for additional oem parts.
-You do not need the 90119 bolt. I needed it to mount the tandem off-road maner mount.


I used this cooler:
Hayden Automotive 678 Universal Rapid-Cool 9.5” x 11” Add-On Transmission Cooler – Not for Direct Replacement of the OE Cooler

$52 Hayden Automotive 678 Universal Rapid-Cool 9.5” x 11” Add-On Transmission Cooler – Not for Direct Replacement of the OE Cooler

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C3DDKO

And this fan:
7" inch Universal Slim Fan Push Pull Electric Radiator Cooling 12V Mount Kit Black

$23 7" inch Universal Slim Fan Push Pull Electric Radiator Cooling 12V Mount Kit Black

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014KK7M06

For the drain, I used these:
Anderson Metals - 57002-0608 Brass Hose Fitting, Connector, 3/8" Barb x 1/2" Female Pipe

$9 Anderson Metals - 57002-0608 Brass Hose Fitting, Connector, 3/8" Barb x 1/2" Female Pipe

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045LKB4A

JR Products 62255 3-Way Brass Diverter Valve - 1/2" MPT x 1/2" MPT x 1/2" MPT https://a.c
o/d/gN0wiuZ

 

Nothing crazy. Finished up the thermostat install for the cooler and did two drain and fills: one draining and refilling the pan. The other by opening the bypass valve I installed on the outlet hose to the cooler, and starting the truck. Final refill and fluid check, and she is good.

Here is the pan fluid;


And here is the hose attached to the bypass valve.



The fluid was just as dirty coming out of the bypass hose.

The transmission is noticably smoother and quieter.

As I type this, I just realized I forgot to remove the thermostat pin... I'll pull it out before work in the morning.

 

Sweet. You have a scan gauge setup to monitor trans fluid temps? Would be nice to see the difference the cooler makes and have that data to compare against the other kit out there.

 

I do! The next time I take the camper out, I'll try to get some meaningful measurements

 

Sorry if it’s been answered before as I didn’t read through all the other posts but are these the regular Rokblokz or the xl? They look like xl to me which is what I’m looking to get.

 

They are the XL.

You didn't miss the info. I forgot to post it. Thank you for the reminder!

 

Hey man nice work on the 2nd gen. Did you do anything to the rear suspension?

 

Thank you so much!

I did the tandem off-road rear suspension spacers
https://shop.tandemoffroad.com/products/2008-sequoia-platinum-rear-lift-system

Bilstein 5100's (still looking for longer travel rear shocks)

And timbren SES bumpstops with a 1" spacer.

 

The platinum trim has OEM airbags, correct? I'm assuming they're good for your towing needs?

 

Yes, it has airbags. I think they make hook-up, towing, and un-hooking much easier, as they self adjust to the load to keep the vehicle level. Amplify that with a WDH and it's an enjoyable drive.

Once at the campsite, I disconnect everything, then select the low setting, and it drops about an inch or so to easily drop the ball out of the trailer tongue.

The timbren ses is more of a safety measure--if the bags were to fail, the weight will settle on the rear axle and be roughly level.

Our old LR4 was set up the same way with the lucky 8 SYA kit.

 

Lucky.

I have an SR5 so no airbags for me unless I go aftermarket.

 

I think that both setups have their merit. It just depends on your use case.

If I were to get back into overlanding, or did a lot of technical offroading, I would prefer the metal springs over the air springs--the added complexity can be catastrophic and annoying to service in the field. It's really hard to destroy a metal spring lol

 

It's the wife's daily driver (she primarily works from home) and kid hauler so air bags aren't needed 98% of the time. However, we will definitely be using it again for another TT trip so maybe I should go with something like this: