Here We Go!

GTV

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Dec 5, 2018
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Hello all, I write this from an Airbnb somewhere north of Chicago, about 9:30pm local time. I’ll go into more detail as this thread progresses, but the short story is that I bought a dead stock (for now) 2005 Sequoia SR5 4x4 with 256k on the clock sight unseen about three weeks ago. I’m picking it up tomorrow morning and I’ll be spending the next three days driving it solo 2,000 miles home to Seattle across the northern U.S. in the dead of winter because... well, because why not :) I’ll post here again tomorrow night from somewhere in middle America, if not sooner.

Wish me luck!
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GTV

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Dec 5, 2018
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Ok! So I have to admit, even though I’ve owned a lot of cars (I have always been a “car guy”), buying something site unseen with that many miles and that far from home had me a little apprehensive, even if it is a Toyota. But so far it feels really solid. It definitely could use new shocks and tires but that was of course on my adjenda anyway. It motored along at 80mph all day long, returning 15mpg which is exactly what I expected and only about 1mpg worse than my 2000 Tundra would have done. I’m staying the night in Sioux Falls, SD tonight, I’d like to make it to Butte, Montana tomorrow but there are some sights I’d like to see so I might push that back a day. We’ll see how tomorrow goes.
 
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GTV

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I am loving it!
This afternoon I was in the middle of nowhere on a tiny two lane highway in the southeastern corner of Montana, I missed my turn so I made a u-turn, totally mis-judged it, went a little wide and ended up sliding down the snowy embankment. Put it in 4 lo with the center diff lock on and crawled right out of there, even with the crummy tires that are on there. It totally saved my hide!

I slept for shit last night, so I didn’t get the early start I was hoping for. Drove straight through to Butte, nearly 900 miles. Just got in a few minutes ago. This rig is gaining my confidence with every mile I drive (now just over 1300). Still averaging around 15mpg, the 80mph speed limits up in this part of the country aren’t great for mileage!
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Gotta love parking right outside your hotel window.
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GTV

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I’m exhausted but I’m home. The truck did great, the tires were awful. Lookout Pass from Montana to Idaho was an adventure, to say the least.
 
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GTV

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Naturally, I’m thinking about what to do next. I’m thinking the smart thing to do before dumping money in it would be to have the frame inspected. Is there anything I should know before taking it in?
 

Whocares

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Mar 28, 2018
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Get as many different opinions as you can. Some will say no, find the dealerships that will.

How many frames have they replaced? How many Sequoias? Whats the time frame? ( at least a week, skip the places that rush the swap, it is a detailed procedure that requires time - longer time period does not necessarily correlate into a more complete and thorough job but I think you get the point.

You are only bound to that particular dealership once the frame has been ordered so if time is on your side, look around. Good luck.

And as Sal says, build your vehicle around the suspension you want first, then worry about tires. Youll save a lot of money.
 

GTV

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Not a whole lot to report today, I power washed 2,000 miles worth of road grime off the body and chassis, then took it down to the local dealer to make an appointment to get the frame checked out. I found some level ground and measured the difference in ride height between the front and rear to figure out where to set the 5100’s, 3rd notch, 1.7” should make it perfectly level. This will be a mild but very thorough build.
I also set the home link up to open my garage door. Sweet!
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GTV

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Today I installed the K&N filter that I had on my Tundra before I went to the aFe cold air intake (I knew I kept it for a reason!) and also transferred over all of the other random junk like the ice scraper, maps, center console crap, etc that was in my Tundra. I’ve had that truck for nearly 14 years, it feels really weird to start the process of selling it...

I also got some parts in :) A week before I picked the Sequoia up I found a good deal on long tube JBA headers, I had a few hundred bucks in my PayPal account so I went for it. I still have to gather the rest of the exhaust system parts so they went back in the box and squirreled away from the wife ;) They have the titanium ceramic coat if you were curious.
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GTV

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I took it in to the dealership today to have the frame inspected. They ran the VIN first and found that it had a side curtain airbag recall that needed to be addressed before anything else. Can't even throw it up on the lift, apparently. Ok, whatever. They'll need the truck for 6 hours to do that and then the frame can be looked at.

I upgraded the wipers today. It may not sound very exciting, but the difference is massive. Pictures tomorrow when the sunlight comes back.
 

GTV

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Dec 5, 2018
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As promised, wiper detail.
Tundra’s and Sequoia’s use little 19” blades. Years ago while shopping for new blades on my Tundra I noticed that there was a lot of real estate on the windshield for larger blades. And since blades are mostly the same cost regardless of size I figured, why not? Anyway, eventually I maxed out with a 21” blade on the drivers side and a 24” blade on the passenger. A substantial increase in coverage.
One of the first things I noticed when I used the wipers in the Sequoia was the weak coverage that they have. So I figured I would do the same as my Tundra. I tested my 21/24 blades out and realized that the Sequoia has even more room to go up. I maxed out at 24” on the drivers side for a upper sweep increase of 2.5” and 26” on the passenger for a sweep increase of 3.5”. It’s tight, really tight, but it all fits. All blades are Bosch Icon, I haven’t found anything that works better and lasts longer.
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19” vs 26”:
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19” vs 24”:
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The difference is pretty massive. I realized that previously I was leaning forward in my seat so I could see certain areas of the road, now I can sit back and see everything clearly. This is a modification that I do to every car we own, and since the price is the same, why the hell wouldn’t you? And why the hell did Toyota use such dinky little blades to begin with?
One thing I noticed right away when I picked the Sequoia up last week is that it has a Toyota windshield. Either the previous owners had EVERYTHING done at the dealer or this is the original glass (with 259k!?). Either way, little things like that make me happy.
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Meoshe

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Dec 1, 2018
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Nice, surprisingly a lot of manufacturers do this. I noticed in your first picture that the passengers' side touches the A pillar. Does the wiper rest all the way down or does it get bound up a bit.
 

GTV

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Dec 5, 2018
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Thanks for the response, I was beginning to think that I was talking to myself in here.

It doesn't touch, it's just very close. It barely tucks under that lip on the A pillar.
 
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GTV

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I’ve used Osram Night Breaker Laser headlights in my Tundra for a few years now. They’re bright as hell but they last two years like they’re on a fucking timer. The headlights in the Sequoia were shit on my long drive home, they seemed dim and the right side light was pointing all up at a wonky angle. I had to use the high beams or else I couldn’t see a damn thing. So anyway, I went a step down in Osram’s lineup and got the Osram blah blah Unlimited. But first, I wanted to do a simple headlight adjustment. Where the hell is the vertical adjustment screw?? I just about gave up trying to figure that one out when I noticed that my passenger side bulb was installed incorrectly, the flat side wasn’t facing down. So I fixed that and, voilà, headlights are pointing where they should be. And I saw that the last hands in there, even though unskilled, installed Osram bulbs. So I’ll at least keep those in there for a little while.
I’d still like to know where the adjustment screws are, I searched high and low (on the truck and the net) and couldn’t find a thing regarding 05+.

No pictures because it’s headlights. Use your imagination :)
 

Meoshe

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Dec 1, 2018
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The vertical adjuster needs a long #2 phillips, longer than conventional #2 sizes. It is just below where the corner light is held onto the headlight. You will see an almost random hole on that tab, you stick the screwdriver in there torwards the front of the vehicle.
 

GTV

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Dec 5, 2018
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Not seeing what you’re talking about on the h/l adjuster... it’s obvious on my 00 Tundra, not so much on the tree. It’s not a worry now anyway, lights are pretty damn straight.

The fog bulbs on my Tundra went out, so I decided to upgrade the tree and pass it’s old bulbs down (I’ll be selling the Tundra soon). Just as with the headlights in the Sequoia, one bulb was installed half way-ish. Weird. Anyway, I installed (correctly) a pair of Hella 80w bulbs. I had them in the Tundra and I really liked their performance. They lasted 2 1/2 years and I never shut the things off. The fogs in the Sequoia only come on with the low beams so theoretically this set should last me a lot longer. And for the price (less than $14 shipped), it’s one of the best cheap upgrades you can make.
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A couple days ago I was reading the owners manual and figured out the “engine maintenance” light just meant that an oil change was due How was I to know, this is the newest car I’ve owned! So I obliged. Mobil 1 5w30 and a larger capacity filter, in this case the M1-209.
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Yesterday after work my new Denso Iriduim Power spark plugs arrived so I got straight to it and put them in (I was getting a #2 misfire before). Did a OBD scan today and she came up clean, so it is good to get registered and “smogged” :) It’s running very nicely. I’m happy.

My next project has to be the steering rack. It’s been leaking a bit on me but today started pissing really good. I’m going to park it until I do that, and figure I might as well put shocks in while I’m there, and longer end links, and cam bolts, and freshen up the frame... anything else I should look at while I’m in there?
 
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