Newly Purchased 2006 Limited and Need Mod Advice

cjet427

New Member
Apr 12, 2018
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I just purchased a 2006 Sequoia Limited and am already thinking of what I want to do to it. My "wish list" includes:
  • Lift
  • Tires
  • Side exit exhaust
  • Auto down AND UP rear window from key fob
  • Hidden front hitch (like the Mobtown Offroad Recovery Bar for Tacomas) - I plan to purchase a hitch-mounted winch

LIFT: I have rear AHC, and I've read about people making brackets and/or adjusting the sensor to have the AHC system lift the rear, and then Bilstein 5100s in the front. Is there anything else I'd need besides that? Keeping the lift as relatively low-budget as possible is ideal, since I don't plan on doing any extreme rock crawling. I'd consider a body lift, but if all I need is two shocks, it seems like the obvious choice. Would purchasing the Bilstein B8 5100s from somewhere like firstgenoffroad.com be enough to lift the front on their own? As for the rear, is there any specific walkthrough of making the bracket or adjusting the setting and is there an advantage to either? What settings should the 5100s and AHC be set to to put the truck at level?

TIRES: KO2s are the front-runner currently. I need something snow-rated (I live in the midwest and don't know where I'll be living next year), and I also want something with good all-around performance for sand/trails, plus good durability. Tires are one thing I'm not afraid to spend a little extra on, if there's a true benefit. From all the forums I've been on, KO2s seem to have a great reputation and be the gold standard against which every other tire is compared. The other snow-worthy option would be Duratracs. I'm open to either, but I've heard references to KO2 sidewall strength, and if they're superior then I think they win out. As for size, if I was to run 285/70R17, my understanding is that I'll need a wheel spacer since I'll be keeping stock rims. Are these Spidertrax 1.25" spacers linked below appropriate to prevent UCA rubbing? Will my setup of 5100s up front + AHC lift back + 1.25" spacers all around + 285/70R17 KO2s work properly? Are there any serious risks in running these spacers?

EXHAUST: By now I have realized that there isn't a huge aftermarket segment dedicated to the Sequoia, and exhaust systems are no exception. Most big brands have at least one bolt-on system, but primarily rear-exit. My time on T4R.org and other Toyota websites has made me concerned that a rear exit exhaust can push fumes into the truck while the rear window is down. Is there a good side-exit exhaust that anyone can recommend? My biggest concern is drone, as I owned a G35 several years ago that was unbearable to sit in at highway speeds. Even if there is not a bolt-on kit, any suggestions on a muffler to bring to an exhaust shop for them to weld into a custom exhaust? Don't want anything obnoxious, but a little more aggressive sounding when I get on it would be nice. Also, I read on here that single exit is better for low end torque, any truth to this?

HIDDEN HITCH: A luxury at this point, seems like it'll have to be custom made, if at all. I want to keep the truck looking stock, and won't need a winch 99% of the time I need the truck, so a hitch mounted one is a reasonable middle ground. If you haven't looked up the Mobtown one I referenced above, check it out; it looks awesome and I wish they made one for this truck.

AUTO UP/DOWN WINDOW: The convenience of not having to open the tailgate all the time would be wonderful. I know people have figured this out on 4th gen 4runners, but I was wondering if anyone else had come up with some way of wiring this.

Otherwise, I'm open to suggestions on any other mods y'all think worthwhile. Specific LED interior lighting, phone mounting solutions, etc. Also, the rear center console is missing and I'm wondering where I can find a replacement, or if I should put something else there instead. A 12V refrigerator jumps to mind, but I'm open to suggestions. Any help ya'll can provide is really appreciated!!
 
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