5 reasons to avoid a 2nd gen Toyota Sequoia for overlanding
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- čas přidán 10. 07. 2024
- The #2ndgensequoia has become a very popular platform in the overland off road space. You can find them on the used market for a pretty good price, they have a high tow rating and they have a huge v8 with 4 wheel drive. So what’s there to complain about right? Well for starters they are basically a giant minivan on the trails and they really are not that capable if you compare them to other cars for the same amount of money. If you’re looking for a solid rig that can tackle hard terrain with ease the #toyotasequoia is not the right rig for you. I’d recommend gettting a Land Cruiser a GX470, or even 4Runner because all of those will give you better options for modding and perform better on the trails.
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90% of off-roading does not need a rear locker, had it on my Tacoma and never needed it. Have never missed it on the sequoia.
Your Tacoma had a solid axle. Your wheels were on the ground so you didn’t need it. The sequoia needs it.
@@CoolGuyClub once again, haven’t encountered anything that my sequoia couldn’t handle. Maybe you’re confusing overlanding with rock crawling 🤷♂️
Lol yea I’ve never needed a locker for my sequoia and never been stuck
@@CoolGuyClub they dont know what they’re missing out on 😂
I agree, the center diff lock is good enough. Plus you shouldn’t go alone anyway.
I have a 2013 limited 2nd gen sequoia and for light camping trips it’s a great vehicle. The guys at tandem are really making this thing do way more than it probably should. If I was going to do some rock crawling to get to my camping spot I would have to have a gladiator or wrangler to save my wife from a heart attack. For you average dirt trail to light rocky trail, this thing is just fantastic to have. 2 adults, 2 kids, 2 40-60 lb dogs, all camping gear and I don’t have to Tetris anything to get it in the rig. Also, if it wasn’t for Tandem, I would’ve just gone with a GX460. 168k miles and only minor issues so far experienced. Look forward to 250k!
Tandem is the reason why we got ours. The space is really nice, but people really need to see the limits of these rigs bc there are major drawbacks on the trail.
@@CoolGuyClub Every suv needs mods to get it trail ready. This rig is no different. Tandem was the main reason I felt this platform would be more than enough for the vast majority of trails myself and most people take family on. The LC 200 was my first choice but for the starting price point. I could deck out a Sequoia and use the 8 COMFORTABLE seats. Bigger dudes like me at 6'3 need the leg room to drive long distances comfortably. Also, there are front and rear lockers for this rig.
I love the @tandemoffroad channel.
2021 Platinum owner here.. Your points are spot on.. No arguing. BUT hardly disagree for not buying specifically "platinum" cause you get air suspension that comfort/normal/sport mode which really makes a ton of difference, when i'am cruising in city switching to N, when i'am in rush flipping to Sport, and when we are on roadtrip with family click Comfort, and the vehicle transforms into yacht, buttery smooth, kinda gives you 3 vehicles in one. Not to mention the fact no matter how much you load it, it will always stay flat, no overload swing to the back, even 3 big luggage and 7 chunky men inside.
Very valid points. My air system still works but boy are all the connections rusted and corroded.
2015 Platinum here. Same experience with the 3modes. Never have used lockout yet. Haven't needed it so far.
"My rig is so rusty, lets look underneath" *proceeds to show VERY light surface rust. In the midwest/east we call that new.
Ahah when all the connections to the air bags are seized and all the eccentric bolts are seized, I call that very rusty but hey it’s all perspective I guess
We just picked up a 2019 Limited to our family hauler, tow rig, and family adventure rig. The points you brought up are good points, and factored into my decision. In the end the 2019 checked all the boxes we needed. It is not as capable as other rigs, but it's the only one that could hold all of our family (7) and gear, was reliable, and can be upgraded to be a decently capable offroad rig.
I have a 2005 Tundra that I've built for trails and is extremely capable. Suspension, armor, locker, etc. There hasn't been anything it can't do. The Sequoia won't match it, but I never plan on taking it on the trails I take the truck on. It's too wide and tall anyways. But it will easily handle anything that I need it to and will get our whole family there.
Rust is a big deal with Toyota truck frames. I have to put in the work every year to keep the Tundra frame in good shape. I checked the Sequoia before I bought it and the frame is near perfect. I will spray it every year to keep it that way. The stuff they put on the roads in the NW is really bad....everything corrodes.
That’s so awesome. Man tundras are absolutely beast mode in every where. My Eibach coilovers just started rusting from only one winter in Washington so rust is a real enemy out here for sure
@@CoolGuyClub I replaced my front springs with Eibach and in one Washington winter they had surface corrosion all over them. I'm going to get everything cleaned up and spray the suspension with Mavcoat for protection. For the frame and control arms, clean off the rust, convert what remains, paint it black, then spray Fluid Film or equivalent over all of it before winter. It will do wonders. I coated my frame religiously for a few years and never had any rust during that time. The last two years I got busy (and lazy) and didn't spray. I paid for it with surface rust everywhere. Currently cleaning it all off and starting over. Don't make my mistake.
Many people sleep on the Sequoia, it’s very capable for its size. I wouldn’t enter any overland competitions, but for the average family over landing trips it’s a great vehicle . Watch the videos of the Toyota jamboree.
I've seen them all. The points I make in the video are all stuff family's need to know especially when you can't control the condition of the trails you're out on with the family.
I have a 2021 Nightshade Limited. Dobinsons IMS Full suspension 2.5" lift on 35" Toyo AT3s. We go overlanding all the time. Long as your not heavily offroading like Tandem Offroad does on theirs or Overland Beanies and many more 2nd gens like me. Your fine. I have no issues with going thru rivers, mountains, trails, etc. There is no pain in this rig. It's a beast offroad and trails. I dont use center diff lock often. Usually 4low or high and use tow haul option. The alignment issue is not a big deal trust me. But if I was to go hard core I would get a 4runner or xtera pro4x
this is my experience too, it was actually quite capable on some crazy rutted trails and hopping over big rocks.. I really enjoyed the 4x4 on it without center diff or lockers. Did hate the mpg tho
I'm not crawling but have been on some pretty aggressive trails in Tahoe and the sequoia is awesome. Dob IMS 1.75" lift, full skids and sliders, arb built in compressor, 35" AT3Ws on 17" Ikon Vector 5s. The trail from Meadow Lake, past Tollhouse Lake, to Jackson Meadow Reservoir is pretty aggressive and the Sequoia didn't blink with my family of 5 and gear. Most important upgrade so far has been full skids including A arms and rear diff. All have major scrapes/dents on them. Somehow the sliders have zero hits.
@@AaronAvallon nice I added rci skids but not my lower a arms and rear diff. Eventually. Glad to know I dont have to get sliders yet
I’ve had my 19’ sequoia TRD Sport for about 4 years now and it is perfect for long family road trips and minor off trail camping sites. Perfect size for our family of four and three large German Shepherds. It runs smooth, it’s reliable and gas is ok on long highway drives across the country. But never done any over landing or crazy off roading.
That's awesome to hear. I know the later model 2nd gens had a lot of the issues I mentioned resolved. Less rust, stronger metal, more creature comforts.
If you're not really into off roading, but value reliability, towng capacity, and a specious interior, this is the car for you.
That is 100% a fact.
I have a 2010 SR5 second gen. It has 291,000 on it. I spend a lot of time in the forest mostly driving forest service roads and nothing considered rock crawling or difficult terrain. I really like my Sequoia as I sleep in it and the reliability is the best. I guess for my "overlanding" it fits the bill, for sure since I am 76 years old it fits my needs just fine. I would agree with you that anything involving rock crawling is out of the capability of the 2 gen Sequoia, actually for a 1 gen as well. I am thinking about a Land Cruiser or LX470 as well.
Solid Inputs Brah! Thanks for all the notes!
You bet!
I just bought a 2020 trd pro, it's an amazing vehicle to tow my motorcycle and quad up to camp sites and trails. Paired with my tundra and lance camper, the wife and I spend a couple of weeks living like nomads in the mountains each year.
So rad
Front and Rear locker basically negates the need for the solid axels. But you know this because you obviously follow Tandem.
I don’t get it but , is any way to fix the suspension issue?
I almost bought a 2011 SR5, great condition, all service done at the dealer between 4k-7k miles, all oil changes and tire rotations at the dealer, 1 owner, local NC car. The dealer needed to do one fix and I would have taken it but they were lagging (and a bit unorganized). I wanded it. Instead this week I picked up a 2005 LX470 at a better deal. The LX felt a lot more solid even being older. That 2nd gen sequoia is a beast and there will be times when I wish I had the extra space but deep down inside I wanted a LC100/LX470 though I still think that 1st gen Sequoia is a great deal.
All valid points. The lx is just built better and there’s no doubt.
What's the best solution for the alignment tabs front and rear? What are you going to do? Would love a future video that shows your solutions.
Thank you so much for watching. I plan on getting the total chaos tabs for a tundra up front and weld them on.
For the rear I’m deciding if I just should buy a new arm ($400) or weld on tabs on the rear.
Love my 2008 sequoia limited never going back to GMC trucks
Smart man
Stay away from platinum because of air bags. Thanks. I live in Arizona. Don’t worry about rust here. You helped me a bunch. 👍😀I’ll probably just look for for a 4Runner.
Totally. Air suspension is a pain in the ass
Good video, but I have to disagree. I own a 2013 Sequoia (The Man Van, a.k.a., the Trail Whale) with a 3” Bilstein 6112/5100 lift and 35” tires, sliders and full skid plates, and have not found it’s limits on trails in California or Moab. No, I haven’t taken it on the Rubicon or Fordyce- let’s be realistic, it’s not going to be a rock crawler without serious modifications. For reference, I have a 1971 FJ40 that is fully locked(ARBs) on 37” for that kinda of work. I’ve also owned/wheeled a 1993 Toyota Truck (pre-Tacoma), 2000 Land Cruiser, and 2003 V8 4Runner and feel the trail performance of my Sequoia is similar. It’s biggest limitation for me is it’s width; my paint is heavily scratched on the sides from shoehorning this 🐳 on jeep trails. Toyota’s A-TRAC, while not pretty in application, is very functional… of course a real locker is better. Luckily, Tandem Offroad (Texas) has embraced this platform and offers a quality rear electronic locker if you want to show more grace on the trail. I’ve honestly been very happy and surprised with its off-road performance and it’s nice to see the attention this platform has gotten recently for its use as trail worthy off-road/overland rig. No rust issues on mine either, but I live in CA. 😝
You make good points and you also are saying the same thing in many ways. It's nice to get feedback from other people who own multiple toyota's. (P.S. I had a triple locked 76 FJ40 as well ;) )
How do you feel about the alignment issue? To me the was the most glaring failure that he highlighted. It's both a safety issue and can cause thousands of dollars in tire replacement costs.
I suppose you've never seen the Tandem guys put their Sequoia to work. HARD work. I own a lifted 21 and I kill it out here. And I have a several Yotas, including a land cruiser. Sequoia does work!
I refer to tandem in all my videos. It’s definitely hard work but solid rear axle Toyota’s are more capable
For soft off-roading its a good vehicle, i have a different Toyota for the hard stuff!
Yes! That’s it exactly. Harder stuff isn’t really in the Sequoia’s wheelhouse
i am curious about corosion, what model year is that, and i live in eastern pa, they salt heavily over winter, resulting alot of corrosion, is this your issue as well, or is this rusting on its own, thanks so much for your insight.
Any 2nd gen in the areas where they salt roads will rust like crazy. In fact, speed academy did a whole video on rust on their 2nd gen tundra and they saw the same issues. Be extremely careful
2014 platinum sequoia car was from up state new York not a single ounce of rust but was under oiled its whole life factory paint is still on the frame and suspension 150,000 miles and still going strong
No way! What a unicorn. Hold on to that rig!
I've got a family of 6 plus a big dog, so there's really not a lot of options for us for overlanding/offroading. We have a 2023 Subaru Ascent with a lot of mods (skid plates, winch, recovery points, rock sliders, rear-diff automatic lockers, lift, swing out hitch for full size tire, bolt on roof rack, etc). But we think we are pushing it a bit much for what we do, broke a rear axle (due to the locker), CVT is going to need replacing within the next 10k miles, etc. And it only has 30k miles on it right now. We are having the rear diff and both rear axles replaced right now, so we will no longer have a rear diff locker..I think it does more harm than good on the Ascent.
Despite all that, we've done a TON of offorad, MOAB, all over Utah, Cascade mountains, Mt Rainer, etc.
However, think we could benefit from something more reliable that isn't going to break with what we put them through and so are considering the Sequoia, specifically a 2020 Sequoia Limited.
We would prefer a 4runner, but the 3rd row is terrible for actual usability, plus you lose out on all the trunk space if your third row is up. I've sat in the back of the 4runner and the Sequoia...and the Sequoia is hands down the best for comfort. Question is, is it more capable than our Ascent? My guess would be yes, and I'd plan on lifting it, better tires/wheels, skid plates, and rock sliders and eventually adding a front bumper/winch.
It's difficult to find the right overlanding/offroad rig for a large family. There's always trade-offs...
The rig is definitely coming along nicely.
Just picked up a platinum 2016 black with the red rock interior
Could you put a link to the Chrome delete liking the carbon fiber side mirrors and door handles
Thanks
Sure thing.
Mirrors: amzn.to/3I613dD
Handles: amzn.to/42zhQxV
Thanks brother
@@CoolGuyClub Thanks for the links. Sorry your not happy with your rig, I got my 08 platinum in December. So far so 👍🏾
Do you tow with it?
I've been shopping Toyotas with Brake Assist.
Sadly no I haven’t towed. Our sequoia did not come with an integrated trailer brake adjustment. That has to be added aftermarket.
08 SR5 with 200k. 6112/5100 w/ rear straps, wheelers bumps and no sway bars. I really like mine, great when I had 3 kids in baby seats. Traded my 05 tacoma in for it back in 08. I use it to tow and mild AZ off-road nowadays. The clear coat it burnt but better than rust problems. I bent one of the rear control upper arms a little and I ate tires and wouldn't catch alignment anymore. The upper arm was kinda pricy and I couldn't even tell where it bent. The rear ;power arm adjustment tabs can be fixed with 1/4 square bar from Lowes welded behib=nd the stock tabs.with a foot long section you can do all the rear center tabs. IJust take the rear lowers off to save the bushing when welding. I bought the 200 buck ;lifetime aligment from Firestone and take it in once a year.
Genius mods and suggestions. I’m totally going to buy the $200 firestone lifetime alignment package now.
I just started looking at Sequoias today, and even though I have no plans to go on hard trails, the rust is a big concern to me. Land Cruisers have gone up way way up in pricing, some are selling for over $100k.
Yes they have. Rust is the big thing for sure. Once you find a clean one, you're way ahead of the game.
I own this same rig and yes I got like 10 alignments in 3 years 54 k on clock new ball joints bunch parts front end . We use to tow are camper . Eng is strong
I'm coming from a 2003 Montero, which is also fully independent suspension with open diffs. Never encountered anything I couldn't handle. But the alignment issue is crazy.
Right?! Why would they design such horrible failure points in the rear?! Scary
I wonder if anyone has had their alignment done and then drilled a hole at the edge of the eccentric washer and either roll-pinned of just put an m8 and a nut through to block rotation? It may be more difficult than a fix than that, however, it may do the trick.
Thanks for your comments on the rust issue. We got a 2016 Sequoia Platinum, 45K miles used. My goodness the rust is horrible. We live on the east coast. Our 4 runners never ever rusted out like this beast. I sprayed the chasis with 3m bondo Rubberized undercoating, we will see how it works out. We got it to pull our 5000lbs camper the tow & haul feature works well on a 6% or 7% grade.
I’m glad you can relate. A good solution that I found was using fluid film all over the rust spots and it really helped a ton.
@@CoolGuyClub ok thanks I'll give it a try.
Ive decided to just get the most burly SUV ever made, the Excursion. I think Im done considering a 4runner or sequoia.
Nothing can beat the old F250 Excursions durability, simplicity and massive room for sleeping/cargo.
Tandem Offroad makes a rear selectable locker for these. I've got a 1st gen but REALLY want a 2nd gen.
They don’t make it. They sell the auburn one and it’s 100% on our list to buy. The rig needs it.
That rear alignment issue has been a constant alignment problem for me on my 2014 Sequoia. I was going through rear tires like crazy. I finally had the rear arms replaced at $5k and problem was solved, at least for now...
It’s wild how they can design a car with such a flawed alignment system
Devil's advocate here: Some of the Offroading Icons like Range Rover L322, L401, RR SPORT, DEFENDER, NISSAN TITAN/PATROL and QX80 all have INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION and not SOLID REAR AXLES. Military Humvess dont have SRA either and such is the case with MRAP.
While the Solid Rear Axles are great they limit the wheel size and requires regearing with larger wheels. Also, the drooping diff is prone to be an impediment no matter how high you lift the rig.
Personally i prefer IRA its much lighter.
This youtuber however he has done his homework and i also like the fact that he is not endorsed by some big company. He is very neutral and keeps it real 100.
Keep up the good work brother
Thank you thank you. And you’re right but man the location of those eccentric boots is just completely ridiculous
Independent Suspension is awesome off road, it's sad that there's this history of people who claim it's horrible offroad and everyone ends up buying straight axle vehicles because some internet guy said too.
Independent suspension has a real sweet spot that 90% of people who think they are hardcore of roaders would probably benefit from, especially over landers. 80-90% of every trip is on pavement. 9% requires something off-road capable, and 1% requires something extremely capable.
Clarification please. You spoke negatively about the airbags on the rear of the Platinum. I think you said that if you delete the airbags no one makes a lift kit for it. Yours appears lifted. What did you do instead?
Correct. I still have the airbags on the vehicle and what I'm using as a lift is the Tandem offroad rear airbag spacers, eibach Tacoma heavy duty shocks, along with dobinsons rear shock extender brackets. It works really well.
Thanks! I'm enjoying your videos. I don't have one yet. I'm waiting until the prices drift down a bit first. Probably pull the trigger December through first quarter.
Awesome! I hope you find one. They are good cars if you can avoid the rust
Thanks for the insight bro! Buying a 2nd Gen for the family this weekend. We’re not big “overlanders”…..yet haha but I wanted something big enough for the kids and capable for weekend camping.
Excellent then you will love the rig.
I bought mine two years ago for the exact same purpose, it has been great for family outings. But I am always eyeing a 200 series lol
@@alexbehrmann9557 yeah the sequoia seems perfect for the family but I will be getting a gx470 for my project overlander. I can’t be a true Lexus fan without a GX!
Interesting
I wouldn't disagree with most of these points. IRS is nice on road, but does not articulate well offroad. With that said, I sold my GX460 and got into a Platinum Sequoia for hauling people/kids while still having some decent offroad capability. Rock crawler? No, but it will take us where we need to go with plenty of space.
We did the same. The big thing with exploring trails is you never know what condition the trails are in and with irs and no rear locker we have had to turn around or self recover way more than our old gx ever did.
1st Gen better?
Hmm, Lemme go check with Tandem Off Road...
They are great! They are also the one company I trust with products on my rig (as you can see) but honestly there are better options out there for the money and capabilities.
What wheels are those?
Titan7 t ak1 best forged wheels I’ve ever owned
Minivan sienna has the same double wishbone suspension in the back, however, luckily, it cannot be adjusted so in an ironic twisted weird way the minivan is more robust in rear suspension than the Sequoia.
That’s exactly what I was thinking.
Well all that being said, at least your rig looks sweet!👍😎
Thank you very much!
If you live in states where they use salt on the road, rust is inevitable, the car is not graded for salt. Sequoia is the best suv you can ever find. So no to your 5 reasons.
Hello! Do you need some great lighting for your car to help you better driving, off-road? We're the pro auto lighting company for nearly 20 year and we're looking for sponsorship!
Yes I’d like LED headlight bulbs
@@CoolGuyClub That's great! I definitely got some bulbs for your cars. Do you know which vehicle you want to install these bulbs?
Well it will do just about everything that the new Wagoneer can do and then some. But it's not 4runner, there's some really small limitations compared but if you ask me It's served our purposes with grace and much more comfort then a 4runner ever could and that's the distinction here. 4runners are basically designed with off road in mind and the Landcruiser is kind of in a league of it's own in that respect. But we are talking about extremes here. We've taken our Sequoia in to the backwoods of Michigan, rough country and came out just fine. I wouldn't take it out in to the sand bar or anything crazy like that because it's an expensive vehicle, but I have definitely tested it's worth and while it's not quite the off road beast as the 4runner, have you ever traveled long distances in one? Not bad of course but it's definitely no Sequoia. The thin seats and solid rear axle really shows it's place and it's not the highway. Same with pulling a camper like we do. I love the 4runner and it can pull quite well but it's limits start to show rather fast when pulling a camper. That v6 is very tough and torque driven off the road, but that 5.7 v8 that's in the Sequoia has some extra for them long hauls. To a degree it's all about the right truck for the job. But each will get you kinda close on all. But I think your right on your points.. we tend to think of it as a lifted tough minivan too. That probably explains why I won't rough it too much. Still it serves our purposes. The only reason why we didn't go for something like the Landcruiser by the way is the 3row. We're campers and we got a lot of stuff for camping. I love the 3rd seat arrangement much more than the Landcruiser. We can bring our gear and in a cinch unload and take all of our family to dinner in simple luxury and when your out in the middle of nowhere that's pretty cool. Like your video though, good work.
Thank you for watching. It seems like the sequoia is a perfect rig for your use case.
We do love the engine and the amount of comfort it provides on the highway.
I have a 2013 Platinum NO JOKE ON THE RUST!!! My goodness it's absurd!.... I would love to get all Sequoia owners in the 2nd gen to sign a lawsuit... it's rediculous!
That being said, I love the drive and functionality, trim etc.. all good. Did Toquerville falls in southern Utah ... no problems. But that was about the limit I would put that machine at.
Correctly stated, great family runner and capable family off-roader.. nothing to extreme.
Thanks so much for watching! It’s been an adjustment for sure getting used to the limits of this tree. Are you using anything like fluid film or similar to curb the rust?
Been thinking about Sequoia vs. GX (all older gens, of course). I will be contrarian here, but I think Toyota got complacent with the GX, since it is being fed premium, so they never added the direct injectors. GX engine great, of course it is, but the direct and port injection of the Sequoia and Tundra is superior in getting the fuel efficiency and power without premium because of its more advanced engine. GX would have been better if Toyota had deemed it to reward their Lexus customers, instead they just played them with a cheaper engine.
Those are great points.
Thank you! Amazing... I have a 1st gen and didn't realize how good I have it. Family hauler hugeness with a solid rear Axel, but still IFS. Also has a more LC DNA in it than the second gen. That being said the engine In that 2nd gen can't be beat. Perfect evolution of that engine platform. I still don't have a rear locker like you, but an older truck and that solid rear axel makes it more affordable and particle to do aftermarket. Cheers!
You got it real good for sure!
my 02 auto locks the rear dif ... in low, low. beast mode is good enuff for me.
wish got 22 mpg on the trail... more like 6.. keeping it for a few more sesons..
It’s basically just a lifted minivan?! 😂 I thought about lifting my Sienna but then I realized I want 35’s minimum so time
For a GX 470 or sequoia or Land Cruiser
Oddly enough, that statement is more true than you know. The AWD sienna same exact suspension geometry and alignment points (double wishbone) and no locking diffs. It's a bit of an exageration but it's definitely close. I've owned both the gx and the sequoia... I miss the GX.
ppl in Northeast are giggling when u say that's to much rust on a 10 year old car. That is considered new condition here.
Ahaha that’s true. It’s all a matter of perspective
Where's the gx bro?
We sold it two years ago to fund the sequoia :(
Sequoia All THE WAY 🤘🏼🔥🤘🏼
Yes sirrrrr
1st gen sequoia for life
They really are just that much beefier
My 2007 is pretty cool.
Your wrong my guy
Thst is the worst body style designed by Toyota.
Some people like their cucumbers pickled.
Thanks for talking me out of it! The main reason i liked the 2nd gen sequoia is for that power rear glass and i figured the 4-wheel independent suspension would feel comfy and sporty hooning around the mountain roads and light trails... but that alignment crap is enough for me to scrap that idea altogether! I currently have a 1st gen tundra that CONSTANTLY needs tow adjustments for just typical bumps in the road and moderate gravel road driving 🤦 and this is all on stock tire size and stock suspension 🤦🤦 i just figured i had a lemon because everyone else seems to worship these vehicles. Maybe landcruiser would do me better. They have the power rear glass, right?
Yeah solid rear axle will be a life saver in terms of alignment. I honestly can’t believe that Toyota thought eccentric bolts on the end of a control arm holding 6000 lbs of weight is a good idea. I hate the rears of these rigs.