The stock ATS front differential comes with 30-40kgm of preload – this is a lot of preload. A big part of why they are able to get away with it is due to their carbon disks, which allow for smooth engagement even with a lot of preload. This works great in the rear diff, but…
New part on the Evo today – early enough (just one autocross) that I’m considering it a pre-season mod. I replaced my 100 cell cat for a resonated test pipe. From the pics, it’s clear this will be a huge improvement in flow. Additionally, cars that run high ZDDP oil eat cats anyway. The pic…
Decided to compile all the other 2020 updates I had for the Sequoia here, as they are all fairly minor, including: New dashcam This is the same one I use in the Prius now as well, which records both forwards and behind. 4-way Plug extension We don’t ever expect to use 4 plugs, but it…
Another modification for the Sequoia – the pedal feel on the Sequoia wasn’t up to my standards, and after replacing the rotors, pads, calipers, and flushing the fluid, I figured the culprit was with the brake lines. The stock rubber brake lines had seen 228,000 miles of torture, and it seemed likely with the age…
Given that this is my first large SUV, let alone full-size body on frame SUV, I had difficulty getting used to the Sequoia’s roll in corners. The entire car felt like it was going to tip over, and I was not able to get used to the feeling. There are not a lot of options…
We are big fan of Canvasback liners for our daily drivers, and with all the hauling the Sequoia does, it was a sure thing to get a set for this car as well. The liner is a little more involved than our other cars, as the captains chairs get 2 sets – one for when…
Another long-time modification that I’ve never posted on is my SpoolinUp coil-on-pack. I’ve had this for as long as I can remember, I think on my black Evo, and I was a relatively early adopter of the part. It is a massive improvement over the stock system with excellent build quality, including Denso coil packs…
I’ve been using the Kiggly HLA for 7 or so years in my white Evo, and while I touched on it in this post, I think it deserves its own thread. The HLA was pretty much one of the earliest mods I had done on my white Evo, during the great migration where I moved…
While on the subject of oil, I think the crank scraper also deserves its own post. Pulled more directly from this post, the Tomei crank scraper essentially “slices” oil that is flung from the crank, and allows it to deposit more quickly back into the base of the pan. The baffles/windage trays prevent an excessive…
The big mods for the 2021 season are the differentials – specifically, the front and rear differential. This had been planned for the 2020 season, but the crash I had at the end of 2019 ruled that out. The more significant upgrade is the front differential. The stock helical differential is okay, but not ideal…
