• The Turn 14 Distribution x SuperPro Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro giveaway build is underway and will debut at the 2024 SEMA Show.
• Toyota TRD Pro models come well-equipped from the factory; however, this Sequoia build will improve performance further with high-quality aftermarket parts.
• Following its unveiling at SEMA, Turn 14 Distribution customers will be able to win the Sequoia TRD Pro by purchasing products from featured brands.
• In this second build article, RPM Garage finishes suspension upgrades from King Shocks and Firestone Airide, then increases horsepower and torque with aFe Power components.

In case you missed our last update, we’re doing big things at Turn 14 Distribution. For this year’s SEMA Show, we’ll be debuting two new project vehicles—the first is a 2024 Honda Civic Type R, and the second is this 2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro! What’s pretty damn cool about both builds is that we’ll be giving them away to two lucky Turn 14 Distribution customers as part of a new sales promotion program next year. All T14 customers will have the opportunity to accrue points and win either vehicle by purchasing products from featured brands. In the case of the Sequoia TRD Pro, ten companies are a part of the sales program, which include SuperPro, Hawk Performance, Weld Racing, Magnaflow, Mickey Thompson, aFe Power, Liqui Moly, Firestone Airide, Baja Designs, and Rally Armor.

SUSPENSION LIKE A PRO

Headlining our list of partners for the Sequoia TRD Pro is SuperPro, a world leader in manufacturing some of the best suspension components around. We installed their front upper and lower control arms as well as rear trailing arms. These heavy-duty upgrades are critical to withstand high-stress conditions and prepare our SUV for a substantial lift.

KING OF COILOVERS

The Sequoia already comes with a decent suspension from FOX tuned specifically for the TRD Pro. It’s a great setup for drivers who might hit some light trails a few times a year, but if we’re trying to tackle some tall rocks or run through the desert at high speed, a more advanced system is needed. If you ask most seasoned off-road guys, there’s no brand better to go with than King Shocks. King has a deep heritage in off-road racing and supporting winning trophy trucks. The technology from racing is carried over to their customer product line, and their parts are recommended by experts around the industry, including our installer RPM Garage.

For the Sequoia TRD Pro, we installed their coilovers which use 2.5” shock bodies. The shocks are much bigger than the factory, which gives more fluid capacity and less of a chance for them to overheat. They are also longer offering 30% more wheel travel. The remote-finned reservoirs are pretty sweet as they allow you to dial the compression in – typically softer for rough roads allowing for better comfort, and stiffer for street driving. According to Steve Lam at RPM Garage, King coilovers are better all-around than stock. “It’ll take potholes better. You’ll have less body roll. In braking, it won’t nosedive as much, and during acceleration, it won’t squat as much. These shocks can take a beating while riding smoother than factory.”

AIR SUPPORT

With the SuperPro components and King coilovers dialed in, we’re leaps and bounds better than where we were stock; however, we set out to build a Sequoia TRD Pro that doesn’t just excel in the mountains but serves the role of the ultimate family hauler. This is why we teamed up with Firestone Airide to add its airbag and compressor kit.

Not to be confused with a full air suspension setup, the Firestone kit is meant to be a supplement for the rear when towing. If you’ve ever seen a truck tow a car, boat or trailer, you’ll notice the back end tends to sag and dip due to the additional weight. The Firestone kit eliminates that sag which will prevent major wear and tear. With our Sequoia TRD Pro, it’s rated to haul more than 9,000 pounds, so it’d be a shame for us not to take full advantage of all its towing prowess.

POWERED BY AFE

Toyota said goodbye to V8 engines and has equipped its Sequoia TRD Pro with a 3.4L V6 twin-turbo hybrid that makes 437hp and 583 lb-ft of torque (electric motor contributes 48hp and 184 lb-ft). Now if you have any experience with turbocharged vehicles, manufacturers tend to leave power on the table with conservative tuning and cheaper materials. This allows companies like aFe Power to flex their expertise with things like high-performance intakes, charge pipes, and power modules.

The Power Momentum GT air intake from aFe is quite the system. It comes with a one-piece sealed housing that’s constructed of a heat-resistant polymer (we opted for the orange housings to match our Sequoia, but it also comes in black and red). We especially dig the clear sight windows as it allows for easy filter inspection, something that’ll need to be monitored frequently with heavy dirt and off-road ruse. The intake tubes aren’t just tubes off a shelf but are designed by aFe experts to maximize flow and power. The final piece of the puzzle is the 8” tall, 360° radial air flow filters, which are the largest aFe could squeeze into the package and use an inverted top for more filter surface area.

A good compliment to the larger intakes is aFe’s hot charge pipes. These heat-resistant aluminum pipes are a little bit tougher to replace, but once installed, flow 17% better than the factory hoses.

aFe claims these upgrades together can improve our Sequoia TRD Pro by 17 horsepower and 19 lb-ft of torque, which might not be too noticeable on a 6,150 lb truck but matched their Power Scorcher Blue power module, it’s a different ballgame. The power module is a direct plug-and-play system that connects to the engine sensors, increases turbo boost, and maximizes power. Some of these systems can mess with the factory ECU, but the aFe unit works without check engine lights. The result is an undeniable increase in acceleration that can net up to 110hp and 162 lb-ft of torque.

Note: Having test driven the Sequoia TRD Pro using the complete aFe power package, we can attest there’s a lot more throttle response and it picks up speed in a hurry compared to the stock setup.

We’re winding down to the last leg until the 2024 SEMA Show so stay tuned for our final update next.

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