Is the allure of open trails enticing you to spend more time out and less time in? Do you read off-roading blogs and imagine yourself living in your Toyota Tacoma for long stretches of time? If this describes you, we’re right there with you. Truck camping and off-roading are passions at Backwoods Adventure Mods.
While truck camping buildouts have much to recommend them, one of the fun things about building out a Tacoma for off-roading and camping is that it’s an evolutionary process; the more you use your modified vehicle, the more ideas you’ll get for improving the experience. The possibilities are endless.
To get your inspirational juices flowing, here are some things to think about regarding Tacoma mods:
Off-Roading
If you’re taking your Toyota Tacoma out for serious, repeated off-roading, you will want to make modifications to your truck that improve performance, safety, and durability.
Performance
Success on the trail demands a lot from your Tacoma. These mods can help you boost your horsepower and performance on the trails:
Air Filters and Intakes
One of the best and least expensive improvements you can make to your Tacoma is to replace the stock air intake with an upgraded version that will provide greater airflow. Aftermarket intakes with reusable filters will instantly – and easily – boost your throttle response, enhance your torque and horsepower, and improve your fuel economy.
Suspension
Upgrading your suspension has a huge impact on the performance of your Tacoma. The suspension and shocks help you control your Tacoma and contribute to a comfortable ride. Stock versions won’t give you the traction control and handling you’re looking for on an off-road adventure; an upgrade will improve your experience considerably. There are many options out there to choose from, so do your research.
Tires
Tires change the way your Tacoma looks and performs. We could go on forever about how to choose the right tires, but essentially size and grip are the factors that matter. Different tread patterns offer different performances on different terrain types, so consider carefully where you plan to drive.
Safety
Safety on the trail is priority number one; if you don’t get home safely, you can’t head out again.
Recovery Gear
Recovery gear mods are essential to any off-road vehicle, and the most important recovery tool you can have is a winch. When you get into a challenging situation out on the trail – which happens every time if you’re doing it right – a winch is sometimes the only thing that will keep you going. Backwoods Adventure Mods carries a number of outstanding winch models from WARN, including full kits that you can grab and go.
Lights
Good visibility is essential to safety on the trail. Fog lights, spotlights, light bars, and other lighting mods are easy to add to your Tacoma and provide the extra light you need to get you through all types of road conditions, from dust and fog to heavy rain and snow.
Durability
The rigors of the trail take a toll on your vehicle. These mods will reinforce your vehicle and prevent costly damages.
Bumpers
Upgrading your front and rear bumpers gives your Tacoma a critical layer of extra protection from boulders, brush, branches, and road debris. They can also improve your ground clearance and approach/departure angles so you can get over rougher terrain without damaging your undercarriage. The Hi-Lite Overland Front Bumper with Bull Bar from Backwoods Adventure Mods looks great, gives you space to add extra lighting mods and recovery gear, and makes it so that almost nothing can harm the front of your vehicle.
Skids Plates
Your Tacoma’s undercarriage is especially vulnerable to trail damage. There are a lot of components under there that you don’t want to be punctured, including the fuel tank, transfer box, differentials, transmission, oil pan, various fluid reservoirs, cooler lines, and more. Protect all that stuff with aluminum skid plates that mount beneath your truck and keep everything safe. If one of these gets damaged on the trail, your adventure is over.
Camping
When it comes to camping mods for your Toyota Tacoma, the sky’s the limit. In actuality, your imagination is the only limit. A quick Google search will reveal countless images of Tacoma build-outs that are simply amazing. If #trucklife is your dream, you can buy or DIY just about any mods you can imagine to make a living in your truck comfortable.
Here are just a few ideas to get you thinking of the possibilities:
Insulation. If you’re going to live the #trucklife, you’re going to need to insulate your truck and the shell or camper. If you’ve ever tried to sleep in your truck as is, then you know it’s less than pleasant. One of the biggest drawbacks is condensation; the air inside the truck is drier and warmer than outside, resulting in drops of condensation on the sides and roof that make everything inside damp and uncomfortable. Insulation will prevent condensation and help keep you comfortable when outside temperatures drop.
The Truck Bed. You’ll want to outfit your truck bed with some kind of hard shell or camper so you can create a space for sleeping, cooking, and storage. Standard shells will enclose the space nicely but won’t give you space to sit or stand, while a camper with a sleeping platform will give you plenty of headroom.
Battery Power. Solar panels and inverters give you all the options you need to get electrical power out on the trail. These will power GPS units, charge your cell phone, and even run a mini-refrigerator.
Storage. Off-roading and truck camping requires a lot of gear, and you’ve got to have good places to store everything. There are multiple ways to add additional storage to your Tacoma, including roof racks, low-profile storage cases, and tailgate swing outdoors, just to name a few.
Inspired?
It’s time to make your off-roading dreams a reality. Talk to the experts at Backwoods Adventure Mods about getting started with your Toyota Tacoma upgrades today.