Transforming a Toyota Tacoma with an Overland Build
The Toyota Tacoma is a beast of the road that has been loved by many drivers ever since its first appearance back in 1995. What started out as a compact pickup, is now an impressive mid-sized pickup that has been used for everything from day-to-day trips on the road, to off-road racing.
However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be transformed to do even more, both on the road and off-road. In fact, many drivers like to carry out what is known as an ‘overland build’ on their vehicles - this is a type of transformation that is meant to accommodate specific needs. Generally, it’s used to describe trucks that are revamped to do everything from long trips to day-to-day tasks.
Thats exactly what a guy with a blog called LLOD (Last Line of Defense) had in mind when he decided that it was time to shake things up with his 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road with Tech package and Short Bed. The main reason he picked a Tacoma for his overland build, is due to its perfect size. It’s got the best of both worlds: big enough to do everything you need it to, but not so big that you’d struggle to get by in certain routes.
The purpose of this modified truck is to do some Overlanding, such as spending weekends venturing into the off-road and going on camping trips. Yes, usually you would use the term ‘Overlanding’ to indicate longer trips but hey, and adventure’s an adventure, even if shorter than others.
So, here’s what he replaced and added to his Tacoma to turn it into the dream truck for off-roading:
For the lighting, he opted for some old Baja designs lightbars, great to both provide all the lighting he needs when it’s dark and to also give it a bit of a Baja racing truck appearance.
For the suspension, he got some Fox 2.0 remote resi rear shocks, Archive Garage Hammer Hangers, Fox 2.5 coilovers up front, and 26" extended brake lines.
The tires and wheels, were replaced with 35x12.50 r17 BFG KO2 tires and 17"x9.5 Black Rhino Arsenal wheels. And to be prepared, since he plans to venture into the off-road for a whole weekend, he grabbed a tire repair kit and ARB ez deflator.
When it comes to the racks and storage, he chose a Front Runner custom rack system on the bed cover and a DiamondBack HD truck bed tonneau cover. To secure everything, he got some Total Chaos Bed Stiffeners.
Obviously, he couldn’t head off without grabbing a Winch to be prepared in case the truck needs to be rescued from somewhere. In this case, he went for a WARN ZEON 10-S Platinum winch.
Last but not least, he got a bumper to ensure extra protection (and make the truck look even more badass). He picked the CBI Tacoma T3 Aluminum Bumper with mid loop for the front, and the CBI Tacoma High Clearance Bumper for the rear.
Even if you’re not planning to completely revamp the look and features of your truck, you can always ensure extra protection and a cool appearance with the right bumper. Check out our Ultimate Bumper Guide to get a better idea of which bumper is best for your truck, or get in touch with our customer service team via live chat or by calling us on 281-404-2124 to get some advice.
(Original story published by llod.us https://llod.us/overland-tacoma-build )
