“When someone compliments you, you don’t only feel proud of your own truck, you’re proud of the build and you know you owe it all to the people and the place that it happened.”
Dave’s Toyota Tundra is exactly what we love to see: the next off-road vehicle from a customer we’ve helped build a vehicle for before. We’re not just a parts store. We’re a group of off-roaders and truck enthusiasts who want to help our customers upgrade their vehicles for a better off-roading experience. When someone isn’t just happy with their ride, but sets us free to help plan and build the one after that? Then we know we’re doing off-road truck modding right.
Finding Your Off-Road Passion
While waiting on a Range Rover Sport to get fixed up, Dave picked up a sporty little Audi R4 for a Pike’s Peak run and realized along the way that, while fast was fun, being able to go anywhere in your vehicle was better. His other driver, a Toyota 4Runner, took off slower than the Audi, but it had a lot of potential. He started asking around, hitting up the Facebook pages and blogs we all follow from time to time, when his questions started giving him a direction he wanted to go with his off-road vehicle. After a few false starts at shops that just weren’t experienced with Toyotas, with one owner telling him they didn’t break down enough to be a focus of their business, he met Tom.
Tom is our guy now, but he was Dave’s Toyota guy from day 1. Tom spent hours on the phone answering Dave’s questions, talking to him about the direction he wanted to take in off-roading, and discussing options. By the time they were done, Dave had learned more about modding for off-roading than he’d managed to during his independent research, and the 4Runner took its first steps toward the next level. When Tom joined the Off-Road Alliance crew in Houston, Dave and his 4Runner came right along with him. We’re proud to feature the work we’ve done on that same 4Runner in our Toyota 4Runner Lookbook.
Build Goals
Every off-road truck is unique, and it has to fit its owner and how they plan to use it. Dave needed a 4X4 that could get him around his deer leases, explore historic sites and national parks all over the country, and give him plenty of cargo and towing capabilities. Dave needed a truck that could work hard, play harder, and, as a bonus, turn heads while doing both. He started out with a 2020 Quicksand Toyota Tundra that was ready for some upgrades, and here are some of his build’s highlights:
Custom Suspension
Your suspension system is vital to your vehicle’s performance. It controls the smoothness of your ride, affects the cargo weight you can carry or tow, and is integral to controlling the thousands of pounds of metal you’re hitting the trail with. We needed to make sure Dave had a suspension that could adjust easily to handle big bumps, heavy loads, or both.
- Elka 2.5 Front & Rear Extended Travel Coilovers/Shocks - These rebuildable coilovers give you a wide range of adjustments, balances loads, and keep your ride buttery smooth over the roughest terrain. As a direct bolt-on replacement, it lets us upgrade the stock shocks without modifying the vehicle.
- ICON Multi-Rate Leaf Springs - Leaf springs bear the brunt of the weight placed on the rear of the vehicle, which includes not only your trailer, but the racks, chassis, and bed cargo as well. Multi-rate leaf springs let you further adjust the ride for your preferred suspension response.
Wheels And Rubber
Let’s face it: stock wheels are just alright. When it comes to wheels and tires, however, you need more than a set that just “looks good”. As the only parts of your vehicle that are supposed to be in regular contact with the ground, they need to perform and you can’t afford to skimp.
- Method MR701 Trail Series Race Wheels - Method Race Wheels are some of the best out there. They’re tough, don’t add a lot of unnecessary weight, and they look as good as they perform.
- OMF Performance Simulock Tech Lit w/ Drain Rock Rash Rings - To add a little more pop to the rims, we installed OMF rings that coordinate well with the truck’s body.
- BF Goodrich 37x12.5R18 Mud-Terrain KM3 - A serious off-road truck needs some serious tires, and these will give Dave plenty of grip when the deer leases get slippery.
Exterior Components
Exterior parts help define your truck’s appearance, fine-tune its lines, and provide the space you need to mount additional accessories. We knew Dave wanted the ability to hit the trail and tackle whatever came his way. That starts with protecting the vital components of the vehicle.
- RCI Metalworks Skid Plates - Skid plates bolt under the chassis to help prevent damage from brush, rocks, tree limbs, and more. Both the engine and transmission are sporting RCI aluminum plates for low weight and durable coverage.
- Shrockworks Rock Sliders - For Dave’s custom Tundra, we went with a solid set of sliders that were angled up and have a dimpled tread plate.
- Bumper-to-Bumper - The front of the Tundra is protected with a special-ordered Expedition One Stormtrooper Bumper with Top Hoop. The rear is covered by an Addictive Desert Designs Stealth Fighter bumper that uses blacked-out angles to finish the aggressive profile.
Lighting It Up
When you get away from the streetlamps, the night gets a little bit darker. Whether you’re overlanding, hitting up a rally, or just navigating a deer lease, you have to be able to see where you’re going off the road. We knew from Dave’s 4Runner that he liked plenty of light, and we were ready to provide just that.
- Baja Designs Lights - Dave is a Baja guy, and we can’t blame him. Driving, cornering, spotlights, and chase lights all found a place on this build, giving him plenty of reliable lighting wherever his travels take him.
- Morimoto Headlamps - On-road or off, these lamps help you see and be seen, with more light output than the Gen. 1 lamps could provide.
- Putco Work Blade - Whether you’re working or playing, this bright bar gives drivers behind you plenty of notice with its high output.
- Switch-Pros 8-Switch Panel - With a smooth, finished look and precision engineering, this is a great way to put control of your electrical accessories and lights at your fingertips.
Purpose-Built Cargo
Dave’s ride was just about ready to go everywhere, but you need to carry the right equipment to do everything once you arrive at your destination. Custom off-road storage systems give you a place for everything you carry so everything can be put in its place and stay there.
- Swing Case Tool Boxes - Designed to ride behind your wheel wells and swing out for easy access, we installed the swing cases on both the driver and passenger sides of the truck.
- Go Rhino Chase Bar - A good chase bar is perfect for mounting lights, tire racks, accessories, and securing cargo, and Go Rhino makes a solid product that provides an aggressive addition to the truck’s side profile.
Recovery Equipment
You can’t rely on roadside assistance where there isn’t a road. You have to be ready to get yourself out of a jam, and we made sure Dave had the off-roading essentials to make it back safely.
- Kratos 3-Ton Off-Road Jack - With large wheels for better maneuvering and stability in the field, this off-road jack from Pro Eagle means business.
- Winch & Hook - Nestled behind the Stormtrooper bumper you’ll find a Warn ZEON winch rated to 10,000 pounds with a Factor 55 Ultrahook.
What’s Next For Dave And His Tundra?
Dave freely admits he changes his mind, and whenever he has a new vision for one of his vehicles, we get excited for the opportunity to make it happen. Right now, he’s eyeballing the Lonestar Toyota Jamboree, where his Tundra can cause just as much of a stir as his 4Runner did previously. Later in the year, it will be time to put the Tundra’s mods to the test at the Great Sand Dunes National Park with a group of friends as he heads into hunting season with a truck ready for whatever his deer leases have in store.
Where Can Your Truck Take You?
We’re ready to help you build out your off-road vehicle with quality parts, knowledgeable staff, and a reputation we stake on every relationship we form with a customer and their vehicle. Browse our selection and contact us anytime if you need more information. Start your next off-road build with Offroad Alliance.
