How to Trick Out the Ultimate Tacoma
Presenting 11 tested (and totally excessive) parts for the dream ride

The stock Toyota Tacoma is a reliable, practical rig. But you鈥檒l want some aftermarket upgrades if you want to do more off-road. Two of our editors recently emerged from the overlanding rabbit hole with two totally transformed trucks. They鈥檙e rugged, safe, capable, and totally overkill for the majority of us. But, hey, we can dream!
Built from steel, the Bull Bar replaces your flimsy factory bumper and adds important protection to the front of your truck. Why it鈥檚 needed: you won鈥檛 ruin your radiator if you accidentally brush a tree or hit an animal, and it still fully integrates with your airbags and headlights. It also acts as a platform for extra gear, like a winch.

Better tires are a simple, essential upgrade, and the K02 has been a favorite for a couple decades. Why? Because they鈥檙e just as good on the road as they are off. You鈥檒l often find all-terrain tires that can handle the muck but get squirrely and loud on the pavement. Not so here: the K02 will float over sand better than any other tire out there, but it鈥檚 also smooth, quiet, and safe on the freeway.

Just like the KO2, the Wildpeak is a great all-terrain tire, but it鈥檚 also winter rated and designed for the snow, thanks to siping, or small grooves, in the outer lugs. Those sipes split open just a little as they make contact with the ground and grab onto snow and ice, creating significantly better traction and braking when you鈥檙e headed up to or down from the ski hill.

This Australian-made Old Man Emu kit provides a 2.5-inch lift on a Tacoma, so you can get bigger tires on the truck, and thus clear bigger obstacles. The shocks are significantly more durable than what comes stock, and their vehicle-specific valving improves handling when flying down washboard roads. Finally, the springs can carry more weight, so your truck won鈥檛 sag after you鈥檝e added those custom bumpers, back drawers, or rooftop tent.
When getting a new suspension system or other aftermarket products installed, look for a shop that specializes in off-road vehicles. We worked with New Mexico鈥檚 Tactical Application Vehicles, one of the country鈥檚 leading spots for these kinds of modifications.

The Stealth 6 wheels will take a beating off-road, but they won鈥檛 weigh your truck down if you also want to use it as a daily driver. They start at 21 pounds鈥攃omparable to what comes stock.

The Trail Rider 2.0 bumper upgrades the back of the truck in several ways. It鈥檚 made from steel, offering significantly more protection than the stock option. It also improves the truck鈥檚 departure, preventing it from scraping when you hit a steep grade. The swingout arm gets everything out of the way so you can easily get into the bed. In the version pictured, this arm also has an attached fold-down table, which makes a great cooking station.

These seven-inch halogen lamps are a relatively inexpensive way to add extra lights to your rig without turning it into something out of Back to the Future. This setup creates one spotlight and one driving beam.

Warn has been making winches and vehicle recovery tools since 1948. Built in the USA, these tools are your best bet for getting unstuck. They come in a variety of sizes and strengths: the general rule of thumb is to get something with a pulling power that鈥檚 1.5 times the weight of your vehicle. The VR10000, shown here, is an entry-level model suited for most big trucks. It comes with a remote control on a 12-foot tether鈥攕o you can get out of your truck and watch what you鈥檙e doing鈥攁nd either a synthetic or steel rope.

If you just want to haul bikes, skis, or even a rooftop tent, go with regular rooftop bars, but the Pioneer provides a more versatile platform with several wide rails running the entire width and length of your shell or cab. You can attach a rooftop tent, ski and bike carriers鈥攐r a spare tire, jerry cans with extra gas or water, and a shovel for getting unstuck.

TruckVault鈥檚 drawer systems act as gear organizers and safes for your adventure mobile. Made from medium-density overlay, a durable combination of wood and resin, the drawers lock and are customizable: you can configure them to hold anything from camera gear to rifles to fishing rods. Up top, there鈥檚 room for large objects like coolers or skis. Get weatherproof rubber instead of carpet on top鈥攊t鈥檚 far easier to clean.