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By Eli Becht/April 11, 2024 9:15 am EST
The Toyota Tacoma is a good truck to take off-road, but like any vehicle you take off the main streets, you’ll want to come prepared. There are many ways to ensure you have a good and safe time, and many mods you can make to your Tacoma — or any truck – come in at an affordable price. You’ll be glad you grabbed some because you don’t want to come back with scratches or damages to your Tacoma, as that can put quite a damper on a trip.
Mods you can pick up can range from budget-friendly as it gets to a more expensive end, so you’ll need to figure out how much you’re willing to spend before you start shopping around too much. Each item here is backed up by strong user scores and good word of mouth from Tacoma owners, so you shouldn’t feel like you’ve been burned from buying anything listed here. A more in-depth explanation of how these mods were picked can be found at the end of the list.
Steel bumper
Offroad novices and veterans alike can greatly benefit from a steel bumper. If you’re going to hit something while driving around, you’ll want to keep your Tacoma as protected as possible, and that’s where the steel bumper can come in handy. Instead of being dented or cracked like a plastic bumper would, the steel one is built to take a beating. You won’t want to start ramming into trees with one installed, but you should be able to handle situations that would otherwise damage a plastic one.
Another underrated benefit, especially if you live in a rural area with many animals, is that your Tacoma will be better protected in the event you create some roadkill. You could find yourself spending a lot or a little on this upgrade, and it’ll come down to personal preference. You will also have to decide whether you want to get your back bumper replaced, too, and that’ll drive up the price even more. Backwoods Adventures Mods has plenty of options, but they are far from the only pick.
Skid plates
Offroading can mean many things, and if you’re driving your Tacoma through the water or a bunch of mud, you can run into problems with things splashing up into your undercarriage. To put those worries to rest, you can invest in skid plates that’ll completely cover the bottom of your truck and give you added protection. Lower-trim trucks will especially benefit from this as they will be more susceptible to things flying up into the underbelly.
Your Toyota might already have them equipped, but if it doesn’t, they will be a good mod to pick up before your next trip. It’ll cost a couple hundred dollars to pick them up and likely more to get them installed. While it’s a costly upfront purchase, it could help you save on potential repair costs down the road as it’ll keep all the gunk out of the important parts of your truck. You’ll also have the peace of mind that driving through troubled areas won’t cause damage to your undercarriage.
Rock sliders
Going offroad means you’ll be dealing with a lot of rocks in some scenarios. Rocks can cause quite a bit of damage to your truck by flying up off the ground, so picking up rock sliders gives you added protection against that. You can opt for bolt-on rock sliders that make for an installation you can do at home. For a little over $1,000, you can pick up a set from Tacoma Lifestyle, but there are more options to look at if that’s out of your price range. A benefit of this option is that it comes packed with everything you need for installation.
On top of the added protection from rocks, the sliders make getting in and out of your truck easier, thanks to acting as an extra step. This is beneficial for lifted trucks especially, but any truck can benefit from it. You’ll need to make sure you track down a set compatible with your Toyota, as there’s not one that’s going to be a universal fit.
Waterproof winch
This is less important if you’re riding solo, but if you’re going off-road with a group of friends, it’s nice to be prepared to help somebody out if something goes wrong. A winch can be used to get people out of a tough spot if they’re stuck, and it’s a very good mod to have on your Tacoma in case that happens. A waterproof one is nice if you’re splashing through puddles, but it’s unnecessary to grab one if it costs more than a regular winch, and you’re not going to get your truck wet.
You can pick one of these winches up for a little over $500, so while it’s not the cheapest upgrade you can make, it is more inexpensive than many other Tacoma mods can be. The SCAR 12 waterproof winch from Tacoma Beast costs $549.99, for example, and the price increases to $599.99 if you opt for a synthetic cable over a steel one. You can shop around for better offers, but that’s going to be the ballpark price for one.
All-terrain tires
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While using your stock tires would likely be fine, getting a set of all-terrain tires for your Tacoma will make your off-roading experience much better. All-terrain tires are a nice middle ground for people who like to use their trucks to drive on highways while also going off-road here and there. These tires are built for people who plan on being off-road up to 50% of the time while driving, so they will be a worthy investment if that sounds like you.
All-terrain tires can also help for driving in the winter, so they’re nice to have even if you’re not coming close to driving often off-road. A set of tires can cost upwards of $1,000, so it will be a big upfront cost. They can eventually pay for themselves over time if you’re getting a lot of use out of them, however, and the fact they work for more than just off-roading is a big boon to their value.
How were these mods picked?
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The Tacoma is largely ready to go off-road with stock parts, but you can still add mods to make the experience better. If you’re looking for something that’s a nice blend of affordability and something you’ll get multiple uses out of, then this list will serve you well. Keep in mind that you don’t have to make all the upgrades at once; you can instead take it slow and see what you need at first.
As an example, the winch is a very handy mod to make, but you’ll get the most use out of it if you’re going with a group of people instead of by yourself. Some of the mods can be done at home if you have the necessary tools, but some of them can still require outside help, and that will cost a bit more cash. It’ll come down to what your budget is, but you should be able to find something to make your next off-roading trip more fun.
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