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Brody
January 9th, 2011, 01:42 PM
MODIFYING YOUR RIG….OR NOT

Author:
Well, this is a big and expensive question, isn’t it? Read this article and decide for yourself. Many modifications are simply a waste of time, effort and money if you plan to run easy scenic trails that a stock vehicle can do. Or dressing it up so that you have a cool looking ‘mall crawler’.

Modifications, in my experience, should either be for safety reason, to prevent breakage, or to make your rig more capable of running harder trails.

An introduction guide to modifying your truck or SUV
Article written by Good Times

Overview

Anyone that drives a truck and/or SUV interested in taking their vehicles out on the trails always wonder how can they improve their vehicle(s) to be more off-road worthy but at the same time spend the money wisely. I have seen many recommendations by various owners and hope that this guide will help everyone in the right direction.

Compatibility

Any truck and/or SUV.

Introduction

Your Toyota truck or SUV in its stock condition is a very capable vehicle. A lifted truck or SUV is just as capable if not slightly better. I use the term “slightly” because the improvement over stock is not as significant as everyone perceives it to be. You have to understand that to properly drive your vehicle off-road, the success of your trip heavily depends on 90% of the driver’s ability to drive and 10% of the vehicle’s overall capability. These numbers may sound absurd but this is very true on the trails. I am not claiming that you are not a skilled driver but just stating some figures based on real world experiences through my own and others gathered.

Recommended Modifications

The following are a list of modifications that are recommended preferably in this order:

First Aid and Misc Supplies

Whether you have a stock vehicle or not the single most important thing to remember is watching out for yourself. At a bare minimum you should always carry a complete first aid kit (widely available everywhere) for basic care. A dead or dying driver will definitely ruin your day out on the trails so make sure to be prepared for any kind of dangers on the trail. Water, food and shelter items are always recommended on any kind of excursion you decide on. Being prepared for the worst is your best insurance policy. If you can bring a cell/satellite phone and/or one of those SPOT messengers then you’re in even better shape. Any source of communication tool(s) would be an added value for you and your loved ones on your trips.

Recovery Gear

Whether you travel alone or with a group always bring your own recovery gear. It is never recommended to travel alone but if you must persist, please be prepared for the worst. Leave your trip itinerary with your loved ones so they can keep track of you if you do become lost.
Basic recovery gear should include and not limited to:

Recovery Straps

A minimum of one recovery strap is required (one without the metal hooks). The metal hooks on the end can become projectiles if the straps tear under load. This metal object can potentially kill someone so if you are planning to buy some recovery straps please make sure you purchase the ones with hoops on the ends. Any size is fine (2×20, 2×30, 3×20, 3×30... etc)
If you can purchase two in varying sizes this will be great. I personally carry a 20 and 30 foot straps.

D Ring Shackles

3/4”, 20mm shackle. The shackles are used to attach the recovery straps to your recovery points on your vehicle.
If you can purchase two of these it will be great.

Shackle Bracket

Warn sells a great product that utilizes your stock hitch receiver and converts it into a shackle attaching point. The combination of this tool and the recovery strap is a great location for pulling/recovering items/vehicles.
Warn Shackle Bracket

Tree Saver Strap

If you need to use a tree as an anchor, a tree saver strap is your ticket to ensure that you do not damage the tree. Many individuals have used their winch lines directly on the trees which cause gouges on the tree trunks. The damage on the trees can be significant and can potentially break down the tree so by utilizing a tree saver strap this ensures the safety of nature and yourself.

Skid Plates

Many individuals jump to the lift and tires prior to any other mod but I believe that this mod should be at the top of the list. The most important thing to remember is that not all vehicles are property equipped with a skid plate to protect your engine, transmission, transfer case and Gas Tank. If any one of these parts is damaged on the trail your vehicle will become immobile. This means that at a bare minimum skid plates should be integrated to protect your lifeline to ensure that you can safely travel on the trails without worrying about damaging your underside. Whether the trail you are planning to explore is a 2wd trail, it should not matter as rocks and other obstacles may get kicked up by your front and/or rear tires and get throw into your other vital parts so please keep this under recommendation.

Rock Sliders

If your vehicle comes with factory running boards (traditionally made out of plastic) these things will not be able to protect you from the obstacles on the trail. All they will do is damage both the running boards and your body panels. The worst thing that can happen is damage your truck severely which will result in heavy financial burdens on the repairs. Be prepared and make sure you upgrade your factory running boards with some quality aftermarket rock sliders.

Whether it is a round or square configuration should not be an issue as anything stronger than the plastic alternatives will be a great improvement. Most manufacturers have built these rock sliders to double as running boards so the replacement of the factory running boards should not be an issue.

Lift / Tires

Why are the lift and tires towards the bottom of the list? The single most important thing to remember is watching out for yourself. This means you need to make sure your vehicle can get in and out safely which will ensure that you are safe. Lifting your vehicle will only get you in more trouble because you will believe that your truck is suddenly more capable and attempt to do more difficult trails which can lead to disaster. Let’s not forget that your vehicle is only as capable as the way you drive. This means 90% driver skill and 10% vehicle capability.

The traditional 3” lift available for most vehicles will give you the added clearance to fit larger tires which will effectively raise your vehicle. This is a much needed modification so that you can easily drive over obstacles that could have gotten dragged without the lift of the suspension and tire combination.

A lift is a lift. Whether you install a spacer, coil or coil over lift they all perform the same task. The biggest difference between the three technologies are that one costs more and the more expensive the better the ride configuration. Don’t forget that they all lift so if you’re looking to choose the cheapest alternative the spacer lift will be your most inexpensive option.

Are coilovers worth it? Some say yes, some say no. Coilovers are a great technology because the manufacturers have built these items to be rebuildable (most - some are not). A rebuildable coilover gives you the ability to repair and rebuild the shock over and over and effectively prevent you from purchasing new shocks every few years. Unfortunately these coilovers are not cheap so unless you plan to do a lot of high speed exploring I recommend you stick to your traditional shock and coil combination such as OME.

Just in case you’re still not sure which lift to get.... they’re all the same... just figure out your budget and go accordingly!

Body Armor

After you’ve done all of the other modifications, you will begin to notice that many of the obstacles you approach on the trails are starting to do a number on your front and rear bumpers. At this point you will want to upgrade your stock plastic bumpers and purchase some aftermarket aluminum/steel bumpers. This armor will protect your front and rear from any unnecessary damages from the obstacles you encounter on the trail.
* Not all aftermarket bumpers are airbag compatible * * most all aftermarket bumpers are built to accommodate winches *

Off-road Accessories

At this point you will want additional toys such as winches, hi lifts and others. By the time you get to this modification you are definitely beyond the introduction guide and should be knowledgeable enough to check out the off-road tech section. Communication is also essential, a CB radio is the first step you should take, if that is not sophisticated enough a 2 meter ham radio is another good option. One thing to keep in mind is the 2 meter ham radios require licenses through the FCC to own and operate

Conclusion

I hope that this guide will give you a better perspective and not deter you from exploring the outdoors. Note that the first two modifications are not really “truck specific modifications”. They are merely items that everyone should carry at a minimum. I wish everyone the best out on the trails and don’t forget to share with the rest of the community.