Purchasing your Toyota Tacoma was a wise move. Now, it’s time to upgrade it for off-roading – and there are lots of Toyota Tacoma accessories to choose from. From lift kits to body armor, you have many possibilities for customizing your truck. Your upgrading costs can vary with the parts you select. This quick guide covers some popular Tacoma mods to consider for your truck.
Tacoma Lift Kits
Ground clearance is a common concern when taking a truck off the road. Sitting up high can make you feel more powerful and secure. But it also offers improved visibility. Increasing your Tacoma’s ground clearance also reduces the risk of damaging its undercarriage. There are suspension lifts and body lifts, so you need to know the different to choose the best Toyota Tacoma lift kit for your needs:
- Suspension lifts raise and modify a vehicle’s suspension system
- Body lifts elevate a vehicle’s body above its frame
Of course, there’s more to each type of lift than these brief descriptions. Suspension lifts are complex and typically require modifications to a vehicle’s drivetrain and steering systems. Body lifts use spacers on top of the stock rubber body mounts. Your vehicle keeps its OE steering, drivetrain and suspension components.
Each type of lift offers different benefits. Body lifts raise a vehicle’s ride height and let you equip larger tires. Suspension lifts do more, significantly increasing ground clearance and enhancing off-road suspension performance. Both lifts come in a wide range of price points. Daystar’s top-rated 3-inch body lift kits for the Tacoma costs between $225 and $575, depending on the options you choose. Rough Country’s 3-inch suspension lift kit, rated five stars by many riders, prices at around $600. More extensive suspension lifts can easily run between $1,000 and $3,000.
Toyota Tacoma Body Parts
Your Tacoma is already a beast of a truck. Upgrading it with improved body parts offers even more solid protection. Bumpers are one popular auto parts Tacoma option, with top brands including the HiLine and ProSeries by Body Armor.
HiLine’s TC-19339 front bumpers feature a high-clearance design, perfect for suspension lifts and skid plates. It’s also built to handle winches with its 3/16-inch plate bumper, ¼-inch winch mount and 10,000-pound winch capacity. With light mounts and a textured black finish, the TC-19339 is an excellent upgrade choice. It retails at around $650. Body Armor’s ProSeries rear bumper also offers plenty of bang for your buck. Made with 3/16-inch steel plate, it features convenient bolt-on installation and can accommodate two cube lights. The ProSeries costs around $600.
A Few Last Word About Upgrades
When it comes to modding your truck, there’s no single hard and fast price. It all depends on the mods you choose. You could install a couple of Trail Master LED light bars at around $80 each and add a body lift for about $400. Someone else may spend $3K on a suspension lift plus a Smittybilt GEN2 roof tent – and that’s before they get add-ons like light bars or seat covers. No matter what you buy, it’s important to remember a couple of things: know your performance goals and shop at a reputable dealer.
