In 2004 I bought a double cab 4WD Tacoma for the purpose of remote camping, as well as my daily driver. I wanted to keep modifications to a minimum, so for the first few years only ran 265/75 R16 BFG All Terrains and rock sliders. I then upgraded the suspension and switched over to 255/85 R16 BFG Mud Terrains, as well as several other overland-specific mods which I will describe in detail here.
List of modifications:
- LineX bed liner
- custom rock sliders
- Donahoe coilovers
- Deaver 10-leaf spring pack
- Bilstein rear shocks
- ARB rear shackles
- U-bolt flip from Demello
- 255/85 R16 BFG Mud Terrains (33.4″ tall)
- OEM all-weather floor mats
- Yaesu 7800 dual-band HF radio
- Eezi-Awn 1600 roof top tent
- Engel MT45 12v fridge
- Lifeline group 30 battery
- Yakima bicycle rack
- ARB front bumper
- Mile Marker 10,000 lb winch
A few comparison shots of the stock vs. improved suspension:
Before & after ARB bull bar installation (and applying a flat-black paint to all of the chrome):
