From PreRunner to Rock Crawler

Living Life on the Rocks

Tor There are plenty of reasons to build a full-custom truck, but it’s always refreshing to see when someone does it for very personal reasons. It’s easy to fall into the trap of slapping together parts that don’t work well together, only to lose hope in the project out of pure frustration. It’s obvious when someone does their homework before building a rig, and already has the endgame figured out long before closing in on the finish line. These types of projects are always a treat to take an in-depth look at due to their thoroughness and ingenuity, which we will soon see here.

We recently caught up with Central California native, Garrek Becker, and his majorly beefed up 2002 Toyota Tacoma. Now, getting the truck to this point didn’t take too long, as he completed the build in under 8 months. The project didn’t even cost a whole lot either (relatively speaking) considering Garrek estimates his grand total in parts and labor amounting to $25k. That price tag is a bargain considering he ended up with a truck that was custom built to meet his very specific requirements based largely on the ability to scale boulders and other such sketchy terrain.

Since owning a spit-shined showboat just wasn’t in Garreck’s playbook for his Tacoma, he focused on its suspension system, which would ultimately take him straight to the top. To start, he boxed in the factory Toyota frame, then assembled a load of components to lift his truck 6 inches all around. For the front, a solid axle kit from WFO Concepts proved to be the right choice, as it included a radius arm package, frame plates, coilover shock towers, and everything else needed to get the job done. At the rear, a RuffStuff universal 3-link setup was utilized for smooth sailing over not-so-friendly off-road conditions. Front and rear Fox IBP coilovers were included to provide the smoothest ride quality possible, which was of utmost importance considering what Garreck would soon be up against.

The OEM 3.4L V6 was good enough to leave in place, although it was mildly upgraded with a custom exhaust system and a cold air intake. The Tacoma’s factory-equipped 2WD transmission, on the other hand, was swapped out for a 4WD unit, which was an absolute must for this scenario. Garreck proceeded to include a Trail-Gear crawl box, Tom Wood’s custom front and rear driveshafts, and a Reid Racing steering knuckle on the passenger side to help control the truck on unforgiving terrain. To better battle the rocks and dirt, Method 105 bead lock wheels and  40-inch BFG KR3 tires were added to the Tacoma’s off-road arsenal. Obviously, Garreck blew most of his budget on the Tacoma’s upgraded suspension and drivetrain setups, but he accounted for that going into the project.

Additional funds were spent on the exterior—specifically on the Advanced Fiberglass Concepts front fenders, KC HiLiTES housings, 4x Innovations rock sliders, as well as some trick bodywork including a 9.5-inch bobbed bed, shaved taillights and smooth roll pan. The interior also saw some upgrades in the way of ostrich and suede wrapped PRP Enduro Elite Recliner front seats, as well as a full cage from 4x Innovations to provide maximum protection while Garreck reaches higher heights.

Take a good, long look at this Tacoma because it truly is the epitome of ‘purpose-built’. Garreck knew what was important while building a competent wheeling rig. While it might not claim any trophies at a local show-and-shine event, it surely is one of the baddest Tacoma prerunners out in the wild. You won’t catch many trailer queens keeping up with this thing—that’s for sure.

UPGRADES

2002 Toyota Tacoma prerunner

OWNER:
Garrek Becker
Ridgecrest, CA

Engine & Drivetrain: OEM 2002 Toyota 3.4L V6; 3-inch exhaust system; S&B intake; 2002 Toyota A430 transmission swap; Trail-Gear crawl box and OEM transfer case; Tom Wood’s custom front and rear driveshafts; 2005 Ford Super Duty 60 front axle; 2005 Ford Sterling 10.5 rear axle

Chassis & Suspension : Fully boxed 2002 Toyota frame; 125-inch wheelbase; Custom 6-inch lift; WFO Tacoma SAS kit; RuffStuff Specialties universal 3-link rear; Front 12-inch Fox 2.5-inch IBP coilovers; Rear 16-inch Fox 3.0 IBP coilovers; Custom skid plates; Trail-Gear hydro assist kit; Welded front and rear diffs; Reid steering knuckle on passenger side

Wheels & Tires: 17×8.5 Method 105 bead lock wheels; 40×12.50-17 BFG KR3 tires; OEM brakes, custom lines

Body & Paint: Custom bumpers; Advanced Fiberglass Concepts front fenders; KC HiLiTES lighting upgrades; Bobbed bed 9.5 inches; Shaved taillights, smoothed roll pan; OEM silver, Rust-Oleum dark gray, bedliner; 4x Innovations rock sliders

Interior: PRP Enduro Elite Recliner seats; Light gray ostrich and suede upholstery; 4x Innovations 1.75x.120 DOM full interior cage; OEM gauges and steering wheel; Kenwood KAC-M5024BT head unit