A Take on a 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road

‘16 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road

What do you do when you get older, start a family, get a dog and have a passion for the outdoors? You buy a truck. Then the problem becomes which truck to get, as you justify your needs and wants and get realistic with your budget.

Luckily, for Corey Longstreth, the decision to select the Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road as the platform for his project was an easy one. “It’s the complete package.” The truck checked off all of the boxes for what he wanted in off-road capability, from accessibility to aftermarket components—and with good looks to boot. After all, as the art director for Rotiform wheels, design and style matter.

Having owned a plethora and impressive list of different vehicles over the years, like Volkswagens with hard-to-come-by European parts, Audis slammed with air-ride suspension, and a few other trucks, Longstreth claims he’s a “car guy with a short attention span.” As he got older, he realized that lowered cars become a bit of an inconvenience and lack the utility he really needed.

“THE WHEELS WERE DESIGNED, PROTOTYPED, AND FINALLY PRODUCED WITH HIS TRUCK AS THE GUINEA PIG. THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, LONGSTRETH SHARED THE INITIAL DESIGNS ON PUBLIC FORUMS TO GAUGE INTEREST AND SHOWCASE THE NEW WHEELS.”

Impulse Buy

His impulsive streak lead to his decision to purchase the Tacoma TRD Off-Road from his local dealership. As he drove past the lot and saw the white truck on display, he then turned around and bought it on the spot. He was in the market for a truck after a friend sold his and the ability to transport their dirt bikes was needed.

Quickly after making the purchase, the transformation began. There are perks to most jobs and Longstreth took full advantage of his position at Rotiform to help develop their new line of off-road wheels. The wheels were designed, prototyped, and finally produced with his truck as the guinea pig. Through the development process, Longstreth shared the initial designs on public forums to gauge interest and show-case the new wheels.

Rotiform is traditionally known as automotive wheels with aggressive fitments for the tuner crowd, so of course the internet trolls were in full force with their opinions on the new design. Yet, once the two-piece welded forged 17×9 Rotiform LAS-OR wheels in an amazing Stage 2 Brushed Gloss DDT finish were finally released and showcased along with the 285/70 Falken Wildpeak MT03 tires, many of the haters quickly changed their tune.

Pour It On

As with most project vehicles, decisions are made that eventually lead to more customizations that then lead to replacing and changing parts to accommodate for those new upgrades. This dance can go on for awhile as you search for the proper balance and ultimately settle on those modifications until that is… the next shinier and new product comes out. Longstreth is no stranger to this vicious cycle having already switched out the suspension, exhaust, bumpers, and bed rack until things were just right.

Daily-Weekender

Longstreth’s main reason for building an overland style truck was for the functionality as it serves as his daily driver and weekender for trips to Big Bear and beyond. He wanted a capable vehicle to escape the city and serve as an excuse to spend more time with his wife and dog in the great outdoors. Unlike many of his past project vehicles, he felt that his wife could enjoy this truck with him as there is a more practical side to this build versus the lowered vehicles outfitted with rare parts that only fellow auto enthusiasts would admire.

Once he began the build and felt the camaraderie from the outdoor automotive world and the many brands that jumped on the opportunity to support the build, he was hooked. The overland collective has felt like an extended family with members often willing to offer advice and always open to going on an adventure.

“AS WITH MOST PROJECT VEHICLES, DECISIONS ARE MADE THAT EVENTUALLY LEAD TO MORE CUSTOMIZATIONS THAT THEN LEAD TO REPLACING AND CHANGING PARTS TO

Added Capability

Through trial and error with the suspension that was needed to help tackle rough terrain, fit the larger tires, and handle the increased weight added from the host of aftermarket goodies, Longstreth eventually opted for Fox 2.5 3-inch DSC coilovers with 700 pound springs along with Icon Vehicle Dynamics control arm skid plates and Icon upper control arms in the front. The rear features an Icon Vehicle Dynamics RXT leaf pack with a custom mid-weight configuration and custom mounted Fox IFP 2.5-inch hydraulic bypasses. To help with the bit of clearance and re-plating, BAMF cab mount chop plates were installed.

Another self-realization was made after Longstreth installed a MagnaFlow cat-back exhaust. The small displacement, high-output of the V6 sound from the exhaust combined with the highway gear-hunting transmission was a combination that he didn’t want to deal with so, he removed the exhaust, and he quickly became aware that the older version of himself doesn’t find the same thing interesting as his younger version when it comes to vehicles.

“THE TRUCK CHECKED OFF ALL OF THE BOXES FOR WHAT HE WANTED IN OFF-ROAD CAPABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY TO AFTERMARKET COMPONENT—AND WITH GOOD LOOKS TO BOOT.”

Beefing up the Tacoma is an assortment of Pelfreybilt parts that include: a front bumper, high-clearance rear bumper, sliders with kick-outs and top plates, and a front/mid and gas tank skid plate. Complementing the front and rear bumpers are a collection of Baja Designs lights to help provide visibility in the dark. A SwitchPros 100 amp power panel helps control the exterior lighting. The front bumper is also outfitted with a SmittyBilt XRC 12K Gen2 Winch with synthetic line and Warn hook. Finally, completing the look and providing an in-case-of-emergency resolve is a spare Rotiform wheel and Falken tire attached to a Wilco Hitchgate spare tire swing arm.

Further Enhancements

The interior received the Katzkin treatment with re-wrapped black leather and perforated inners with black stitching. Longstreth opted to keep the factory headunit, but with the use of a Hondo Garage–mounted iPad equipped with apps, such as Toop Maps, Rever, Magellan TRX and ROAM, he’s able to navigate trails on the go.

Helping to add a bit of juice while off the grid is a Renogy roof-mounted 150 watt solar panel on a custom enclosure, which is controlled by a Renogy MPPT 40 amp solar controller that can self-diagnose itself with error codes and appears on the LCD screen. The bed of the truck is fully utilized with a Bedslide Cargo tray that holds the essential SnoMaster TR42 Fridge—stocked with ice cold brews, of course.

Front Runner Outfitters Slimline cab and bed racks were added to equip the 1.4M Easy-Out awning, tent mount, and Rotopax mounts with Rotopax water and fuel containers. For camping adventures with his wife and dog in tow, Longstreth opted for the Free Spirit Recreation High Country medium rooftop tent.

“HE WANTED A CAPABLE VEHICLE TO ESCAPE THE CITY AND SERVE AS AN EXCUSE TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HIS WIFE AND DOG IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS.” 

Next Up

Having only owned the vehicle for a little over a year and a half, the amount of modifications is quite impressive, but Longstreth and his short attention span coupled with an innate urge to tinker with things still has a few more upgrades on his to-do list. First he plans on a Nitro Gear and Axle regear to 4.88 and then once Pelfrey Bilt finishes a new swing-out high-clearance rear bumper and tire carrier, he will be sure to swap that out.

On his wish list is the much anticipated Magnussen supercharger, as he looks to add more power with all of the additional weight to the truck. He also plans to switch things up by adding a SnugTop, A.R.E. or Leer shell to the truck and position the rooftop tent on the cabin’s roof to gain more storage capacity. Ironically, he lost the ability to travel with his dirt bikes after much of the cargo space in the bed of the truck was utilized. So to solve this problem he will have Adam at Unique Fabrication build him a custom trailer to carry the bikes and gear, and of course, it will have matching Rotiform wheels and Falken Wildpeak tires.

Then maybe he’ll consider this project complete, that is until he gets the urge for something new.

UPGRADES

2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road

PLATFORM: 2016 TOYOTA TACOMA TRD OFF-ROAD

ENGINE: 3.5 LITER, V6

SUSPENSION: FOX 2.5 3-INCH DSC COILOVERS WITH 700 POUND SPRINGS, ICON UPPER CONTROL ARMS, ICON VEHICLE DYNAMICS RXT LEAF PACK, FOX IFP 2.5-INCH HYDRAULIC BYPASSES

WHEELS & TIRES: 285/70 FALKEN WILDPEAK MT03 TIRES ON 17X9 ROTIFORM LAS-OR IN STAGE 2 BRUSHED GLOSS DDT FINISH

ARMOR: ICON VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL ARM SKID PLATES, BAMF CAB MOUNT CHOP PLATES, PELFREYBILT FRONT BUMPER, PELFREYBILT HIGH- CLEARANCE REAR BUMPER, PELFREYBILT SLIDERS WITH KICK-OUTS AND TOP PLATES, PELFREYBILT SKID PLATES, BEDSLIDE CARGO TRAY, FRONT RUNNER OUTFITTERS SLIMLINE CAB AND BED RACKS

LIGHTING: BAJA DESIGNS LIGHTS

ACCESSORIES: SWITCHPROS 100AMP POWER PANEL, SMITTYBILT XRC 12K GEN2 WINCH, WILCO HITCHGATE SPARE TIRE SWING-ARM, KATZKIN BLACK LEATHER INTERIOR, HONDO GARAGE MOUNTED IPAD (WITH APPS: TOOP MAPS, REVER, MAGELLAN TRX AND ROAM), RENOGY ROOF MOUNTED 150 WATT SOLAR PANEL, RENOGY MPPT 40 AMP SOLAR CONTROLLER, SNOMASTER TR42 FRIDGE, FRONT RUNNER OUTFITTERS 1.4M AWNING, ROTOPAX MOUNTS AND CONTAINTERS, FREE SPIRIT RECREATION HIGH COUNTRY MEDIUM ROOF TOP TENT