A Dream Tacoma Takes Shape: Customizing the Perfect Overland Rig

A Dream Takes Shape

Having the opportunity to build my ideal outdoor adventure rig has been a dream for many years, and a new 2024 Toyota Tacoma was the perfect blank canvas. I spent a lot of time looking at the Tacoma’s different trim levels and, based on what I planned to change, decided to go with the SR5 with a 6-foot bed. Now, I know a few people out there will ask, “Why did you go with the longbed?” Well, for how I like to spend time in the backcountry, where I plan on going, and how I wanted to outfit the build, it was the right choice.

The first thing to address was the suspension, wheels, and tires. We chose the Stage 4 suspension system from ICON Dynamics. The system comes with 2.5 bypass shocks front and rear, new upper control arms, and triple rate springs for the rear. I wasn’t sure how much of a difference the new suspension would make—but all I can say is WOW! The ride quality improved dramatically! The wheels are the new Dirty Life 9303 DT-1 17x9s wrapped with the new AMP Tires Terrain Attack RTs in 275/85 R17. This combination took the truck from plain to mean in the blink of an eye!

With the Tacoma being more off-road capable, it was time to start beefing up the rest of the truck. This is where Body Armor 4×4 enters the chat! BA4x4 makes phenomenal products for a variety of off-road rigs and for many different applications. I started by installing the Revo Rock Sliders on the truck. I was able to get these put on the truck in 15 minutes by myself with a limited number of tools. They fit great and added some next-level protection to the truck as well as giving it a nice step. After that, it was time to start looking at the rear bumper. For this, we went with the Pro Series II with the dual swing arms. The process of getting the bumper installed was straightforward and, with the help of a buddy, it came together quickly.

I have used a lot of aftermarket parts over the years, and I feel like I need to give Chris Walls and the Body Armor 4×4 team their flowers here. The BA4x4 team blew me away with the quality and design of their products. Everything fits perfectly, looks fantastic, and functions great. I could go on and on about these guys, but I don’t want to gush too much. What I will say is if you are looking for a top-level product for your build, make sure to give Body Armor 4×4 a try.

From the rear bumper, we moved on to building the new topper from Body Armor 4×4. The topper arrived in multiple pieces and went together super quick. It has two MOLLE panels on each side, which also open to give you easy access to the bed. I can’t wait to start customizing what goes on the topper.

We still have so many more things coming for the build, and I can’t wait to continue to share the process with all of you.