A Daily Driven 2017 Toyota Tacoma with SEMA-Ready Style

A Daily Driven ‘17 Toyota Tacoma

After a life of lowered cars and a passion for the import car world, Daniel Kruthanooch, better known as “Yogi”, entered a new stage of his life with his purchase of a ‘17 Toyota Tacoma. The days of slowing down for speed bumps, being pulled over for fix-it tickets and entering driveways at an extreme angle are now behind him.

His prized Lexus GS has found a home parked in the garage, where the heavily modified car now sits quietly next to the Tacoma, which has become his daily driver and weekend getaway vehicle of choice.

Inspired by his first off-roading adventure as a passenger, Yogi noticed the ease at which the trucks could tackle the terrain. The off-roader’s capabilties couldn’t be more contrasting when compared to his slammed sedan. Let’s hear about his experience in Yogi’s own words,

“A FOCUS OF HIS BUILD WAS TO CREATE A DAILY DRIVABLE TRUCK THAT HAS CAPABILITES TO TACKLE SOME LIGHT FOUR WHEELING AND LIFE OFF THE GRID.”

“I went on a trip, years back, never had any experience going off-roading or living on the land. I tagged along on a pretty big excursion with about 8 to 10 rigs. First off, I had trouble going over speed bumps in my regular cars, yet these guys were going through terrain I’d never thought was possible. At nights when we’d set up camp, I got my little tent cot out, just big enough to fit my body. Then I see these guys deploy these massive tents on top of the car. I was so new to this, I didn’t even know that those were tents on top of their rigs. I knew then, when the right time came around, I wanted to build my own.”

Yogi’s first off-roading experience on that fateful trip set in motion the events that led to his new passion and the vehicle that you see here.

The opportunity came after his father moved to California from Thailand and he was in the need for transportation. Yogi passed along his daily driver Toyota Corolla to his father and the hunt for a replacement daily driver began. He visited the Toyota dealership and the only real decision for him boiled down to either the Tacoma or the 4Runner. Not being much of an SUV guy, he opted for the Tacoma and started the new project.

A focus of his build was to create a daily drivable truck that has capabilites to tackle some light four wheeling and life off the grid. Yogi adds, “For me, it’s more for traveling. By profession, I’m a photographer and social media manager for my company. If you could imagine, I’m on my phone and computer 12 to 16 hours a day. So for me, this is something I can use to escape on those times I have the opportunity to get away for a while.”

Initially, the Tacoma received the Icon Vehicle Dynamics (IVD) suspension treatment with 2.5 Shocks with extended reservoir, 700-pound springs and tubular upper control arms in front. The rear suspension features IVD RXT 2.5 Shocks with extended reservoir and RXT rear leaf springs.

The lift allows for the 17×8.5 RR-V2 Relations Race Wheels wrapped in 285/70R17 Nitto Tire Trail Grapplers to pound the pavement and trails alike. EGR fender flares were added to prevent dirt and debris from being kicked up from the more aggressive setup. This along with a couple other minor modifications were where he originally had planned to complete his project, but an opportunity arose.

About the Tacoma build’s quick progress, Yogi comments, “Truth be told, it was not supposed to get this wild. I wanted to do some minor mods and a tent and be done with it.”

What started as a modest project quickly went full-steam ahead as the chance to showcase at the annual SEMA Show was presented. With only about six weeks to complete his truck he called on his friend, Joe Arsenault, owner and operator of Mobtown Off-Road, who worked day and night from their facilities in Greens-boro, Maryland, to produce, powdercoat and ship over 800 pounds of the truck’s armor all the way out to California. Mobtown provided the off-road sliders with kick out and fill plates, off-road rear bumper with accessories and spare swing out, off-road front and transmission skid plates and off-road tailgate skin.

“FOR ME, IT’S MORE FOR TRAVELING… IF YOU COULD IMAGINE, I’M ON MY PHONE AND COMPUTER 12 TO 16 HOURS A DAY. SO FOR ME, THIS IS SOMETHING I CAN USE TO ESCAPE ON THOSE TIMES I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET AWAY FOR A WHILE.”

It was off to the races to complete the project within the tight timeline, with many parts being installed at once. He elected to keep much of the engine intact and installed an Injen Technology Evolution intake and ARB Safari Snorkel for the occasional water crossing and dusty trails.

The Tacoma’s exterior received a bit of an upgrade with an ARB Summit Front Bumper equipped with a pair of ARB fog lights. The upgraded bumper not only allows for convenient auxiliary light mounting, but winch capability, too—but we’ll get to that in a moment. Additionally, an EGR hood protector, window visors, and truck cab spoiler were installed.

Many of the areas he had envisioned traveling to have no cell phone service, street lights or people. With this in mind, he added plenty of lighting to see dark trails and light up his camping sites. A GGLighting 40-inch G4D light sits prominently on the roof of his truck, while a pair of GGLighting G3-XL Series pods hood mounted on the front bumper and six G3D pods—two mounted with CBI Ditch Brackets on the hood and four on the rear rack—add supplementary light to all four corners of the vehicle.

Not forgetting about that initial overland/ camping experience, Yogi elected to install a Tepui Autana Sky 3 roof top tent to avoid the cold ground at night and added a Tepui 4-foot awning for shade during the day. This rig allows for quick campsite set ups and protection from the elements, whether sleeping at night or lounging around during the day. He ordered it in a unique Siberian Camo colorway that, when deployed, adds a touch of style to his already striking vehicle’s camp setup.

“IT WAS OFF TO THE RACES TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT WITHIN THE TIGHT TIMELINE WITH MANY PARTS BEING INSTALLED AT ONCE.”

One to always be prepared, Yogi required storage for all his camping and travel gear. He turned to Decked USA for their drawer system. The system safely and securely stores ample amounts of gear—including a SmittyBilt recovery bag, tools, jumper cables, back-up air compressor, and ratchet straps. A SmittyBilt X20 10K Winch with synthetic rope, SmittyBilt COMP-AIR 10-pound air tank, and ARB recovery point add additional peace of mind while off the grid.

Completing the Tacoma’s storage and recovery solutions, a Rhino Rack Pioneer Roof Rack and Pioneer Bed Rack outfitted with dual Jerry can holder with two Wavian 5-gallon NATO cans, Rotopax First Aid, recovery boards, Hi-Lift 48-inch jack and shovel were dutifully mounted in and around the truck. A Rhino Rack WeatherProof Luggage 200L bag straps to the rack and fits his clothes and extra items while traveling.

Not to leave out the interior cabin, SmittyBilt G.E.A.R Seat Covers were added to protect his new seats from the inevitable dirt that comes with exploring the outdoors. Yogi made sure that his truck took advantage of many of the useful modern electronics that are available to vehicle-borne adventurers today. One glance and you’ll notice a plethora of technology for communications and navigation are always within an arm’s length away, which includes a Garmin inReach Explorer plus satellite communicator, a Midland CB 75-822 radio, a BaoFeng UV-5R HAM radio, and an Apple iPad 5 with the Gaia Maps app. He also installed a Wilson CB stud, shaft and 49-inch stainless steel antenna whip.

After some late nights and a whole lot of work, the six-week challenge was met and the Tacoma made its show debut within the Rhino Rack booth at SEMA. With the truck complete it was time to put the truck to the test. Yogi and his girlfriend, Kathrina, embarked on a 5-day, 1,400-mile trip from California through Arizona and into Utah, where they went through the Diamond Creek Trail to the bottom of the Grand Canyon with nothing but the sound of the surging Colorado River surrounding them, a location that his previous lowered lifestyle would never have been able to bring him to.

More than just a vehicle used for to day-to-day transportation, one’s off-road vehicle can be used to refresh both body and soul from the daily grind, and for Yogi, his truck does just that. Regarding what the Tacoma brings to his life, Yogi succinctly puts it this way, “I’m on my phone and computer on average, 14 hours a day, so it’s just amazing to get away from all of it.”

UPGRADES

2017 Toyota Tacoma

PLATFORM: 2017 TOYOTA TACOMA

ENGINE: 3.5L V-6, INJEN TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION INTAKE, ARB SAFARI SNORKEL

SUSPENSION: FRONT IVD SUSPENSION 2.5 SHOCKS W/ EXTENDED RESERVOIR, 700-LB SPRINGS, TUBULAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS, REAR IVD SUSPENSION RXT 2.5 SHOCKS WITH EXTENDED RESERVOIR, RXT REAR LEAF SPRINGS

WHEELS & TIRES: RELATIONS RACE WHEELS RR-V2 (17X8.5 WITH 4.75-INCH BACKSPACING), NITTO TIRE TRAIL GRAPPLERS (285/70/17)

ACCESSORIES: GGLIGHTING G4D 40-INCH LIGHT BAR ON THE ROOF RACK, G3XL PODS ON THE FRONT BUMPER, G3D LIGHT PODS ON THE DITCH AND REAR RACK, SMITTYBILT WIRELESS CONTROLLED X2O 10K W/ SYNTHETIC ROPE, WAVIAN 5-GALLON NATO CANS, DECKED USA DRAWER SYSTEM, MOBTOWN OFF-ROAD SLIDERS W/ KICK OUT AND FILL PLATES, MOBTOWN OFF-ROAD REAR BUMPER W/ ACCESSORIES AND SPARE SWING OUT, MOBTOWN OFF-ROAD FRONT AND TRANSMISSION SKID PLATES, MOBTOWN OFF-ROAD TAILGATE SKIN, ARB SUMMIT FRONT BUMPER, GARMIN INREACH EXPLORER+ PAIRED WITH APPLE IPAD 5 RUNNING GAIA MAPS, SMITTYBILT G.E.A.R SEAT COVERS, BAOFENG UV-5R HAM RADIO, MIDLAND 75-822 40 CHANNEL CB RADIO, WILSON 2000 ANTENNA, SMITTYBILT COMP-AIR 10-LB AIR TANK, CBI DITCH BRACKET, ARB RECOVERY POINT, TEPUI AUTANA SKY 3 (SIBERIAN CAMO), TEPUI 4-FOOT AWNING, RHINO RACK PIONEER ROOF RACK, RHINO RACK PIONEER BED RACK, RHINO RACK DUAL JERRY CAN HOLDER, RHINO RACK WEATHERPROOF LUGGAGE BAG (200L), RHINO RACK SHOVEL, EGR HOOD PROTECTOR, EGR WINDOW VISORS, EGR TRUCK CAB SPOILER, EGR FENDER FLARES, HI LIFT 48-INCH, ROTOPAX FIRST AID

SPECIAL THANKS: THANK YOU TO MY TEAM, HUBERT BARNUM AND RAY DE VERA, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. I OWE IT TO THESE GUYS FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAYS AND NIGHTS TO HELP ME FINISH THE TRUCK. THANK YOU TO ALL MY SPONSORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT: IDL GARAGE; MOBTOWN OFF ROAD; TEPUI TENTS; NITTO TIRE USA; RELATIONS RACE WHEELS; IVD SUSPENSION; GG LIGHTING; M2MOTORING; RHINO RACK USA; ARB USA; SHOWSTOPPERSUSA, JIMAHAJER OFF-ROAD GARAGE; MONROVIA ALIGNMENT, DECKED USA, EGR USA; GRAPHICS BY FRANKY; ROBERT AND YURI AT IGNITION MARKETING GROUP; SMITTYBILT; 4-WHEEL PARTS; MARK AT FATLACE; LAST BUT DEFINETLY NOT LEAST, MY GIRLFRIEND KATHRINA FOR HER LOVE AND CONTINUOUS SUPPORT FOR LETTING ME DO WHAT I LOVE TO DO.