Welcome back to another community poll. This is a column interview Q&A with independent owner-submitted feedback from the overland community – centered around one topic. Each owner has thoroughly tested their products through off-roading or overlanding and gives us their honest opinion review of their set-up.
This week, you’ll find seven different and unique cement-colored Tacomas that will undoubtedly inspire those on the overland build journey.
Table Of Contents
1. Justin Respicio: 2020 TRD Off-Road
MODS LIST
Lighting & Electrical
- Switch-Pro 9100 mounted on a Power Tray
- Blue Sea Circuit Breaker and Fuse Box
- Dark Defense Array Light Bar
- Baja Design Squadron Sport (ditch lights and fog lights)
- Baja Design S2s (scene lights)
- Baja Design S1s (chase lights)
- Infinity Off-Road Rock Lights
Suspension
- Kings 2.5 Adjustable Shocks with Reservoirs (front and rear)
- SPC Upper Control Arms
- ICON RXT Leaf Pack
- Archive Garage U-bolt Flip Kit
- DuroBumps Front Bump Stops
Exterior
- Front Bumper Viper Cut
- RCI Rock Sliders
- TRD Skid Plate
- Anytime Camera
Performance
- S&B Cold Air Intake
- TRD Exhaust
- KDMax Tune
Q&A – What Do You Like Best About Your Setup?
Everything to be brutally honest. This rig has the look I’ve been building and looking for from the start, and it functions on the trail, asphalt, or the sand.
The lighting and electrical mods allow me to have easy access to all my lights while I’m out to not only see through the dirt but also the sand.
The suspension handles like an absolute DREAM and takes any imperfections on the dirt trail or the asphalt.
The wheels have the nice rigid, yet, sophisticated look I wanted, and the tires grip amazing on hills, rocks, and mud.
The performance mods make the truck absolutely RIP and sound amazing. However, without the body mods, like the rock sliders and skid plate, my undercarriage would look like a honey badger attacked it haha. This build comes together and gives style and functionality all in one and I’m proud to be the owner of it.
2. Nic Leister: 2020 TRD OR
MODS LIST
Lighting & Electrical
- LED Low Beam
- LED High Beam
- LED Fogs
- Cali-Raised LED Ditch Lights
- Rigid Industries 28″ Chase Light Bar
- Auxbeam 8 Gang Switch Panel
Wheels & Tires
- Fifteen52 Traverse HD
- Falken Wildpeak AT3
Exterior
- Cali-Raised Bed Bars w/ Molle Panel
Gear
- Rough Country RTT
Q&A – What Do You Like Best About Your Setup?
The things I like most about my setup are the lighting setup and my RTT! I love how the ditch lights give me the perfect wide-angle that I need upfront and the chase bar gives me optimal lighting in the rear especially on super dusty trails.
I haven’t gotten a chance to actually use the RTT, but I have set it up and I am extremely excited to finally use it when I take my brothers on a camping trip this spring!
3. Adrian Aguilar: 2021 TRD OR
MODS LIST
Lighting & Electrical
- Auxbeam Lighting – 8 Gang Switch Panel
- Cali Raised – 32” Bumper Light Bar
- Baja Designs – Squadron Pro Fogs
- Baja Designs – 40” S8 Light Bar
- Baja Designs – S2 Sport Lights
- Tribal Whips – 4 ft Amber Light Whip
- KC Highlights – (6) Cyclone Amber Rock Lights
Wheels & Tires
- Toyota USA – TRD Pro Wheels (16”)
- Falken Tire – 285/75/16 Wildpeak AT3W
Suspension
- Eibach World – Stage 1 Pro Kit
Exterior
- Prinsu Design – Roof Rack
- Saints Off-Road – Alpha Bumper w/ Bull Bar
- Toyota USA – TRD Pro Skid Plate
- US Rally Stripes – Flat Black TRD Decal
- AVS Autoventshade – Window Vent Visor
- DRT Fabrication – Bed Stiffeners
Miscellaneous
- Omega Overland – ActionTrax Boards
- Smittybilt – 5.65 CFM Compressor
Q&A – What Do You Like Best About Your Setup?
I believe this is my perfect setup for the weekend warrior! It screams office cubicle Mon-Fri and dirt bagging on the weekend. Being that it’s my daily driver I wanted as close to a stock ride as possible and I’m pretty sure the 2” Eibach Stage 1 Lift Kit achieves that goal.
Living in Las Vegas, we rarely get rain but when we do, the roads turn ugly. The 33” Wildpeaks AT3Ws give me that extra confidence knowing they will stay on the ground. Not to mention it makes the truck stance look better.
Night riding in the desert requires all the lumens and with my collection of Bajas, I have no problem lighting up the night. The build is always in progress with backorders and cash shortage, lol. Stay tuned for what comes next.. sliders, suspension upgrade, rear bumper… it never ends.
4. Nick: 2020 TRD OR
MODS LIST
Lighting & Electrical
- Baja Design Fog Lights
- Diode Dynamics Ditch Lights
- AlphaRex Headlights
Wheels & Tires
- -10mm Offset SCS Ray 10s
- 285/70/17 Dick Cepek A/T
Suspension
- 8112 Bilstein Front Coilovers w/ 8100 Bilstein Rear Shocks
Exterior
- Total Chaos Fabrication Bed Stiffeners
Miscellaneous
- Dobinsons 4X4 Snorkel
Q&A – What Do You Like Best About Your Setup?
The 8112/8100s have been great off-road and have had great results with desert running!
5. Oscar Sanchez: 2018 TRD OR
MODS LIST
Lighting & Electrical
- Switchpros 8100
- Bumper Light Bar: Baja Designs 30″ S8
- Ditch Lights: Baja Designs Squadron PRO
- Fog Lights: Baja Designs Squadron (SAE)
- Headlights: Alpharex NOVA series (Black, not Alpha Black)
- Taillights: Akkon – Smoked
- Turn Signals: Sequential Turn Signals
Wheels & Tires
- Wheels: Method NV 305 17″ Wheels
- Tires: Nitto Ridge Grapplers 285/70/17
- Wheel Spacers: 1.25″ Spidertrax Wheel Spacers
Exterior
- Roof Rack: CaliRaised Premium Roof Rack w/ Pods (stripe decals from TacoVinyl)
- Roof Rack Lightbar: CaliRaised 43″ Dual-function Light Bar (wrapped the ends with LaminX wrap)
- Bumper: Saints Offroad Alpha Bumper
- CA Flag Door Decal: from Tactilian
- Grille: Color-Matched Grill from Taco Vinyl
- Awning: CVT 55″ Hybrid Awning Series (Cascadia vehicle tents)
- Pelican Case: 1700
- Bed: Retrax ONE XR Bed Cover
- Bed Molle Panels: AOD Fabrication
- Tailgate Letter Inserts: Tufskinz
Miscellaneous
- Winch: Smittybuilt X20 12k Synthetic Rope
- Factor 55 Ultrahook w/ Rope Guard
- Steering Wheel: Carbon Fiber Steering Wheel with Stripes
- Seat Covers: PRP Tacoma Seat Covers
- Shift knob: Teton Workshop
- Throttle Controller: Pedal Commander
Q&A – What Do You Like Best About Your Setup?
I love all my accessories so far! The crazy thing is that I don’t even have a new suspension set up for this…YET!!
With a new year, comes new mods. KINGS OR BUST.
6. Alex Mercado: 2020 TRD ORP
MODS LIST
Lighting & Electrical
- Baja Designs SAE Fog Lights
- Baja Designs S1 Ditch Lights
Wheels & Tires
- Summit Dakars (powder-coated in Illusion Cherry)
- BFG KM3 285/70/17
Suspension
- Bilstein 6112/5160
- SPC UCAs
- Icon AAL
Exterior
- Beastfab Rock Sliders
- TRD Skid Plate
Q&A – What Do You Like Best About Your Setup?
My setup was built to be as comfy as possible in the streets and also capable to handle most trails. As for what I like the most from my truck, it would probably be the color combo. I didn’t think illusion cherry would go so well with cement, but it ended up looking much better than I would have ever imagined. I think the wheels are what get the most compliments on this build.
7. Jeremiah Goley: 2020 TRD OR
MODS LIST
Lighting & Electrical
- Baja Designs
- Auxbeam Lighting Switch Panel
Wheels & Tires
- Toyo Tires M/T 295/70/17
- Relations Race Wheels RR7-H |-12
Suspension
- Bilstein US 6112, 5160 +2.5″
- Deaver Stage 1 Rear Leafs
- Camburg Racing X-Joint UCAs
Exterior
- CBI Offroad Fab Covert Front Bumper
- Relations Race Wheel Sliders
- UpTop Overland Roof & Bed Rack
Communications
- Midland USA MXT275
Miscellaneous
- YankStraps Recovery Straps
- MaxTrax
- MorrFlate
- ARB Compressor with DIY Quick Connect in Bed
- Gazelle Tents
Q&A – What Do You Like Best About Your Setup?
The onboard air setup is the part of my build I probably like and use the most. Never needing to pop the hood and being able to easily access that quick connection in the bed has saved me countless hours. Super proud to have designed and built it myself.
A close second would be the wheel/tire/suspension setup. After 2 years of making a lot of tweaks, it’s finally exactly where I need it to be as a daily driver and Overlanding.
Final Thoughts
Well? How did you all like our FIRST community poll? Like I said in the intro, every single Tuesday we will feature a handful of rigs and a specific topic to be showcased on those trucks. So, if you missed out this week, that’s cool! Just keep your eyes on our Instagram to know what the topic is for the following week to submit your build.
Thanks for reading guys, I’ll see you next week!
Its ALWAYS Tacomas in the articles, forum posts, etc… that literally NEVER say how much lift they have or what setting they put their adjustable coilovers at. You will never ever find a mention of tire size and height in the same post. Ever.