If you’re reading this, you likely own a truck. Congratulations on owning one of the most versatile vehicles ever made. Trucks have come a long way from the stripped down, rough-riding utilitarian vehicles they once were. Today’s modern truck is an extremely comfortable place to spend time. Upscale versions boast interiors rivaling many luxury cars, making long road trips or putting around the ranch a swanky affair. Today’s trucks aren’t all fluff either, with little more than air-conditioned seats and giant infotainment screens. They are more capable than ever, hauling and towing plenty of poundage.
No matter how good something becomes, there’s always room for improvement. That’s where the aftermarket comes in. There is a huge variety of products available, from parts that add power to suspension lifts that clear big tires, for just about every truck produced. Perusing a catalog or walking into a store and wading through all those parts can be a bit overwhelming.
That is why we came up with a list of our top ten favorite truck modifications. To keep the confusion to a minimum, we won’t get model specific when it comes to our list. These are modifications that will work for almost any truck. And, keeping with the versatile nature of a truck, we will not only focus on products that make your truck more capable in the dirt, but more versatile as well. Enough with the chatter, let’s take a look at our top ten mods, in no particular order.
One thing we’ve learned over the years is that it gets dark at night. Shocking, but true. If you get out in the sticks or on a trail where there are no city or street lights to help, it can be very dark. Adding an LED light bar is great way to throw some much needed lumens down the trail, but many think they need a new bumper or roof mount to run one. That is why these grilles from Rigid Industries are pretty slick. They replace the factory unit with a grille that doubles as a mount for a 20-inch E Series light bar so you don’t need a special bumper or roof mount. Rigid also makes mounts that replace the factory fog lights with better D-Series lights.
Having a recovery strap is always a good idea if you’re heading into the dirt. But without a proper recovery point, even the best strap is completely worthless. Some modern trucks are devoid of a good solid point to attach a strap. The temptation can be to attach a strap to a suspension arm or a trailer ball, but please don’t. Not only could you seriously injure your vehicle, but you could seriously hurt yourself. That is why we like the HitchLink from Factor 55. It slides into your truck’s hitch receiver to create a solid recovery point. Versions for both 2- and 2.5-inch receivers are available in different colors.
Even if you plan on keeping your truck bone stock, it is still a good idea to upgrade the tires. Most of the tires on trucks straight from the factory are geared for a quiet highway ride and little else. Their extremely mild tread patterns provide little grip in the dirt and their sidewalls aren’t up to off-road abuse, either. It’s amazingly easy to slice one open when the going gets rough or rocky. Any tire built with off-road use in mind will offer better sidewalls and increased traction over the stockers. All-terrain tires are great for trucks that will see plenty of pavement and dirt. More aggressive mud terrains will be a better choice in gooey terrain. Tweener tires, like this Toyo Rough Country R/T, are also a good choice for those that need a more aggressive tread on a vehicle that will still see plenty of highway use.
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What makes a pickup an extremely versatile machine is its bed. Its open nature allows you to haul objects big or small. While that’s a good thing, it also allows anything in the bed of your truck to be pilfered by thieves, or destroyed by the elements. That’s where a tonneau cover comes in. Back in the day, tonneau covers were big and bulky one-piece affairs. To haul anything large you had to remove it and find a place to store it. Thankfully, that’s in the past. Now tonneau covers, like this BAKFlip MX4, come in versions that use large panels or retractable aluminum slats. They not only provide security and protection from the elements, but simply fold up or retract out of the way when hauling something large, making for an extremely versatile setup.
The one modification that will yield the biggest return in terms of off-road performance is installing a locker. We like selectable lockers, like this Eaton E Locker or the ARB Air Locker, as we can run open when needed, like driving on the street or in snow. If the extra traction of a locker is needed, just flick a switch and now 100% of power is going to both wheels. The increase in traction with a locker is dramatic, and can greatly increase the capability of your truck in tough terrain.
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