Even without any after market parts, enhancements and add-ons, the Toyota Hilux is still a beast on four wheels. There is however no denying that some of these additions are very useful and some are even vital if you want to equip your vehicle and make it more suitable for conditions or terrains that go beyond the reach of its normal capabilities. And by different terrains I of course mean making it capable of going off-road.
Probably the first thing anyone that wants to make their truck off-road ready does is install a lift kit. There are two different types of lift kits that you can choose from and both have their own benefits that make them different from one another. The suspension lift kit increases your vehicle’s ground clearance while also improving your suspension in preparation for the rougher types of trails you intend to go on. The body lift kit, on the other hand, is designed to raise your vehicle’s body higher and allows you to fit bigger profile tires. There are disadvantages to both as well though. The body lift will leave your suspension as it is which isn’t ideal on unpaved roads, and the suspension kit does improve your ride off the road, but on it the stiffer suspension will make it more uncomfortable.
Which kit you get is ultimately up to which one you think will be more useful to you, but if you install either of them, then you might also want to install some Hilux side steps as well. The Hilux side steps will allow you and your passengers to get into the vehicle more easily after you’ve modified the height and made the cab a bit less accessible. Some models are also ideal for protecting your sills precisely for after you’ve fitted a lift kit on your Hilux.
Finally, you will also want some protection for both the front and back of your vehicle. The bull bars are a good option for the front, and for the back you could get a trunk cover or a hardtop. The bull bars are placed at the head of the vehicle and are designed to provide a little bit of extra protection for both the vehicle’s front as well as for the underside of the engine. As for the back of the pick-up, there are rear bumpers that can give you protection from an angle of impact that’s usually hard to avoid, but there are also items that can go over your trunk and give the contents some defence against the forces of nature, or keep them from spilling out on particularly bumpy roads. Again you have two options here – a simple hard cover that’s minimalistic but will get the job done, or a hard top, which will not only be sturdier and more expensive, but will also change the look of your vehicle completely as well. Or you could just compromise and get a hardcover – your choice.
