This Clapped-Out Taco on 37s Is the Overland Rig You Wish You Had

When you spot a beat-up ‘06 Toyota Taco sitting on 37" tires with a long travel suspension setup, you know there’s a story behind it. This particular blue beast belongs to Braden from Overland Outfitters, and it’s the perfect example of what happens when a tech’s personal truck gets worked hard and put away dirty. The thing is absolutely clapped out, but that’s exactly what makes it so interesting.

This double cab long bed Taco has seen some serious abuse over the years. The front bumper is a mangled Pelfrey Built aluminum piece that’s so loose it probably shouldn’t be trusted for winching anymore. The body damage tells the story of countless adventures - and according to Braden, most of that carnage came from letting other people drive his rig. That’s a lesson every wheeler learns the hard way.

The real magic happens underneath though. The front end runs JD Fab’s 2 1/4" long travel kit, making it 4 1/2" wider than stock. Those King coilovers paired with the lower pivot kit push the wheels forward, creating clearance for those massive 37" Nitto Ridge Grapplers mounted on Black Rhino Riot beadlocks. Getting rubber that big to fit required serious surgery - three inches of tubbing into the firewall and 4" up top, plus completely mangling the fenders.

The suspension setup delivers about 12.5" of bump-to-strap travel up front, which is impressive for a daily driver truck. The JD Fab steering slide rack keeps the steering rack from deflecting under load, solving the problem of blown seals that plagued the build early on. King bumps shortened to ~1" of stroke give more free travel before they engage.

What really sets this build apart is the drivetrain upgrades. ARB lockers front and rear with 4.88 gears keep things moving, while those trick 934 Porsche CVs on the inners are the secret sauce. JD Fab welds stock Taco inner splines to the 934 CVs, creating longer axles with way more plunge travel. That extra movement prevents axle bind and keeps things from breaking - Braden hasn’t snapped an axle yet, even with 37s and the front end locked up tight.

The rear suspension is equally impressive with King 2.0 bumps and 16" IBP shocks paired with JD Fab’s spring-under conversion. The setup delivers around 17" of travel, though Braden runs heavier duty leafs to support the rooftop tent and gear. That’s the compromise you make when your rig pulls double duty as an adventure machine and work truck.

The dual battery relocation might be the smartest mod on the whole truck. Moving both batteries from the engine bay to behind the rear seat improved suspension performance dramatically and freed up space under the hood for the ARB twin compressor. Custom brackets hold everything in place, and there’s still room for jumper cables and a first aid kit.

Other thoughtful touches include the custom air intake routed through the cowl instead of a traditional snorkel, a TC-style steering pump for better feedback control, and 4Runner brakes for a bit more stopping power. The bed cage maximizes usable space while protecting the rear shocks, and an onboard air system with a tank makes trail repairs easier.

The interior keeps things simple with heated seat covers, a clean switch panel, and practical storage solutions. A Cascadia solar panel on the hood keeps the electrical system topped off during extended trips. The whole setup screams function over form, which is exactly what you want in a truck that actually gets used.

This Taco represents the best kind of build - one that evolved over years of real-world use. Every modification serves a purpose, and the battle scars prove it’s not just a mall crawler. Sure, it’s rough around the edges, but that’s what happens when you actually wheel your rig instead of just posing with it at car shows.

The truck is about to get completely rebuilt from the ground up, which seems crazy considering how capable it already is. But that’s the beauty of this hobby - there’s always another level to reach, another upgrade to try, another trail to conquer. Sometimes the best reason to tear apart a perfectly good truck is simply “why not?”

Check out more builds and technical content at Overland Outfitters or follow their adventures on Instagram.