This Low-Key Toyota Pickup Build Packs Serious Off-Road Surprises

When you’re wheeling in snow without recovery gear, you better know when to turn around. That’s exactly what happened when RM Garage took his built Yota pickup and IFS 4Runner up to Bald Mountain OHV trail near Shaver Lake, California. Sometimes the smart call is the safe call, even when you’re itching to push deeper into the backcountry.

The star of this snow wheeling adventure is a seriously built ‘88 Yota pickup that’s been transformed from its factory IFS setup into a proper crawler. This truck went under the knife for a full solid axle swap, ditching the independent front suspension for a bulletproof setup that can handle whatever the trail throws at it. The owner welded on a Trail Gear leaf spring eliminator kit and mounted a solid axle from an ‘81 pickup, creating a front end that’s built for business.

What makes this pickup special isn’t just the axle swap - it’s the attention to detail. The frame got gusseted with plates to prevent the shock mounts from ripping off, which is a common failure point on these rigs when you start pushing them hard. The knuckle balls are reinforced with a Marlin Crawler kit, and the whole front end rides on Bilstein 5125s that come with the Trail Gear package.

Under the hood sits a fuel-injected 22RE that the owner admits puts out “a whole 90 HP of greatness.” Don’t let the modest power output fool you though - this engine is bulletproof reliable and gets the job done. Sometimes crawling ability matters more than raw HP, especially when you’re picking your way through technical terrain.

The real party trick on this pickup is the dual transfer case setup running 2.28 and 4.7 gearing. This combination gives the driver incredible crawl ratios and precise control when things get gnarly. The twin stick setup means you can fine-tune your gearing for exactly what the terrain demands, whether you’re crawling over boulders or grinding through deep snow.

Rolling on 37" Cooper Discoverer STT Pros that were scored used off Facebook for $500, this pickup had to get trimmed to fit the bigger rubber. The owner cut the fenders slightly and bashed the frame pinch weld to clear the tires. This is standard for older pickups and 4Runners when you’re stepping up to 37s.

You can follow more of RM Garage’s builds and adventures on Instagram.