Ken Hoglund's Adventurous Overland Build

To continue on with our "Build of the week", we welcome Ken Hoglund with his built 2015 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad.

Getting into the overland industry wasn’t really something that I set out to do.  

I’ve always enjoyed photography but when seeking the best and remote nature locations that Utah had to offer, I found myself limited driving the Mazda Protégé that I had at the time.  I set out for a mid–size truck and my wife had one requirement which was that I had to be able to fit three car seats in the back.  So, with the challenge accepted, I found a car seat that advertised being able to fit three across the back of a Honda Civic – Diono.  With the car seats figured out for the kids I bought my Tacoma new May of 2015.

I didn’t start out with a truck build in mind.  I started small with a tonneau cover and then slowly started in the overland direction.  I didn’t start with any of the big things really until this year.  My philosophy and approach were to handle things one thing at a time as needed.  My first big investment was February 2017 when I bought skid plates.  I figured I needed to protect the undercarriage as much as I could because I didn’t get a lift for another year and a half later.  I didn’t want to replace the suspension until I needed to.

In July 2016 I bought a bed tent which allowed my kids and I to sleep for the first time off the ground and in the bed of the tent.  Huge problem with the bed tent is that I’m 6’ 2” and sharing the bed with two kids was never all that comfortable – which I later solved by getting a roof top tent.

Bed Rack & Accessories:

• PrinSu Design Studio CabRac
• Leitner Designs Active Cargo System
• Leitner Designs XL Gear Pod
• Maxtrax
• RotopaX Gas Can 

Body - Armor:

• CBI Offroad Moab 2.0 Front Bumper
• CBI Offroad Bushmaster 2.0 Rear Bumper with Dual Swing Away
• CBI Offroad Rock Sliders
• CBI Overland Skid Plates
• Bay Area Metal Fab Lower Control Arm Skid Plates
• RCI Offroad Rear Diff Skid Plate

Gearing:

• 4.56 Ratio Nitro Gears 

Lighting:

• Heretic Studio Clear 40" Bar (Mounted to the PrinSu Design Roof Rack)
• Heretic Studio Clear Ditch lights (Mounted to CBI Ditch Light Brackets)
• Heretic Amber Fog lights
• Heretic Amber 20" Bar (Front Bumper)
• Rigid SR-M Flush Mount Flood Lights (Backup lights) 

Suspension - Tires:

• Old Man Emu BP–51 Suspension kit - Dakar Leafs
• Old Man Emu Dakar AAL
• Archive Garage Hammer Shackle Hangers with Cross Tube
• Timbren Industries Rear Active Off-Road Bumpstop
• Wheeler's Off-Road Front Superbump Bumpstop
• Falken Wildpeak LT285/70R17 Tires
• TRD Matte Black Pro Wheels
• Stoptech 6 Piston Front Big Brake Kit with Red Caliper 

Accessories:

• Warn Zeon 10-S Platnium Synthetic Winch 
• Wavian Steel Jerry Gas Can
• ARB Dual Air Compressor
• Expedition Essentials Bedside Mount
• Expedition Essentials TPAM
• Empyre Off Road Grille Insert
• sPOD Universal
• CVT Summit Mt Rainer Tent
• Volant Cold Air intake
• Safari Snorkel
• Yaesu TM-400XDR Dual-Band Ham Radio
• WeatherTech floor mats 

Coming Soon:

•  ARB Front Air Locker