Tim Esterdahl | Mar 28, 2014 | Comments 3

0 Flares 0 Flares ×

While we often feature “show” trucks that have insane lifts or ginormous tires, what about the “regular” guys who use their truck every day? Where is the love for them? Well, here is one!

This 2010 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Rock Warrior 4×4 lives in the harsh North Dakota climate. Owner Alan Reetz says he parks it outside and drives it every day for work. The trucks sees a lot of the country from highways to 2 track farm roads. He calls it his “function over form” truck.

This truck has a great look thanks to this collection of mods:

De-badged/de-chromed

EVERY light bulb on the truck replaced with LED (V-LEDS.com)

HID headlights

OEM Toyota Tow mirrors

Stubby white/black Ebay antenna

Volant cold air intake

Taillights tinted

55% tinted front side windows (Tint laws suck!)

BHLM (black head light Mod) will be changing soon with a retrofit.

Grill emblem PlastiDiped black

Readylift 3/2 leveling kit

20×9 KMC Rockstar 2 wheels (blades and stars plastiDiped white)

34” Goodyear Duratrac tires

N-Fab RSP front bumper

2×30” LED light bars (Plashlights.com)

LED DRL replacement color matched panels

AVS vent visors

Color matched Bushwacker pocket style fender flares with flat black spikes(shout-out to “Ninja” Ed Balaoro!)

RBP RX-1 Nerf bars

Access Bed cover

Rhino lined bed liner

Husky Liner floor mats

Rostra Back up camera kit

On deck are these ideas:

Redoing headlights/adding retrofit

More led pods on front bumper and probably some in rear bumper for reverse/aux

Leather seat covers. (2 short haired dogs with brown & white hair + black cloth seats = PAIN IN ASS!)

TRD rear sway bar

We got a chance to do a quick Q&A with Reetz. Here is what he had to say.

What is your favorite mod?

Probably the LED light bars, they come in very handy on the back roads and you can never have too much light.

What mod gets asked about the most?

Honestly I get asked about the LED bars a lot. Not something see a lot up here in the Northern plains so I get asked to turn them on or about brightness all the time.

What was the toughest mod?

I’m very hands-on so to for me there wasn’t a very high degree of difficulty. But, putting my headlights in the oven and baking them to do the black headlight mod was probably the most nerve racking mod I have done. Considering the cost of each headlight it could have been a costly screw up.

What was your build inspiration/idea?

I just wanted a truck that wasn’t a show truck but still have some edge and personality to stand out from the rest. I have always been more of a function over form kind of guy.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out?

If you’re married remember….one truck part=one pair of shoes.

How is the ride quality on the different roads you drive? (A criticism from other truck reviewers)

Fairly solid although I am running 10ply tires so little rougher than stock on bumps.

Any concern with bed bounce?

Absolutely! Mostly on highways or roads with heavy truck traffic. but no safety concern just annoying at times, it is what it is…..

What about MPG? (another criticism)

Like I tell everyone that asks, you don’t buy a truck for gas mileage. I’m getting around 10-13MPG highway with 3” leveling and heavy 20”wheels with 34”tires. At stock height, I was getting closer to 16mpg.

What do you think? Fan favorite or dud?

Related Posts: