Our Project 2023 Toyota Tundra Is A Do-It-All Overland Build

We subscribe to the theory that there is no perfect do-it-all vehicle. No matter what, there is a series of compromises, and it all boils down to the intended use. When we decided to head to Alaska, we looked at a variety of vehicle options. We looked at vans, trucks, SUVs, and even SUVs, and decided that the single best compromise would be those with truck-based chassis.
We wanted something that would have enough power and ground clearance to tackle challenging terrain, but small enough to fit between trees and other confining obstacles on the trail. Hence, I bought two vehicles, a 2023 Toyota Tundra and a used 2017 Toyota 4Runner. We also decided that we were going to tow trailers, and in the case of the Tundra, we would be pulling an Opus OP15, which weights over 5100 pounds dry.
VEHICLE GOALS
Our goal was to build vehicles that were capable of overland adventures all on their own, yet capable of pulling trailers that we could use as a base camp. Purpose-built trailers that would provide more storage space, convenience, comfort, power, fuel, water and food. We wanted to be capable of living off grid with the trailers for up to two weeks if needed and wanted our Toyotas to go five days realistically before restocking.
Our original plan was to go to Alaska for 48-days, but it ended up being over two months as a mechanical issue with the 4Runner forced us to return home for some repairs, before heading back to Utah, Nevada and Arizona. But that this made this adventure all the more interesting, and actually allowed us to introduce new people to off-road travel.

STAGE 1 – OFF-ROAD BUILD
When our crew first started conceptualizing the builds, we focused most of our efforts on off-road upgrades. We decided to replace our 33-inch tires with 35-inch Maxxis RAZR MT on Icon wheels. This seemed logical because Icon Vehicle Dynamics lifted the truck 3.5 inches and installed their Stage 12 suspension kit front and rear. Icon did all of the work at their corporate headquarters in Riverside, California. This gave the Tundra more ground clearance, stiffened up the suspension for the weight we would be adding, and took advantage of their adjustable suspension that can be controlled by a Bluetooth phone app.
Even though we increased our ground clearance by roughly four inches, we knew that armor was important, so with the help of Cali Raised Off-Road we replaced all the stock TRD products with RCI skid plates, along with a catalytic converter guard.

Next we drove to Ogden Utah to have Expedition One bumpers put on at Fat Bob’s Garage.
Expedition One bumpers are state of the art and have incredible fit and finish. They make them in several styles, and since hitting an elk, moose or deer was a distinct possibility, we eneded up going with the largest bumpers they offered. This proved to be a smart move as one of our guides, Mike Chesney, actually hit an elk while on the way to meet us, and it made the vehicle undrivable. We used Expedition One bumper swing gates on the back of the Tundra to mount a spare tire, an OTZI Gear Mod Rack and a RotoPax plastic fuel jug (with our preferred aluminum AI13 nozzle), along with our Krazy Beaver recovery shovel. Up front, we used their bumper to mount the 12.5-ton ComeUp winch (which we mated with Freedom Recovery Gear ). We also used Expedition One rock sliders! Ultimately, the vehicle would include nearly two dozen KC Hilites at a variety of levels all around the vehicle. We consider high-performance lights as essential equipment for any off-road build, and ours are controlled by Switch Pros SP 9100.

STAGE 2 – OVERLAND BUILD
We are very fortunate that a lot of off-road companies are based in southern California and took advantage of all the opportunities. I have known Horst Leitner for over 30 years, and his engineer son, Bernhard, is the founder and owner of Leitner Designs. This innovative company is a pioneer in the American overland market, and have a unique and patented Active Cargo System that has a wide range of add on accessories. This would be the foundation upon most of our overland equipment would be attached to. So we installed their ACS system, roof rack, along with 2 gear pods on the ACS system, two roof pods on their roof rack, and one roof pod on the Otzi Gear ModRack). We also used several of their cool gear bags, a pair of HydroPod shower kits, and mounting accessories for a wide variety of items.

The rear top rail of the ACS system is actually designed to slide forward, which allows dirt bikes and ATVs to be loaded into the back of the truck. Although we took advantage of this for a few months in the middle of our build, we lost that option when we installed the second generation Decked drawer system, and the GoFSR EVO 2 roof top tent. You see, this is definitely a purpose-built no- compromise vehicle, so some sacrifices have to be made.
We further proved this point when we removed the rear seats entirely and installed a Goose Gear seat delete kit. The majority of our electronics would be installed inside of the Goose Gear setup, and our Iceco dual-zone refrigerator/freezer was mounted on top.

The absolute biggest aspect of this entire project was handled by Wired by Greg’s own Greg Amendola from Fullerton, California. He was tasked with the designing the complex wiring system that included nearly $40,000 worth of components. This included a Victron Orion-Tr Smart 18A DC/DC, Victron SmartShunt, and a Victron 1200W inverter that was connected to two Dakota Lithium 100 amp/hour batteries, a We Boost cell phone extender, Sunflare Flex 180W solar panel mounted on the roof top tent, a Midland radio, Iceco refrigerator/freezer, ARB Dual Compressor, a second solar system by Cascadia 4x4 mounted on our hood for the starter battery, along with several Anderson connectors and outlets for items like our Starlink. This system is absolutely incredible and allowed us to charge a wide variety of video and camera gear for the trip, along with a wide variety of cell phones, portable battery packs and much more.
It's also important to note that we went with two completely separate electrical systems, one for the starter battery and the other for house accessories. This is the preferred method for overlanding and has a lot of advantages. Namely letting you use every last bit of accessory power without threatening your ability to crank the vehicle up and drive off.

There are also a wide variety of other accessories that you can see on our build list below, and each served a vital role in this build.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
Space, weight and storage capacity are the three biggest opponents for an overland builder, and we faced them regularly. Unlike building a pre-runner where the goal is to strip out most of the equipment, and build something lightweight and powerful for higher speeds, we knew our truck was built for durability, slow speeds and comfort. The two worlds couldn’t be more different!
After living with this vehicle for several months, it was a solid choice. It’s a Toyota, and there are parts all around the world, so that played a big role in our decision. Ironically, as we were preparing to leave for Alaska, Toyota announced that it was recalling over 100,000 Toyota and Lexus trucks and SUV “There is a possibility that certain machining debris may not have been cleared from the engine when it was produced,” said a Toyota statement. “In the involved vehicles, this can lead to potential engine knocking, engine rough running, engine no start and/or a loss of motive power. A loss of motive power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash.” This was unwelcome news, especially since I had blown up a 2022 Toyota Tundra near Ogden, Utah, just after I signed the paperwork for this truck. Apparently, I might have been one of the first to suffer from this issue, but we rolled the dice anyway. Just a side note that Toyota covered everything under warranty with my 2022! We understand that COVID-19 had a role with this issue, but regardless, we know that Toyota is an incredible brand, as demonstrated by its popularity and the huge amount of parts built by the aftermarket.

We chose the Tundra over the more-popular Tacoma because of its size and pulling power for our trailer. We also built a 4Runner as previously mentioned, and we prefer it’s body style over the Tacoma, and know they are based off the same 4x4 platform. The biggest challenge is the Tundra is more limited on the places it can go because of its width, height and wheelbase. It was common for us to scrape all four corners of the Tundra while navigating obstacles that the 4Runner cleared with ease. The single biggest advantage is that the Tundra was the only vehicle on our Alaska trip that could pull a trailer over 5000 pounds. This allowed us to have an indoor shower, restroom, and sleeping compartment for four people. It also allowed us to carry the most equipment. We typically tow the trailer on trips longer than 4 days, and only where the terrain is realistic.

Without the trailer, though, the Tundra is a really capable overland rig with a lot of comfort. The rooftop tent sets up in less than 5 minutes, we used a custom cut Roam Rest Pioneer Overland mattress, a R3Di portable power unit to power the built-in lights and charge cell phones and a laptop and had just enough equipment to cook and eat comfortably off-grid for five days with two people. The suspension is plush despite our weight, we love all the adjustability, and the armor gave us confidence to do things that others would not attempt.
We had two separate systems to air the tires up and down, one was an onboard ARB compressor and the other was a Power Tank. We used the two systems because we had the trailer and couldn’t afford not to have backup.

It’s also important to note that we didn’t do a single performance item to the motor. No exhaust, no supercharger, no performance filter, not a single thing. We just didn’t feel that it was needed for this type of build, and we choose reliability over performance.
From a storage standpoint, we wouldn’t do a single thing differently. The combination of the Goose Gear seat delete, 5 Leitner Design storage pods, and Decked drawer system was incredible, and we were able to meet all the IGBC Bear Box regulations by using a Pelican Elite Cooler for cold storage and Zarges cases for dry storage where applicable.

As of now, our goal is to keep this Tundra for a couple years and keep improving on it and taking advantage of new technology. It’s an incredible all-around vehicle, but know that if you are going to build something this extreme, that it’s no longer a daily driver – it’s a complete purpose-built vehicle that will help you create lots of incredible memories.
ORTTV would like to say a big thank you to all the brands and companies who supported this build, we really appreciate you all. Below is a list of those fine brands and companies.
PHOTO GALLERY
BUILD LIST FOR TOYOTA TUNDRA
gas nozzles | |
dash mounts | |
jack mount | |
compressor | |
knives | |
locks | |
solar panels | |
winch | |
shovel mount | |
control arm skid plate | |
battery | |
storage system | |
bumpers | |
rooftop tent | |
navigation | |
seat delete / storage | |
jack | |
fridge / freezer | |
suspension | |
lights | |
shovel | |
racks | |
tires | |
recovery boards | |
radios | |
dirt bike carrier | |
rear tire platform | |
hitches | |
inflator | |
portable power | |
camera bag | |
skid plates | |
gas cans | |
solar panels | |
switches | |
water jugs | |
security | |
cell phone signal booster | |
wiring |