OK4WD turns this Toyota Tacoma into the ultimate land-based equipment with rugged and durable features, perfect for long-range hunting expeditions

Author: Matthew Every | Updated at 7:00 PM, November 8, 2021

Welcome to Driving Week. To celebrate the launch of our new Drive Issue, we will release stories about road trips, hard (and rewarding) hunts, classic truck guns, and more throughout the week. So, fasten your seat belt and enjoy.

Last fall, my wife and I spent a month and a half traveling across the United States on a safari road trip-you can read all about it in the latest F&S digital edition. When planning our trip, we knew that we wanted a powerful vehicle that not only could camp, but could take us any way under almost any conditions. This is why we switched to OK4WD in Stewartsville, New Jersey. 

OK4WD has been manufacturing off-road vehicles for more than 40 years. They are experts in turning factory trucks into adventure vehicles, and they are American importers of Alu-Cab, Campcover, Madcon Brais and OEV campers. After driving on the road for more than a month, here are our thoughts on the truck and some ideas on how the owner and founder of OK4WD Jim Oostdyk and his team put the rig together.

In 1979, Oostdyk damaged his CJ5 jeep and started repairing it, opening his lifelong interest in four-wheel drive cars. In the same year, he founded OK4WD from an old gas station with a two-car garage. Four years later, his company has grown into a six-digit solar store and a showroom, displaying the latest American land camper vans and 4×4 accessories

According to the modification, OK4WD takes about two weeks to complete a project. They see all kinds of vehicles in their shop, but they like to work on new rigs, mainly because of the rust damage common in the Northeast. "Customers usually buy a car and bring it to us," Oostdyk said. "But we are also regarded as new car dealers. This allows us to buy incomplete vehicles, such as chassis cabs, place campers on them, and then sell them as brand new vehicles."

The equipment we used during the trip was a Toyota Tacoma owned by OK4WD, which was used for performances, demonstrations, and loaned to employees on weekends. "When Toyota launched the new Tacoma, we really liked their appearance and wanted to build it into a powerful off-road vehicle," he said. "I think Toyota's strength is their reliability. They have the ability from the factory. I think this makes them the perfect tool for landing."

When we traveled, many people first noticed Alu-Cab Canopy Camper. Most people think it is a practical cap for fixing tools, and its diamond-shaped plate appearance is suitable for this appearance. But Canopy Camper is a standalone camp that can slide into existing pickup truck beds. After deployment, the campervan is comfortable enough for two people to sleep and live. When folded for transportation, it is strong enough to withstand intense off-road driving. 

"The beauty of Alu-Cab is that they have all this experience," Oostdyk said. "They build campervans for the Avis Safari rental market in Africa. So they have 20 years of R&D experience, which you can’t get anywhere else. They know their weaknesses, strengths, and what they need to do to accurately The land market builds campervans. We went to Africa, and we were able to bring a lot of what we learned back here to develop our rigs. [In Africa], we were on the washboard road all day and generated a lot of dust. We drove The truck is really hard to use.

"Other campers use factory tailgates. They are more like hats on trucks. The problem is that when you get in and out, you have been fighting with the tailgate, which is embarrassing. But the biggest problem is when you spend time on the road. When you enter your camper after a long day, you will enter a dust bowl. When you drive, your rear will be under negative pressure, and it will suck in dust through the tailgate because you cannot seal the tailgate very effectively. Alu -Cab replaced the tailgate with fully sealed doors." 

When the camper was opened, its roof was lifted by gas support, revealing a bed. When not in use, the bed can be folded to the ceiling so you can stand up in the campervan. This is really helpful in the cold morning when we get dressed and go hunting. There are cabinets and drawers inside, LED lights can be seen almost everywhere, propane fireplace and freezer/refrigerator combination. The freezer part allows us to freeze the birds we photographed, and constantly refreeze the ice packs for the cooler, so we can refrigerate a large amount of food almost indefinitely. 

"Refrigerators make camping better," Oostdyk said. "You don't have to worry about buying ice, everything is cold and nothing is floating on the water. They last. We have been selling refrigerators for more than 20 years. They are expensive, but I have some customers who have used refrigerators for almost this long. ." 

OK4WD installed a dual battery system under the hood of Tacoma, and installed Sunflare solar panels on the roof of the camper. When the truck is turned off, all the power of the solar panels and batteries will be exhausted-in our journey, their power is rarely less than 90%. At one point, we were able to run the refrigerator, lights, heat, and charge electronic devices for more than a week in partial shade without having to move. 

Outside the camper, there is a wrap-around Alu-Cab 270 degree awning, which is very effective in sunny and rainy days. OK4WD sells connectable panels that can turn the awning into a tent-like structure, so you can store equipment or have a place for guests to sleep. We also have a shower tent and a folding table on top of the truck. OK4WD can install a water tank on their camper, but we don't have one. Airborne water can further extend the trip, which is a huge advantage for hunters who need to bathe and keep their dogs hydrated.  

OK4WD not only manufactures trucks that look good, but also manufactures them to operate in harsh environments. For this reason, they believe that it is important for each upgrade to work together with other upgrades. Balancing the weight of things such as the top of the camper and the large tires is essential for the normal driving of the truck.

Oostdyk said: "Many of the vehicles you buy now are very capable of getting them from dealers." "But if you want to add a lot of weight to some vehicles, you may need to upgrade your suspension."

On our rig, we have an Old Man Emu BP-51 high-performance suspension system with a single bypass impact, which eats trails like a champion, allowing the truck to turn quickly on the highway without problems. OK4WD swapped stock upper control arms on Tacoma with SPC Industries adjustable control arms to allow for larger BF Goodrich KO2 All-Terrian tires. The truck was also raised 2.5 inches. Due to the added weight of the canopy camper van and accessories, Oostdyk's team installed heavy-duty rear springs and upgraded Powerbrakes-they are commonly used in rally trucks. They also changed the gear ratio to 4.88 to help move larger tires and improve fuel mileage.

The tires are mounted on AEV Crestone wheels, which have optional bead locks. We did not use the bead lock accessory, but when in use, it can inflate the tire to single-digit pressure. This gives them more grip on loose terrain and large obstacles. OK4WD has installed an ARB air compressor under the hood to inflate tires to highway pressure or fill flat spaces. They also installed an air lock in the front and rear differentials. When engaged, the air lock disengages the limited slip differential and forces all four tires to move. We used this feature to clean tree stumps, and it felt like using a winch to tow a truck. In the unlikely event that we are stuck with lockers, we have a set of MAXTRAX tow plates, winches and recovery kits.

To protect against branches, rocks or small animals on the highway, our Tacoma has a steel ARB bumper with fenders and rocker guards bolted to the frame. The bumper also protects and accommodates a remote warning winch, fog lights and two ARB SOLIS high-intensity lights. And in order to keep the landing gear free of vegetation or other harmful substances, OK4WD has installed anti-skid plates.

For our trip, we want to find a truck that can do almost anything, but depending on your hunting style and where you want to go, there are options that will not bankrupt you. Nonetheless, some of the big upgrades that we think are worth the Hunter’s investment are the Alu-Cab awnings, refrigerator/freezers, suspensions, and tires we use.

However, in remote areas, cheap upgrades to your vehicle will help a lot. "It all depends on your needs and your job," Oostdyk said. "Some people think they have to buy everything for $50 to land. You don't. You can start very cheaply and gradually invest in it as you love the direction and function of the vehicle." 

Read the next article: 7 tips for driving the off-road drilling rig you just bought

A simple upgrade for any off-road truck is to restore equipment or kits, if it gets stuck, it will help your equipment get back on the track. This may include equipment such as trailer straps, soft shackles, tire plug kits, small air compressors, shovels, and some towing plates. Oostdyk said: "When you need it, good recovery equipment is as good as gold."

In addition to upgrades, good driving also helps a lot. Any four-wheel drive training will help you drive the vehicle to go further on the scene. Before we traveled, I took a two-day course offered by Northeast Off-Road Adventures. A few times (mostly in Colorado), I was very happy that I did it. The capabilities of these vehicles are surprising, especially when you know how to drive.

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