How to Customize Your Pickup Truck

The aftermarket parts world is a massive industry that can be overwhelming for people who are taking the first steps towards customizing their vehicle. If you have a truck that you want to customize, there are a number of things to consider. Are you interested in enhancing the look and style of your vehicle or are you more interested in functionality? Once you know what you want, check out some of the top suggestions here to learn about the most popular options for pickup truck customization.

Enhancing for Functionality

Many people who choose aftermarket customization for their trucks do so because their jobs require a lot from them and their vehicle. Whether you’re in utilities, run your own construction contracting company, or you’re in towing and delivery, you may need to enhance your vehicle to ensure you can do your job better. Here are some of the top customizations that can help.

Device Compatibility Upgrades

Working from your truck means you probably have a phone, tablet, or even laptop in there with you to track data, make appointments with clients, or get directions to a job site. A vehicle laptop mount or tablet mount can be crucial to ensure you can work in comfort. These hardware accessories are more versatile and flexible than ever with more viewing angles, better support, and even vibration protection.

Headlamp Conversion

Many trucks are outfitted with the standard LED or HID lamps from the manufacturer. If you’re looking for higher light output, aftermarket bulbs are a popular choice. They look brighter and whiter, making driving through rain, fog, and dark much easier. You can also opt to attach LED light bars to your roof for special situations, like night hunting or driving on backcountry roads in the dark. To ensure you’re not increasing glare for oncoming drivers, it’s not recommended to get bulbs that have a temperature rating above 5,000K.

Adding Height

From loading heavy materials and increasing visibility on the road to more powerful towing capabilities, a lift kit is something that’s on every truck owner's upgrade list. Whether you choose a body lift kit or a suspension lift kit will depend on what you want to use your truck for, and each has its own pros and cons.

There are some downsides to lift kits in general including reduced gas mileage, higher chances of rollover because of the shift in the vehicle’s center of gravity and voiding the manufacturer’s warranty.

The benefits of customizing your vehicle with aftermarket parts to fit your needs cannot be understated. If you know what the job demands of your truck, you can find targeted solutions in the aftermarket car parts industry.

Enhancing for Style

Customizing a truck for looks can be a little tricky, as it’s easy to go overboard with too many blinged-out pieces and accessories that can actually be detrimental to your truck’s performance. Discover which style upgrades the experts recommend to preserve the power of your truck and enhance it with even more style.

Tires & Rims

One of the fastest ways to customize your truck and transform its look is with different tires and rims. Whether you opt for a specialized rim color, like matte copper or electric blue, or you want a specific look, like completely solid rims or a military-style, there are endless customization options. Consider your choices carefully, as getting rims and tires that are too big or too small can affect your truck’s performance and make it look terrible.

Unique Wrap

Wrapping your truck offers an added layer of protection for your paint and allows you to change the color of your vehicle without committing to an expensive paint job. Wrap kits range from solid colors and prefabricated designs to completely customized options with your choice of image or pattern. The best part about a wrap is that when you get tired of it, you can always just peel it off and get a new one!

Fender Flares

If you want to hide some visible defects around your wheel wells, like rust, fender flares are a great choice for giving your truck a facelift. Getting bodywork done to repair these small imperfections can cost a pretty penny, so many pickup truck owners just let it go without getting fixed. The fender flare solution is far more affordable and also allows these upgrades to serve as extenders for the body of your truck that are perfect for people who want to swap out small tires for larger ones.

You can find a ton of variety in fender flares including unique colors and patterns, different installation options, and materials that range from aluminum and carbon fiber to steel and 3D printed plastic. Before installing your fender flares, experts recommend cutting out the rust to prevent the spots from growing any larger.

Does this list have any aftermarket customizations that appeal to you? Try them out and discover how these upgrades can make a measurable difference to the performance and look of your truck.