Here's a guide to some of the best truck accessories you can buy to make you feel like your old truck is stylish and new. Interior or exterior, these modifications can not only add a great look, but they provide extra functionality for you.
Let's get started on your new ride!
Side Steps and Running Boards
The stock running boards on your truck look fine and offer standard functionality. However, replacing these with better and stronger ones is one of the best truck mods you can buy. Here's why:
Interior Protection
If your kids or friends aren't tall, they can have trouble getting in and out of the truck. There's a lot of sliding and squirming going on which causes wear and tear on the seat upholstery. Replacing the stock running boards with larger ones allow passengers to step up easily to enter the vehicle.
Exterior protection
Most new running boards are wider than your stock boards and can protect the sides of your truck from wear and tear, scratches and dings.
Cost
Since you already have running boards on your truck, you won't have to modify it to install new ones: the mounts are already there. New steps require all new brackets. However, aftermarket running boards/steps are much more economical than dealer options.
Choices
Running boards and side steps come in too many styles to count. You can choose a side step modification, a nerf bar that has cutouts for passenger's feet, or flat running boards that run the full length of your truck
There are also power running boards that lift while you're driving and lower when the doors open. Pretty cool, right?
Grill Guards
These also add style and functionality to your truck or jeep. Front grill guards can help prevent damage to your truck's front end in case of an accident. They also can prevent scrapes and damage from the elements.
Grill guards come in many styles and materials, such as chrome or matte black aluminum. All styles add an aggressive look and rugged style to vehicles. They also have extra light mounts that you can use to enhance your truck's exterior lighting.
Speaking of lighting...
Roof-Mounted Light Bars
These add a whole new level of visibility while you're inside the truck. These are mainly used to improve off-road lighting and now come in LED lights. These lights come in spotlight or floodlight styles and add a sporty look to any vehicle.
Coatings
Coatings are all the rage now, and there's an excellent reason for that. Coatings extend the life of all the hardware on your truck or jeep and protect it with a polymer that adds protection on every level. Here are some of the uses:
- Waterproofing
- Slip resistance
- Electrical insulation (coatings are not good conductors)
- Corrosion prevention
- Scratch resistance
- Ding resistance
- Dent resistance
You can coat your entire truck bed, your exterior mirrors, your new light bar brackets and grille guards Steps, Grills, or Rocker Panel areas. It also protects your vehicle from sand and salt and the effects of extreme weather.
Truck Bed Upgrades
If you use your truck bed regularly, it probably shows wear and tear from years of hauling everything from brush to your friend's furniture (don’t you hate being the friend with a truck?). You can upgrade your truck bed with bed liners, storage boxes, and yes, you can get the whole thing coated and never worry about rust or scratches again.
Another way to protect your truck bed is to add to your truck with:
Truck Bed Covers
These come in many styles, including fold-up, hardcovers, softcovers, and even ones that match your paint color. These improve fuel efficiency and add a sleek look to the back of your vehicle.
Truck Bed Caps and Camper Tops
These accessories create a large dry storage area out of your truck bed. Once you decide what you want to do with your truck topper, your choices are vast.
Some truck toppers come with a rack on top so that you can lug all your camping gear and secure your canoes and kayaks on it. Others come with a raised ceiling and windows so that you can use it to sleep in when you go camping.
Truck toppers come in aluminum, fiberglass, and plastic/composite. The aluminum products tend to be the least expensive and aren't very customizable. They can also look dingy over time.
Fiberglass toppers are the most expensive, but they can match your paint color and are very durable.
Plastic truck toppers are a quality compromise between the aluminum and fiberglass products and come in fewer colors than fiberglass.
Of course, you can always get your topper sprayed to increase durability and customize the color.
Fender Flares
These are great if you have installed larger tires and have noticed that road debris is causing more damage to your paint than it used to. Fender flares attach to your wheel well and not only look great, but keep debris from flying out from under your truck's wheels. They protect your vehicle and the vehicles behind you.
Which are The Best Truck Accessories?
They're all great. A wide variety of truck mods and accessories allow you to make smart decisions to upgrade your truck's look and functionality.
Whether you are choosing a small upgrade or going all out, you can feel like you have a new truck by adding some or all of these additions. We are here to help you choose. Check out our cool choices and talk to an expert who can help you choose the best truck accessories for your style and your budget.
