Resources — vinyl decals

If you drive a Toyota Tundra you know how much other Tundra owners love to mod out their trucks. Just like the Tacoma and 4Runner, Tundra's have a cult like following which you can see in the many Tundra forums out there. They constantly talk to each other about ways they can add new and exciting accessories for their rides. We've put this guide together so you can have a handy list of some of the most popular Toyota Tundra modifications and accessories you can buy and install to give you truck a little flair and personalization.

Most of these Toyota Tundra accessories and ideas come from the pros on forums and Facebook groups, some of which are my dear friends. If your Tundra is a 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 or 2019, 2020 or 2021 this post is for you!

So, let's dive right in...

TRD Pro Style Grille ($269)

The Tundra TRD pro grille is by far one of the most popular Toyota Tundra mods on the market. Your grille is the first thing everyone sees, so why have a factory one like everyone else? This grille is sharp looking and will give your truck a "head turning" look.

Cali Raised LED Side Projection Ditch Lights (About $115)

Ditch lights are a great way to help you turn day into night for that serious off roading, or just driving down the driveway of your ranch at night. There are multiple options you can select, but a basic kit is around $115.

Cali Raised Replacement LED Fog Light Pods ($120) 

The factory fog lights are garbage compared to the substantially brighter, more durable, and longer lasting LED options that Cali offers. More subtle than ditch lights, these LEDs will make certain you see what’s in front of you.

Cali Raised Lower Bumper LED Light ($340) 

If you simply need more light, this stealthy bar is perfect. It gives a sleek factory look when you don’t need it, and light-up-the-night performance when you do with a choice of spot or combo beam options.

Vinyl Tailgate Inserts ($15)

For very little, you can make your Tundra pop by adding some colored vinyl inserts to the letters on your tailgate. I offer a lifetime warranty on mine. 

Pop & Lock Power Tailgate Lock ($133)

Forget about remembering to use your key to lock your tailgate. Match this with a tonneau cover, and your cargo is safe or accessible with just the press of a button.

Spidertrax Wheel Spacers ($177)

When size matters on a budget, these spacers give an excellent and cost effective way to widen your ride. The extra width gives an impressive stance over the factory setup, but you get to keep your factory wheels.

OEM Bed Mat ($210) 

Bed mats are an easy way to keep your stuff from rolling around. There are plenty of options, but you can’t go wrong with OEM for something like this.

Gator Tri Fold Tonneau ($199)

I have covered all the basics about different types of covers for your trucks, and here is one that I recommend. It’s inexpensive, effective, and looks good. What more could you want?

Husky Floor Liners ($115)

Keep your feet planted and the mess off your carpet with quality mats. Husky offers multiple options depending on your budget and style.

Deck Rail System ($214)

These are a lifesaver if you use your bed frequently for different utilities. It’s the perfect companion for storage assistance and accessory mounting.

Black-Out Badges ($140)

If you don’t want decals, these solid emblems will replace your factory ones with a set of sleek black ones. If you like dark, these are for you.

Rear Sway Bar ($267) 

Visual stuff is great, but performance is better. Enhance your factory handling characteristics with an easy to install sway bar to help beef things up.

Escort Passport 8500X50 ($329)

Trucks a great off road, but a top speed of around 110 mils per hour can get you into trouble. This is a highly reviewed average detector. It may give you some false readings, but it's better than breaking the bank. Be safe.

Door Sill Protectors ($33)

You want to protect your truck inside and out, and these help prevent scuffs and scraps that happen daily. Of course, you’ll remember what you’re driving, because “TUNDRA” is molded into each one!

Door Sill Protector Decals ($11)

If you find the letters in your door sills are hard to read, these will give it an extra pop. Match your paint, or get a color that compliments your exterior.

Center Console Organizer ($30)

I don’t remember how half the stuff in my console got there, but with one of these, I’ll at least be able to keep it all organized. You’ll be shocked at the world of difference this simple tray makes.

Under Seat Storage ($225)

If your console isn’t enough, make use of the storage room under your seat with these compartments. It’s a great place to hide what you don’t want wandering eyes to see.

Tyger Nerf Bars ($231)

Jump into your Tundra in style with these textured side step rails that not only give you a leg up on your friend’s trucks, but they help protect the underside when you’re rock crawling. 

Pioneer Stereo Upgrade With Apple Car Play ($290)

In a previous post, I covered all types of stereo options. A good one for your Tundra is this Pioneer unit with almost every app and option you can think of, including Apple CarPlay.

Your truck, your style. There are tons of inexpensive options to make your truck stand out from purely cosmetic, to function and performance as well. You don’t need to break the bank to stand apart, and these are some great Tundra upgrades for you to get started.

Please keep in mind that prices fluctuate daily on Amazon/eBay and the prices represented above are accurate as the day of this posting.

* Please note that some of these links are Amazon affiliate links and we make a small commission if you purchase the product.

One of the first things that Tacoma owners love to do is remove the emblems from their trucks. This is also referred to as debadging.

I personally debadged my truck and replaced the emblems with Tacoma vinyl decals. This gave my truck a more sleek looks, especially since i went with a matte black decal.

If you're reading this, you likely want to debadge your Tacoma and don't exactly know where to start. Obviously there are more than one ways to remove emblems, here's the process I've gone through each time I've gone down this path.

Softening The Adhesive

Use A Hair Dryer or Heat Gun To Warm Up The Adhesive

The most popular method of softening the glue holding your emblem to the vehicle is by using a hair dryer or heat gun. If you have a 2016+ Tacoma, you can plug it right into the bed of your truck and go to work :), if not, an extension cord is in your future!

Put the hair dryer on the hottest setting and wave it back and forth over the badge for a few minutes, taking care not to leave it in one spot for too long. Once it's warmed up, you can work on the removal process.

Use Hot Water To Soften The Adhesive

Another method that has worked for others is to microwave a bowl of water and pour it diretly onto the body of the car right above the emblem. Take care not to make the water hot enough to burn yourself. If you do this a few times, it should soften things up enough to start the removal process.

Removing The Emblems

Cut The Adhesive With Dental Floss or Fishing Line

Cut a length of floss that is about 8-10 inches long. Wrap each end around your index fingers and push the line behind the first letter of the emblem. Once behind, pull the line to the left and right in a sawing motion until you've reached the end of the emblem.

Use A Plastic Wedge To Pry The Emblem Off

Take a thin plastic wedge and place it agains the body of the vehicle to the side of the emblem. Slide it beneath the badge ensuring that you don't scratch the paint. Slowly push the wedge further into the emblem so you can loosen it enough to pull on it and pop it off. Note that if you pry too hard, the emblem may break. This isn't an issue if you plan on throwing them away. If not, you should consider another method.

Use a Credit Card To Remove The Emblem

Very similar to a plastic wedge, you can use a credit card to remove your emblems. If you choose to go this route, make sure to face the credit card outwards so the numbers don't scratch the paint.

Removing Left Over Adhesive

Once your badges are removed, use an adhesive remover like Desolvit to remove the left over adhesive. Make sure not to leave it on the paint for too long or it could hurt your clear coat. Leave it on for 30-60 seconds and wipe with a microfiber cloth. Repeat as many times as you need to complete the job.

Wash & Wax The Area

Once all of the adhesive is off the truck, you'll want to wash it up with soap and water and once dry, give it a small coat of wax. This will make your truck look like it never had emblems to begin with.

Pro Tips

If you're thinking about pulling your Tacoma emblems off and replacing them with vinyl decals, one of the easiest ways to ensure you put the vinyl in the same place is to take some masking tape and carefully place it around the emblem before you remove it.

Once the emblem is off you'll be able to see exactly where to lay the decal down.

You should note that you don't want to wax the area as mentioned in the above step as the decals won't stick to a waxed surface.

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When using the floss method, it is possible to cut into your clear coat. If you go this route, make sure to take it extremely slow and continue to pull toward yourself so it doesn't touch the clear coat. It's much easier to remove left over residue than fix your clear coat.