Obviously, I have made a few modifications to the stock truck. The first order of business was a spray-in bedliner. I chose Line-X for this truck. For the most part it has worn relatively well, but I think I'll go with Rhino Linings the next time. I had Rhino in my previous truck - a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 - and I just think it was a better, thicker, more durable lining. I also put on a bug deflector, vent shades on all windows, and had the windows tinted. Yes, the front windows are Texas legal. They're pretty close to the limit, but they're legal. The back windows are darker, but Texas law allows that, and they're also legal.
The biggest modifications I've made to the truck involve the "armor" I've put on it. All of the aftermarket gear on this truck is by (or was installed by) Ranch Hand Truck Accessories about a week after I took delivery of the truck.
- Front end replacement with skid plate
- Rear 10" 'Cowboy' drop bumper with backup lights and bolt-on receiver tube
- 'Hauler' full-louver headache rack with red stop/turn signal and white backup lights
- Full-length bed rails
- Full crossbox toolbox with dual disc padlocks
- Nerf bars by Westin
Before installation, all of this gear was sprayed with spray-on bedliner material. It wasn't Line-X, it was something the Ranch Hand factory did for me. So all of the armor has a rough texture that helps protect it from dings and rust. And the gear itself ensures that I win any roadway altercation hands down. Believe it or not, the sheer size of this vehicle intimidates very few of the disturbingly aggressive (and in many cases just downright crappy) Houston drivers. So that's why I call it armor - because it will help protect me from the ding-dongs and idiots on the roads I travel. Yeah, and it does help protect the truck on those occasions where I do go off road, too.
I've also installed a 2" leveling lift on the front. When it was time to put the first set of aftermarket tires on, I decided to move up a smidge in size from the stock Firestone Steeltex Radial A/T LT265/75-R16 tires to LT295/85-R16 Radial All Terrain T/A tires by B.F. Goodrich. When I did, the combination of increased tire size and general nose-down attitude of the truck caused the left-front tire to rub on the inside rear of the fender well. A 2" leveling lift solved that problem. Speaking of those tires, I'm currently on my second aftermarket set of BFs, and I love them. I got 53,000 miles out of the first set, and expect equal performance out of my second set. And you can bet that, regardless of the expense, I'll most likely go back with another set of them when round three comes.
I also installed a set of new 16" rims a while back. I think they look better than the stock rims.