The Battle-Tested and Trail-Proven Fighter

Comfortable, reliable, safe, and tastefully designed. When it comes to Toyota, it’s nothing short of all those characteristics, but what if you took what is already good and made it even better? For Southern California local Oscar Orellana, that is exactly what he did with his 2023 Toyota Tundra iForce Max. You can find Oscar and his Tundra cruising the coastline of Long Beach or thrashing in the deserts of California. Oscar bought his 2023 Toyota Tundra after previously selling his 2016 Toyota Tacoma built for overlanding and camping. Oscar says he wanted to step into a rig with more off-road capability, and I don’t blame him one bit! The thrill in off-roading ranges from fast deserts to slow rock trails to camping sites with friends and more. Finding new thrills off the pavement brings new joy, new learning curves, and new difficulty.

This Tundra is built for all the thrills, starting with looks. It’s sporting the +3 FiberwerX front fiberglass fenders painted to match the beautiful and much-desired Toyota Lunar Rock color. Keeping that front end safe is a WestFab Custom front bumper, and lighting the front passage on those night runs in the desert are AlphaRex headlights, a Baja Design S8 20-inch grille light bar, and S2 SAE OEM fog light replacements. Does it stop there? Nope! This Tundra is also fully equipped with Baja Design LP4 ditch lights, LP6 Pro bumper lights, and Squadron Pro amber chase lights. Oscar does not have any troubles at night being able to see his path when flying through the open dirt and cutting through dust chasing his fellow friends and off-road thrill seekers!

The looks don’t just stop with the lights; this truck has an exposed Seibon Carbon hood that really sets that truck apart and makes that front end look aggressive. Swinging around to the back of this truck, the looks just do not stop. In the bed of the truck is an SDHQ chase rack equipped with SDHQ tire ratchet straps and a 3-ton Pro Eagle jack for those accidental mishaps when thrashing through rough terrain.

Now, let’s take a step back and look at what makes this Tundra purr. It’s rocking the stock 3.4L V-6 but with some tasteful modifications done. To help this motor breathe clean and clear, it’s running a K&N cold air intake with a high-flow roto-mold tube going to a K&N charge pipe kit. A Pedal Commander throttle response controller with a Burger Motorsports JB4 tuner helps keep this motor running smoothly and adds some power to the ground. A Borla ATAK cat-back side exit exhaust sings a tune every truck guy and girl can appreciate. Keeping the tires spinning and moving this Tundra forward is Toyota’s new 10-speed transmission, which improves towing comfort, gas mileage, faster and smoother shifting, and wider gear ratios for when cruising the highways, hitting the fire roads, or crawling around with friends in the rocks.

As quick as this truck goes, all good things must come to a STOP! R1 Concepts slotted rotors and brake pads help this Tundra come to a halt in any conditions. Now, time for the best part of a truck—the butter on the bread—the suspension. This truck is equipped with the Baja Kits by Brenthel Industries long-travel front prerunner kit with billet upper and lower control arms, trophy truck-grade uniballs and bushings, and King Shocks 2.5 adjustable remote reservoir coilovers. This front setup is producing 13 inches of wheel travel on average—nearly twice the stock travel number! Sliding on down to the back, the party doesn’t stop. It is also equipped with Baja Kits by Brenthel Industries billet trailing arms, billet pivot plates, rear sway bar end links, and more King shocks holding up the rear. This truck is built for business and party modes. Keeping this bad-to-the-bone Tundra planted in all weather and terrain conditions are the widely renowned BFGoodrich KM3 Mud Terrain tires in a staggering 39×13.50 size! As for the wheels? Also nothing short of greatness. The Lock Off-Road Combat machined 17-inch wheels with a +1 offset are a reliable combo for Oscar’s off-road needs!

Now that we have practically wrapped up the outside, let’s dive into the interior. This Tundra’s cabin is outfitted with ambient custom lighting via a star headliner, 3W all-weather mats, a Bulletproof Mounting Solutions dash mount, an AJT V1 radio + Drive Mode knob set, and Tufskinz foam inserts. From top to bottom, front to back, inside and out, this truck has been gone through and well thought out. It has encountered Johnson Valley, Anza Borrego, and Big Bear, California, and will only venture further into the off-road world. We asked Oscar what advice he would give to someone wanting to build a similar truck, and his answer was spot-on. “Build something that you like and be different! Don’t let anyone else’s opinion discourage you. It is your build!” We couldn’t agree more!

Oscar built this truck with his own image and his own motivation and will continue to help and inspire others wanting to build their newer generation Tundra for the off-road lifestyle. With his background in overlanding and now pre-runner-style builds, he is covering all the bases to be a good guide for others to follow. Oscar is for the people. He has good humility and characteristics and is a solid guy to be around! We thank Oscar for allowing us to dive in on this beautiful Tundra and test some of its capabilities. We are excited for what this build holds in its future! Rumor is that a possible 8-cylinder motor swap might be in the works! Until then we will keep up with this build and watch it make its way around. We hope to see more builds of this caliber for us to feature along the way.

2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid iForce Max

OWNER:

Oscar Orellana
Long Beach, CA

Engine & Drivetrain: 3.4L V-6, 10-speed transmission,  2.28:1 transfer case, K&N cold air intake and charge pipe kit, Pedal Commander throttle response controller, Burger Motorsports JB4 tuner

Chassis & Suspension: Installed by 88Rotors, Baldwin Park, CA, Front frame horn chop, 3-6 inches of lift height, King 2.5×10 adjustable remote reservoir coilover, Old Man Emu springs, Baja Kits billet upper and lower control arms, Extended axle shafts, brake lines, and steering, Rear billet trailing arms, Rear sway bar links, Billet pivot plates, King 2.0 rear bump stops, Perry Parts front bump stops, KDSS TrackBar correction kit

Wheels, Tires & Brakes: 17-inch Lock Off-Road Combat machined wheels, 39×13.50R17 BFGoodrich KM3 tires, R1 Concepts slotted rotors and pads

Body & Paint: Toyota Lunar Rock paint, OEM TRD Pro grille, FiberwerX +3 fiberglass fenders

Interior: Interior ambient lighting, 3W all-season mats, Bulletproof Mounting Solutions dash mount, AJT V1 Radio + Drive Mode knob set, Tufskinz foam insert