The Best Truck Upgrades for Texas Drivers

Sep 4

5 min read

Wondering which truck upgrades are the best for drivers in Texas? Here's our breakdown of the most popular upgrades and modifications in the Caddo Mills and nearby areas.

Key Takeaways:

The most popular truck upgrades in Caddo Mills are tonneau covers, bed liners, all-terrain tyres, running boards, and tinted windows.
When you consider the kind of challenges Texas drivers face on a daily basis, like blistering heat, dust, break-ins, and rough roads, it's no surprise these upgrades receive the most attention.
If you're not sure which upgrades to prioritize, we recommend choosing protection & reliability first, rather than how it looks.
Start with a protective coating on your truck bed (bed liner, tonneau cover, tint), then move on to adding tires, suspension, and lighting as your budget allows.

Protecting Your Bed: Spray-In Bed Liners and Tonneau Covers

Your truck bed is the part of the vehicle that gets the worst beating, especially if you have a work truck or often transport heavy loads, construction debris, feed bags, coolers, expensive gear, and tools.

Two simple, practical upgrades for your truck bed will make a huge difference in the long run.

Spray-In Bed Liners

Spray-in bed liners permanently bond to your truck bed, with a polyurea or polyurethane elastomer coating that chemically fuses to the metal, meaning no gaps for moisture to sneak in. These protect against rust and abrasion, as well as creating a non-slip surface for cargo, which makes for a lot less rattling over rough roads.

A drop-in plastic liner might do the job, but it's a hassle in the long run because water and grit get trapped underneath and accelerate rust. We've seen it on many contractor trucks that made the switch to spray-in after two years of hidden corrosion.

Tonneau Covers

Tonneau covers are a great way to keep your cargo safe from the elements and theft, as well as giving your bed a nice finished look. These covers come in a variety of styles, from soft roll-up to hard tri-fold and retractable, so you can pick the style that suits you best.

We recommend investing in a locking hard cover to keep your tools from getting stolen and protect your load during Texas' spring storms and fall downpours. Plus, tonneau covers can improve fuel efficiency by reducing drag. On long highway runs from Dallas to Houston, that aero improvement adds up.

The combo of a spray-in bed liner and a locking tonneau cover is one of the most popular truck upgrades our Texas customers go for. If you're not sure which setup will work for your truck and budget, give us a call at Evolution Motoring, and we'll walk you through your options.

Traction and Stance: All Terrain Tires and Wheel/Leveling Choices

Tires are where every upgrade starts. As drivers in Texas, we have to deal with everything from smooth DFW freeways to washboard ranch roads and muddy lease entrances, all in one weekend.

All-Terrain Tires

All-terrain tires sit right in the middle between highway tires and mud-terrain tires. They provide better grip on all sorts of surfaces, including wet pavement, gravel, and light trails, without the road noise that makes mud-terrain tires an annoyance on a daily commute.

All-terrain or hybrid tires provide traction on all sorts of Texas terrain, offering a nice balance of durability and performance for work commutes and weekend adventures. In a 15,000-mile comparison test, all-terrain tires knocked about 0.7 mpg off fuel economy compared to highway all-season tires. Many drivers find that the trade-off is worth the extra safety and off-road capability. All-terrain tires ideal for both highways and trails.

Alloy Wheels & Leveling Kits

Stronger alloy wheels can handle rougher roads and towing, and they often reduce unsprung weight compared to some factory steel options.

Pairing a set of quality wheels with a mild leveling kit (a 2 to 2.5 inch front rise) is where a lot of Texas truck owners start. A leveling kit raises the front of the vehicle up to match the rear height, which lets you run slightly larger tires without breaking the bank.

Getting In and Out: Running Boards and Everyday Utility Upgrades

As more and more Texans are asking about lift kits or moving into taller half-ton and three-quarter-ton trucks, running boards and steps are becoming some of the most popular truck upgrades we install.

Running boards are a huge help getting in and out of lifted trucks, especially for kids, older passengers, and work crews. They also shield rocker panels from rock chips and door dings in tight parking lots.

A few other small upgrades you might consider include:

Bed cargo management: simple bed mats, bed extenders, or under-rail lighting
All-weather floor liners keep your truck carpets clean and protected from damage
Under-seat locking boxes for storing jumper cables, tools, and other equipment you want to carry but keep secure

These might not be must-have upgrades, but they're all super affordable, high-impact changes that make your truck much more comfortable to drive day-to-day.

Beat the Heat: Tinted Windows and Exterior Protection

Texas summers routinely hit triple digits, and interior temperatures can exceed 130°F when your truck is parked in full sun. You can reduce engine strain during hot summers and towing with cooling upgrades, but your cab matters, too! Improving your seat ventilation can keep you more comfortable in extreme heat conditions, and tinted windows are one of the fastest ways to make your truck livable in July.

Window Tinting

Window tinting reduces heat inside the vehicle by up to 60%, with the added bonus of enhancing your privacy by reducing visibility into the vehicle. Specifically, compared to dyed or metallic films, ceramic tint provides a sleek finish and more effectively blocks UV rays (it rejects 40% to over 90% of infrared heat without requiring an illegally dark shade).

Texas law requires front-side windows to allow at least 25% visible light transmission, while rear windows have no darkness limit. We always keep customers legal at our shop.

Paint Protection Film & Ceramic Coatings

For exterior protection, paint protection film (PPF) guards hoods and fenders from rock chips on I-30 between Dallas, Caddo Mills, and Greenville.

Ceramic coatings serve a different purpose: these add a hydrophobic layer that resists water spotting and UV damage. If you're a new truck owner planning to keep your 2022 to 2025 model for many years into the future, you'll find that this kind of protection pays for itself in avoided paint correction costs.

FAQ

How do Texas laws affect window tint, lifts, and lighting on my truck?

Texas requires front side windows to allow at least 25% visible light transmission, while rear windows have no state darkness limit. Texas has no statewide suspension lift height cap; your headlamps need to remain between 24 and 54 inches from the ground, and auxiliary driving lamps between 16 and 42 inches. Since laws can affect the types of truck upgrades you can legally get done, we strongly advise verifying the current rules on the Texas Department of Public Safety site. We're here to help every customer stay compliant in our Caddo Mills shop.

Do I need to upgrade suspension if I only drive on pavement around DFW?

No, a full lift usually isn't going to make a big difference if you're a pavement-only daily driver. A mild leveling kit with quality shocks is enough to improve your truck's stance and make your ride more comfortable without adding cost or complexity. Our team can recommend whether suspension upgrades make sense based on your driving habits and the car or truck you're running.

Can Evolution Motoring help me plan upgrades over time instead of all at once?

Yes, we often build staged plans for our customers looking to upgrade their trucks. We typically recommend starting with protection (liner, cover, tint), then moving to tires and running boards, then suspension and lighting as budget allows. Contact us today if you're looking to map out a plan for your truck.