Toyota RAV4 Forums banner

What to get to "manlinessify" the RAV

6K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  farmer17 
#1 ·
My RAV looks like a soccer mom vehicle and I want to beef it up a bit and really give it some character. I love going on light-medium trails when I go camping/hiking/hang gliding/Kayaking so I was thinking of possibly the following:

• Front Brush guard or Bull bar with KC lights
• Good roof rack (mine doesnt have a rack.. why doesnt an SUV have a rack??) also with KC lights (they are great for night running trails and camping, or just pissing off the guy driving towards you with his brights on >:D ) Right now I have to strap my kayak on using foam "U" shaped blocks and cargo straps through the windows...
• Tail light guards
• Rear bumper bar
• Side Nerf bars

What else would be a beefier and functional upgrade for the RAV? I don't need a lift or massive knobby swamper tires or a snorkel, since the RAV won't take a beating harsh enough to need something like that. Plus I don't plan on doing much rock crawling or swamping in Arizona :wink
 
#3 ·
All 4.3s came with roof rack standard.
Maybe in Canada, but here in the US the roof rack was optional on the Base model. Although it is very rare to see one on the road without the rack.
 
#4 ·
I got mine pre-owned so the previous owner might have removed them, but I wouldn't see the purpose for that. I have these small block-off plates that cover where the rails bolt down. It looks dumb and I want a roof rack! lol. I just dont want to pay $350+ for one
 
#5 ·
you're pretty much describing my quest to give my rav4 a little more attitude. i got a nudge bar, hella 500, window tints, gunmetal wheels. nothing too crazy.



i'm debating on whether or not to get a roof basket and wire a lightbar up there but don't want to take a hit on gas mileage. a cool mod i want to try is making a custom spare tire bracket to hold a 5 gallon jerry can.
 
#7 ·
the lights were separate. it was kinda a PITA to install the bar because you have to cut the plastic engine undercover to be able to mount the bar. the instructions on where to make the cuts on the cover were awful but in terms of mounting it, just 6 bolts to the frame.
 
#13 ·
#10 ·
One of the first things you may want to do to get rid of the soccer mom feel is to replace those God awful wimpy horns!!!

I had a set of these installed:


They're much louder and now my RAV sounds like pissed off 70s Buick, and perfect for letting loose on that idiot who cuts in front you, that douche trying to make a left across an intersection when you're making a right on an advance, and the moron who can't read "Do Not Park Here" signs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pawlwawl06
#19 ·
A few of my manly mods:
Mud guards, aftermarket antenna, black heavy steel front license plate bracket, aggressive tread tires, rear chrome license plate holder, trailer hitch, Harbor Freight wood sided trailer, heavy rubber floor mats, folding bike rack.

Other manly mods I am thinking of:
Black steel tail light guards, roof rack extender, Vanguard front grill protector, front tow hooks, Black body side molding trim, manly sounding horn, disconnecting the wimpy fastenen seatbelt beeper.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top