At The Van Conversion, we talk a lot about interiors, but exterior van modifications are just as important. By customizing your van's exterior, you can upgrade it with useful storage, durability, and functionality for adventuring off the beaten track.
Stock panel vans often lack the useful features and general ruggedness that come built into dedicated overlanding vehicles. These off-highway action-mobiles might feature an RV roof rack for storing excess gear and a ladder for accessing it. They might have awnings for shade and shelter or a van light bar for lighting up the backcountry. Bull bars add toughness, snorkels add versatility, and a van lift kit adds clearance.
The right modifications will transform your van into an adventure-ready, go-anywhere machine. In this article, we’ll break down the best camper van upgrades and where to get them.
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Shane, the founder of The Van Conversion, is a campervan professional dedicated to helping people transform ordinary vans into homes on wheels. He has authored Roaming Home, and teaches The Van Conversion Course, guiding many people through their van builds. Shane also writes The Van Conversion Newsletter, where he shares practical tips and insights. After completing two van builds and living on the road full-time since 2020, he is passionate about sharing his expertise with others.
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RV Roof Racks and Roof Decks: Maximizing Storage and Functionality
A roof rack is many people's first choice of exterior mod when building an overlanding camper van. It's one of the more straightforward van modifications and turns your van's entire roof into a storage area, freeing up space inside.
RV roof racks are great places for storing oversized sports gear like surfboards, skis, and kayaks. It's also common to install your water tank on a roof rack, freeing up space under your cabinets. Because the water is flowing down into your water system in this configuration, it has the additional advantage of providing water pressure without needing pumps.
Roof racks also form a logical and easy attachment point for solar panels, ladders, awnings, and roof tents. These RV exterior parts normally require the drilling and bolting of mounting points to your van's bodywork, but are designed to attach to roof racks with minimal hardware.
RV Roof Rack Options
Roof racks come in three basic styles:
Full length: a full length roof rack covers your whole roof from front to back
Half length: a half or partial length roof rack doesn't cover your whole roof, leaving space for fixed solar panels, air-con units, or roof vents
Half-rack: a half-rack also only covers part of your roof, but in this case it's a side-to-side split, covering either the left or right half of your roof and leaving the adjacent half free
Our Recommendations
Once you've chosen your format, we'd highly recommend buying a modular roof rack system. Modular racks have slats that can be moved around or removed entirely, giving you a lot of versatility in your configuration. The modular roof racks from Tec Vanlife are great examples, and come with aerodynamic air dams as standard.
Modularity also comes in the form of flexible add-ons. Roof racks from Aluminess are designed as systems where modules like cargo nets, solar panel mounts, and decking panels can be added or removed as needed. Whatever kind of adventure you're on, these versatile roof racks can be configured to match.
What is an RV Roof Deck?
An RV roof deck is a roof rack with flat, solid decking panels instead of bars. This turns your van's roof into a raised terrace where you can put out chairs and hang out.
Roof decks are brilliant. Lots of people climb onto their van's roof from time to time, but walking around up here puts dents in the roof, damages the watertight seals around roof installations, and risks stepping on your solar panels. Plus, there's a good chance you'll fall off your roof due to smooth, slippery edges and uneven surfaces.
A dedicated roof deck is a safer, more convenient way of hanging out on your roof which doesn't damage expensive components. RV roof decking panels fit into an existing roof rack and turn all or part of it into a deck. Alternatively, buy a roof rack which doubles as a deck, like this example from RoamBuilt:
Bull Bars and Brush Guards: Rugged Off-Road Camper Body Parts
If you're building a geniune off-road overlanding machine, toughen up your van with bumper guards, bull bars, and brush plates. These van modifications focus on protecting the front of the vehicle from debris, branches, rocks, and animal strikes. As a bonus, they make your van look a lot more serious, helping it stand out from the crowd as your custom adventure-mobile.
The most important function here is the protection of your van's sensitive front components. Your front grille and lights are vulnerable to damage from rocks and branches, whilst the underside of your van's nose takes the brunt of rough terrain. A solid steel bumper with a bull bar protects the grille, whilst brush guards protect the headlamps. A skid plate extends the protection under the front of your van, armoring it against rocks and rough terrain as you negotiate the backcountry.
What to Look For When Buying an Offroad Bumper
It should go without saying, but a good van bumper upgrade needs to be tough. Look for something made of steel, or at least with steel construction in the zone close to the ground. Besides this, look out for features that increase your bumper's functionality and compatibility with other van modifications. A good bumper serves as an attachment point for a suite of essential offroading equipment.
We've rounded up some possible features in the table below, along with our recommendations for the best RV bumpers:
Feature | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
Bull bar | Protects your front grille from rocks, branches, and animal strikes | |
Brush guard | Protects your headlamps from branches and brush | |
Skid plate | Protects your chassis and engine from rough ground damage | |
Tow shackles | Attachment points for towing: dual shackles are important for heavy vehicles | |
Driving light compatibility | Allows you to attach light pods and running lights for night driving | |
Winch mount | Allows you to mount a winch for pulling your van out of soft ground |
CampervanHQ's RV upgrades store stocks a range of custom van accessories, including a variety of off-road bumper upgrades made to fit the most popular base vans.
Lighting Upgrades: LED Light Bars, Light Pods, and Work Lights
Armoring the front of your van protects it from impact damage, but it's better to avoid those impacts in the first place. When you’re tackling rough trails or setting up camp after dark, your stock headlights just won’t cut it. That’s where high-performance off-road lighting comes in.
LED light bars and light pods don’t just enhance visibility—they give you the confidence to drive further, safer, and smarter in low-light conditions. Whether you’re navigating winding backroads, river crossings, or dense forests, the right lighting setup transforms night into day, reducing strain on your eyes and improving reaction time.
Just like rally cars and offroad trucks, you can upgrade your van with a suite of exterior lights that each solve different problems:
Van Light Bars
Usually mounted to a roof rack above your windscreen, LED light bars provide powerful forward floodlighting that illuminates a wide space. A light bar throws bumps, rocks, and rough terrain into high contrast, making night-time maneuvering a breeze.
Light bars might also be mounted to the sides of your roof rack, making parking easier and giving you a brightly-lit space around your van for working or hanging out.
Spotlights and Light Pods
Where light bars illuminate a wide area for general visibility, spotlights are focused beams for distance visibility. They're ideal for cutting through fog and heavy rain, or for seeing far ahead when you're driving quickly.
Light pods are an easy off-road van modification that packages rugged spotlights into compact pods. To avoid drilling and sealing, look for models that are compatible with mounting kits that fix the pod to the bars of your awning, bumper, or front grille.
Work Lights
Work lights are a game-changer for off-grid campsites, roadside repairs, and nighttime setup. Unlike spotlights or light bars designed for forward visibility, work lights provide diffused illumination in key zones at the sides and back of your van. Whether you’re parking in a tight spot, cooking outside, or making quick mechanical fixes, a well-placed set of work lights ensures you’re never fumbling in the dark.
The best work lights are adjustable and weatherproof, and can mount easily to roof racks, rear doors, or awning bars, so you can direct light exactly where you need it.
Are Light Bars Illegal?
According to Better Automotive Lighting, light bar laws vary by state and country, but in general, they’re not illegal—as long as they’re used correctly. Most regions require off-road light bars to be covered while driving on public roads, since their high output can blind other drivers. The same goes for spotlights, so make sure you buy opaque lens covers for your lights.
Some states also have restrictions on mounting height, brightness, and when they can be used. Before installing, check local regulations to ensure compliance, and consider models with a switchable beam pattern so you can toggle between road-legal and off-road modes when needed.
Camper Van Awnings: Shade and Shelter Wherever You Park
As we say in our full article on the subject, they're a game-changer for your life outdoors. They provide a wide shaded area, allowing you to keep cool outside your van on hot days. This shade also stops the sun from shining in through your door, which really helps keeps things cool inside. And when the weather turns sour, your awning is a space to relax out of the rain rather than being cooped up in your van.
If the vanlife is about spending time outdoors, then an awning is the best van modification there is. How many days a year are you forced inside because it's too hot in the sun or too wet in the rain? An awning solves that problem.
Awnings come in different forms, and choosing between them is a matter of your preferred opening mechanism, how they're mounted, and how easy they are to set up:
Frameless roll-out awnings:
The cheapest option
Permanently mounted, requiring hardware and/or drilling
Roll and unroll by hand like a roll of gift wrap
Can't be partially extended; it's all or nothing
Must be supported by legs
Generally inconvenient to use; not recommended
Crank-operated roll-out awnings:
More expensive than frameless
Permanently mounted
Roll and unroll by turning a hand crank
Can be partially extended depending on available space and wind
Integrated frame provides support, legs optional for windy days
Easy to use, but still require hand cranking
We recommend: Fiamma F80S or F45S Manual Versions
Motorized roll-out awnings:
More expensive than crank-operated
Permanently mounted
Roll and unroll by control panel, remote control, or phone
Can be partially extended depending on available space and wind
Integrated frame provides support, legs optional for windy days
Must be wired in to electrical system when installing
Very easy to use, perfect for luxury or low-mobility individuals
We recommend: Fiamma F80S or F45S Motorized Versions
Portable awnings
Cheaper than crank-operated and motorized roll-out
Not permanently mounted, requiring no hardware or drilling
Pack down and are stowed away when not in use
Require legs for support
More inconvenient setup than crank and motorized, but quality models with relatively easy set-ups exist
We recommend: Moonfab Moonshade
What to Look For When Buying a Camper Van Awning
The best camper van awnings are customizable, with a range of quality-of-life extras which make them more versatile.
Screens for RV awnings are panels that can be attached to the front or sides of your awning. They fix a key drawback: the fact that awnings are open to the elements. Side panels block out wind, blowing rain, and low-angle sun, keeping your shady space comfortable even when the weather turns sour.
LED lights for RV awnings are a great addition. They're strip lights that fix to your awning, lighting up the space at night without messing around with lanterns or torches. Tie down strap kits are a useful add-on which you can use to securely tie your awning to the ground when the wind gets up. Nomadic Supply Company is our recommended RV upgrades store for awning add-ons: check out all their options here.
Fixed Ladders and Spare Wheel Carriers
With a roof rack installed, you need a convenient way to access it. This is where fixed ladders come in. As we discussed in our article on van ladders, they're useful for rooftop maintenance and clearing solar panels of snow even if you don't have a roof rack. With a roof rack or deck installed, ladders are essential camper exterior accessories.
An RV ladder gives you quick and easy access to the roof, keeping gear in easy reach and turning your roof into a hangout spot. Along with your roof rack, these van modifications really pop, giving your basic panel van a strong overlanding look.
Which RV Ladder Format is Best?
Your choice in ladders is between two formats:
Side ladders: often mount directly to your roof rack or roof rails without any drilling; can be used with your rear doors open.
Rear door ladders: often bolted to the door (though boltless options exist); don't get caught on obstacles or contribute to drag.
Spare Wheel Carriers
Rear door ladders often integrate a spare wheel carrier. Spare wheel carriers are van modifications that come from the offroading and overlanding world. When you're cruising over rough ground, it's much better that your spare wheel isn't hanging low under the chassis where it could get caught on rocks.
Moving your spare tire to your rear door keeps your expensive aftermarket wheels clean and out of harm’s way, makes them easier to access, and allows you to use a bigger tire that won't fit in the stock spare wheel carrier.
What to Look For
If you're already installing a rear door ladder, it makes sense to integrate it with a spare wheel carrier. Combined units, like this one from Tec Vanlife and this one from Aluminess mean you only have to drill once.
Alternatively, double up on function by going for a combined spare wheel carrier and storage box rack. Rear lockboxes are great places to store bulky gear somewhere easily accessible without taking up space inside.
Snorkels for Four Wheeler Desert Adventuring
None of these van modifications say 'off-road camper van' like an offroad snorkel rearing up from the engine like an elephant's trunk. Many assume that a snorkel for four wheeler vehicles is just for crossing deep water, but its main purpose is to protect your engine from dust. Your van will spend a lot of time on rough tracks, kicking up clouds of dust and sand. This gets pulled into your engine's air intake, clogging it up, destroying your air filter, and overheating your engine.
A snorkel ensures your engine is sucking in clean air from above the clouds of dust, meaning no breakdowns or overheats when you're exploring far from civilisation.
Make sure you go for a off road snorkel kit rather than a standalone snorkel. In a kit, you'll get everything you need for the installation including the internal air hose, templates for cutting, an instruction manual, and all the necessary hardware.
For serious desert bashing, check out safari snorkel pre-filters. Pre-filters are specialised van modifications which use an internal fan to blow dust and sand out of the snorkel before it reaches your air filter. They're commonly fitted to military vehicles and completely eliminate air filter cleaning.
Van Modifications for Rear Storage
RV ladders and wheel carriers often come with rear-mounted storage racks and boxes. They're fitted in a similar way or may even form part of a modular system, so why not double up your camper exterior accessories?
Rear Door Lock Boxes
Storage chests mounted to your van's rear are out of the way yet perfectly accessible for outdoor gear. Mid-sized ones like Tec Vanlife's Grande and Venti are perfect for shovels, traction mats, and outdoor gear. Keeping equipment you exclusively use outside, like fishing tackle, hatchets, or toolboxes in their own external compartment saves you from digging around in your van's storage trunks when you just want to get going.
Rear Door Storage Racks
Storage racks are multifunctional storage systems which are compatible with all sorts of storage modules, including boxes, tool carriers, brackets for shovels and traction mats, spare wheel carriers, and bike racks. Plan your expedition, spec out your gear, and then customize your storage system based on what you'll encounter in the field.
Look out for options with no-drill installation, like Aluminess' Backpack Plate or Sandy Vans' Port and Starboard Racks. Special mention goes to Aluminess' MOLLE Mounting Plate which brings NATO's modular carrying system to your offroad van.
Lift Kits and Suspension Upgrades: The Ultimate in Off-road Van Modifications
The most substantial off-road upgrade is a van lift kit. By raising your van higher above the wheels, a van lift kit allows you to cover rougher ground without getting caught on obstacles. This extra room also allows you to install upgrades to your shocks and bigger, more rugged wheels.
Where to get a Lift Kit Installed?
Getting a van lift kit installed requires expertise to make sure the wheels are properly aligned, the suspension behaves as it should, and everything works safely. Therefore, you're most likely looking for a professional installation. Look for garages experienced with overland van builds or ask for a recommendation from your local 4x4 and off-road shop. Any installers listed on Van Compass' approved dealers list are a good bet. Alternatively, Agile Off Road offer installation services with a network of approved installers.
Van Suspension Upgrades
Whilst you're unlikely to be installing a lift kit yourself, you can upgrade the suspension in other ways. Once a van has been lifted for overlanding, the factory suspension might not be able to take the punishment of rougher ground and heavier loads you want to subject it to. Aftermarket auxiliary shocks support the factory shocks with more muscular damping, giving you better handling and a smoother ride. These kits are often easy to install, with minimal extra bolting and no need for dismantling the existing suspension assembly.
If fitting extra shocks seems like overkill, a more practical upgrade might be a suspension enhancement system or 'helper springs'. These replace your factory bump stocks and improve performance when your van is sitting lower over the suspension due to heavy loads or rough ground. By supporting the suspension at its extreme end, helper springs eliminate sagging, squatting, and swaying, giving you a smoother ride and better control.
Check out Nomadic Supply's selection of Ford Transit van lift kit upgrades and Sprinter van lift kit parts for DIY van modifications that'll make a big impact on your offroading experience.
Van Running Boards, Nerf Bars, and Rock Sliders
Lifted vans can be difficult to get in and out of, as they're often uncomfortably high off the ground. Van running boards and nerf bars are camper exterior accessories that mount under the doors and give you a flat, raised step-up point for getting into and out of your van. They're also a sleek visual upgrade, giving your van the tough look of an overlanding truck.
Look for van running boards with a thicker, tubular, all-metal construction, like these ones from Aluminess or these from Tec Vanlife. Running boards incorporating plastic elements and thin, flimsy steps are far less capable of shrugging off dings and scrapes from rocks and stumps as you traverse rough ground.
It's worth noting that running boards and nerf bars are not designed to protect your van from heavy impacts and can't be used as jack points. For this, you'll need the beefier construction of rock sliders. Rock sliders look similar to running boards, but are typically made from steel and strongly bolted to the van's frame. This enables them to support the weight of the vehicle for jacking and take heavy impacts which would otherwise damage your van.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right van modifications turns your van into a customized adventure-mobile with capabilities that suit your needs and looks that suit your style. By adding the right camper external accessories, you can massively increase your storage options, add all-weather functionality, and improve your van's ability to cruise through rough terrain. Check out CampervanHQ and Nomadic Supply Company's wide range of exterior van modifications and kit your van out for your next big expedition.
For a deeper look into off-road campervans, take a look at our full article on them for a breakdown of types, key features, and a buying guide.
Don't forget to subscribe to The Van Conversion Newsletter for everything you need to get started with your own van conversion (we'll send you a free wiring diagram when you join).
If you're looking for some guidance with your van conversion, you might be interested in our book Roaming Home, or in our online course The Van Conversion Mastery Course. You'll learn directly from our founder Shane how to convert a van into your dream home - no prior experience needed. Shane also offers one-to-one consultations, where he'll help you with any aspect of your build in a face-to-face video call. All consultations come with a free copy of Roaming Home and our Diagram Pack.
Finally, our Van Conversion Ultimate Guide lays out the whole van conversion process in easy-to-follow sections with tools, materials, and step-by-step instructions. It's the perfect companion for your van build.
Until next time.