1999 Toyota Tacoma - Passenger Side From Rear At Doors And Fenders - Photo 8292770

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Most guys dent up the passenger side of their rigs, since that's the side hardest to see. Never one to follow conventions, Ellinger has dented the driver side of his truck and kept the passenger side spotless.

We had the opportunity to run the Independence Trail in Penrose, Colorado, with Ellinger last December. Trails such as these are the reason he built this truck.

Under the hood lies a stock 3.4L Toyota mill. A free-flow air filter and plumbing for the ARB Air Lockers are the only modifications deemed necessary in the engine bay.

Notice the dent on the rear-passenger corner of the roof. That should clear up any questions about whether or not this truck gets 'wheeled hard.

Ellinger custom-fabricated the front bumper for maxi-mum approach angle and protection. It's constructed of 1-3/4-inch, 0.120-wall tube, which ties into the shock mounts and frame and houses a Warn M8000 winch wrapped in Rockstomper synthetic winch line.

Most guys dent up the passenger side of their rigs, since that's the side hardest to see. Never one to follow conventions, Ellinger has dented the driver side of his truck and kept the passenger side spotless.

The full-width axles help keep the cab off the rocks, even in situations such as this. With both transfer cases in Low range and the steering wheel cranked, the truck righted itself without any drama.

The rear of the truck features a flatbed made from box tubing and diamond plate. The wheelwells allow for additional uptravel relative to a traditional flatbed, and the tubing is far more resistant to dents than the stock bed.

The front axle, a Diamond Axles-fabricated Ford 9-inch 'housing with Dana 60 outers, is stuffed with an ARB Air Locker, chrome-moly shafts, and 5.43 gears.

The interior of the truck is basically stock, with the exception of the Off Road Solutions 'cage and the M&R four-point harnesses. Note the duct tape on the steering wheel and dash. The truck was purchased as a salvaged vehicle, and with its new life as a trail rig, there's no need to repair the airbags.

The suspension is simple, consisting of inexpensive leaf springs and a single shock at each corner. With a wide stance and low center of gravity, Ellinger finds that this setup is perfect for both the budget and trail.

The rolling stock consists of 14/42-17 Super Swamper IROKs mounted on 17x8-inch steel wheels, with 4-1/2 inches of backspacing and Rockstomper weld-on bead-lock rings. Ellinger claims that the larger-diameter wheels really help to keep the big tires from folding under.