Four-wheel-drives have recently become the hot ticket among the prerunner community. Not long ago, truck Internet forums were packed with stories of people tearing the 4WD systems out of their pickups and building super wide 2WD long-travel kits. Long-travel is still a popular choice, but everything from bolt-on kits to custom suspensions are choosing to retain the use of their 4WD setup. Randy Ellis, owner of Randy Ellis Design (RED), also decided that he would keep his 4WD intact on his '01 Toyota Tacoma project. He has created his perfect prerunner machine, a truck that can go anywhere from silt beds to crawling through canyons. Randy's company RED is well known for making solid light bars for most major truck makes and models. His Tacoma was going to need a little more than your average light bar considering how much he pushes it. Randy caged the entire truck front to back and decided to add a winch hidden behind the front bumper to aid in rescue if needed. Also aiding in recovery and providing a blanket of night vision are the new KC HiLites Carbon Fiber 70-watt HID light pods.Randy's company RED is well known for making solid light bars for most major truck makes a On top of helping chase for various race teams, Randy enjoys the world of exploration. When he built his Toyota he kept several things in mind: the ability to go fast, go slow, carry plenty of supplies, load up his motorcycles, and, of course, have fun. The rear portion of his cage follows the lines of his bed, leaving plenty of open bed space. Up top are more of those beautiful KC HiLites pods shedding more light than his truck can possibly outrun. The design of the cage allows three 5-gallon gas cans to be carried safely as well has a Hi-Lift and a spare driveshaft. You never know what you might need and when.On top of helping chase for various race teams, Randy enjoys the world of exploration. Whe The cage continues through the cabin tucked up high and out of the way of passenger's heads....The cage continues through the cabin tucked up high and out of the way of passenger's head ....Randy chose to cut the cab cage into sections to ease the install and assure there are no missing weld spots around the tube work.....Randy chose to cut the cab cage into sections to ease the install and assure there are The front suspension is from Camburg Engineering. The Camburg Tacoma long-travel kit uses new upper and lower control arms and Sway-a-Way coilovers....The front suspension is from Camburg Engineering. The Camburg Tacoma long-travel kit uses ...Randy has added a Sway-a-Way bypass shock to the mix, as well as King air bumps. The new suspension provides 12 inches of wheel travel and with all that shock plenty of whoop bashing control....Randy has added a Sway-a-Way bypass shock to the mix, as well as King air bumps. The ne A rear bumper is an absolute must in the desert. Driving at high speeds through high dust can often result in someone coming up a little too fast behind you....A rear bumper is an absolute must in the desert. Driving at high speeds through high dust ...The rear bumper Randy built is super strong and well designed to fit the lines of the truck without looking overdone....The rear bumper Randy built is super strong and well designed to fit the lines of the t The cage follows the bed line, bolts directly to the bed floor, and continues to the frame. This keeps plenty of cargo space open for Randy's overnight adventures.The cage follows the bed line, bolts directly to the bed floor, and continues to the frame Having had several bearing problems with the stock Toyota rear end, Randy upgraded to a strong Currie Enterprises 9-inch housing. The Currie 9-inch is known for its strength and reliability, as well as the ease of finding aftermarket additions. The rear end is stuffed with Currie 35-spline axle shafts and 4.56 ratio gears.Having had several bearing problems with the stock Toyota rear end, Randy upgraded to a st Adding a few extra ponies under the hood is a TRD Supercharger. The TRD unit is 100-percent bolt-on and can be run in a number of different pulley configurations. Some owners have reported ping problems from their units as did Randy; this can, however, be solved with the installation of new TRD injectors.Adding a few extra ponies under the hood is a TRD Supercharger. The TRD unit is 100-percen Needing all-around performance, this Tacoma is running BF Goodrich All Terrain KO tires combined with 16x8-inch Pro Comp wheels. The combination has the perfect amount of width and traction needed for just about any terrain.Needing all-around performance, this Tacoma is running BF Goodrich All Terrain KO tires co Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
