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Words and photos by Bryan Irons
Two days to mend a lifetime of abuse.
Last issue you caught us taking a well used/abused F-150 that belongs to our buddy Tom and with some smart purchases, make it his dream ride. So far, under the hood has been taken care of with an Optima Battery, Trick Flow TFX Cold Air Intake system and a Cortex programmer from Superchips, all from Summit Racing. Moving to the exterior, an AVS bug deflector made an appearance on the hood, which rounded out the lightweight pieces we had. After a few Red Bulls, a pair of great looking and tough as nails bumpers from Iron Bull got hoisted into place. Tom loves the bumpers and Explorer Pro Comp lights we put in.
On this, our final installment, we’re going to take care of some issues that from the factory, Ford dropped the ball on, as well as give the truck some altitude, attitude and aptitude. Following the same criteria as last issue, everything we chose here is easily install in a driveway with a few hours of spare time, some jack stands and hand tools. A buddy who doesn’t sing show tunes helps as well… TOM!
We’re happy with how the truck turned out with just a few days worth of work and Tom, for one, amazed at the total transformation made. We increased it’s capability in the woods, made it a “looker” on the street and didn’t take anything away from its ability to do the daily grind to the office. That’s what 4x4 wheelers do; we take the abused, neglected and forgotten and give them new lives, one wrench turn at a time.
What is it?
Wheel well guards
Why these ones?
More importantly, why didn’t the factory do this? If you use your truck during a Canadian winter or off the beaten track, you know the damage that steel inner fenders can sustain. This has to be one of the easiest installs we did to the truck to keep rock chips from turning into rust holes. If you plan on keeping your truck, and don’t want to get a tetanus shot, go score yourself a set of Wheel Well Guards.
Who makes it?
Husky Liner
What is it?
RX Rivet Style fender flares
Why these ones?
The original fender openings on the F-150 are pretty large to begin with, we just needed them to be wider to cover our tires and give the truck a little attitude. Many flares on the market attach rigidly to the body, which is fine provided your truck doesn’t get involved with any “tree sex” incidents. This cannot only tear the fenders off, but cause expensive metal work repairs. Our North American made Lund flares attach with simple clips and a few factory bolts to the inner fender lip. The mounting is very secure, but when push comes to shove, the plastic fender will distort, not the sheet metal of the truck. Using a jigsaw with a fine tooth blade and a file, we trimmed the fender to match the lines of the front Iron Bull bumper. The finished product looks like they were made for each other.
Who makes it?
Lund International
What is it?
Wheels and tires
Why these ones?
Pro Comp’s Xtreme MT2 has really impressed us by being a great choice for a truck that sees a lot of street duty and also eats dirt for fun. Our 305/65-17’s measure out to just under 33-in and is a great fit for the F-150 without rubbing the fenders when flexed out. The large lugs stay pretty quiet on the street and Pro Comp backs its tires with a 65,000 km warranty. Holding our tires to the truck are Pro Comps Vapor (5183) satin black wheels. The machined aluminum edge really gives the wheel a unique look. The ability to hold up 1000 kg in the 17X9 size we selected is important for a rig that is intended to haul loads in the bed. The -6mm offset sticks the wheel and tire combo out a few cm from where the factory tires used to sit and complement the Lund fender flares perfectly.
Who makes it?
Pro Comp
What is it?
Leveling kit and shocks
Why these ones?
By looking at the list of owner abused parts we had already seen on the truck, we knew the suspension had been pushed hard with little care to its well being. Having the shocks already shot and the front springs sagging; Rancho’s quickLIFT system was the best choice for our goals. Pre assembled units, which include nine-way adjustable shocks; a new coil spring, progressive bump stop and the level stance we wanted come in each quickLIFT loaded setup. The install didn’t take any special tools and between devouring munchies and clicking pictures, only took a few hours. Tom again uttered the words “it can’t be that easy!” Yes, yes it was.
Since the front shocks were shot and being replaced, we had better do the same the rear with a pair of RS9000XL adjustable units also from Rancho. Tuning the shocks is as easy as turning the knob on the bottom of the shock body and allows very noticeable changes depending on our taste in driving style, terrain, and load. The larger bodies will also help dissipate any extra heat generated and last for years to come.
Who makes it?
Rancho
What is it?
License plate mount
Why this one?
Here in hippytown BC we’re straddled with goofy rules like “No shooting in city limits”, “no riding in the bed of a truck”, “no flicking pennies at hookers” and “must have a front license plate visible”. OK, a few may be good laws to have, and in order to live here in peace, we choose to abide by them. Once the new Iron Bull bumper and Smittybilt winch got attached to the truck, we needed a place for the plate. It was surprising to find the Rugged Ridge unit to be made of steel, not plastic like others we’ve seen shattered on the trail. Threaded inserts and plated hardware speak of the build quality, and simple yet strong clips attach to the front fairlead rolls securing the plate and hiding the winch a little too. Where’s that jar of pennies I had???
Who makes it?
Rugged Ridge
What is it?
10k Winch
Why this one?
Smittybilt’s gen 2 X2O winch comes loaded with features normally associated with units 3-times its price. The IP68 rating means that this winch and the solenoid pack can be fully submersed without worry of shorting out. A wireless remote that only needs to be plugged in to charge the internal battery once in a while is standard with the X2O. We mounted the solenoid pack on the top of the aluminum strut bars to keep it safe under the bumper but still have access to the plug. A Comp version is also available with even more trinkets including synthetic rope, an aluminum fairlead and a dynamic brake (uses the motor to stop the winch from turning). Our 10,000 lb rated unit worked perfectly out of the box for us and Smittybilt made sure it will be there for the long haul with a lifetime mechanical warranty and five year electrical. Too bad it’s so hard to show off under the big Iron Bull bumper!
Who makes it?
Smittybilt