Our most involved project for the show was Chuck’s 2017 Ford F250 Super Duty. Carli Suspension provided us with a custom built 4.5″ Dominator 3.0 system. On 2005-2016 Ford Super Duty trucks, installing 3.0 shocks was a bit more straightforward. The factory coil buckets on earlier trucks are held on with rivets. Once the factory rivets are removed, custom fabricated coil buckets that allow for shocks larger than 2.5″ in diameter can be installed using grade 8 hardware. On 2017+ trucks, the factory coil buckets are welded on and the frames are boxed. As a result, the factory buckets have to be cut off by hand, a process that took almost two full days (we didn’t want to remove any material from the frame itself). Carli supplied us with custom coil buckets designed specifically for this build that allowed us to weld them on both outside the buckets and in the center of the buckets, increasing strength and rigidity.
While the fabrication portion was fairly involved, the final outcome looked almost factory, with the exception of higher end components throughout. Ultimately, the truck ended up with a Carli Dominator 4.5″ system, Carli fabricated radius arms, 20″ custom powder coated Trail Ready beadlocks, 38″ Toyo Open Country MT tires, custom paint work by Autobahn Collision Center in Torrance, CA, and Baja Designs lighting throughout. Not only did this truck turn out beautifully, the ride quality is incredible. Keep an eye out for more on this build in the near future!
Here is a finalized picture of this truck in our booth at the Off Road Expo in Pomona, CA.
Another vehicle we showcased was Rhino’s 2007 Mega Cab. This truck has had just about every combination of high end Dodge Ram suspension underneath it. We have tested countless parts on this truck but its age was beginning to show. After an engine meltdown, the truck went down for almost a year for a full rebuild. Heavy off road usage was starting to show on the body so we turned to Tony at Autobahn Collision Center in Torrance, CA to freshen up the truck’s appearance. The outcome was stunning, with the fitment of the aftermarket fiberglass fenders looking factory. We utilized 17″ Trail Ready beadlocks with world series rings and 40″ Toyo MT tires. Fitment is difficult compared to 37’s and we had to do some serious pinch weld/cab modification to retain drivability.
This truck is also running Mercenary Off Road front and rear bumpers, Baja Designs lighting, and a Carli Unchained Long Arm system. We are finalizing some last details on this build and look forward to having it in the dirt soon!
Carli has been putting a lot of time into fine tuning their upcoming Jeep JK suspension systems utilizing our shop 2015 Rubicon. We have been pleased with the outcome! This build features a Carli Jeep JK Pintop 2.5 system, Trail Ready 17″ beadlocks, 37×12.5×17 Toyo MT tires, Wilco front and rear bumpers with tire carrier, a Dynatrac Pro Rock 44, RCV Performance axle shafts, a Warn Zeon 10 S winch, Baja Designs lighting, and more. We are looking forward to getting this Jeep on the trail and providing some additional feedback.
We will be updating with several more builds soon!!
