Superduty ARB Bullbar

[cjmitchell5]

The parts

The OEM bumper is off (and soon to be on ebay for anyone looking!)

The new mounts mounted

The wife manning the wire wheel to clean up a bit

Now how does one lift and position 220lbs of bumper and winch by one's self?
Ratchet straps! I see no way this can fail!

I think I may deserve a Darwin Award nomination for this next photo. I was imagining April coming into the garage in the morning and finding me crushed under said bumper/winch combo.

Who wouldn't trust their safety and $2000 worth of accessories to some 4" Harbor Freight C-clamps?

And in place ready to be tightened down. It figures I didn't take any pictures today of it actually complete

Things of note:

The ride is much nicer w/ that much weight flexing the springs.

ARB instructions are somewhat vague.

Your truck and it's parts may or may not match the ones shown in the instructions due to minor changes year to year. (had to drill new mounting holes in the power steering cooler to move it out of the way.)

If you use a winch other than the one they built the bumper for, you may have to fabricate accordingly. (had to drill new mounting holes in the back of the control box.)

Finally if you decide to put the combo on sans winch cable to save weight. Be sure to put the cable on BEFORE you bolt the skid plate on. (it makes the drum really difficult to reach, good thing April has little hands.)

Bolting on skid plate. (notice lack of cable on winch)

 

[02TahoeMD]

Nice pics and welcome to the ARB family! Looks good, ( best I can tell that is....) gotta take some daylight photos and post them up. Congrats!

 

[RocKrawler]

Cant wait to see the finished photot... I plan on ordering one for mine but need to see more trucks with them installed to cement my decision - debating the snorkel as well

 

[locrwln]

Yeah, we need the finished/daytime pics. My wife really wants me to put one on our truck.:beer:

Jack

 

[cjmitchell5]

Here they are!

I'm debating the snorkel as well. I had a Safari Snorkel on my TJ that I'd sold and I have a factory snorkel on my Rover. The next thing for the Ford will be new front springs and shocks all around. OME finally has a kit for the Fords. I'm also switching to 255/85 tires. It has 265/75 on it right now. Then comes seats, ute ltd bed, etc. I just put cruise control on it, which was ridiculously easy; basically get a steering wheel w/ buttons, new clock spring, and close a circuit under the hood.

 

[Pskhaat]

Kudos on using pex:

 

[RocKrawler]

I'm debating the snorkel as well. I had a Safari Snorkel on my TJ that I'd sold and I have a factory snorkel on my Rover. The next thing for the Ford will be new front springs and shocks all around. OME finally has a kit for the Fords.

Looks like I'm going to get one going for mine, I like the look & it appears it doesnt stick out like a park bench in front like some other designs I've seen. Fortunately I sell ARB & OME as an authorized dealer so I'm looking at the same suspension myself as it is very affordable.

 

[locrwln]

Looks like I'm going to get one going for mine, I like the look & it appears it doesnt stick out like a park bench in front like some other designs I've seen. Fortunately I sell ARB & OME as an authorized dealer so I'm looking at the same suspension myself as it is very affordable.

Ok, I did some quick searching and I can't find any information about ARB OME suspension for the SD information. What's the skinny???

I don't like that most of the decent desert offroad suspensions start at 4". If OME sticks to their usual 2-2.5" inch lifts, then you have my attention.

Jack

 

[cjmitchell5]

Kudos on using pex:

Quick hijack: Are you a plumber? I'm thinking of using propane demand water heaters for my next house. Is there a website with good info about them?

Ok, I did some quick searching and I can't find any information about ARB OME suspension for the SD information. What's the skinny???

I don't like that most of the decent desert offroad suspensions start at 4". If OME sticks to their usual 2-2.5" inch lifts, then you have my attention.

Jack

Here's a link and a copy of email correspondence with ARB


Ford SuperDuty ARB Stuff

Chris,

Great question! The front springs were designed around the diesel
engine. The approximate lift over OE will be 2.4" with the diesel. A
petrol truck may net a bit more, but the springs are so stiff on these
trucks that the height difference will not be significant in any
detrimental way.

Best Regards,

Duffy

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Mitchell
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 11:05 PM
To: Duffy Biggs
Subject: Re: Ford Superduty OME suspension

Looks great! Thanks for the photo. One more question, there appears to
be only
one set of front springs whether you have the gas engine or diesel
engine.
Which one was it designed for? If it's for the diesel it will be
grossly
understrength as the 7.3L weights about 600# more than the gas engine.
If it
was designed for the gas engine it might be too much not allowing any
movement
in the suspension. Sorry for all the questions, just curious! Keep up
the
great work.

Chris

 

[RocKrawler]

Springs are always a better setup than the shackle and or hanger kits, as the stock springs are already fatigued with the age of the vehicle and whatever it has hauled during its life. Getting fresh springs, shocks and bushings throughout will only help things

 

[Pskhaat]

Are you a plumber? I'm thinking of using propane demand water heaters for my next house. Is there a website with good info about them?

No, I'm not a plumber but I have re-done most of the plumbing in my last two houses. I am a big believer in PEX making my life simpler.

Since you hijacked Have one (NG) in the family cabin in CO and I am less than impressed due to temperature fluctuation but am happy that at times when there is no one there I don't have a tank to worry about.

I just replaced a water heater here at my house but decided on a tank. One reason is that I'd need to bring in another 3/4" gas line and put a stainless vent through two floors. Not reasonable. Another reason is that with the kiddos there are a lot of low-flow baths and a large tankless won't kick in unless there is sufficient volume flow. Our showers are also low-flow and won't in my calcs be sufficient to trigger. I will also be putting a heat pump above the tank, basically the condesor will be into the water and the evaporator will be into the AC unit. Long story to say that I think $- and trouble-wise the tank is still a better option for me.

One a completely separate diatribe I am still not convinced electric tank water heaters are worse. I have no experiece with an electric tankless other than they can draw a crazy amount of 240, but theoretically should fall to the same assumptions: There is a LOT of waste heat energy with gas that I don't think many calculations take into account and at least where I live I get reduced electric rates at night which leave an electric tank a desirable option on a timer. Possible to also use solar electricity to help heat (though likely not worth it).

 

[locrwln]

Here's a link and a copy of email correspondence with ARB


Ford SuperDuty ARB Stuff

Chris,

Great question! The front springs were designed around the diesel
engine. The approximate lift over OE will be 2.4" with the diesel. A
petrol truck may net a bit more, but the springs are so stiff on these
trucks that the height difference will not be significant in any
detrimental way.

Best Regards,

Duffy

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Mitchell
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 11:05 PM
To: Duffy Biggs
Subject: Re: Ford Superduty OME suspension

Looks great! Thanks for the photo. One more question, there appears to
be only
one set of front springs whether you have the gas engine or diesel
engine.
Which one was it designed for? If it's for the diesel it will be
grossly
understrength as the 7.3L weights about 600# more than the gas engine.
If it
was designed for the gas engine it might be too much not allowing any
movement
in the suspension. Sorry for all the questions, just curious! Keep up
the
great work.

Chris

Great, way to cost me more money...

I can't wait to get a first hand report of how they ride. If the improvement is as drastic as it was on my LX 450, then I am really looking forward to these.

Jack

 

[brut4s]

Try this site for your suspension they do have a 2.5" kit. icon-vehicle-dynamics.com

 

[brut4s]

www.icon-vehicle-dynamics.com
www.donahoeracing.com

 

[locrwln]

Try this site for your suspension they do have a 2.5" kit. icon-vehicle-dynamics.com

They only have a "mini-leaf" pack for a 2.5" lift for the 99-04 leaf sprung trucks. Which is what I have found most do for the smaller lifts. Either you get a bracket drop type lift or you get mini-leafs.

I am very curious about OME offering.

Jack