F-350 idi Crew Cab build--Wooly Mammoth

[Magnetixx]

Chunk o progress

moving forward! At long last I've installed my rebuilt steering box. Pretty straight forward, just a few hours of righteous wrenching on a very leaky SOB, but what a difference! That box has been busted since I got the truck so i never had the joy of turning it right. Just in time too, as trying to Armstrong the wheel would be damn near impossible with the new meats that tomorrow will bring.

 

[Magnetixx]

Trying the pics again



Here are some pics from Pillsbury. Seems the 1st try didn't show up. Seriously cool spot, especially on a quiet weekend. Beautiful scenery, amazing wildlife, and seemingly unregulated wheelin and gun play...yay!

Just took the truck for a drive and steering is perfect. Also I've made my material list and plan o pick up the steel for the ol campy camperton tomorrow on the way to the tire shop, all with my 9 month old daughter in tow.

Too much fun club in full effect!

 

[Magnetixx]

Now we're getting somewhere

Finally got my new shoes! Four 315/75r16 bfg tako2s look small on this rig but they are pretty substantial. highway cruising is improved with lower engine rpm and i now realize just how gakked the last set of tires was. on those wasted meats the truck had kind of a freeway floater feeling going on. now it feels planted, and it is! also, 4 wheel parts took so long to install the things they threw in their warranty for free which is nice cuz these things aint cheap! check out how big this thing is compared to the baby carrier

I also got these heim joints, bungs, and spacers. I wish I could say I was going to be building a crossover steering setup but I'm going to use these as the hinge for the rear door of the camper that will also hold the spare tire and maybe jerry cans, hi lift etc. I wanted a hinge that would be very robust and not look like it came off an old lady's garden gate. this should do and look trick and as a side benefit should make aligning the rather large door easier.

I got a bunch of steel to construct the camper frame out of and set aside time at my brother's shop to do the work. both of my brothers and I and a full day in a well equipped shop should have the ol woolly mammoth in good standing. Not trying to reinvent the wheel here. I basically plan to mount the tonneau cover atop a steel rectangular prism. Unfortunately I keep tweaking my design, simple as it is, and hopefully will have ample material.

Lastly, I cleared the trouble code which yet again indicated trans temp too high. I'm starting to question this code as the time during which the light began to flash was not a hard one on the truck, very easy cruising. may pop my head under the truck to find the sensor and perhaps a fault with it. also calibrated the speedo for the larger rubber using a description found on fullsize bronco forum. super easy. I want to be accurate on speed as this thing starts to drink the fuel once you get in the fast lane.

Can't wait to make more progress!

 

[Magnetixx]

thats better

 

[mp_tx]

This pop top idea sounds pretty cool.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[norcal*PWRstroke]

I havent been up to LP in years. Is the lake pretty full again, looks nice and green think i will plan a trip here soon, I am pretty close. Nice build !

 

[toastyjosh]

is this what your looking for?
http://www.xtremediesel.com/mishimo...nmmoc-f.aspx?gclid=CJSS__6ZzcwCFYsAaQodSusMWg

A trans cooler from a later model 6.0 ford is way bigger as well and may be a cheaper up grade.

Also what does the fluid look like and smell like. If your really overheating the trans the fluid will look dark and smell kind of burnt.

With the new cooler a full trans service with synth fluid would be smart.

 

[Warn Industries]

Cool truck! We had a 2002 Super Duty here at Warn with a drawer system/storage on the back. Loved this truck. Lots of opportunity for storage and such. Looking forward to seeing your build progress.

- Andy

 

[Buddha.]

Warn, what kind of box is that?

 

[Magnetixx]

Thanks for the feedback folks!

Norcal- Pillsbury is very green right now. The lake was definitely not exceptionally high but it certainly wasn't low. I'd get out there if I were you!

Josh that is the exact type of thing the truck could use. That with some could synth will prob be about $200 I'm guessing so hopefully the trans will hold out a bit until then. Also I've got a set of fans for a Ducati 1098 from work that I was thinking of rigging to the original cooler and plumbing in a temp sensor. Cheaper but more involved; right now I've neither time nor money so its a toss up!

 

[Magnetixx]

Mega Progress!

Ok so yesterday with the help of my brothers I did a ton of cutting and welding and made the superstructure for the camper as well as the frame for the poptop. Middle brother is a burning man guy and got me access to an art co-op place where they make tons of sculptures and such. The metal shop there is outta sight! I only used saws and welders but they've got just about everything you can imagine for metalwork. Now to convince the girlfriend to move out to a giant warehouse that I can fill with tools...

Anyway, thanks to my two brothers, the Box Shop, and my excellent partner who let me do this crap on mother's day.

We started by making a perimeter frame that matches the bed and bolted it in place with 15 3/8 fasteners. The superstructure is almost all 2x2x.065" mild steel, which is pretty light. I added gussets and my bro had lots of 1.5x1.5 and 1.5x2x.065 laying around that I pilfered.

The trickiest part was making the frame for the tonneau cover to fit on and be able to seal. Apparently newer truck beds are quite curvaceous so we had to build some bent into our tubes. I really wanted to use the tube roller and make it out of round tube but it was in use and I have no idea how to operate one anyway. Maybe later as a revision, we'll see. We just sliced cuts into the tube without going all the way through and adjust with some trial and error.

By the end of the day we had the frame and top on and adjusted so I stayed a wee bit longer and attached the proper hardware. Had to see it in action after all that!


Brought her out into the light today. Here's my friend Joe appraising it and providing some scale. I'd like to get the top to open higher by adjusting the lift arms, but one thing at a time. Also in these picks I've got a ratchet strap handy to hold it down- ran out of proper hardware.


Its a giant square! the door height is the same as an e350, like the sportsmobile we originally wanted. We now have a 4x4, solid axle, diesel v8, poptop camper (almost)! In your face sportsmobile!!!!!! p.s. I'm poor.

Lots left to do but I'm pleased with the progress. Picked up my wall panels today, also known as wood, and will be receiving some sealant here quite soon. Got a suprise idea for the tent material as well.

ZANG!

 

[Buddha.]

I like it.

 

[awphillips93]

Looks awesome, can't wait to see how it all turns out.

Alex

 

[toastyjosh]

Thanks for the feedback folks!

Norcal- Pillsbury is very green right now. The lake was definitely not exceptionally high but it certainly wasn't low. I'd get out there if I were you!

Josh that is the exact type of thing the truck could use. That with some could synth will prob be about $200 I'm guessing so hopefully the trans will hold out a bit until then. Also I've got a set of fans for a Ducati 1098 from work that I was thinking of rigging to the original cooler and plumbing in a temp sensor. Cheaper but more involved; right now I've neither time nor money so its a toss up!

Yea copy that I understand 100%, start looking for a ford 6.0 diesel cooler at the yards or on CL. Its way bigger, ford put too small trans cooler set ups untill the 6.0. starting in 03.

I think the moto fan would be a good way to go untill you can get something else.

 

[borison]

Looking good. Can't wait to see more.