Luxury Chase Truck Build [2007 F250-Carli Coilover]

[CAPT.HODGES]

Well I guess I did this on Thursday but just got around to posting. I had always planned on adding a couple more air outlets but got especially sick of reaching under the running board when I had the pinhole leak and had to fill every two hours. I thought about putting one in each wheel well since there are holes in the frame everwhere and it would be super easy but I decided to keep it clean and simple with one in the rear. I may add one up front later but my hose reaches perfectly to the front tires from the rear, so this will suffice.

Old location (brass fitting already removed)

Swiss cheese

Overall shot - the new fitting is going next to the trailer brake connection.

Hole drilled

Had to grind the **** out of a washer to clear the rubber and screw on the backside

A shot up the rear of the beast. I can't get over how much I love being able to sit up most places to zip tie **** to the frame...

DONE

Playing with the mustang for the weekend

Also got my drill press set up the other day. My minishop is complete. Just need to make some kind of cart for the drill press since it wont fit on the bench.

Happy Easter fellas

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

Trying a little mobile upload since it's wayyyy more convenient for minor updates as opposed to Flickr.

Scored a welding cart at HF because it had the perfect dimensions to hide my drill press in the corner of the garage. Really nice ball bearings. I was shocked. Had to make a custom caster setup though.

Also mounted a fire extinguisher in the shell

Hope that worked...

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

Not a very entertaining update here but I'm in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico so I NEED some entertainment!

I ordered up a few more things to wrap up my projects before I chill out on this thing for a while:

- IPR high-flow coolant filter kit
(an important preventative measure that I should have put in a year ago)

- Fuel pressure regulator blue spring update
(an oem update part from International that's just the easiest thing to do on a LONG and EXPENSIVE list of engine bay **** to do - it's gonna be a while as long as she keeps running)

- Second 2.5 gal Viar tank
(because half the point of my air system build was to rip a wheel off with an impact and it dies on the last 2 lugs, plus if I switch it on a couple minutes before I air up, I'll have twice as much pre-pressurized air to make airing up way faster. And if I'm using a blow gun or other air tool it'll work way better)

- Two more Baja Designs Sii's to run as ambers/rear work lights
(a little ridiculous, I know, but they'll match nice and are ************ soooo I dgaf)

- A second full-size spare

- LED underglow/work lights
(already have all the stuff for this)

- 4 gallons of oil and a filter on Amazon prime!
(I feel bad for the ups guy but holy ****! who knew it was $8/gal cheaper on Amazon! - it takes 15 qts btw)

Vacation starts Tuesday but I'm going to AZ first for a graduation. The next Monday, it is SO on...

Eye candy:

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

Vacation again! Gonna be a short one but I'm gonna get a bunch of stuff installed this go round. Several parts have been delivered from the last list but today I woke up early and put in the new coolant filter kit from Innovative Performance Research. Install went pretty smoothly except for the fact that I needed extra hose and two clamps to make stints where the hose was buckling. FINALLY being over-prepared paid off and I had all that **** in the truck! It's a good feeling to say the least.

Great quality parts

Filter mounted to passenger fender well

Return hose run forward and over the radiator supports to hide it all

Return hose splice back into the stock heater return

Filter supply tapped off the stock heater supply hose

All buttoned up. Came out pretty clean.

Unfortunately it seems I DNFed my AC box...it looks like the bottle on the side bottoms out on the top of the shock. Idk if there just wasn't enough clearance when Carli designed the shock tower or what but it looks like I'll need a whole new box down the road and figure out how to lift the bottle so it doesn't happen again. Everything still works great so I'll just run it.

Lifeproof finally came out with the cradle that holds he iPad while it's in the dust proof waterproof case which is super ************. Only bummer is it mounts lower than the first one so I can't see the AC control LCD from the driver's seat. I just need to make a new crossbar with a tab in the middle to lift it up again.

Still got the swivel

That's it for now, the second air tank, under glow, and Sii dust lights will go in on Monday-Wednesday.

 

[deadly99]

Cool build, congrats on the engagement

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

Cool build, congrats on the engagement

Thank you sir!

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

Pretty much shredded some cheddar in the driveway today. Got the two Sii ambers installed (too bright but dgaf).
Thanks to Brennan again at Baja Designs for setting me up with the best lights money can buy! Btw, I cracked them open to swap the lenses and there is so much **** on the circuit boards it'll blow your mind. There's a serious amount of technology regulating these things so they don't go up in little amber puffs of smoke...

Second air tank mounted and plumbed. (Just need plugs to cap all the holes before I can test it)

Fuel pressure regulator spring update (one of many updated parts from International, but the rest will come with bulletproofing). This should bring fuel pressure from 47 psi up to 60 psi, saving my injectors from demise.

Also, I thought this was pretty intense...I told the fiancé she was lucky I'm not this guy.....anymore at least lol

Tomorrow I hope to have the hood up by 8 and get the underglow/work lights wired up quick and be done by noon.

It felt good to knock some stuff out today. Even capped it off with a burger and sport soda with the wisest wizard sdecurti.

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

Well, I DID start at 7 am yesterday but didn't exactly finish the work lights. Running the wire through the firewall took a little longer than I expected, plus I was so sick of doing it AGAIN that I took some extra time to drill another hole, put a grommet in, and ran three extra pairs of wire for future needs, hopefully I won't have to pull the carpet and molding up for a while now......unless I snag a power inverter

I did scope out all the locations for lights though so I just gotta DO IT!

Also picked up a new air filter since a pound of sand came out of the old one...apparently it comes with a whole new plastic casing, which is probably why it retails 85 ******ing dollars...I thought about some aftermarket deal but most people say this oem one works the best.

Oh yeah it's also the size if a muffler

Sii's looking good from my window, I love how low-pro they are. The rigid had to go...but it worked great while it lasted, thanks again Eddie!

Off to get a new tire this morning to mount up on a fifth method thanks to stevyboy! 2nd spare ******! Only bummer is a 37in tire doesn't exactly jive with my current storage plan...

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

Apparently the shop didn't actually have the tire yet which they failed to communicate to me but I got the wheels swapped anyway so that's back to normal at least.

I also swung by this pretty sweet steel supply place in Long Beach and picked up two 2x8x1/2 in thick plates to drop my carrier bearing which I should have done a long time ago but have been putting it off. I failed to realize at the time how hard it would be to drill through but I figure it'll be a learning experience. I bought cutting oil too.

I also got these two rails of angle aluminum. 2 1/2x1 1/2x 1/4 in thick. When I'm hauling the mail in the dirt I can see the shell floating up off the bed rails a little even though it's held by three bolts on each side. These rails will act as a giant clamp to hold the whole thing down with even pressure. I also plan to drill holes along the upright for cargo straps.

Also had a friend wiggle the steering so I could take a look at the ball joints and I discovered the track bar brackets was completely loose with one nut gone. Kinda felt like an idiot but I guess I just need to start doing more thorough nut and bolt checks.

 

[Humvette]

awesome build keep it going!!!

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

awesome build keep it going!!!

Thanks man, lots more to come. To date, I've bulletproofed it and added many more bells and whistles.

 

[goofballracer]

hey man good to see you here

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

hey man good to see you here

Likewise buddy. Figured I'd just throw down all this goodness here haha.
Speaking of which, might be ditching the Hellas eventually for a 30" up front or something

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

Unfortunately I'm sitting in an airport on the way to work for 2 weeks. I spent this last weekend driving all over SoCal looking at wedding venues so I didn't get a whole lot done but I FINALLY dropped the carrier bearing.

Drilling the 1/2 inch plate wasn't nearly as bad as I thought with the new drill press, new bits, and cutting oil. Only bummer was the 7/16 final drill chattered like a mother the whole way down, sending micro splinters of metal all over the garage, and wallowing an extra 1/16. I'm not a machinist but I'm guessing I needed a second pilot in between...first one was 3/8 I think...any thoughts? I'd like to know for next time...

Turned out great and no more shudder coming off the line now! Should've done it 8 months ago.

 

[CAPT.HODGES]

Saw pictures of your truck on method's website! That's rad, the truck looks great by the way. It's cool to see people with such crazy attention to detail.

Thanks man! Yeah I picked up a wheel from Stevyboy down at Method and they snagged a couple pics for the internets. I'm basically almost as popular as bobson now...