Stormtrooper Build Thread

[eyemgh]

I'm finally getting around to documenting this build. I'll start with the finished product, and then work through the progress.

Why Stormtrooper? When Brent and I decided on the full white theme, I sent him a dancing stormtrooper GIF. The name stuck.

So, her you go, alongside the outgoing rig that my son bought.

 

[eyemgh]

The Truck

2022 F350 4x4 SuperCab (148" wheelbase) XLT
7.3 Gas
4.30 locking rear
Carpet Delete
11,300# GVWR
Upfitter Switches
Dual Battery (because I optioned the winch, subsequently sold to get a larger one)
Heated Seats
FX4
Camper Package (for the sticker)

 

[eyemgh]

Method 701s with Toyo AT IIIs, 35X12.5R17

 

[eyemgh]

TufSkinz Graphics. They are very durable and give a slight pop, without being austentatious.

 

[eyemgh]

Carli Pintop with Deaver leaf pack. This was an ordeal!

The truck drove worse after the lift. The shop that did it was 3.5h away, and not excited about troubleshooting the issue (whining on deceleration). Plus, we guessed wrong on the leaf pack.

I didn't know anything about suspension, and just trusted it to an experienced shop. There are probably a LOT of trucks out there that drive like crap because shops slinging parts don't understand pinion, caster, etc. Luckily I found Trail Tough to get it all dialed in. Could have saved my several 7 hour commutes.

Moral of the story 1...chose a shop that understands driveline and how a lift impacts it.
Moral of the story 2...build the whole thing and then have a custom leaf pack built. I had to take it to Deaver to have two leaves added. At least I got a custom sticker!

 

[eyemgh]

That left the rear sway bar hanging down, so Trail Tough added extended rear drop links.

 

[eyemgh]

Bed - The Game Changer - Bowen Customs - Denver, CO

I wanted an 8' camper, but on a 148" WB truck. I didn't want the camper to hang off the back and I didn't want the camper to sit higher than stock. SherpTek could do the bed, but I didn't like the way the uper boxes attempted to mitigate the dust and water. Mike Mortell had a similar idea at roughly the same time. Brent came up with a "not so flat bed" that he calls the camper bed replacement. It has all the advantages of a flatbed without the disadvantages of raised COG. Note the bed height is below the flatbed box height. Patent Pending.

It has rear doors for skis and matching powder coating.

That second photo is Brent with Bill Ward in the Hallmark shop as they're getting ready to load the camper.

 

[eyemgh]

Camper

Hallmark Guanella K2 configuration

Truma Vario heater
Suburban cooktop
standard windows
no black or gray tanks

Options: creek fill cassette, 2x MaxxFans, wired for AC, 200W solar on the roof, with 200W portable, Redarc BCDC, backup cam, Guzzle H20, WeBoost, shower cube, DragonFly tarp

All the cabinetry and upholstery are custom.

NOTE: Hallmark and Bowen are 40mi apart. Matt and Molly Ward of Hallmark introduced me to Brent. Between the two, they produced a perfect integration.

 

[Todd780]

Looks like a fantastic build! Enjoy it! Are there any trip plans so far?

 

[badm0t0rfinger]

Thats near perfect build! love it!

 

[eyemgh]

Looks like a fantastic build! Enjoy it! Are there any trip plans so far?

Bears Ears, Lost Coast, Death Valley, Tahoe Basin, Yosemite, and a few others.

 

[Todd780]

Thats near perfect build! love it!

Near? lol

 

[eyemgh]

Expedition One is a great bumper design, but their achilles heel is the powder coating. We had them ship it raw and coated it locally. The winch is a Comeup 16.5. It's IP68 rated. They are made in Taiwan. Much gets made about Warn being made in the US, but their best winches are just assembled in the US out of foreign produced parts. I figured it wasn't much of a distinction. Plus, I could get the Comeup and I knew it fit.

 

[eyemgh]

Shortly after that, I added the Cascadia 4x4 Flipster and the MasterPull puck. No high speed, heavy projectiles.

 

[eyemgh]

At the same time we added KC HiLites Flex 4s in the bumper and as ditch lights on the B-pillars. The B-pillar bounts are SQHD, made in the US. They are rigged independently to the upfitter switches.