Fifty years from now when some future editor is doing a story on 4-Wheel & Off-Road's past, there will no doubt be a mention of our Ultimate Super Duty (USD) and its legendary ability to break parts. The number of failed components is on its way to rivaling the list on Pw's GPW. That's mainly due to the vehicle's weight (between 8,000 and 9,000 pounds), use, and equipment. It's impossible not to break stuff when you're wheeling on trails with Jeeps that have the same axles, but half the torque, tires, and weight. It's simple physics.
"Why do it?" you ask. Simple. Anyone can build and wheel a small trail rig, so it's up to us to experiment and play at the ragged edge. At the very least it's cool to do something different. And it gives you a reason to come up to us on the trail, at the local parts store, or broken down on the side of the highway (hasn't happened yet) to talk with us. The most common question we get is, "Have you rolled it?" but the answer is still "not yet!" All the body damage probably explains why we receive so much respect (or is it fear?) from other drivers on the freeways. After all, it is still a daily driver. Rest assured that you'll still see the USD on a regular basis in the magazine and on the trail as we sort out all the bugs in the system. This Ford's been a ton of fun for us over the last year. We hope you've enjoyed it at least half as much as we have.
USD: The Parts BreakerHere's a list of all the stuff the USD has broken, in chronological order:*Passenger-side front Dana 60 35-spline stub shaft and hub*Stock steering box*Passenger door and mirror*Driveshaft*Driver-side locking hub*Passenger-side Dana 60 inner axleshaft*Driver-side locking hub*Winch*Stock power steering pump*Rear axlehousing and driveshaft*Driver-side front stub shaft, inner axle, and U-joint*Cracked rear lift block*Rear passenger-side axleshaft*Rear locker*Passenger-side front Dana 60 axle U-joint*Rear lift block and shocks*Rear side window *Rear lift block*1410 rear driveshaft U-joint*Stereo*Dana 60 pinion seal*Bent tie rod