Keeping in step with tradition here at 4-Wheel & Off-Road, our '09 Ultimate Adventure truck build is extreme and moving along. Every year we build a flagship vehicle to lead our band of merry adventurers (and some misfits) across lands not fit for the average vehicle. Occasionally we build the rig with economy in mind, and sometimes we go a little crazy and weld on the best of everything we can find on it.
This year we started off with an economical build in mind ("The Ultimate Ranch Truck," Aug. '09), but found ourselves saying, "Hey, wait a minute. With a little more effort and more trick parts, this old truck will be way too cool and extremely capable."
In the end our Ultimate Ranch Truck will be the culmination of hundreds of hours of work and detailed engineering. The paramount goal is having the truck survive the harshest terrain our fearless leader Rick Pw can find around the country without too much breakage or catastrophic failure.
Of course, every year our UA vehicle has a minor mishap: a broken axleshaft, a shattered window, a caved-in door... But our rig always finishes. Besides, an Ultimate Adventure free of carnage wouldn't really be an adventure. This is where the ranch/work truck theme of the vehicle comes in. The truck will be fitted with every tool necessary to fix a vehicle or mend a fence along the way, and still be able to capably wheel the toughest terrain we can find.
Our UA Ford F-250 has a history with 4-Wheel & Off-Road. It has been in our stable for a number of years, but has been neglected for the last few. With the help of Stephen and James Watson, the truck made its way to Offroad Design's shop in Carbondale, Colorado. The Watsons, along with their crew of skilled fabricators, immediately tore the truck down and started cutting, welding, and fabricating. The list of custom modification to our UA truck includes swapping the front axle, shortening the wheelbase, boatsiding the Super Cab, installing a set of Bilstein coilover shocks up front, and 9100 remote reservoir shocks in the rear.
The well-used and mangled truck bed was removed from the rig. It had seen better days--of course, it would still hold a couple loads of cow manure, but we need it functional yet trail safe. ORD is designing a custom flatbed with tool storage and places for a generator, a welder, a plasma cutter, and everything else that goes along with a functional work truck. Almost a foot of needless rocker panel has been trimmed off the truck, and the rollcage is just about finished. Stay tuned for Part 3.
 1. The transformation of our...  1. The transformation of our Super Duty into the Ultimate Ranch Truck started with the removal of the old bed-cage, followed by the entire bed. We will be adding a custom flatbed with a large tool box, compartments for assorted tools, air and electric, jerrycans for diesel and water, and a stout headache rack (ladder rack) for additional protection. |  2. We wanted to lighten the... 2. We wanted to lighten the 8,600-pound truck by removing the truck bed, the 250-pound front bumper, and the side armor, but we don't think we'll be enough. With the addition of the rollcage, flat bed, and more armoring, we'll break about even in poundage. However, the weight we add will be far more functional and useful on the Ultimate Adventure. |  3. Boatsiding the truck will...  3. Boatsiding the truck will give us a significant increase in side ground clearance. About 10 inches factory off rocker panel was trimmed off the side of the cab below the doors, and 12 inches of useless cab corner was cut off the back. The additional ground clearance will help in tight off-chamber situations. |
 4. The new rocker panels are...  4. The new rocker panels are 3/16-inch plate steel that are superior in strength to the factory sheetmetal. The new rocker panels will be fitted with a rock rail and skidplates, which will protect the entire perimeter of the cab. Due to the boatside supports and crossmember, the truck cab will be unitized and completely welded to the frame. |  5. Approximately 8 inches...  5. Approximately 8 inches were trimmed off the bottom of the Super Duty's doors. They were cut just below the window channel, leaving them fully functional and making the cab of the truck much more comfortable in inclement weather. The bottom of the doors will be capped with 1/8-inch steel and stitch-welded in place. |  6. Due to the rough condition...  6. Due to the rough condition of the doors and the cutting, welding, and custom fabrication, there was no reason to replace them. The doors are where we found our economy in the build, so James Watson did a little preliminary bodywork before the lower caps get welded on. Later we'll complete the finish bodywork, such as painting and color wrapping. |
 7. With the right tools everything...  7. With the right tools everything goes together quickly. James designed the interior cage on CAD and quickly bent all the 1.5x0.120-inch DOM walled tubing This method of building a cage is accurate with less waste. |  8. The interior rollcage is...  8. The interior rollcage is far from complete, but it's coming together nicely. The halo was constructed first, and then it was fully welded and painted. The A-, B-, and C-pillars were welded to the 3/16-inch rocker plate, which is supported and welded to the frame by 2-inch-square tubing. In the rear of the cage, the center supports were welded directly to the frame. |  9. On the Ultimate Adventure,...  9. On the Ultimate Adventure, it's a good idea to prepare for the worst and carry tools fitting for every repair. We'll be carrying a Hobart Champion 4500 generator and stick welder, an AirForce 250 plasma cutter, a Trek 180 portable MIG welder, and assorted gear. The 4500 generator will not only illuminate our nighttime repairs, but will allow us to complete any necessary heavy-duty welding and run power tools. The generator and plasma cutter will have their own custom storage compartment below a large truck-bed toolbox. |