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  • Project Ironhide: N-Fab Light Bar & KC 8″ Lights

    Oct 3rd 2011

    By: Frank

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    It’s time for the next update on Project Ironhide. In this post, we’ll cover the installation of the N-Fab Light Bar and 801/803 series KC Rally lights.  Lets start with the truck lighting from TruckElectrics.com.  Pretty standard piece of hardware and bolts onto the truck fairly easily without any real modifications. N-Fab does a really nice job with the design and incorporates some nice touches. That being said, if you want to really do a bang-up job that makes the install look really clean (no wires zip tied to the bar) then you have to take it just a tad bit farther.  This is where having some skills in the shop come in handy.

    There are a couple of ways one can go about mounting everything for a build like this.  But there’s only one real way (in my opinion) to get this done, and that’s to pre-wire and mount everything to the light bar BEFORE it goes on the truck. I have opted to have some of my mods done by the dealer and I couldn’t be happier with that decision.  I always freak out when it comes to drilling into brand new metal, but sometimes, you just have to do it.  Thankfully I had two very talented guys working on my truck, Kevin Piper and his apprentice Aaron.  Kevin started working on the light bar well before I arrived in order to have everything mounted up and ready to go.  Part of the prep for Kevin included making sure the install looked as clean as possible and that meant drilling into the light bar and running the wires through it, rather than simply tie-wrapping them to it.  Boy, what a HUGE difference that makes. N-Fab should look to this as a best-practice and modify their design to incorporate this way of wiring the light bar to the vehicle.  I’d add some grommets for a clean look and to keep water out of the holes (we used some black silicone).

    Once the lights and pre-wiring are complete, it’s time to move on to mounting the light bar onto the vehicle.  With the new EcoBoost F-150’s, the license plate bracket on the front of the vehicle has been moved off to the side to allow for proper and unobstructed cooling of the turbo intercooler. This presented a slight hiccup when mounting the light bar, but it was easily cured with a little bit of “modification” of the factory bracket. For the non-EcoBoost engines, the license plate bracket is centered on the vehicle and bolts to a small lip extending from the side of the opening.  Kevin sawed the lip off and we were back in business.  Given that we won’t ever need (or want) to block that front opening, no loss here.

    Next, we bolted up the light bar to the truck and started wiring it up.  Ford has paid attention to the little details now and providing things like nice flaps to cover wide empty (eg. ugly) spaces provides us with an opportunity to hide the relay switches behind one of these flaps.

    Before running all the wires to the interior, remember to check your connections!  There’s nothing worse than doing a bunch of labor intensive work and routing your wires nice and neat only to discover later you wired it wrong or there’s a problem somewhere. As I preach in software development & design, test early…test often!  With the initial wiring out of the way, we lit up everything to confirm we are good to proceed.

    Now for the fun part, the interior.  Lets start with running the wiring through the firewall.  What an incredible PAIN IN THE ASS!  Ford did such a damn good job sealing the interior from the firewall forward, that it didn’t leave many options for getting wiring through to the main cabin. After much battle with finding a suitable ingress point and taping wires to a wire hangar, Kevin and Aaron were finally able to pull the wiring through.  This is no trivial task as the small little hole we used was not visible to the eye from below the glove box and required feeling our way through the heavily insulated carpet up behind the dash by the glove box while another person was fishing the wire down from the outside.  Again, Ford has stepped up quality and craftsmanship significantly which made it that much more difficult for us to do without drilling holes unnecessarily.  Did I mention I’m not a fan of drilling into new metal?

    After getting the wires set up, it came time to figure out a solution to the switching.  This is probably the single most mind-numbing part of the install, which I lost countless sleep over, trying to figure out how to best accomplish while maintaining a high degree of fit and finish.  I searched the forums endlessly for examples of how others had installed the switches for their lights.  Not a single example passed my sniff test.  I poured over literally hundreds of parts websites and aftermarket lighting/panel specific manufactures.  You know what I found for the F-150? BUPKIS.  Nada.  ZILCH.  Sure, there were plenty of switches and tons of dash mounted options for Jeeps, but it seems like nobody thinks people put lights on anything but a Jeep, including Ford!  Using cheesy switches and drilling or screwing them to the dash or trim just looked cheap and I wasn’t having that.  What irked me more than anything was that Ford has a perfect solution for the Raptor with 4 neatly mounted aux switches that would have fit the bill perfectly.  I would have just used that part from the Raptor but there are a couple of buttons that would have gone to waste and the cost for the part was not cheap.  I was about to give up and assume that I and the rest of the non-Raptor F-150 universe was left out in the cold for a nice solution to this.  No so fast skippy, that’s where that decision to buy from Bickford Ford paid off…again.

    After brainstorming with Kevin, he spotted a nice sheet of 1/4″ aluminum he had laying around.  The idea was to fab a plate that would go where the F-150’s coin/junk area was just forward of the shifter / cup holders and mount the switches to that.  Taking it one step farther, I have a VIAIR On Board Air compressor I’ll be installing soon and that comes with a gauge and switch as well.  We figured, why not make a complete switch panel that also allows for future add-ons?  We removed the center console and went to work.  First, the junk holder was going to have to go through a slight modification so we could fit everything and run wires. After getting that modded, we used it as a template to cut the aluminum plate.

    After some fit and finish work and giving the plate a brushed look, time to measure things up, lay out the switches and see how this beast would come together. A little drilling, filing, sanding and a quick run to the auto parts store (for some extra switches to make them all uniform), and the panel was complete.  I have to say, this came out better than anything I could have possibly bought on the market!  Not only do I have the switches for the lighting in place, but now the OBA gauge is mounted cleanly and in a place that makes sense. For the switches I used Blue for the OBA, Green (4 total – 2 in use now, 2 for later) for lighting, and (2) Red for a couple of things I have in mind in the future. You’ll have to come back and follow the build to find out what those are!

    Thanks a million to Kevin, Aaron and the entire crew at Bickford Ford.  They far exceeded my expectations on this.  Stay tuned for more updates coming soon, the best is yet to come!  Full pics after the jump…

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    Automotive, Ford F-150 Project Truck

    Bickford, Ecoboost, F-150, Ford, Ironhide, KC, Lights, N-Fab, OBA, Truck, VIAIR

  • Project Ironhide: Airaid Air Intake Install

    Sep 8th 2011

    By: Frank

    No comments

    Hey folks, so I’ve been busy as heck getting things going with the project and it’s coming together quite nicely.  I wanted to start off the series with an easy mod just about anyone can do with a few basic tools and some minimal mechanical know-how.  One of the things every enthusiast wants to do is get better performance out of their ride.  There aren’t a whole lot of performance modifications available for the EcoBoost engine at the moment for several good reasons.  First, the engine is built to such tight tolerances, that going outside of some very strict parameters can have catastrophic effects on the engine.  You won’t see any chips, tuners or flashes for these engines for quite some time, if ever.  There are lots of companies working hard to figure out a way to add performance to the EcoBoost without voiding your warranty.  But for now, your options are really limited to air intake systems and some fairly minor exhaust mods.  Venture out beyond that, and you are in voided warranty land.

    That being said, Airaid has recently launched their newest product, a cold air intake system for the F-150 EcoBoost engine.  Airaid has quite a solid reputation and is known for putting out very high-quality components.  This High Performance Air Intake system is no exception.  When you open the box and pull out the air filter, your first reaction is “holy *h!#, this thing is MASSIVE!”  I’m not kidding here, this is one seriously BEEFY air filter.  One thing to note is that for EcoBoost owners, you want to make sure and order the NON OILED (SythaMax) air filter.  Using an oiled (SynthaFlow) filter on this engine can quickly lead to a bad day due to the EcoBoost’s twin turbos.  Once you verify you have the non-oiled filter and all the parts for the kit, installation is fast and easy.  Removing the stock air box, filter and mass air flow sensor is pretty straight forward.  Assembling the new box, reinstalling the MAF sensor  and re-attaching the hose and clamps is straight forward as well.   Total install time was well under 30 minutes.

    Specs from Airaid’s dyno have this simple mod adding an extra 20 horsepower and 39 lbs/ft. of torque!  That’s a whole lotta bang for your dollar from a simple mod.  I haven’t had a chance to make a road-trip with the new CAI system installed, but I’m expecting that it will add a bit of a fuel economy boost as well, which is hard to complain about.  Some of you might be wondering what it sounds like with the new filter installed so I’ve cut together a before and after video for you.  Pics after the jump…Hope you enjoy!

    [oqeygallery id=4]

     

    Automotive, Ford F-150 Project Truck

    Airaid, Boost, CAI, Cold Air Intake, Ecoboost, Engine, F-150, Ford, FX4, Horsepower, Performance

  • Ironhide Stock Pics Are Up!

    Aug 28th 2011

    By: Frank

    No comments

    Hey everyone.  Just wanted to shoot some pics of Ironhide before the big transformation (no pun intended) this week.  If all goes well, I’ll start getting the initial components of the build mounted on the truck this week with steady progress on additional parts over the coming weeks.  For now, here’s the first set of pics…enjoy!

    [AFG_gallery id=’2′]

    Automotive, Ford F-150 Project Truck

  • Project Truck Build Update

    Aug 11th 2011

    By: Frank

    No comments

    It’s been a long few weeks folks, but the truck is on it’s way!  It left the Dearborn Ford factory on August 5th and is currently steaming across middle-America on it’s way home to the pacific NorthWest.  ETA should put the truck here early next week.  I’ve officially named the truck. This is hereby officially now: PROJECT IRONHIDE.  As a huge fan of the Transformers since I was a kid, this has been one of my favorite of all characters and the supreme Autobot Combat Veteran.  Little known fact, Ironhide was at one point an F-series pickup truck. So yes folks, Michael Bay sold out to GM by taking their cash and making Ironhide a GMC Dually (a bad ass looking one at that), but nonetheless, a GMC.  I’m hereby taking Ironhide back and giving him a proper chassis where it belongs…ON A FORD!  🙂

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironhide

     

    Automotive, Ford F-150 Project Truck

    Bickford, Ecoboost, F150, Ford, FX4, Truck

  • My Ultimate Adventure Truck Build Begins…

    Jul 25th 2011

    By: Frank

    No comments

    Farewell dear Stang…

    It’s been a busy year and I’ve totally neglected my blog, but that’s about to change here.  After five years of living in the great state of Washington, I’ve finally decided that my 2006 Mustang is simply not going to cut it any longer, and opted to contact a Junk vehicle buyer for cash that offers cash for junk cars services. After our negotiations, I immediately sold it at his money for your junk car shop.  My needs have changed and going back to a truck will suit my family’s and my lifestyle much better.  I will miss the stang, she’s been a great and reliable car and one heck of an eye popping head turner.  In five years I’ve only had it in the shop for one repair outside of basic maintenance, kind of hard to complain about a car like that.  She will be missed.  But a new beast is lurking in the background getting ready to make an appearance in my driveway soon enough. Good thing I already checked some Commercial Truck Parts for Sale and now I’m planning to customize the truck with custom auto parts like custom hydraulic hose and truck tonneau covers. You can also customize your new vehicles just like what I did, I’ll give you an update once I’m done with my project.

    So like anything else in life, I’ve made lots of compromises and sacrifices when buying a car in the past (like getting the stang in a V-6 rather than the GT).  I’ve never had a new vehicle *just* the way I want it for some reason or another.  Since I plan to keep this truck for quite some time, this will be a no-compromises build and I’ve decided to do things the way I want them from the get go. I looked around at every truck out there and there are some great options available these days.  One hard core criteria that was not up for negotiation was that this truck would have to be AMERICAN MADE.  With so much that is wrong in this world and our economy being in pretty sad shape, I felt it was only right to spend my hard earned money right here and put it to work in our own economy.  After looking at all the major players and doing extensive homework, I confirmed what I already suspected…this was going to be another Ford for this family.  I’ve had a Ford in the family since I was born (my dad started my obsession with his 67 Mustang) and I’ve gone on to own a dozen or so Ford products. At this point in my life, I think it’s safe to say I bleed blue.

    So the next big question, *which* truck would be the right one? And will I need an auto insurance or a commercial truck insurance for this? I have to be honest, there’s a secret part of me that ‘s total redneck.  Yes, you can be hispanic and be redneck.  🙂  That being said, I really wanted a Diesel powered beast and a dually was something I’ve wanted as long as I can remember.  Let me tell you folks, if you haven’t checked out an F-350 lately, you would be shocked at what an amazing truck that is.  All that being said, I quickly realized it was going to be entirely too much truck for what I needed.  Even with plans on buying an RV as well as a cascadia evolution next year, short of a giant 5th wheel toy hauler, I just simply didn’t *need* an F-350.  Short-lived dream, but practicality and an ass-whoopin from the wife wasn’t part of this build.  Back to reality.

    The truth is that these days, an F-150 is so much more capable than the same truck even a few years ago, that if you aren’t hauling some very heavy things on a daily basis, an F-150 should suit just about anyone out there looking for an all-around solid and very capable truck.  This truck build will have four major missions to accomplish. First mission, an eco-friendly daily driver truck. Yes, I used eco-friendly and truck in the same sentence. Fuel prices aren’t getting any cheaper and the need for an all-around multi-function truck made the new Ford EcoBoost engine an extremely attractive option.  We’re pretty eco-conscious here in the Pacific NW and when I first read about this new twin-turbo engine, I have to admit, I questioned what the heck Ford was thinking, but I kept an open mind in the name of being “green.”  I watched for months as this new engine’s saga began to unfold.  I read every article, every blog and took every opportunity to learn anything I could about this engine.  The bottom line folks?  This is the real deal.  As this engine gets put to the test over time, I really believe it will revolutionize the way America thinks about 6-cylinder engines moving forward, especially the truck enthusiast community.

    Second mission: An off-road capable beast that can get me to just about any photography location or fishing hole I choose to go after.  I’ve become obsessed with fly fishing this past year (which coincides nicely with one my other passions, photography).  As I learned more about my new hobby and ventured out to new and unknown destinations in search of fish, it became painfully obvious (very quickly) that my Mustang was simply not going to get me to those places you find in magazines.  Aside from being able to get on the many fire-roads and off-road trails in the region, this truck has to be able to serve as a solid shelter should things go wrong in the middle of nowhere .  One thing I’ve learned being part of a Search and Rescue organization, things will go wrong when you least expect them to.  And when they do go wrong, you better be prepared if you plan to make it back home. Throughout this series I will cover the products I chose to accomplish this mission and why they’re critical to being prepared.

    Third mission: SAR.  As I alluded to above, I’ve been involved in Search and Rescue on and off for over 25 years with the Civil Air Patrol.  Most recently that has been from an air operations aircrew role but this year I’m planning to get back to my roots and exercise those rusty ground team chops.  Here in WA, you simply never know what kind of terrain that mission will take you to.  As a senior leader, if I’m taking my cadets out into the unknown, I want to make sure we are loaded up and prepared to spend some time out there should something go wrong.  This rig has to be able to execute this mission with a high degree of reliability and success.

    Fourth mission, but certainly not least: the family adventures.  I have been blessed with two very beautiful girls and a wife that lets me get away with crazy ideas like building a project truck.  So it’s only fair that when able, I take them out to experience the outdoors and what this great state has to offer.  Prior to moving to Washington, my wife’s idea of camping was room service at the Mandalay Bay in Vegas.  The mere thought of no running water or flushing toilets made her cringe.  Over the past couple of years I’ve managed to ease her and my little ones into camping by starting them easy at campgrounds with facilities like KOA’s.  This was a perfect way to introduce them to the outdoors without a lot of undue stress and drama.  This year I finally coaxed my wife (with the help of some friends) to try camping at a primitive campground which had “pit” toilets.  She wasn’t exactly keen on the idea so I went prepared with a Luggable Loo and pop-up Privacy Shelter as a backup.  Thankfully, we didn’t even need them and the girls camped like champs.  Next up – Overland excursions and off-trail primitive camping!  But you know I’ll have a backup shelter – the truck!

    So now comes the fun part, ordering the truck.  One thing I’ve learned over the years and after buying several new vehicles is that not all dealers are the same.  Your experience and level of quality can vary pretty dramatically and I’ve been on the receiving end of working with a dealer that was a complete nightmare (none here in WA though).  I took this part of the build extremely serious as I want to make sure that not only will the dealer be around to honor any “dealer” warranties outside of Ford (think aftermarket parts), I wanted to establish a long-term relationship with my dealer knowing that I would be back for another vehicle in the not too distant future.  Over the past few years of living in the Seattle area, I’ve been to most of the local dealerships but one in particular has stood out time and time again, Bickford Ford.  So for anyone out there who wonders if social media can make a difference and bring you new customers, I’m one example of how simple frequent interactions with the dealer on Facebook has landed them a new customer. The folks at Bickford have not only been extremely helpful throughout the ordering process, but they made sure I wasn’t getting into more truck than I needed.  Remember that F-350 I was considering?  It was the guys at Bickford that discouraged me from that purchase based on my needs.  I’ve been to many dealers that would have put me into the most expensive truck I was willing to take on, but this is one dealer that you can count on having solid salesmanship and ethics. Bickford has a great service team and through their aftermarket specialists, I’m able to get exactly what I’m looking for on the truck in one place at the same price you’ll find at most online stores (and they’ll stand behind the products).

    So by now I hear you screaming…”tell us what you got already!”  Fine!  🙂  A couple of months ago I finally placed the order for a 2011 F-150 FX4 EcoBoost.  The order wasn’t without a hitch however.  As life would have it, due to the unfortunate events that have happened in Japan, Nav systems are in short supply for all auto manufacturers at the moment and Ford was no exception.  After placing the order with Nav system, I was notified that they would not be able to get the Nav system.  I seriously thought this was going to be a deal breaker for me.  Being a tech-guy I really wanted that new Nav system with Ford Sync.  After trying to find an existing truck that met my needs and striking out, I decided that the Nav system delete wasn’t that bad after all.  Not only did it save me some serious cash that I can put towards other parts, in the end, you can do some amazing stuff with the aftermarket units out there today.  I’ll cover this more in-depth as one of the segments throughout the series. For now, we are t-minus 2-3 weeks from an ETA delivery date of August 8, 2011.

    So stay tuned folks.  This project truck build will cover everything from performance to aesthetics to functional mods that will make this an ultimate outdoors rig.  I’ll be covering suspension mods (without a lift kit) that will include coil-overs, shocks, upper a-arm upgrades, 18″ wheels, 34″ tires and more.  Lighting mods from lightbar selection with long-range lights to replacement HALO headlamps. Functional mods will include car window tinting, canopy (topper) selection, bed liner, side steps, spare tire carrier for the oversized tire to roof rack, wheel alignment, electronics and CAN Display installation, and cargo box mods. Depending on how broke I am after all that, we’ll look at how to make a substitution for that factory Nav that will blow the factory option out of the water. So in closing, I’ll leave you with a sneak peek at what the baseline for this project build will look like.  Stay tuned folks, over the next several months I will periodically be posting updates to every step of the build!

    Automotive, Ford F-150 Project Truck

    4WD, 4x4, F-150, Ford, Mustang, Off-Road, Truck

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