This truck showed up at my shop in November and I kinda wanted a truck, honestly wasn't thinking full size and wasn't thinking Ford and wasn't thinking anything costing more than 5k just something to do dump runs in and park in the yard.

Then I drove this truck around the parking lot and I was like man, this is pretty nice. Then as always happens I may gone a little overboard dreaming about mods and reading these sweet forums for tips and tricks. Doing my part to contribute with an image dump for ya.

Truck came in with the rear rails bent in the crumple zone, Ford has factory procedures to replace the whole rear frame section, never done it before but I figured no problem.









Ford told me this part was on international back order and told me I was the 50th person in line with no idea when one would become available, i was pretty bummed having just handed over the cash for the truck but two weeks was all it took, not bad Ford. A interesting thing to note the rear frame they delivered had been clearly been welded to a middle frame already and had been cut off and the ends painted black, that process would have made the middle frame section trash.



Boom, folded right where intended to, RIP Kia.











Applied some weld through primer



Always nice to break out the 220 welder, much less delicate that the normal sheet metal I weld. Gave myself quite a bit of sunburn on this job.







Beat the bedside around a bit and sprayed some white rustoleum over the tears I panel bonded back together as I couldn't be bothered to get out the aluminum welder ha. Bodywork and paint work will come later, I wanted to get this thing inspected and start driving it.





I planned on enjoying it for a year or two as is before doing what I do to all my vehicles but while searching for the ever elusive reasonably priced STX grill on facebook marketplace that damn algorithm just had to show me a barely used 1001hk for 300 bucks, fml I guess it's on.



And if its gunna go down, that wheel size gunna have to come up, facebook marketplace doing its thing again.....



And that brings us to now, gotta find time between house stuff to spend another weekend at the shop to ruin this just fixed truck.

Half the reason I am here is to contribute to and take from the parts for sale section, but I cant seem to figure out why I have no access to PMs like on every other forums? Any ideas?

 

I think it's a post count thing.

I think it's 25 posts before you get access?

 

25 posts or 60 days just to start a thread in there. Think you can still respond to other threads.

 

Nice job so far!

 

Awesome, thank you!! Guess I'll have to work on it more so I have more to post about....

 

Got the 22s on, ride is maybe just barely rougher on small bumps from the smaller sidewall but the boat anchor effect seems to have made the overall ride smoother somehow? Either way they look great, ordered some parts to go on with the lowering kit so waiting on that now and still on the lookout for a reasonably priced STX grill and a painted front bumper, really any color is fine but don't want to paint over the chrome, can be done with a bunch of extra prep but risky for longevity.

Had to invent some errands to get me out of the house to play around in the rare snow we get in Seattle, was a blast, truck did awesome. Kinda liking this thing so far.

 

Well I installed my kit last weekend, took me two whole days, 1001hk installed as a 1000hk with ihc upper control arms and ihc helper bags, got it aligned and the front leveled with 16 lbs in the bags. Love the look, not as jazzed about the ride, its kinda stiff but I figure I will get used to it. I have certainly driven lower things with worse rides. I haven't put the swaybar on but I think I will when I replace the replace the rear shocks which will be my first attempt at making the ride better. Anybody have experience with different real shocks? It seems like a lot of the stiffness is coming from the coilovers up front and not really sure how to address that, maybe the full ihc arm kit and back to stock struts but then I will lose the ability to dial in perfect level.













Finally got my stx grill super reasonably priced from awesome member txingot here and ordered a air design spoiler which apparently is out of stock for the next two months so gunna have to wait a minute to get all my paint work done which is a bummer for sure.

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Ok huge update time, took a few months to get my air design lower spoiler and then one week to get all the parts off, primed, repaired, primed, and painted. Then let the paint cure for three weeks and put everything on and got it wrapped in PPF the same day.

Put on fox rear shocks and belltech sway bar and that made a huge difference to ride and handling, I am now satisfied. Having trouble deciding if I should lose another inch all around. Also threw one inch spacers on to get the wheels proper flush.





FINALLY got my air design spoiler, I hate that they include the flare ends in the lower spoiler and I knew I could remove them so I got to work, fun to do the kind of thing I do for customers for all the time for myself and pretty happy with the results.













Hit the chrome front bumper with 36 grit on a DA and got epoxy on it and curing, this should hold pretty good and got clear bra on it the day it got installed just to make sure it is locked down.



Got started on a my first ever projector retrofit, morimoto mini h1 8.0, clear reflectors, and painted housings. Was a ton of work but really happy with the look and the performance is unreal and only have like 500 bucks in them, considering making a whole thread as i really appreciated reading others as I did this.














Had to do a temporary button up to go up camping for memorial day weekend, was a blast, helper bags are awesome....





Parts, sweet beautiful parts!!!




Finally coming together!!!!












Picked up a free leaky jet ski, already have it fixed up and ripping, its pretty fun....