The F150 Baja 1000 Chase / Overland Build

[The Ocular Engineer]

This is how it all started. 2007 F150 XLT. I talked myself out of buying a Raptor because this truck was paid for and even after depreciating its value to zero and doing all the upgrades and modifications that planned, I would still be money ahead. At that time the list was relatively modest: LineX the bed, good suspension, bigger tires, bumper, CAI and a few other things.

At this point, all I had done was leveling blocks in the front, air bags in the rear and some custom interior work (back seat removal and build a storage box).

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

Next came the Hard Notch Customs front bumper that will hold a winch, powder coated OEM wheels, BFGs and fender flares.

Then my good friend from Fire Guys Racing called to say they were taking their class 7 Toyota to the 50th anniversary of the Baja 1000 and he wanted to know if I wanted to chase for them. I had some work to do.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

The Skid Plate: This is made of 1/4" aluminum and is attached to the lower lip of the bumper and the front cross member.

View attachment 42715

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

So.... This pile of VisionX lights arrived and it was official. I must get the chase rack built.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

...but first, the suspension needed to be installed. Camburg UCAs with ICON 2.5" coilovers and shocks with remote reservoirs.
ICON does not specifically offer the front suspension w/ remote reservoirs for this generation of F150 but after consulting with their tech and engineering departments, the coilovers for the '09 generation would. It was up to me to mark, drill & tap the mounting holes on the top plate of the shock.
After multiple road-trips including a trip from MN to La Paz, I LOVE this suspension. Being able to tune it to the load in the truck is great. I find myself looking for bumps in my daily driving just to feel them soak it up.

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

Sick!! Can't wait to see how this build progresses. I have seen a lot of F150's go for a Raptor-esque look/build and in the end they have a better rig for all their needs.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

Thanks BikeHauler. My friend, who has a 1st gen Raptor, was impress with how it rode and handled while fully loaded on the Baja trip.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

The Chase Rack: I spent many hours looking through Google images of chase trucks and incorporated certain elements of some into my design. As you can see by this pic, I got REALLY high tech and used a Sharpie and a ruler to plan the outboard profile of the rack.
My design considerations were that it need to be substantial enough to carry at least three spare wheels, be able to mount lights, the front light bars had to be far enough back so they cast a shadow over the hood and there needed to be tabs to mount quick connect air fittings.

I am very luck to have a friend with a fabrication shop over in WI, so I went down there for a weekend to knock this project out. I had done a few sketches with paper and pencil as well, but shortly after getting to his place, I realized that I had left all my notes 250 miles away. So, I just figured it out as I went. The top hoop was bent and strapped in place and I built to it.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

Final weld-out on Sunday night.


Paint and installation on Monday morning. The 3/16" aluminum plate for the cargo deck was formed on his press brake and ready to be fit in when I got home.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

A note on suspension and component selection:
Originally, I had planned to go with Fox, was going to get a "racer discount" through the supplier for my friends who race as well as get the Camburg UCAs. In the end, the supplier completely let me down, Fox gave me a time frame of 8 to 12 weeks for delivery for full price shocks (which was not acceptable to me) so I went with ICON paired with the UCAs that I had already purchased. That is the only reason that I didn't get the ICON UCAs.
Did I mention that I love this suspension? It rocks. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

View attachment 42807
Final weld-out on Sunday night.

View attachment 42808
Paint and installation on Monday morning. The 3/16" aluminum plate for the cargo deck was formed on his press brake and ready to be fit in when I got home.

This is really coming together!

 

[Montaska]

That rack (and of course the rest of the build) is amazing!

 

[darthyota]

I like where this build is going! How did you tie the chase rack to the frame, or is it just bolted to the box rails?

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

I like where this build is going! How did you tie the chase rack to the frame, or is it just bolted to the box rails?

The rack is attached using the front bed pockets and through bolts on the bed rail.
In the front, I made a pad to mimic the plastic cover on the bed rail, welded about 6" of angle to go into the pocket then drilled a hole in the right spot and welded a nut on the back of it. Then, to compensate for the angle of the bed pocket, I machined a cattywampus washer to keep things square and true.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

In the back, I made these pads to through bolt on the bed rail. There is a 2"x3" backer on the inside of the bed. I was JUST able to get my monkey arm up there to hold it in place.

 

[darthyota]

I'd be worried your still going to mangle your bed between the weight go the rack and what you put in/on it and the forces of bombing through the desert at speed. Are you planing on a bypass/ tire rack in the bed, like either of these? If you are then I would tie the over cab rack into the bed/frame mounted rack to take the stress off the thin box sheetmetal.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

I do not plan on any further upgrades to the suspension other than possibly new rear leaf springs. In my plotting of this project, I specifically dismissed racks that took up bed space because I could not give up the storage.

Regarding the mounting points of the rack:
The ability (or its limited ability) of the bed rail to support load did not escape my thought process. It is a calculated risk at this point. I will attest that it has survived a 6200 mile roadtrip with 3 full size spares, MaxTraax, shovel, 10' EZ up and chairs on it.

There is some reworking of the rack that I need to do, so I may enlarge the back contact points at that time to be safe.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

You can also see by this super refined drawing, how the planning of the rack build went.

 

[The Ocular Engineer]

Here is the cargo deck before it got fit onto the rack. 3/16" aluminum, 48" x 60".
Large enough to sleep on or set up a chair and chill NASCAR style (or pile gear).

 

[Bisco Bum]

Keep them coming! Awsome truck. Nice to see more and more full size rigs here.