When it comes to egos, every man has been known to shoot off a mouth full of crap. You know those statements we make, such as "mine's bigger than yours." Well, if it's fact, you have every right to brag. David Hoppert of Woodburn, Oregon, is one such individual. Dave's truck not only sits on 46 inches of rolling stock, but he pushes it to the limits of off-road trashing.
The first design challenge tackled by the team was the front-suspension conversion from the factory leaf-spring style to a custom three-link coilover setup. With the leaf springs and hangers removed for additional wheel travel and better ride quality, custom 2-1/2-inch King Racing shocks rated at 450 pounds more than their 600-pound dual-load-rating capacity were attached to the hand-fabricated 4130 chrome-moly shock hoop. Additional damping was provided by 2-1/2-inch King Racing shocks, which contain 14 inches of travel and provide a smooth ride, thanks to the custom nitrogen charge that has been specially valved to accommodate the increased weight of the rig. When things really get off the ground, custom-mounted Timbren Industries natural-rubber bumpstops help calm things down.
Typically, with vehicles of this magnitude, the steering components are obliterated within a few thousand miles given the additional stress from the increased tire weight and altered geometry of the components. For the One Up Offroad team, it was back to the CAD design screen to fabricate a fully hydraulic steering system.
Elevating the rear of the truck to its new stance is One Up Offroad's newly released traction block system, which incorporates an 11-inch aluminum lift block with a traction bar system.
Equally as impressive as the front and rear suspensions is the drivetrain. More than satisfied with the performance of the massive Ford 6.8L V-10, the One Up Offroad crew replaced the factory exhaust system with a Custom Exhaust Specialties 2-1/2-inch high-flow Y-pipe after-cat system mated to a 4-inch high-flow muffler with a 5-inch exhaust tip. Additional air is pumped into the powerplant via a K&N air-filter charger system. To compensate for the increase in tire size, the stock automatic transmission had two Superlift TrueSpeed speed sensors installed and wired in series to regain stock speedometer calibration.
The Pro Fab Puller transfer case was installed by mounting it to a One Up Offroad custom crossmember cradle, which attaches to the bottom of the frame and also acts as the center stabilizer to the lift system. Added strength was achieved by incorporating all the key components of the front and rear suspensions into one main center-truss configuration. Equipped with a quick-change gearset that reduces the overall final drive ratio to 1.6:1, the transfer case provides more than enough torque and power to the Brian Stanton-balanced and -blueprinted rear driveline, which has a 6-inch yoke and 1480 joints. The front driveline has also been balanced and blueprinted and features dual 1350 CV joints. The required flange adapters were supplied by Outcast Products and are the finishing touch to the drivetrain.
To finalize the overall aesthetics of this show stopper, a bevy of aftermarket products was installed, including Offroad Tech's front and rear bumpers with integrated 12,000- and 5,000-pound MileMarker winches; APC projector headlights and side marker lights; enough PIAA lights, both front and rear, to turn night into day; and custom-lengthened Kodiak Sidewinder steps mounted with stainless-steel brackets under the factory running boards. A SnugTop fiberglass bed lid was color-matched prior to the stunning Ivey Imaging photo-realistic graphics being installed by Custom Graphic Services in Silverton, Oregon. With a full schedule of appearances at various automotive industry shows and events, finding the required downtime to upgrade the factory sound system and interior has been difficult. Once all the truck's appearances have been fulfilled, however, and its schedule is clear, David and crew have the parts waiting in their garage.
Specifications
Owner/hometown:
One Up Offroad, David Hoppert/Woodburn, Oregon
Year/make/model:
'99 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4x4
Suspension:
13-1/2-inch CAD custom three-link system; 12-1/2-inch custom CAD traction block system
Shocks:
2-1/2-inch King Racing reservoir shocks (front and rear)
Engine:
Ford 6.3L Triton V-10
Tires:
46x19.5x16 Mickey Thompson Bias Baja Claws
Wheels:
16x10-inch Mickey Thompson Classic IIs
Other Modifications:
Custom 4-inch exhaust; Pro Fab Puller transfer case; rear Detroit Locker; MileMarker winches (front and rear); Offroad Tech bumpers (front and rear); Offroad Unlimited satin rear differential cover; custom graphics; APC projector lights; side markers; Bushwacker fender flares; Kodiak Sidewinder steps; PIAA auxiliary lights; K&N air intake system