2000 Ford F-150 Prerunner- Off-Road Trucks

We have a hands-on approach at FST," declared shop foreman Torrey Porter. "If we go out in the dirt and get stuck, or if we break down, of course it sucks. We try to learn from our mistakes and come up with innovative solutions to the solve problems we encounter. Our hands-on approach is the way we keep our edge."

As we poked and prodded the corners and aisles at Fabrication Suspension Technology's Phoenix shop, metallic proof of Porter's words greeted our every move. A dozen off-road trucks, in various configurations and wheelbases, awaited the next step of their respective buildups. FST not only builds off-road trucks for every purpose from racing to 'crawling, but also builds many of the parts used during the fabrication process. FST's machinery quiver is deep and includes a mill, lathe, bandsaw, water jet cutter, plasma cutter, and flame cutter, in addition to the usual suspects such as welders, a tubing bender, and a tube notcher. Need to bend some metal plate for a gusset or bracket? FST has not only the press brake to make the bend, but also the metalworking expertise to make it properly.

Somewhere in the performance continuum, between FST's Chevy Avalanche Trophy Truck in one corner of the shop and the Toyota prerunner receiving custom A-arms and coilover shocks in another, is the fast Ford seen flying across these pages. The seven-lug F-150 was built for Peoria, Arizona's John Rhodes. The president of a software development company had the prerunner built "for the love of racing," after having purchased the truck brand-new in 2000.

The truck's snow-white steel and fiberglass body panels conceal metallic artwork that transforms the Ford from a utilitarian beast of burden into a beastly off-road weapon capable of carrying five people through the Arizona desert at extralegal speeds, clutched in the comfort of Renegade Racing seats and Simpson harnesses.

As we watched and rode in the Ford during heavy-throttled assaults, we could tell that the FST crew has indeed learned much in the desert over the years. Torrey and company may still get stuck once in a while, but rest assured they'll return to conquer the trail with updated equipment bristling with FST innovations. In the age of information and computer-filled lives, FST proves that the classic hands-on approach will never go out of style.

In stock trim, the factory A-arms cycle in inches. After FST worked its magic, front suspension travel is measured in feet. Front suspension travel is now comfortably more than 1-1/2 feet. Travel numbers are indeed important, but the quality of travel is just as imperative as the quantity. John Rhodes' Ford uses Bilstein 9100-series coilover and bypass shocks at each corner to ensure position-sensitive smoothness is transmitted through the custom 4130 chrome-moly FST upper and lower control arms. When the A-arms slam to the nether regions of compression travel, a Bilstein pneumatic bumpstop controls the last 4 inches of the suspension's upward journey.
In stock trim, the factory A-arms cycle in inches. After FST worked its magic, front suspe
Custom-fabricated spindles are an integral part of the front suspension and lend long-legged strength to the front of the Ford. The upper and lower uniball pivots are oriented vertically, with the bolts horizontal so that the spherical bearings are radially loaded. A typical uniball can handle 10 times the radial load compared with the axial load-bolts vertical. If this explanation seems complicated or confusing, simply remember that these FST spindles use a very strong design. Further proof of the strength lies in the welds themselves. TIG-welding was the process of choice when the uniball cups, chrome-moly plate, and spindle stub were melted into one continuous unit. Welding was done in two steps. First, a standard root pass was laid down, one weld puddle at a time. After the root pass was completed, a double-weave technique was used for the second pass. A double-weave TIG-weld is executed by oscillating the torch - and thereby the weld puddle - across the width of the root welds. Done properly, the double-weave pass takes on the appearance of fish scales.
Custom-fabricated spindles are an integral part of the front suspension and lend long-legg
Here's the proof in the puddin'. At full droop, front-wheel camber change is minimal, as the wheels remain nearly parallel. This is a sign of proper control-arm lengths and pivot-point locations. For proof of proper steering geometry, note that the front wheels are both pointing in the same direction, as opposed to toe-out or -in at full droop. FST did its math homework when fabricating this frontend.
Here's the proof in the puddin'. At full droop, front-wheel camber change is minimal, as t

Stripped of the Glassworks Unlimited bedsides, the functional hardware beneath is revealed. The rear bedcage integrates mounts for the shocks, bumpstops, fuel cell, spare tires, and fuel dump cans.
Stripped of the Glassworks Unlimited bedsides, the functional hardware beneath is revealed
FST also burned its logo into the rear corner gusset. The taillights are towing lights, with a magnetic base - all the better to stash away when not needed off-road.
FST also burned its logo into the rear corner gusset. The taillights are towing lights, wi

The 5.4L Triton V-8 pulls air through another Arid-zona company's product. Airaid's intake increases airflow and improves dust filtering, which is all the better to breathe with. The engine cage stabilizes the upper shock mounts and unbolts when needed for better engine access. Behind the engine, the stock automatic transmission was given a cryogenic treatment to strengthen the internals against extended off-road thrashing. A Hughes torque convertor, set up with a 3,000-rpm stall speed, launches the Ford off the line. To keep the tranny's internals alive, hot ATF winds its way through a Fluidyne cooler.
The 5.4L Triton V-8 pulls air through another Arid-zona company's product. Airaid's intake
Ford threw truck owners and wheel makers a curve ball when it released its F-150 7700. The seven-lug pattern was designed to complement the truck's almost 1-ton towing and hauling capacity. Since the seven-lug pattern was only produced for a couple of years, aftermarket wheels are far from plentiful. Fortunately, Mickey Thompson makes its Challenger 17x9-inch wheels with Ford's seven-lug bolt pattern. Backspacing is 5 inches, which maintains healthy front wheel bearings. Thirty-seven-inch BFG Projects circle the Mickey Thompson wheels. John Rhodes' truck has not one, but two spares at the ready. Since Arizona rocks are sharp, two spares are added assurance of driving home after a long day of prerunning.
Ford threw truck owners and wheel makers a curve ball when it released its F-150 7700. The

A prerunning crew of as many as five can take their places in the Renegade Racing buckets. Comfort is on par with the best in the industry, and Simpson harnesses keep occupants in place. FST fabricated the custom floor mounts that hold seats and belts to the cab floor. A full rollcage is in the works and will tie the front and rear suspensions together through the cab. Seat and belt mounts will then be transferred to the in-cab portion of the rollcage.
A prerunning crew of as many as five can take their places in the Renegade Racing buckets.

The factory Ford rearend was stuffed with 5.13 gears and a limited-slip differential. Trucks built purely for the dirt often use spools to lock both rear axleshafts permanently together. This provides ultimate traction when off-road, but leads to difficult steering and accelerated tire wear on the pavement. Since this truck does dual duty on the street and dirt, a limited-slip was deemed the right tool for the job. Heavy gusseting not only braces the rearend against bending under load on whooped-out roads, but also integrates the rear trailing arm and wishbone mounts. When the truck's tail lifts off, dual Beard limit straps protect the shocks during suspension top-out.
The factory Ford rearend was stuffed with 5.13 gears and a limited-slip differential. Truc
The Ford's framerails sit inboard far enough to make pivot-mounting a simple task. No frame-notching or cutting required; just weld the mounts outboard on the frame, and bolt up the trailing arms.
The Ford's framerails sit inboard far enough to make pivot-mounting a simple task. No fram

An aluminum race jack rests at the ready behind the Glassworks bedside. If that looks like a propane cylinder behind the fuel cell, that's because it is. If the fuel cell runs dry, the Ford can run on propane to return safely to the pavement.
An aluminum race jack rests at the ready behind the Glassworks bedside. If that looks like

What does it feel like to ride in a truck like this? Speeds of 50-plus-mph across deep whoops feel as nonchalant as tooling along a dirt road in search of a good fishing hole. The 'runner soaked up the desert mayhem with ease and begged for a heavier throttle foot to be engaged. Since the truck doesn't have the full rollcage, we had to exercise a bit of restraint. Trust us, though. As soon as this truck is fully race-prepped, the hammer will be laid down with reckless abandon.
What does it feel like to ride in a truck like this? Speeds of 50-plus-mph across deep who

Our camera caught the custom control arms and fabricated spindle in a rare moment of stillness. Spherical rod ends, aka Heim joints, were used for reliable steering in the rough. The FST spindle configuration places the uniball through-bolts in the control arms rather than in the spindle itself. Thanks to high-misalignment spacers (also called over-extenders), there's plenty of steering angle available for slow-speed maneuvers in traffic on the street.
Our camera caught the custom control arms and fabricated spindle in a rare moment of still
Feet of suspension travel are all for naught if the truck fails to steer properly. Correct frontend geometry dictated that the idler arm needed a new home with heavy gusseting.
Feet of suspension travel are all for naught if the truck fails to steer properly. Correct
Peering beneath the generous wheel opening of the Glassworks Unlimited fender reveals the rest of the front-suspension story. A trio of Bilstein dampers controls the 20 inches of front suspension travel. A 2-1/2-inch 9100 coilover supports the vehicle weight and assists with damping duty. The 9100 bypass shock situated aside the coilover is the main suspension control device. Different suspension configurations require different shock-mounting locations. Had this been an I-beam setup, the coilover would mount behind the beam, with the bypass shock in front of the beam. The rule of thumb is that the shock responsible for the main damping duties should be mounted farthest away from the pivot point. In this case, mounting both coilover and bypass at equal distances from the bypass shock allows both the coilover and bypass to have equal stroke lengths. Fabricating mounts is easier, too, since the mounting points are now symmetrical. The look is clean and functional. A Bilstein pneumatic bumpstop controls the last 4 inches of compression travel and prevents metal-to-metal contact and shock damage.
Peering beneath the generous wheel opening of the Glassworks Unlimited fender reveals the

This upper wishbone was so cool, we had to wriggle under the truck to snap the image. Since this truck features substantial bump travel, the tube joining the forward edge of the wishbone has been bent into a sweeping curve to clear the driveshaft when the rear wheels stuff deep into the 'glass wheelwells. When the main tubes found their place, equally trick plating filled in between the main tubes. The plating adds strength to the tubular structure. Check out the gusset just above the rear pumpkin. FST burned its logo into the gusset with a CNC laser cutter. Details such as this upper wishbone trickery make this truck a force to be reckoned with in the dirt.
This upper wishbone was so cool, we had to wriggle under the truck to snap the image. Sinc

Tie-down straps? We don't need no stinkin' tie-down straps! These FST quick-release clamps held the rear dump cans in place with a viselike grip. Sky shot after sky shot, they dutifully held their position.
Tie-down straps? We don't need no stinkin' tie-down straps! These FST quick-release clamps
In keeping with the front suspension, the rear layout is clean and travel is long. Since rear trailing arms can be much longer than front control arms, rear travel is a whopping 37 inches. FST worked overtime fabricating gussets and tabs that sport flowing lines and are lightened up with go-fast holes. In contrast with the frontend, the coilover sits closer to the suspension pivot, and the bypass is situated a few inches farther toward the rear. Dunbar Spring provided the front and rear coils surrounding the Bilstein 9100s. Mounting the lower shock pivot inside the trailing arm (as opposed to on top) allows the shock to be mounted lower in the chassis and fights the trailing arms' tendency to rotate laterally while cycling up and down.
In keeping with the front suspension, the rear layout is clean and travel is long. Since r

Inside FST
While we were at the shop, we used our trusty belt-buckle camera to snag a few spy photos when Torrey and crew were looking elsewhere. Here's some of the trickery we saw.

FST's Avalanche Trophy Truck was up on jackstands, getting some pre-SEMA prep. The truck bristles with 37 - yes, 37 - inches of front suspension travel. The otherworldly front travel necessitated a one-off set of front spindles. The spindles use dual Heim joints to pivot vertically, while steering chores are handled by a separate pivot on the spindle's upper cross-shaft. The rearend is kept cool by pumping the differential oil out to a remote cooler, through a network of trick and tough AN fittings and braided-stainless-steel lines.
FST's Avalanche Trophy Truck was up on jackstands, getting some pre-SEMA prep. The truck b
Jeep took its short-wheelbase Wrangler to a new level of ride quality and off-road ability when it ditched the leaf springs and replaced them with links and coils. This Jeep will emerge from FST with a level of performance beyond what Jeep engineers had envisioned when they conceived the coil-sprung TJ Wrangler using CAD programs and their collective imaginations. Long-links and Fox coilovers will see this Jeep to many vistas atop tough, rocky trails.
Jeep took its short-wheelbase Wrangler to a new level of ride quality and off-road ability

The pre-SEMA preparation rush was in full swing when we stopped by. This '05 F-150 was receiving a one-off independent rear suspension, while the GMC Canyon got a full rollcage and integrated winch mount.
The pre-SEMA preparation rush was in full swing when we stopped by. This '05 F-150 was rec
FST's lineup of fabrication parts is as extensive as it is trick. These tube inserts allow removal of 'cage tubes while maintaining strength, thanks to the integrated keyway and twin fixing bolts.
FST's lineup of fabrication parts is as extensive as it is trick. These tube inserts allow

This is just one of FST's many cutting machines. Try fitting this in your garage.
This laser-cut control panel will be filled with gauges and bolted into a helicopter. Underneath is a plexiglass pane cut with a water jet cutter.
This laser-cut control panel will be filled with gauges and bolted into a helicopter. Unde

Transform Your Truck
If you have about 60-large and an F-150, FST has a kit with your name on it. Kits include all suspension components, shocks, and installation. The front suspension cradle bolts into place and provides mounting locations for the chrome-moly upper and lower control arms. Just like the Ford flying across these pages, a completed truck will have 20 inches of front travel and 37 inches in the rear.

Specifications
Owner/hometown	John Rhodes/Peoria, Arizona
Year/make/model	'00 Ford F-150 7700
Engine/transmission	5.4L Triton V-8 with Airaid intake; stock automatic transmission with 3,000-rpm stall; Hughes torque convertor; cryogenically treated internals
Ring-and-pinion:	5.13: 1
Suspension	Custom FST steering and upper and lower chrome-moly control arms; custom FST three-link with boxed wishbone and lower trailing arms; all four corners damped by Bilstein coilover and bypass shocks and Bilstein pneumatic bumpstops
Wheels/tires	17x9-inch seven-lug Mickey Thompson Challengers with 5-inch backspacing/BFGoodrich Project Baja T/A radials