Kevin McNulty
Former Editor, Mud Life
Photographers:
Chris Hamilton
We’re not sure we really have to mention it, but tow rigs are an essential part of our work and recreational time. We wouldn’t get to many events without a good strong truck dependably chugging down the highway when we are hauling our mud trucks and swamp buggies to the shop or an event. The ’99 Ford F-350 dualie we picked up as a project a few months ago is doing just fine and rolling on the road to recovery after living a hard life. It’s definitely not a show truck and a looker; in fact, it looks like a pack of rats lived in the interior! We have a lot of work ahead of us to make it presentable. But the truck runs strong and rides even better now that we installed a high-quality suspension.
To date, we’ve performed all the necessary engine maintenance, swapped out a few factory parts for components like a higher-quality high-pressure oil pump, installed a high-flow air intake and Optima batteries, swapped all the fluids for top-of-the-line Amsoil fluids and coolant, and installed KT Performance exhaust with a DIY bolts-in stacks for the truck bed.
The suspension on the truck was beat up, and the tires were well past needing to be replaced. So next on our list was a new suspension. We’ve always had excellent luck and performance with BDS Suspension, so we hooked up again with BDS and ordered a 6-inch list system with new progressive leaf springs for the front, blocks for the rear, and Fox shocks on all four corners.
The on-road ride of the old F-350 is amazing, a night-and-day difference. It is smooth, comfortable, and controllable. We are extremely happy with how the truck rides now. It’s like we took it to obedience school!
We also called our friends at General tire and ordered a cool set of E-rated Grabbers. These are excellent tires, and we have tested them numerous times over the years. We have found that they offer excellent traction in mud, snow, and wet conditions. Now we get to test them on a much heavier F-350.
Once we had the suspension in the back of the truck we headed over to DV8 Motorsports in Lake Park, Florida, for the installation. We’re really impressed with the guys here. They take great pride in their work and strive for excellent customer service. The guys are exceptionally friendly and very easy to work with—we like that in a shop.
PhotosView SlideshowSpecial Thanks To:
Value Tire & Alignment
Royal Palm Beach, Fla., 561.790.7228
