So its a soggy start to SEMA experience for us this year, and rain across the Midwest won’t allow us to enjoy how good this truck looks. The team worked long hours to button up loose ends and dial in the details as Project Ascension, our 2017 Ford Super Duty build, is loaded up and ready to head west bound for the 2000-mile drive out to Vegas for the 2016 SEMA Show that starts next week. We had a share of challenges along the way with the tight timeline and part fitment on some of the accessories, but in the end it came together. This truck will be debuted in the BDS booth #30204; and after returning home we will continue to build the truck up with several accessories, performance mods, additional bed storage options, and more so stay tuned and follow along at #projectascension
Vegas here we come!
First of all, I just want to thank you guys on building beautiful super dutys. I wanted to ask about the axle gears on all of your super duty projects. Are you guys using the stock axle gears on all of your projects or did you have to regear for those big tires? I have a 2015 f350 6.7 daily driver, occasional off roading on the weekends with the factory 3.31 gears. I would like to build mine exactly like your super duty projects. Thank you.
Hey Mark,
Thanks for following along with our project builds. All of our Super Duty builds to date have run stock axle gearing, even with 37-40″ tires. The 6.7L Powerstroke makes plenty of power stock, with a few performance upgrades like programmer, intake and exhaust performs well on and off-road, even pulling a trailer. That said their are several benefits to regearing the axles including improved performance, corrected shift points, reduced strain on drivetrain components and typically stronger components, its just not a requirement when lifted and can be completed at a later time. Companies like Nitro Gear and others on the market can give you more input on the topic and the ideal ratio for your tire size with how you plan to use your truck.
Great Truck guys! I know I’m late. I have a 17 F350 long bed I am building out just like this one with a few tweaks to make it my own. I do have one question. You state you guys are running 20×10 XD machete wheels with custom beedlocks???? are these functional? or was this a custom wheel you guys had made? KMC does not make a true beedlock wheel lager than the 17×9 Thanks for any clarification you can provide. I love the wheel set up you guys are running and Im trying to match them as closely as I can
Hey Joey, thanks for the compliments, Project Ascension has been a fun project, we’ve hit the trails from coast to coast, its been our work horse pulling trailers along the way and its found its way onto the cover of a few publications like Four Wheeler and Diesel World. The truck has since been set up at 8″ of lift to clear 40″ Nitto Trails on the same 20×10 XD Machetes. You can check out more coverage on this truck at https://blog.bds-suspension.com/?cat=1019 and see photos on social media by searching #projectascension .
Onto your question about the wheels, the wheels are a simulated beadlock, we just bolted on a custom aluminum “cosmetic” ring over top. I believe you are correct on the sizes, KMC/XD only offers the true beadlocks in a 17″ diameter wheels.