BDS Project Go Beyond
Overlanding... a popular buzzword these days when it comes to getting outdoors and going offroad. Designed to haul all your gear, food, sleeping quarters, spare parts and more what used to be camping has grown into so much more. Overlanding can be done on a budget with a rusted out old truck or Jeep and basic amenities or it can be unattainable to most as is the case with something like an EarthRoamer. There's an option for everyone and for most its finding somewhere in between, starting with a comfortable, capable 4x4 and adding the must-haves, tent, recovery gear, extra storage, mild lift kit and larger tires.
For the team at BDS, when it came time to add a vehicle to the company fleet they knew they wanted to build an overlander. Something both practical and attention grabbing, something capable off the grid or extended periods of time while being comfortable for long highway commutes. The Ford Super Duty is the perfect platform to start with, with a strong fully boxed frame, solid front and rear axles, huge carrying capacity, workhorse of a diesel motor and ample aftermarket product support. With the opportunity to get their hands on a new 2020 F350 Super Duty months ahead of the public, the team sent out to overhaul this new truck to be the first and most extreme overlanding 2020 Super Duty build to date, a project code name Project Go Beyond.
Basic specs:
2020 Ford F350 Super Duty XLT 4WD (crew cab, long bed)
6.7L Powerstroke Diesel, 10speed Transmission, 2-speed T-case
Getting Started...
With the truck on site in early September the team got to work tearing down the stock truck, pulling the grille, fenders, bumpers, bed, seats, stereo, fuel tank, exhaust, and suspension out of the truck to make way for the upgrades. First up to get installed was the suspension. An off the shelf BDS 4" radius arm coilover system was bolted on to improve performance and give this truck some extra clearance for the massive 40" tires planned. This kit features BDS's heavy duty tubular radius arms, DSC coilovers, track bar and pitman arm for steering correction, dual front stabilizer kit, Glideride rear leaf springs and Recoil traction bars.
Once the lift kit was installed the team turned their attention to the fuel tank unbolting the stock 34 gallon tank and replacing it with a Titan Tank 65 gallon direct fit replacement. This nearly doubles the range for long excursions and bolts right into the OE location. From there the team moved onto test fitment of the Knapheide aluminum service box. Typically used on fleet service trucks, its an interesting concept to utilize the ample storage and see how they cross over to overlanding needs. These service boxes are readily available and a fraction of the cost of most "overland tray/box combos on the market.
With the suspension, fuel tank and service box fitted calls are being made, measurements are being taken, plans are being formulated and orders are being placed to get ready for the next steps of this build. Stay tuned for the next installment of build coverage in Episode 2 and be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram for sneak peeks of the progress.
