It was time for Project KR to get much-needed protection for the front and rear of the truck. Under the hood of the Super Duty there are many hidden coolers: engine coolant, transmission, power steering, fuel system/turbo actuator, A/C condenser, and the intercooler. While the grille hides all this from sight, it doesn’t provide much in the way of protection for these pricey components. So we decided we needed to build some help for this area with the addition of frame-mounted guards.
01. After we discussed the...
01. After we discussed the design with Bryan Mathews, he measured the front bumper for the length. Then he procured a stick of 1¾-inch 0.120-inch-wall 4130 chromoly tubing, marked it, and cut it.
Form and function breed good design, and we thought there was no better place to look for ideas than the off-road race truck market. Off-road race trucks are required to survive in extreme environments—they’re pushed to the limits and finishing the race is a necessity. Project KR is not a race truck, but for our Super Duty we still want the strength, quality materials, and craftsmanship that are required in the racing world. The fact that we planned to mount the guard directly to the frame on both the front and rear ensured a strong platform for our guards.
02. Penhall Fabrication has...
02. Penhall Fabrication has a roll bender, which puts a curve in the tubing. This will allow the part to follow our factory bumper profile.
So the next step is finding a qualified fabrication shop that builds off-road race vehicles to produce what we want. Tubing fabrication is an art form, as bend rotations, coping, and welding all take a lot of skill and talent. One shop that has been successful in building both off-road racers and prerunners is Penhall Fabrication in Costa Mesa, California. Owner Jerry Penhall has built and raced off-road cars for years, with his shop offering both custom work and production work. The shop builds turn-key cars in classes 1,10, and 1600 and also does race preparation in classes 1, 7, 7s, 9, 10, 12, 1600 and Trophy Truck.
Working with Penhall Fabrication was a pleasure; these guys are professionals. Jerry and his team of craftsmen will build you exactly what you want.
03. A sharp bend near the...
03. A sharp bend near the ends of the tubing will match the factory bumper ends.
04. Stands are used to hold...
04. Stands are used to hold the main tube in place for inspection of the fit and for locating good spots for the lower tubes to be fitted to.
05. Looking at the lower...
05. Looking at the lower support tube again, using 1 3/4 -inch 0.120-inch-wall 4130 chromoly, Derek Palmer sets vertical braces in place and marks them for cutting and coping to fit on the main tube.
06. The sander is set up...
06. The sander is set up for notching/coping, and the support tube is prepped. This photo shows the rear end of the tube that will be welded to the crossmember tube.
07. With the angle set, this...
07. With the angle set, this sander can produce the same cope, time after time.
08. The top hoop is put in...
08. The top hoop is put in the roll bender to match the main hoop in its curve. Triangulated rollers move closer together to form the tube.
09. The guard next went through...
09. The guard next went through an inspection that checked the fit and tolerances.
10. This angle shows how...
10. This angle shows how well the tube follows the factory bumper radius. Bryan did this on the first try. The only steel in the shop’s garbage can is the can itself.
11. With the guard passing...
11. With the guard passing inspection (and before support legs and the front cross tubes were built), it was removed from the Super Duty and fully welded. There are a couple of reasons for this; one is that a tack weld could break and additional fitments would be required. The other is that during the welding process, distortion occurs, and fully welding the main structure (before the addition of support tubes) ensures a square part. A square part maintains equal tangent points.
12. The rear plate of the...
12. The rear plate of the guard crossmember will bolt to the frame and winch frame extensions.
13. Brackets are made of...
13. Brackets are made of 1/4-inch material with bends and welds added for fitment and strength.
14. Support tubes will also...
14. Support tubes will also be 0.120-inch-wall 4130 chromoly, but the diameter is 1 3/4 inches instead of the 1 1/2 inches used on the main tubes.
15. A bend is added near...
15. A bend is added near the end of the support tube to decrease the angle difference between the support tube and the main tube. This is for aesthetic purposes.
16. This support leg has...
16. This support leg has been coped, and it is shown being fit-checked on the main tube and hoop.
17. Magnets are used to hold...
17. Magnets are used to hold parts in place for fit check—that’s a cool idea.