1.Moving on to the big dog,...
1.Moving on to the big dog, here is a good look at the '08 F-350 front suspension before being torn apart. Because this truck has a twin I-beam setup, the best way to get it down will be replacing the beams with a dropped version.
2.The front needed to be torn...
2.The front needed to be torn completely down to get the I-beams off the frame. Because the components of this truck are so dang heavy, having things to set stuff on will be a valuable tool like this cinder block holding the knuckle assembly.
3.So how does the Dream Beams...
3.So how does the Dream Beams from DJM lower the truck? This comparison shot should give you a good idea how. The spindle location has been raised which drops the front. Even though the DJM beams are constructed differently than factory, all the stock accessories will reattach.
4.Once the new Dream Beams...
4.Once the new Dream Beams are installed, all the hardware is treated to a dab or two of thread locker. This will make sure everything stays nice and tight.
5.The rear of the F-350 doesn't...
5.The rear of the F-350 doesn't really differ from what happened to the F-150, but we wanted to show you the hand-fabricated C-notch that Jason grafted in. He wanted to keep the factory frame as strong as possible, so a notch that was just big enough for this application and nothing more was made from a section of large tube.
6.The new wheel-and-tire combo...
6.The new wheel-and-tire combo coupled with the DJM drop necessitated widening of the rear fenderwells. Instead of building new ones from scratch, the factory ones were split, widened, and then welded back together.
Rubbers N' Rounds!
No dropped custom truck would be complete without a new set of shoes. A total of ten new rollers came in the front door of Hulst Customs. The F-150 got a set of two-piece 22-inch GT rims from Rodtana. These are machined to look similar to what you would find on a classic Mustang, but in a six-lug bolt pattern. The F-350 went a little bigger with a set of 24-inch Calibers from American Force wheels. These billets feature the big-rig lug pattern for true big truck machismo. A special adapter is sold with the wheels to convert the F-350 to the big bolt pattern. Each rim was shod with new rubber from Pirelli in the way of the Zero Asimmetrico. The F-150 rolls on 305/40ZR22s and the F-350 features 295/40ZR24s.
The Final Word
We think every truck looks good lowered down on shiny wheels, but the Fords look really bitchin. As you can tell, this is not a bolt-by-bolt install of the products, but it should give you a good idea of what it takes to drop either of these trucks. If you need more information on how to do it, DJM has complete instructions on its web site. Now if you just don't feel like building a truck by yourself, you could always commission Jason at Hulst Customs to do it all for you.