2017 F-550 Camper Build - Ground Up

[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

The rear Kelderman install begins. This is where I am currently at:
- I read a couple articles (on the web) about Kelderman's powder coating not being the greatest, who knows right? Either way, as a precautionary measure I sprayed 3 coats of clear onto all Kelderman bracketry for good measure. Maybe it will help the powder coat hold up, maybe it won't.. Either way I feel better sssoooo........
- Frame bracketry installed
- Axle bracketry hand tightened into place.
- 1 airbag per side in, waiting to install the track bar & sway bar before I install the 2nd airbag per side and then torque down the axle bracketry.
I should be able to wrap up the rear in one more day....
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[CuStOm]

Nice work and great pics! What do you anticipate your unloaded bed height to be?

 

[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

Custom - Not sure yet, the install directions say to start at 8 inches between the bottom and top air bag mounting surface, so dunno yet. For now I just threw some air in them...


I wrapped up the rear end, minus adjusting the parking brake, dialing in the pinion angle and wheel base. I had to make by own sway bar links (the Moog ones I bought did not work out), I left them long and only tacked them together with a little primer paint to prevent rust so I can shorten them if need be when done.
I will dial in the remaining pieces mentioned above after the front end is all complete. Left the rear control arms and sway bar links (will be painted black when done) untightened to be able to dial in later.
I am now working on the front end. What I have done so far on the front is:
- Removed the tires
- Removed the fender flares
- Removed the front bumper
- Washed everything down inside of the wheel wells and all under the front end. I like to start as clean as possible.

Next steps:
- Sand off any rust and repaint the front of the frame, axle, and the other misc components such as the calipers and such... Front has to be as clean as the back of the truck just because.
- Replace axle U-Joints on both sides, one U-Joint is slightly binding so I am replacing both.
- Replace wheel bearings (just because I am already there so why not)
- Install the front PowerStop Pads and rotors.
- Install the Kelderman dual steering stabilizer kit.
- Install BuckStops fender flares. This requires cutting of the fender, minor body shaving and cutting a portion of the headlight support out and replacing with new structure which is part of the kit. This will allow the tires to actually fit inside of the wheel well to help keep the center of gravity as low as I can.
- Install the air bag suspension up front.
- Install the H3 compressor kit and air tank. This will be one of the last things, I will tie in all the airlines to the manifold in the kit and be able to raise or lower any corner of the truck which will come in handy when coming off grid.

I need to still order:
- Radius arm and 2.5" drop brackets. Vacillating between Kryptonite and Carli...
- 2.5" drop bracket for the front pan hard bar.
- and can't decide if I will use drop down brackets for the front sway bar or just new longer links, still thinking on it...
- King Shocks front and rear. Can't order these until the air bags are installed in the front. I need to have extended and compressed suspension measurements so King can make them up for me..

I'm sure there may be a few things I left out in the suspension "to do' list but I'll update the thread as I go... Can't wait to start the subframe build and habitat build... Wish I had more time...
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[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

Made some good headway on the BuckStop fender install.
The first order of business was cutting out some of the front end support. This process help open up the front of the inner wheel well so that the tire does now hit the front end support when the suspension compresses.
BuckStop provides beefy bracketry to bolt back into the front end structure.
The install is pretty straight forward.
Before and after pics below:
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[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

I was able to get the wheel wells cut out.
First off is marking the line of the cut on the fender which you can see in the below pics.
Next was cutting the fender - see before and after below.
The next step in the process was cutting into the body of the inner fender well at the floor board area to get rid if the piece of the cab that the tire would come in to contact with if the suspension was fully compressed with the wheels turned.
After the cab was cut I made a patch panel out of 6160 ¼ thick aluminum plate and seam sealed it in..
From here the next step is to paint the patch panels.
I am on hold at this point because I did not receive the inner fender liners with my kit so Buckstop is mailing them to me. Once received I can install the liners and then the fender flares, which I just got back from Rhino Lining.
From there its then about taking out the axle shafts to install new Ujoints, new wheel bearings, and the brakes. Then finally the front airbags and moving on to the H3 compressor install at that point. I also have the steering stabilizer kit, new front bumper winch and lights to do. Never ending. wish I had more time....
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[norcal*PWRstroke]

Really enjoying this build! Cant wait for an update. I will be doing an F550 build in the next couple years to haul a host mammoth with Bowen customs bed. Really having a hard time figuring out the suspension I want. I want it simple but strong. My last build was a 2021 F350 Platinum Dually and did a PMF king coilover conversion with 4 link. I didnt like how it rode with heavy weight and coilovers up front.

 

[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

Productive day today.
With the wheel well all cut out and cleaned up I installed the Buckstop fender flares. I put a pic below with the factory flares on to show the difference. The fender liners have not arrived from Buckstop yet so I got tired of waiting. I hope they didn't forget to ship them...
I also installed the Kelderman Steering Stabilizer kit, this was easy, wish it could all be this easy...
Next up is putting the grill and headlights back in. Then start taking apart the front axle.
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[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

Really enjoying this build! Cant wait for an update. I will be doing an F550 build in the next couple years to haul a host mammoth with Bowen customs bed. Really having a hard time figuring out the suspension I want. I want it simple but strong. My last build was a 2021 F350 Platinum Dually and did a PMF king coilover conversion with 4 link. I didnt like how it rode with heavy weight and coilovers up front.

Really enjoying this build! Cant wait for an update. I will be doing an F550 build in the next couple years to haul a host mammoth with Bowen customs bed. Really having a hard time figuring out the suspension I want. I want it simple but strong. My last build was a 2021 F350 Platinum Dually and did a PMF king coilover conversion with 4 link. I didnt like how it rode with heavy weight and coilovers up front.

I think the F550 will ride very nice with the airbags. I did look at liquid springs and it does look great. My thought was with air bags, air lines & fittings. and Viair compressors I could get parts anywhere and fix pretty quickly any issues with the suspension. I will carry an extra airbag as well as lines and fittings.
My wife and I toured the Host (Mammoth) factory in Bend Oregon. We were not impressed with how they were made and decided to make my own, also they weigh a boat load. They are not a bad product, just not for me. Thank you...

 

[norcal*PWRstroke]

I think the F550 will ride very nice with the airbags. I did look at liquid springs and it does look great. My thought was with air bags, air lines & fittings. and Viair compressors I could get parts anywhere and fix pretty quickly any issues with the suspension. I will carry an extra airbag as well as lines and fittings.
My wife and I toured the Host (Mammoth) factory in Bend Oregon. We were not impressed with how they were made and decided to make my own, also they weigh a boat load. They are not a bad product, just not for me. Thank you...

I agree with the ride quality of the airbag kit. I also agree with being able to fix the airbags on the fly. It will be alot easier dealing with a busted bag or air leak than a hydraulic leak with the liquid spring. We had an arctic fox 811 and the build quality was excellent. On our way back from San Francisco yesterday the wife and I were talking about heading up to bend on weekend to check out the Host Factory.
What stood out to you the most in terms of why you did not like the build quality?

 

[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

I agree with the ride quality of the airbag kit. I also agree with being able to fix the airbags on the fly. It will be alot easier dealing with a busted bag or air leak than a hydraulic leak with the liquid spring. We had an arctic fox 811 and the build quality was excellent. On our way back from San Francisco yesterday the wife and I were talking about heading up to bend on weekend to check out the Host Factory.
What stood out to you the most in terms of why you did not like the build quality?

The wood construction of the camper and thin walls. When I compare the walls/floor/roof ie "structure" to the structural FRP panels that are on the market today there is no comparison. When you get into the 2 & 2.5" inch panels that are out there on the market today, I find them pretty stout and the R value is very good.
Then you have the interior, which when we looked at all truck campers we did not like the interiors. We want more of the marine/yacht fiberglass white throughout.
So the truck camper, at this point, is not what we are leaning towards.
With our current trajectory the thought is we can pick out all appliances, fans, lighting, plumbing, electrical, heat, solar, etc and get exactly what we want. Also, when something breaks, which it will, I will know exactly where to go and what to replace.
Just preference...

 

[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

Looking to upgrade the radius arms. I narrowed it down to
Carli
Kryptonite
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Any recommendations?

 

[norcal*PWRstroke]

Im pretty sure precision metal fab suspension makes his 3 link radius arms for the f550 application. I had his arms on my f350 dually and they were extremely well made and heavy duty.

 

[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

Im pretty sure precision metal fab suspension makes his 3 link radius arms for the f550 application. I had his arms on my f350 dually and they were extremely well made and heavy duty.

Adjustable and cantilevered over to clear the tires.
I'll call them Monday, Im not sure if they will work with Kelderman's H3 height control valves that mount to the radius arm. I'm sure I could probably make them work, I'll put them in with the contenders...
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[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

This weekend I finished up the driver side of the axle. I upgraded the Spicer unjoint, new wheel bearing assembly, all new seals, dust seal and o-rings, rust removed and repainted and rotor installed. I also found out that the locking hub had some broken bits in it so I bought new locking hubs for both sides. I also found the axle unjoint was toast, looks like the original one (roughly 110k on truck). Makes me this about dropping the front and back drive shafts and rebuilding them for good measure, ie insurance...
i have all the parts to repeat on the passenger side which I can hopefully get started today.
Once both sides of the axle are done/completely rebuilt then I will start on the Kelderman airbag install on the front. I just want to hammer out the axle rebuild now. It just feels like good insurance knowing it's all new, also feels like xmas when I find the broken or jacked up things.
As a side not, if you ever have to replace that axle dust seal be careful, I screwed up 'dished' the first one using a standard seal tool (harbor freight). I ended up making my own out of a 3.5" tube with ⅛ wall and tack welded a cap on one end so I could hit it with the mallet. The key to NOT screwing this install up is ensuring the contact with the 3.5 tube is on the outer edge, if you use a smaller diameter as you go to hammer it in it will 'dish' the dust seal making it worthless. All pressure has to be on the outside perimeter of the dust seal. Installing this dust seal really held me up and was the most frustrating part of the driver side rebuild. The tool I made was the trick and made it a quick install, prior to that it was a frustration party with trips to the dealer, tool searching and so on, a day or 2 lost... This is straight out of the school of hard knocks.
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[PacificNorthWestJeeper]

Little more headway today, I was able to get the passenger side airbag in.
I cleaned up the wheelwell best as possible.
When taking the nut off of the top of the shock the stud/bolt broke, good thing I am getting new shocks.
I was dead set on King Shocks but now I am starting to think about Fox Shocks. Still deciding...
I will need 4 more inches in the front brake lines, any good braided options out there for the 2017 F550?
I should be able to get the driver side bag on tomorrow. At that point I will need the 60 gallon diesel tank because I will need to fit it into place so I can then figure out where to put the H3 compressor system and the air tank for the suspension.
Then radius arms, extended sway bar links and a adjustable front pan hard bar.
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