Search & Restore Rig Upgrades!

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY WE'RE DOING MORE UPGRADES TO THE SEARCH AND RESTORE F-350 AS THEY PREPARE TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE NATION TO PICK UP THEIR NEXT PROJECT. WE'RE ADDING AIR ASSIST BAGS AND A MUCH LARGER FUEL TANK TO MAKE THE TRIP A LITTLE EASIER AND A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE. IT'S ALL TODAY HERE ON TRUCKS!

(KEVIN)>> HEY WELCOME TO TRUCKS. WELL BY NOW YOU RECOGNIZE THIS AS THE SEARCH AND RESTORE RECOVERY VEHICLE. BUT IF YOU REMEMBER, THE FIRST TIME WE HAD IT ON TRUCKS, WELL IT WAS A BONE STOCK F-350 DUALLY. SO WE STARTED THROWING UPGRADES AT IT UNTIL IT'S LIKE IT SITS NOW, WHICH IS CAPABLE OF RECOVERING ALMOST ANY VEHICLE FROM ALMOST ANYWHERE.

SO WHEN YOU'RE TRUCKS AND YOU ALREADY HAVE AN AWESOME NEARLY BULLET PROOF PLATFORM, WHAT DO YOU DO? WELL YOU MAKE IT BETTER WITH THINGS LIKE A GOOSE NECK HITCH AND AN APPEARANCE PACKAGE THAT'LL MAKE IT AN UNMISTAKABLE RIG. SO TROY AND THE BOYS FROM APE WRAPS GAVE IT A TREATMENT THAT YOU CAN SEE A MILE AWAY. FROM THERE WE THREW ON A BUMPER WITH AN INTEGRATED BRUSH GUARD AND A HEAVY DUTY 12,000 POUND WINCH, AS WELL AS ALL YOUR TYPICAL ACCESSORIES, FAIR LEADS, DRIVING LIGHTS, FOG LIGHTS. ALL OF WHICH COME IN HANDY BIG TIME WHEN DRIVING CONDITIONS GET BAD. ALONG WITH THE WINCH, WE GAVE IT A WINCH KIT COMPLETE WITH A TREE STRAP, DRINGS, GLOVES, AND A PULLING BLOCK THAT'LL EFFECTIVELY DOUBLE THE WINCH'S CAPABILITY. NOW A NEW SET OF SKINS WITH A MORE AGGRESSIVE TREAD PATTERN NOT ONLY LOOKS BETTER, BUT IT MAKES THIS TRUCK MORE VERSATILE IN ANY ROAD CONDITION. NOW WITH ALL OF OUR UPGRADES, THIS TRUCK HAS HANDLED EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE THROWN AT IT, ON ROAD, OFF ROAD, EVEN PULLING A LOADED 32 FOOT TRAILER. BUT SO FAR ALL OF THOSE RUNS HAVE BEEN LESS THAN 500 MILES. BUT THIS NEXT ONE, IT'S A LONG HAUL, CLEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA DO A COUPLE OF UPGRADES THAT SERIOUSLY IMPROVE THE DRIVING RANGE OF THIS RIG AS WELL AS IMPROVE THE TOWING RIDE QUALITY AND RIDE CONTROL.

(RYAN)>> SO TO HELP WITH THE RIDE PART, WE'RE GONNA BE INSTALLING THIS AIR HELPER SPRING KIT THAT WE PICKED UP FROM FIRESTONE. THE KIT INCLUDES ALL THE AXLE AND FRAME SIDE BRACKETS YOU'RE GONNA NEED ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF AIR BAGS. THE KIT ALSO INCLUDES THE AIR COMPRESSOR, LINES, VALVES, AND PRESSURE SENSORS NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE INSTALLATION. WE ALSO PICKED UP THEIR OPTIONAL WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM. ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT THIS KIT, THEY CAN TAKE THIS DRILL AND PUT IT BACK IN THE TOOL BOX, NO DRILLING REQUIRED. ALL THIS STUFF BOLTS RIGHT ON, WHICH MAKES THE INSTALL KINDA NICE.

(TIM)>> YO DUDE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, I USE THIS THING?

(RYAN)>> YEAH, I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT BETTER, SO GIVE ME A HAND.

(TIM)>> OR THEY LET ME USE IT. THEY DON'T KEEP ME LOCKED UP IN A ROOM HERE LIKE YOU TWO.

(RYAN)>> QUIT RESTING ON IT AND HELP ME LIFT IT. THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO WAS REMOVE THE FACTORY FORD BUMP STOPS. WE FOLLOWED THAT WITH THE REMOVAL OF OUR GOOSE NECK HITCH.

NOW AFTER GETTING SOME OF THESE PARTS OUT OF THE WAY, WE'VE NOTICED SOMETHING INTERESTING. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL SPRING HAS BEEN COMING IN CONTACT WITH ITS BUMP STOP, SHOWING US THAT THIS TRUCK'S BEEN PULLING SOME WEIGHT. AND DESPITE THIS TRUCK ONLY HAVING 8,500 MILES ON IT, BUT WE'VE GOT ALL THE PROOF WE NEED TO JUSTIFY HELPING THE REAR SUSPENSION OUT WITH SOME AIR SPRINGS. NOW WE HAD TO REMOVE OUR GOOSE NECK HITCH TO GIVE US ROOM TO INSTALL THE UPPER BAG MOUNT. ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, IT WAS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD.

AND WITH THE NEW BRACKET BOLTED IN, WE COULD REINSTALL OUR GOOSE NECK SIDE PLATE. DRIVER'S SIDE IS A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX. THIS BRACKET'S IN THE WAY, THERE'S A UREA TANK, AND THE FUEL TANK AS WELL. BUT A COUPLE OF BOLTS AND THINGS GET OUT OF THE WAY.

THIS UNUT HAS TO BE REMOVED. ONCE THE UPPER BAG MOUNT GETS INSTALLED, WELL IT USES THE SAME UPPER BAG MOUNTING BOLT TO HOLD IT IN PLACE.

AND WITH THAT DONE, WE CAN REINSTALL THE DRIVER'S SIDE GOOSE NECK MOUNTING PLATE.

(KEVIN)>> NOW JUST IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF AN AIR SUSPENSION, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF AIR BAGS ON THE ROAD TODAY. AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE RIDE RIGHT SYSTEMS IN USE RIGHT NOW. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE FIRST EXPERIMENTS ON AN AFTERMARKET SUSPENSION SYSTEM WERE DONE IN THE EARLY 1920'S, AND FIRESTONE WAS THE FIRST TO PATENT AN AIR SUSPENSION IN 1938. SINCE THEN THEY'VE BECOME STANDARD ON OPEN ROAD TRUCKS, BUSES, AND ALL KINDS OF DELIVERY VEHICLES, NOT TO MENTION THE CUSTOM CAR AND STREET ROD WORLD. YOU TALK TO THOSE GUYS AND THEY'LL TELL YOU QUICKLY THAT AN AFTERMARKET AIR SYSTEM CAN SERIOUSLY IMPROVE HANDLING AND PERFORMANCE. SO OUR LITTLE BOLT ON PROJECT HERE, IT'S NOT JUST AN AFTERMARKET GADGET. IT'S A TIME TESTED AND PROVEN SYSTEM THAT WORKS. NOW THE LOWER BAG BRACKET SADDLES THE AXLE HOUSING ITSELF. AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE BAG IN PLACE, WELL IT'S GOT THREAD LOCKER PREINSTALLED, WHICH MAKES IT EVEN MORE CONVENIENT. A STRAP AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE AXLE AND A COUPLE OF CARRIAGE BOLTS HOLD IT IN PLACE VERTICALLY...

WHILE A SUPPLIED UBOLT HOLDS THE BRACKET ASSEMBLY IN PLACE UP AGAINST THE SPRING PERCH.

NOW THE PLACEMENT OF THE AIR BAG ITSELF IS VERY WELL EXPLAINED IN THE INSTRUCTION SHEET, BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS NOT TO TWIST THE BAG ONCE IT'S MOUNTED. IF YOU TWIST THE BELLOWS, IT COULD CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE.

NOW ONCE THE BAG IS LOCKED DOWN, THE AIR LINE FITTING ITSELF, AGAIN WHICH IS SUPPLIED WITH THREAD LOCKER, IS SNUGGED INTO PLACE.

(KEVIN)>> HEY, WELCOME BACK TO TRUCKS, WHERE WE'RE INSTALLING OUR FIRESTONE RIDE RIGHT SYSTEM THAT'S GONNA SMOOTH OUT THE LONG HAULS FOR THE SEARCH AND RESTORE TOW RIG. NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE AIR LINES ROUTED, THE BAGS AND BRACKETS INSTALLED, WE CAN FINISH THIS THING UP. NOW IF WE WERE JUST USING THE BASIC KIT, WE WOULD HAVE ROUTED OUR AIR LINES TO THE EXTERNAL FILL VALVES AND MOUNTED THEM RIGHT HERE IN THE BUMPER, AND WE'D BE DONE, BUT WE OPTED FOR SOME ACCESSORIES THAT FIRESTONE ALSO HAS TO OFFER. SO WE'RE UPGRADING TO THE WIRELESS AIR COMMAND SYSTEM, WHICH HAS A COMPRESSOR, AN ECU, A VALVE BLOCK, AND A WIRELESS CONTROLLER THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE CAB. AND SINCE WE'LL NOW HAVE AN ON BOARD COMPRESSOR, WE'RE NO LONGER GONNA HAVE TO RELY ON AN EXTERNAL AIR SUPPLY. NOW WE'RE USING THE AIR ACCESSORY MOUNTING KIT TO MOUNT OUR SYSTEM ON THE FRAME RAIL, BUT YOU COULD MOUNT THE COMPONENTS INDIVIDUALLY. THIS JUST MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE CONVENIENT. NOW THIS IS STILL A NO DRILL INSTALLATION, BUT DEPENDING ON YOUR VEHICLE, YOU MAY HAVE TO REROUTE SOME HARNESSES OR LINES, LIKE OUR UREA LINE. NOW JUST AS WITH ANY AIR OR ELECTRICAL LINES OR LEADS, YOU WANT TO ROUTE THEM AWAY FROM ANY MOVING PARTS. THERE'S TONS OF OPPORTUNITIES UNDERNEATH THE BED OF A PICK UP TRUCK TO KEEP THINGS CLEAR AND OUT OF THE WAY. USING THE LINE CUTTERS GIVES YOU A SQUARE AND BURR FREE CUT, WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR A LEAK FREE INSTALLATION. IT DOESN'T DO MUCH FOR YOUR TOE NAILS THOUGH. NOW DEPENDING ON YOUR SYSTEM, YOU WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUNDLE AND TUCK YOUR WIRING HARNESSES SAFELY OUT OF THE WAY OF ANY FLYING ROAD DEBRIS.

(RYAN)>> FOR POWER AND GROUND CONNECTIONS, WE WENT STRAIGHT TO THE BATTERY.

COOL, I GOT IT. THE SYSTEM ALSO REQUIRES KEY ON POWER. THAT COMES FROM THE FUSE BLOCK. THAT SHOULD DO IT, THAT'S ENOUGH. NOW TO GET ACCESS TO THAT KEY ON POWER, THE KIT INCLUDES A FUSE TAP THAT ALLOWS US TO PLUG RIGHT INTO THE ORIGINAL FUSE LOCATION AND STEAL SOME POWER. NOW THE ORIGINAL FUSE THAT WE REMOVED GETS INSTALLED INTO THE FUSE TAP ALONG WITH THE ADDITIONAL FUSE THAT'S USED TO CONTROL POWER TO THE AIR BAG RIDE CONTROL SYSTEM AND COMPRESSOR.

ALRIGHT, WITH THE SYSTEM PLUMBED AND WIRED, FOR THE MOST PART, WE'VE JUST HAVE SOME CLEAN UP WORK TO DO, I GUESS IT'S TIME TO MAKE SURE WE DID THIS RIGHT.

(KEVIN)>> THE RIDE RIGHT SYSTEM TAKES ABOUT THREE MINUTES TO FULLY INFLATE. SO WE JUST SPED UP THE VIDEO TO SHOW YOU THE ADDITIONAL CLEARANCE WE CREATED.

(RYAN)>> ALRIGHT, WELL OBVIOUSLY THIS THING'S WORKING GREAT INSIDE. WHEN WE GET THE TRUCK BACK TOGETHER, WE'LL TAKE IT OUTSIDE, PUT THE GOOSE NECK TO IT, AND GIVE IT A REAL WORLD TEST.

(RYAN)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOP. WELL WITH OUR SUPPLEMENTAL AIR SPRINGS FINISHED UP, WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE FUEL CAPACITY ISSUE THAT KEVIN TOUCHED ON EARLIER IN THE SHOW. NOW THE STOCK FORD FUEL TANK, IT DOES HOLD 34 GALLONS AND IT'S A PRETTY GOOD SIZE, BUT YOU CAN BURN THROUGH THAT KINDA QUICKLY WHEN YOU'RE TOWING A HEAVY GOOSE NECK TRAILER. SO WE'RE GONNA UPGRADE TO THIS MONSTROUS 60 GALLON TANK THAT WE PICKED UP FROM TITAN. NOW AFTER REMOVING THE FUEL FILLER HOSE, WE REMOVED THE ELECTRICAL AND FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS FROM THE TANK ITSELF. JUST BE CAREFUL!

FOLLOW THAT WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE SIDE SHIELD FOR THE FUEL TANK. NOW WE USED A TRANSFER PUMP TO EMPTY OUT OUR TANK BUT IF YOU TIME IT RIGHT, YOU CAN DO THE INSTALLATION ON YOUR OWN END. LETS SEE HOW BALANCED I HAVE IT. OH YEAH, WE'VE GOT IT PRETTY EMPTY.

NOW WE'RE JUST ABOUT READY TO INSTALL OUR 60 GALLON TITAN TANK, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT WE'VE GOT TO SWAP OVER THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. NOW BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE'VE GOT TO COME IN HERE AND MARK THE LOCATION OF THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION OR TAB. THAT'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE SENDING UNIT IS INDEXED CORRECTLY. IF YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THAT, YOU CAN INSTALL IT THE WRONG WAY. THE FUEL LEVEL SENDER WILL BE BANGING UP AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE TANK AND YOUR FUEL LEVEL GAUGE WON'T READ ACCURATELY.

AFTER REMOVING THE BOLT IN PLATE'S RETAINING RING, WE CAN INSTALL THE FACTORY FUEL SENDING UNIT. BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE NEED TO REMOVE THE FACTORY GREEN FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT ORING. THE BROWN ONE YOU SEE IS SUPPLIED BY TITAN. ALSO, DON'T FORGET TO CLOCK OR INDEX YOU FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT CORRECTLY.

AFTER SNUGGING THE HARDWARE DOWN WITH OUR ELECTRIC IMPACT, WE TORQUED EVERYTHING TO SPEC.

(KEVIN)>> WITH THE OPTIONAL PROTECTIVE SHIELD IN PLACE, WE USED A FLOOR JACK TO RAISE THE TANK UP IN THE MOUNTED POSITION. YEP, THAT'S IT! NOW TITAN SUPPLIES NEW MOUNTING STRAPS FOR THE LARGE CAPACITY TANK WITH THE KIT, BUT YOU WILL REUSE THE FACTORY HARDWARE TO HOLD THEM IN PLACE.

NOW TITAN USES SPACE UNDERNEATH THE CABS NEARLY DOUBLE THE CAPACITY. SO USING THEIR SUPPLIED BRACKETS WITH THE BOLTS INSTALLED WILL GET THE FRONT OF THE TANK MOUNTED SAFELY.

NOW REINSTALLING THE FACTORY FUEL LINES AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR IS VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD, BUT YOU DO HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA PROJECT HERE. WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO IS INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL VENT LINE, WHICH COMES IN THE FORM OF A "T" FITTING AND AN EXTRA RUBBER HOSE THAT GETS STRAPPED ON TO THE EXISTING FORD VENT LINE AND ROUTED BACK UP INTO THE SIDE OF THE BED. NOW WE HAD THE BED OFF TO SHOW YOU DETAILS BUT REMEMBER, BOTH OF THESE INSTALLATIONS CAN BE DONE WITH THE BED IN PLACE. LOOKS PRETTY GOOD HERE, YEP! AFTER MAKING SURE NOTHING WAS IN A BIND, THE DIESEL AND UREA FILLER NECKS WERE LOCKED IN, WRAPPING THIS PROJECT UP.

(RYAN)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME BACK TO TRUCKS. WELL WE'VE GOT OUR BIG, HEAVY GOOSE NECK TRAILER HOOKED TO OUR TRUCK. WE'VE EVEN GOT A CAR INSIDE TO SIMULATE A TYPICAL LOAD FOR THE SEARCH AND RESTORE RIG. WITH OUR HELPER SPRINGS INSTALLED AND INFLATED, WE'VE GOT A GOOD COUPLE OF INCHES IN BETWEEN THE SUPPLEMENTAL SPRING AND ITS BUMP STOP, AND THAT'S GONNA GIVE THIS TRUCK A MORE CONTROLLED RIDE AND A MORE COMFORTABLE RIDE FOR THE GUYS INSIDE. NOW IF WE HADN'T HAVE ADDED THIS SYSTEM, HERE'S WHERE THE TRUCK WOULD BE SITTING WITH A FULLY LOADED TRAILER.

AND WHILE THESE HELPER SPRINGS WILL GIVE YOU A MORE COMFORTABLE AND CONTROLLED RIDE, THEY WON'T INCREASE YOUR OVERALL GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING, OR GVWR. THAT'S SET BY THE FACTORY AND YOU CAN'T CHANGE IT. ALRIGHT, WELL THERE YOU GO. WITH OUR HELPER SPRINGS INSTALLED, THIS TRUCK IS COMPLETELY READY TO HEAD HALF WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO PICK UP THE NEXT VEHICLE FOR SEARCH AND RESTORE.

NOW IF YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR TIRES FOR YOUR CLASSIC VEHICLE, YOU MAY BE FACING A DECISION. DO YOU GO WITH THE TRADITIONAL STYLING OF A BIAS PLY OR THE MODERN PERFORMANCE OF A RADIAL? WELL WITH THE EXCELSIOR STALL SPORT RADIALS, YOU CAN HAVE BOTH. THESE RADIAL TIRES LOOK LIKE BIAS PLY TIRES BUT THEY RIDE AND HANDLE MUCH, MUCH BETTER. AND THERE'S OVER 20 DIFFERENT SIZES TO CHOOSE FROM. THESE AMERICAN MADE TIRES ARE DOT APPROVED AND MAKE THE PERFECT REPLACEMENT FOR YOUR ROUGH RIDING BIAS PLY TIRES. PICK YOURS UP AT COKER TIRE. NOW EVERY TRUCK OUT THERE HAS BATTERY CABLES. IT'S JUST A NECESSITY, BUT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH, CUMBERSOME, AND KINDA HEAVY. THAT'S WHERE ACCEL'S LIGHTNING CABLE COMES IN. IT'S ABOUT HALF THE WEIGHT OF STANDARD BATTERY CABLES AND ABOUT 37 PERCENT MORE FLEXIBLE. AND HERE'S THE SECRET. NOW IT LOOKS LIKE STANDARD COPPER BATTERY CABLE, BUT IT'S JUST A COPPER COATING OVER THE TOP OF AN ALUMINUM CORE, AND THAT'S WHERE IT GETS ITS FLEXIBILITY AND LIGHT WEIGHT. NOW THESE CABLES ARE AVAILABLE IN PRECUT AND PRETERMINATED LENGTHS, OR BULK SPOOLS, ALSO AVAILABLE IN BLACK OR RED. SO THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE MESSING AROUND WITH SOME BATTERY CABLES, REACH FOR ACCEL'S LIGHTNING CABLE.

(KEVIN)>> IF YOU'VE GOT A CLASSIC CHEVY TRUCK WITH SHINY PAINT AND CRUSTY TRIM, THAT'S NOT GONNA CUT IT. THAT'S WHERE BROTHER'S TRUCK PARTS COMES IN. BROTHERS IS AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR 1947 THROUGH 1987 CHEVROLET TRUCK PARTS AND ACCESSORIES, LIKE THESE REPRODUCTION DOOR HANDLES AND WINDOW CRANKS THAT ARE BEAUTIFULLY CHROMED AND FACTORY CORRECT. LIGHTS, LENSES, BEZELS, STAINLESS STEEL TRIM RINGS, AND GASKETS AND GROMMETS. AND THINGS LIKE THESE LITTLE SPRING STEEL CLIPS THAT EITHER GET LOST OR DETERIORATE OVER TIME. WELL THEY'VE GOT THEM BRAND NEW. IF YOU'VE GOT A LATE '60'S TRUCK, NO PROBLEM, REPRODUCTION LENSES, WINDOW CRANKS, ANODIZED TRIM PIECES, AND FACTORY CORRECT REPRODUCTION EMBLEM. OR IF YOU'VE GOT A 1973 THROUGH '87 CHEVY TRUCK, THEY'VE GOT YOU COVERED THERE AS WELL. AS WELL AS ALL THE PARTS, BROTHERS HAS A GREAT WEBSITE WITH LIVE HELP, ALL OF THEIR CATALOGS, AND TONS OF PHOTOGRAPHS, WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IDEAS FOR A CUSTOM TRUCK OR REFERENCE SHOTS FOR YOUR RESTORATION. SO CHECK OUT BROTHERS TRUCKS DOT COM.