1999 F250 V10/6.8 I purchased this truck February 1, 2010. It is a 1999 Ford F250 Lariat Super Duty 4x4 with the 6.8 liter v10 and automatic transmission. This truck had 92,250 miles at the time of purchase. This truck is excellent shape it drives and shifts as expected but did need a little tlc, Upon purchasing this truck I pulled it in the shop to check the bearings, brakes, and all other wear components. I found it was only in need of a few replacement parts which included a lower ball joint on the driver side as well as new sway bar end links. After replacing these wear items I also did a fluid and filter change. This is my Toy Hauler and will be drove mostly on the road so the modifications I do to it will be looking to help it excel in doing so. I do however have several items in mind for this project so stay tuned to see how it turns out. Rough Country Add-a-leafs Upon purchase of this truck I found the front end set considerable lower than the rear, this was caused because my truck has the f350 blocks in the rear which are 4" instead of the f250 2" block. I suppose this was done to keep the truck level when under heavy load, seeing I will never have this truck loaded with more than 5-6000lbs I decided to call Rough Country in search of raising the front end slightly and on a budget. I found they offer an 2" add a leaf kit which is what I choose for this truck. After installing the kit I find I like the ride better due to less sway in the turns, less nose dive when applying the brakes, no more spring wrap when applying the brakes, as well as a 2" increase in height of the front suspension. 5 Star custom Tunes For this truck I choose the SCT X3 from Mike at 5 Star tuning.With this tuner I received three custom tunes which were already installed upon arrival. I choose the 87 performance, 87 tow, and 93 performance tunes. I was told to expect at best 1-2mpg improvement with this tuner due to the increase power and improved shifting strategies. I figure seeing I was getting 9-10mpg in stock form if I gain 2mpg (being optimistic) for a total of 11-12 mpg in town over a period of 10-15,000 miles this unit would pay for itself and begin putting money back into my pocket. This tuner is very simple to use, after a couple minutes of reading I headed to the truck to flash the 87 performance tune. This tune has made a huge improvement in shift strategies, my truck now shifts firm and at a lower rpm than before. These quick shifts should yield less wear and tear on the transmission with cooler operating temps because of less slippage between gears. The truck also pulls much stronger and revs up faster due to the noticeable power increase. I have not put enough miles on my truck with this tuner to get a confident mpg reading yet but I will update when I do. Rough Country Steering Stabilizer This is an excellent product from Rough Country which stiffens the steering assembly in order to do away with the wondering at high speeds caused by larger tires (A duel stabilizer setup is recommend for 34 inch and taller tires). A Steering Stabilizer also lightens the vibrations found in the front-end which in turn extends the life of the tie-rods, ball joints, and other steering components. My truck was not originally equipped with a steering stabilizer but this kit from Rough Country included everything necessary to mount it to my 99 f250. Drop in bed-liner After much consideration I decided on a factory Ford drop in bed-liner. I considered the brush on and spray on bed-liners but the bed of my truck has a few dents which would still show with anything but the drop in liners. I also wanted something that was removable so for me the drop in liner was a no brainer.. MasterCraft Courser A/T 2's Shortly after purchasing this truck I decided I wanted and needed a little more aggressive set of tires. This truck will not be drove on any aggressive trails and most of its time will be spent on the paved roads. With this in mind I went to the local tire shop to see what they had to offer in a 285-75-16 (stock was 265-75-16) that would not only ride smooth on the road but would offer decent traction offroad. They had several tires in this size but after considering all my options I decided on the Mastercraft Courser A/T 2's. These tires have fairly deep lugs with a tight spaced tread pattern so they ride smooth at interstate speeds and with little if any noticeable noise. These tires have a decent bite when offroad, they are not a mud tire but they are the compromise I was looking for. Bug Shield This item attaches to the hood and not only gives your vehicle a more distinctive look but also makes cleaning much easier. This is because when bugs hit the automotive paint they tend to stick and sometimes require firm rubbing/scrubbing to remove them. Bugs are easily removed from one of these bug shields as well as bugs are less noticeable when on the shield as opposed to the paint. Vent Visors/Rain Guards Vent Visors allow you to have the windows down slightly even when it is raining without allowing the rain to get in the vehicle. Having the windows down allows fresh air to enter the vehicle which in return keeps interior temperatures down, making it more comfortable for occupants. Cooler temperatures also cause less stress on the vehicle interior. These are "in channel" which attach on the inside of the window channel and not on the paint as some do. |