First off, those numbers aren't set in stone. They're my goals. If they're unrealistic without spending a crazy amount of money please tell me now. I want a built truck, without being crazy over the top. I want a daily driver (decent MPGs), a truck that'll tow anything i put behind it with ease while keeping gauges in check (12-16k pounds), and something that'll smoke the tires off of it without problem if i lay my foot into it.

I already know i have the eerrr sickness, but before my dad gave me this truck that needed repairs (transmission, front axle work, leaf spring hangers, etc) he made a comment along the lines of "that old truck won't ever be able to spin the tires". Needless to say when i'm finished i want him to be able to drive it and shake his head.

I believe the 400/800 range (from the reading i've done) is about the cut off before things start to get really expensive and elaborate and complicated and delicate. I still want a reliable truck.

I've done a lot of reading, but i'd like someone to sort of give me a shopping list of what to look out for and what to buy so i can slowly start accumulating parts.

I currently have a 1999 F550 in my possession to pull parts from if any of that motor wise or anything off of that is an upgrade.

Here's what i think i need so far;

1. Bigger Injectors (mine are stock, they're starting to get worn out, i need new ones anyway)
2. Bigger Turbo (which one i have no idea)
3. Intercooler (I have one from an e99 i need to install)
4. E-fuel (I have the stock setup from an e99 as well but someone said it was finicky?)
5. Valve springs & Pushrods
6. Head Studs
7. Upgraded Hpop
8. Custom Tuner (My canned TS won't cut it.)

My truck is going to stay stock ride height, stock size tires, and everything else stock. My conerns are this;

1. Bigger turbo. I've read about bigger turbos and it seems bigger turbos need bigger downpipes. I currently have a 3" downpipe and that's tight. I really dont want to try to squeeze a 4" downpipe in there, but if it comes to that, i guess i'll cram a 4" in there and push the firewall in more.

2. Transmission. I don't think my current trans will hold those numbers for long. Granted i know the guy that built it pretty well and i could talk to him about it. I guess i should look into a BTS or a John Woods for the long run.

3. Any other useful tid-bits i should know? Do's and don'ts? Regrets? Things you wish you did different?

And once again, thanks to all of you!

 

See above,

The common misconception for most is that running at a 400/850 setting towing 16k will not be feasible and reliable without getting really expensive. Its hard on the stock driveline too, not only the trans, but u joints, pinion bearings, diffs, springs, etc. Ladder bars help a lot with this and are fairly cheap. Consider maybe running around in a 300/620 range when towing heavy and crank it up when you want to go hot rod around. I say this keeping in mind reliability, being able to do it year around without major issues. Towing a few thousand miles in a high setting once or twice a year is one thing. Doing so consistently over a lot of miles is another.

There will be a lot of guys on here able to chime in with great info. Glenn and others tow heavy loads quite often, and can provide some quality input on experience.

It also depends on where you are towing, I always error on the conservative side pulling in the mountains of CO vs the flats with dense FL air. Some people do not think it makes a difference. It absolutely does IMO.

 

I am not sure what your thinking this is going to cost...
I can say from experience that it's not cheap to mod one of these like some other platforms. As far as spinning tires...i wouldn't know.

Start reading and looking at what others have done

------------>and what is at the bottom of most of our sigs for what we do have and use them for.
Not much virgin ground to be had on these ol relics

 

I guarantee mine is real close to the 400/800 numbers you want. Take a look at my sig for the list of mods. Stage ones will do it, but you gotta max them out. And I tow in the highest hp tune I have all the time.

And like Aaron said, it's not cheap..

 

I just built s long block capable of handling well over 700hp and have 9k in it.

IMO the perfect tow rig would have
6637 intake
4" exhaust
Gauges
Pushrods
Valve springs
Head studs
Stage 1.5's
E-fuel
intercooler
T500 hpop
Custom tuning
Built trans if auto
Valair clutch if zf5
S366 t4 mount

 

Ok. Been thinking about this more and more on the back-burner recently.

The injectors are getting worn out and old and i need to replace them soonish.

I've been looking at injectors and i've been looking at the baby swamps pretty hard. My criteria is i want to simply be able to replace the injectors (stock turbo, hpop, no e-fuel, etc) and have my truck back to not smoking like a banshee when i start it up. The added power would also be nice.

I've also been looking at the Rosewood Stage-1 160cc with stock nozzles. I'm down to either those, or the baby swamps.

When i replace the injectors i'm also going to throw the SD 7.3 intercooler i've had in storage on at the same time and then splurge on a tuner with good tunes, but that's about all i can swing on the truck right now.

I guess what i'm asking is between the rosewoods and the baby swamps what would you guys recommend if you were in my shoes? Truck normally tows 7-9k pounds.

Keep noted that everything else motor wise is stock and i'd like to keep it that way until i can go full out on the thing.

Rolled 3,000 miles on her last weekend. Shot down to Florida to pick up a TDI. God i love that truck.

 

Beautiful truck!

 

Well, you always have a place to rest when you take a bed with you.

I would lean towards the Rosewood injectors. I have NEVER seen anyone have a bad experience with Jim. My brother has had his in for a couple years now and it still runs great. When mine begin to struggle he will be my only call.

 

Rosewood
You can't beat the customer service

 

i found that sucker on the local Craigslist for $400 in Florida. Totally mint rust free bed with a tailgate. Never know when I'm going to need a spare bed so I grabbed it.

i had my buddy with me so we drove straight through but if I were alone I would of totally slept back there.

You don't foresee any problems running the 160cc rosewood injectors with stock turbo, hpop, mech fuel, etc etc?

 

You can,lots do. I personally would not without efuel and gauges.
If you are staying stock then just go with a fresh set of stockers. Later if you want to do hpop,efuel then have them modded. the stock pump suxs even in stock trucks. I would not have any obs with a mech pump even if stock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

^^^^^x2
I have stage 1's with some other mods but I know it needs e-fuel and a performance turbo along with i/c and then I'll be done haha o ya I got get a tranny in there lol