I've been lurking in this forum for the last week or so, gathering a lot of information, so I thought I'd share a few photos of my new truck. I've been a member here for a long time but mostly hang out the in the 73-79 room, or in the 04-09 F150 room. I started looking at trading my 05 F150 on a Super Duty this spring, since the F150 isn't quite big enough for hauling my '79 F350 to the truck pulls. I was looking to trade straight-up, since I am building a shop this summer and didn't want to dip in to savings right now.

This past Monday I found exactly what I was looking for - 2004 F250 Crew Cab, short bed, V10 6spd, manual 4x4. It only has 62K on it, and my F150 had 74K miles, and given the options the blue book value was identical for both trucks. The Super Duty isn't perfect, it has a crack in the windshield, and the rear quarters are just starting to bubble from rust, but my F150 needed tires, inspection, and upper ball joints. The paint was also peeling around the gas door (common F150 issue), the exhaust was broke off at the back of the muffler, and the passenger side automatic hub was broken. I traded my truck plus $500 cash for this Super Duty, which basically paid for the title transfer, license upgrade and transfer, plus a few hundred in the dealer's pocket for the deal.

Overall I am very happy with the truck. It drives beautiful, runs awesome, and is more comfortable for me (I'm 6'4) than my F150.

I still have the 22" wheels and Nitto TGs from my F150, which I'm planning to sell and put the cash towards a set of 35s and a set of flares (to cover up the rust on the quarters). I also have a new Magnaflow muffler that I got for the F150 that I never installed, so its going on the Super Duty. Besides that, the windows are getting tinted, and its getting the wheels ran off of it.

Anyway, enough talk, here are the photos.

 

Congrat's on the new Super Duty!

 

Great truck! Welcome to the wonderful world of Super Duty ownership.

 

Welcome Fellow Superduty
That is an nice rig, you look the same as mine except your a crew cab and I'm an supercab. Don't forget to update your Signature.

 

Thanks for the reminder, I was just noticing that myself. I think I'll do that right now...

 

No prob Eric, if you want some idea's look in my garage as I'm the same two tone paint

 

Nice truck Surge. Biggest thing for me right now is to get the windows tinted and some 35s on it. I tried going up the same tractor road that I had my F150 on a few days ago and couldn't make it because this thing was dragging the axles the whole way. Definitely need more ground clearance. This summer I will pick up some flares for it, still trying to decide what to get.

Btw, my gate is kinda banged up so I've been looking for used gates. There is a guy locally that deals in take-off beds and gates, and he has ones for my truck for $475!! I thought that was high, but he also has 08 take-off gates with a new trunion for the lift assist for $425. I think that's what I'm going to get. I really like the 08 gates anyway.

 

I have an 4 inch lift with 35's on mine

 

Do you think the 35s would have fit without a lift? I had 35s on my F150 with only a front leveling kit.

 

those flares are expensive, my 99 they are 400 for the rear and 450 for the fronts. and i'll be putting a 2 inch leveling kit and 35's on it his summer! great looking rig for you though, you'll love it!

 

What? Are you referring to OEM fender flares? I would never spend that kind of $$$ for those fender flares...

Bushwacker just introduced a new "Extend-A-Fender" flares for the 1999-2007 Super Duties. They cost $347.98 for the complete set but they will need to be painted to match the truck.

Bushwacker Extend-A-Fender Flares - Bushwacker 20928-02 - TruckCustomizers.com

Bushwacker - Fender Results

 

I really like the look of the Bushwacker Extend-A-Flares, but I don't need 2" of tire coverage, and I'm afraid it will look goofy with big flares and stock wheels. I'm planning to run the 35s on the stock chrome wheels unless I can find a set of stock aluminum wheels for it. I don't want to go with aftermarket wheels on this truck because I'll be running them in the winter and PA road treatments are murder on aftermarket wheels.

I've been searching this forum for a few days now trying to narrow the choices on flares. The OEM Bushwackers are still a possibility, since they only have 1.5" of coverage. I'd go for the Street flares with only 3/4" of tire coverage, as I like the looks the best, but I don't think they will cover all of the rust. I like the ATS flares, but I think they are a little too wide for me as well.

 

i haven't bought the pocket style flares yet. i have to come out 3 inches with the tires i have on. or maybe i'll go with a narrower tire.

 

So, its been a few weeks since I got my Super Duty, so I figured I'd post some progress pics. It is getting closer to where I want it to be, but still not done yet.

So, just a refresher, this is what it loooked like when I picked it up:





And here's what it looks like today:







Mods so far:
Removed dumb 4x4 stickers on the rear quarters
Window tint
6-spoke aluminum Super Duty wheels
315/75/16 Hankook Mud Terrains

I also picked up an 08 tailgate to install since mine is pretty banged up, but I need to paint it before it goes on. I'm also seriously considering regearing to 4.30s, since it has 3.73s now and is kinda sluggish with the 35s on. I'm planning on towing the '79 to the truck pulls a lot this summer, so the extra gear will help. Other than that, the only other things I want to add are ventvisors and some factory-style foglights.

That's all for now.

 

Here is an write up I did on the install of the 2008 Tailgate. This may be helpful to you

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...tructions.html