So long story short I have a 99 f250 xl, 7.3 130k. Overall good truck but has no options, never had AC but would like to add it. I have seen the kits on bought4less, but 1400$ seems steep. So I'm thinking all the factory parts should be bolt on, since the holes should be all there, and since most of the wiring should be there. I just need to collect all the parts. Has anyone actually completed it, I've seen threads asking about it but no one says if they did it or not. Also one question I have is, what goes through the firewall. Is it just the lines, or how does the ac get to the vents? Dumb question but don't get that part of it. And insight on this is greatly appreciated.

 

Whoa I didn't even know ac was an option I thought it was standard? All of the xl at work have ac.

 

This truck didn't even have a back seat in an extended cab!

 

Anyone have any experience with this

 

if you follow the heater lines back to the firewall you will see an air box they connect to. The blower motor will be right there as well. Passenger side front behind the glovebox side of firewall.

In your truck there is just a heater core.

In an a/c truck there is a heater core and an evaporator core (how the cold air gets to the truck). I would imagine you would need the box and controls that houses that unit. You would also need an accumulator, the compressor, its mount, lines, and a condensor core mounted out at the radiator. You would also need the inside control panel. You would also have to add the terminals to the fuse box for the fuses and relay.

Essentially, you would need a donor truck and the time. I looked at the kit you mentioned and it has everything premade for you to install it just like it came from the factory. If you look up the price of just the two cores and the compressor and its mount, its really not a terrible price. It has everything but the freon in it.


There are quite a few companies that make add on a/c that may be less expensive. DTAC, Vintage air, Red Dot, Visionaire, etc. I have never heard of the one you mentioned.

Another option is something like this. It does not specify btu/cooling capacity.

Underdash AC


They have advantages and disadvantages. The cold air unit is usually a bolt on underdash unit and can have several configurations. You would still need the compressor & mount, to add a condensor out by the radiator, but the evaporator, fan, psi switches, etc are usually contained in the underdash unit. Essentially, you run the lines and the power, and its ready to go once you fill with freon.

I knew quite a few of the OBS trucks could be non-ac but did not know that it was even offered in the 99 and up. I know nobody that has done it but its possible with a little experience and time.

 

I think I'm going to look into the universal under dash unit, then just get stock compressor and condenser. I will just need to make some custom flex lines though. And figure out how to mount it without looking terrible.

 

Try to find out the cooling capacity of whatever unit you install that is non factory. Some may blow cold air but be too small to cool the interior of the truck.

 

It says 13700 btu and 350 cfm, does that seem like enough cooling capacity. 13700 seems like plenty but idk.