1693 Avg mpg = 13.9

385 mi trip pulling my 5er of 8202 lbs + load out takes to about 9500 lbs + 11.6 - 12 for an avg of 11.8. About ⅓ was ranch roads in the hill country, hard on mpg, then up the toll road at 70 mph, same going back.

Drives and handles like a dream, the stiffer frame is noticeable and better handling and response to inputs.

Seats: Nice, very nice but NOT the seats I had in my 15, but still quite comfortable.

Features: Almost overwhelming there is so many neat things and stuff to learn vs my '15 KR. Favs: Tire pressure, love it, beats getting on hands and knees to do it, trailer towing suite. WOW, just WOW but my fav maybe checking lights and connections from the drivers seat. Of course the auto dim and auto wipers are nice to say the very least.

Towing: The 3:55 gear-set is good and I get better mpg by a little. I do miss my 3.73 cogs as coupled to the 6.7 and it was a 0-100 in an what seemed like an instant. The 3:55 cogs just don't slam you back in the seat as hard. In fact it accelerates like a truck in city traffic, whereas my '15 and 3L73's worked better in heavy freeway San Antonio traffic, I could grab the openings sooner.

It tows as if nothing is attached, even at nearly 10k lbs.

Headroom: Enough for my 6'2" frame and my cowboy hat too, even with the sun/moon roof thing.

Stuff bordering on GENIUS: The 2/4 sliding cup holder, the secret compartment on the dash passenger side, good place to keep your Desert Eagle .50 AE pistol.

Back seat. The dogs, the 3 boys LOVE IT and love the heated seat, the 2 girls like the added 4" in the floor.

Comfort: Not sure on that, I made a 3400 mi road trip in my 15 right before I got rid of it and those seats made it easy on my old Infantry Rucksack carrying back, hoping the new one will do same same.

Likability factor: Liked my '09 F 350 SRW, great truck. Then '11 came along DRW, this kicked it up a notch or 2, only good and liked it A LOT. Usher in the '15 King Ranch DRW and it was the beginning of a love affair. Then the '17 KR SRW arrives on the scene and swept me off my feet, this is true love by the lights of the dashboard in 7 colors.

Amazing: Never knew a diesel truck could be this quiet inside, even the wife is impressed on that. Sadly I can still hear the Dodge boys as they blow past, rolling coal and side view mirrors that look like front legs on a cat that just bit into 110 volts. I have noticed that Dodge boys will work their way in traffic to get a looky loo, the STOMP the go pedal hoping to impress...in your dreams sunshine. And while you are at it, skip a payment and see a dentist, they can fix that ay know.

Overall: A+ for sure, a truck you can love!

Downer: Well, yea there is. Its never gonna be that ole old Chevy 3500 ranch truck with that stove bolt 6 and babbitt bearings that burnt a quart of oil every 100 mi or so. And even that was good, as we changed our own oil and saved from the Ford Tractors and household cars we would pour it in the ranch truck.

Sure it was a beater and well past 200k miles when the speedo quit. My '17 will never know oak and pine pin stripping, retread tires or MayPops as we called them, My '17 has electric wipers so they don't slow down if you give it go-pedal while its raining like the vacuum ones. My 17 will never have a rats nest in that old 6x9 mono tone radio speaker, nor will it have springs that will stab you in the butt on a hard bump. My 17 has power steering, not the StrongArm power steering and my 17 will never have a necker **** on the steering wheel either. And not sure I will ever had those fond memories again of being 14 and learning to drive it around on our old dirt roads.

 

Great review! Awesome story reminded me of the first truck I drove as a kid prior to having a drivers license :-)

Cheers to great memories!

 

That's some funny stuff right there!

 

Awesome review.

I crashed my truck in HS and dad made me drive his 51 Chevy he was going to rebuild. I know all about the wipers and it seemed like it had to rain everyday I would take it to work.

 

How did the new srw tow compared to your old drw?

 

Hard to compare, my DRW was hauling right at 6000 lbs in the bed and pulling a trailer with about 2500+, it was setup with Hellwig Big wig sways F/R, stable Loads and Rancho RS9000 all the way around, the new SRW only pulls about 9500 max and both haul/pull exceptionally well. Truth be known I am sure that old '54 chevy 3500 would haul and pull it to as long as you in no rush to get there and had LOTS of oil.

We bought used motor oil from a station over in town. The guy had 2 55 gal drums stuffed with raw cotton and he changed oil and dumped the oil in the top drum and it would flow thru and into the next one. He would sell it for 15 cents or 2 qts for a quarter if you added it there, take home in your own container was same price as adding it there but IIRC if you got 5 gals it was only 10 cents a qt.

 

Thanks for the write up, nice work. I agree 100% on your gearing assessment. It blows me away that with this double OD .67 final drive 6R140, Ford won't allow one to opt the 3.73 in these trucks. Really too bad.

 

 

Great thoughts and write-up!

 

Ha Ha nice write up. Brought back memories of a old Rambler I had that had no floor boards and every little breaks. I had to put plywood on the floor to keep my feet from getting wet going through mud puddles. My emergency break, if I needed one was sticking my leg through the hole in the floor and stopping with my foot, kinda like Fred Flintstone. Think Go I never needed it.

 

Great write up and memories. Lots of folks share the same sentiments if not the exact same experiences. It's great to have the historical perspective to shine the light on all the miracles we enjoy today.

 

Nice write up.

You had me arm chair traveling into my automobile youth tonight.

 

Thanks all for the comments, good to hear others remember like this old man does. Wish I still had that ole 54 Chevy 3500, it was a 5 window Deluxe which I think meant it had chrome bumpers, grill and window trim and a radio. It had a BIG 6 in which really made it rare for the day and a Caddy hydramatic trans, all OEM, not sure what gears it had but time you hit 70 mph it was screaming. When we sold it it was rust and dent free. Speaking of memories. Had a '39 Ford and the rear axle used Woodruff keys in the hubs. Over time the key would wear and then snap letting the axle spin in the wheel hub. Stop, jack up the car put in new Woodruff key and drive on, But over time that breakage and then the spin wold gnaw grooves in the axle shaft. My fix was to walk around and find a beer can, pull out my KaBar and use the can as a full wrap shim. Worked great but about a couple of hundred miles later it was time to do it over again.

Had lots of tricks back in those days:

Tune up in a can: Lead in gas would build up on the valves and the engine loose compression and power. No sweat, empty coke or beer can would fix. Fill with water, fire up engine to operation temp and slowly pour the can of water down the carb, car would run like new.

Whining in axle or transmission: EZ my friend, get some hardwood saw dust or chips from where you cut down that old oak tree. Mix with some 90 wt gear lube and stuff inside your trans and axle....make it as quite as a church mouse running on cotton.

Connecting rod slap: Babbitt bearings have a short life and to make replacing main crankshaft bearings a simple and quick job, drop the oil pan and one at a time remove the bearing caps and grab that bundle of oiled harness leather that sold down at the feed store. Lay it in the bearing cap, replace bearing cap, trim with KaBar. Don't worry about torque wrenches and junk like that, not needed, besides you will replace that harness leather sooner or later, depends upon how much hay you haul.

 

Are you referring to the upper glovebox? Although I cannot begin to see how a full size handgun could fit in there...

 

Yea the upper, I think my M9 will fit, not sure about my 1911? But nothing with a a cyl is gonna fit...