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I've seen where several folks have started a build thread and it seems like a great idea, so here goes mine and my progress over the last week since I picked the truck up.
First off, I had oil in the coolant, so I flushed the radiator and cleaned it out with Cascade. Decided to hold off on an oil cooler rebuild based on how clean the current oil cooler is, I believe the PO replaced the o rings and just never flushed the system.
Following the coolant flush I replaced the mirrors with the newer style, bigger mirrors with the turn signals. Haven't hooked up the signals yet, but that's a project for another day. They're on, I can see better and they just flat out LOOK so much better. I thought that my motors were bad in the original mirrors due to both sides only operating in one direction, but it turns out my switch is bad. New one arrived last nigh, will be on before the day is up.
Up next on the chopping block was my busted up air filter housing, that junk HAD to go! I replaced the stock box with an S&B and all I can say is WOOOWWWW!!!! This truck found pep I didn't know it had, plus I can hear my turbo spooling up AND down as I give it throttle and let off. Woke ol Buford up in a BIG way! Probably my favorite improvement so far.
The truck came to me with 265/75/R16 mud tires and I HATED that roar as I hit highway speeds, so I knew that I wanted rid of those ASAP and honestly, the truck looked like it had been skipping leg day, so I ordered some 305/70/R16s. Before those would fit under the front, I knew that the front end was going to need levelled up with the back. I just went with one of the cheaper options, the Rough Country spring pack. Basically blocks made of short leaf springs. Set it up and made it look just right! Also my steering was sloppy as all get out, I mean a good 3+" of play in the wheel, so I also ordered a Rough Country Dual steering stabilizer kit to throw on there. I figured while I was up under there, might as well do it all at once. Tightened my steering up a lot, took it from 3+" to maybe 1½". Gonna take some getting used to, as it doesn't pull itself back to center like other vehicles I've owned, but definitely worth a little bit of adjustment on my end if the wheel. Also had new tie rod ends and drag link installed while they were mounting my new tires and doing an alignment, that left me with just around an inch of slop in the steering and I figure that's got to be a nearly 20yr old steering gear box just doing its best to keep up. It definitely goes where you point it now!
MOST of the time it runs and idles just fine, but on occasion, it sounds almost like a "lope" in the idle. Had a diesel mechanic buddy look at it and he said most likely HPOP hoses, seeing as how there's oil in the valley and you can see it leaking from the driver's side connector. Ordered a set from CNC FABRICATION and they look nice, but I was less than thrilled to see CHINA stamped across the fittings 😡🤬. Oh well, they're bought and paid for and going on today. My truck doesn't have the crossover line, the holes are still plugged, so I'm excited to hear the difference when I get that equalizing line on there.
Also going on today after the oil lines is my new headlights, I got the ones with the clear lenses top.and bottom with the orange square in the bottom outside corner and am gonna pair them with some 9007 LED lights. I might get cussed when I meet traffic on occasion, but if they feel the need to bright light me, I'll just give them the ol' pullback on the light stick and let them see what my BRIGHTS look like! I value my ability to see downrange both day AND night!
My plastic bump trim on both doors is wanting to peel up, but I've seen some pics on here of truck going "bald" and pulling those off and I really like that look. I don't mind parking in the back of the parking lots away from the buggies that might bump my truck and make me wish I'd left that trim on, so that will probably come off today as well. It's been an eventful week to say the least, and I've spent a little money and a fair amount of time on it, but I LOVE THIS TRUCK! This is my first foray into the diesel world, but between this excellent page, YouTube and talking to other PSD guys, I'm learning more every day. Truck isn't perfect, but I'm only a week deep and I'm more than happy with it! Anyways, here's some pictures. I know y'all like pictures 😉 Between the bigger tires and the leveling kit, I think this thing sits PERFECT now. Oooohhh.... Shiny.... Still haven't applied my Rough Country stickers, the rams were greasy and I had been laying and crawling on concrete for about 6hrs. I'll get to them.
Nice work so far. Good on ya for finding CNC Fab. Corey is second to none, seriously. Some unsolicited advice...skip the crossover line. it doesn't make that much of a difference and most have had leak issues with the line. You can get the same effect by pulling the two check valves out of the HPOP fittings when you change the line. Save the 50 bucks and don't create two more leak points. You'll be glad you didn't do it.
Nice work so far. Good on ya for finding CNC Fab. Corey is second to none, seriously. Some unsolicited advice...skip the crossover line. it doesn't make that much of a difference and most have had leak issues with the line. You can get the same effect by pulling the two check valves out of the HPOP fittings when you change the line. Save the 50 bucks and don't create two more leak points. You'll be glad you didn't do it.
Good info, thanks! I'm always open to advice! I've already got the crossover, but skipping it will save me a little time today, and I can always put that on later if I decide to or save it for a spare if I have a failure on the road.
Update on ol' Buford. Got my hpop hoses done, 4hrs on my knees on the radiator support is NOT fun for a 250lb human. Also got the mirror switch installed. Aftermarket switch was just a fuzz bigger than OEM, but about 2 minutes worth of whittlin with the ol handydandy pocket knife and it fit like a glove. So nice being able to adjust my mirrors from the driving position. Installed my new lights, loving how much they dressed my front end up. Also changed my oil and put a new ICP on, fixed my surging idle. Truck runs like a big, noisy sewing machine now! I love my Powerstroke AND the Powerstroke community! Seriously some of the best, friendliest people around!! Thanks for all the help folks! I've got this thing ready for my 600mi work trip, 7-12s on this one for the next 2 weeks, but as soon as I get on a 5 or 6 10s schedule, expect some more updates on my progress!
I might get cussed when I meet traffic on occasion, but if they feel the need to bright light me, I'll just give them the ol' pullback on the light stick and let them see what my BRIGHTS look like! I value my ability to see downrange both day AND night!
You seem to have failed to recognize that people don't typically flash because they think that your high beams are already on; they flash you because they can't see. It's awful selfish and it's a grossly growing problem with selfishness on the nation's highways.
It works in both directions, guy.
It's no different than those stupid ****ing LED light bars that people won't turn off when meeting opposing traffic and those people who use FOG LIGHTS as extra low beam headlights on crystal clear nights.
You seem to have failed to recognize that people don't typically flash because they think that your high beams are already on; they flash you because they can't see. It's awful selfish and it's a grossly growing problem with selfishness on the nation's highways.
It works in both directions, guy.
It's no different than those stupid ****ing LED light bars that people won't turn off when meeting opposing traffic and those people who use FOG LIGHTS as extra low beam headlights on crystal clear nights.
Fog lights go off when high beams go on, or at least they're supposed to. I know that I've never bright lighted someone when I could see that their fog lights were on, I was aware that their lights were just super bright. The only way around that problem is to update your own lights. I will agree with you on the light bars tho, those things are monstrously bright and way overkill for road driving, especially when there's any traffic.
What tire company did you go with and did the 305 tire fit well on the factory 16" stockers? I am about to replace my skinny 265s with something bigger, but keeping my stockers. I am also adding a front level kit too.
What tire company did you go with and did the 305 tire fit well on the factory 16" stockers? I am about to replace my skinny 265s with something bigger, but keeping my stockers. I am also adding a front level kit too.
Hercules Terra Trac AT2s. Fit the stock rims just fine but you'll need to put your 2" leveling kit on first or they'll rub. I'm loving these tires, they ride better and are so much quieter than the mud tires I took off there. I think you'll be pleased if you make the switch, I know I was.
Hercules Terra Trac AT2s. Fit the stock rims just fine but you'll need to put your 2" leveling kit on first or they'll rub. I'm loving these tires, they ride better and are so much quieter than the mud tires I took off there. I think you'll be pleased if you make the switch, I know I was.
Ok great. Now I know they are 70's, but are they shorter than a 295/75/16?
Ok great. Now I know they are 70's, but are they shorter than a 295/75/16?
Some simple math should answer that. At least in theory....
70% of 305mm width is 213.5mm height
75% of 295mm width is 221.5mm height
Not all tire brands width/height numbers are accurate though. Some brands are really bad about selling tires 10-30mm narrower than their width numbers indicate. That's why I'll never mix tire brands on a vehicle again
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