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I wanted to chime in here because I have done a SRW conversion on my F450 pickup and want to give my personal feedback and opinions
1. I think the F250/F350 steering and braking is not strong enough to run super singles. Plan on replacing the steering box and all parts to aftermarket during your ownership if you go this route
2. Most places don't make super single wheels for 8 lug applications, there is a reason for that!
3. You definitely need a 4.88 gearing minimum if you are running an MTP81 41 or 44 tires on a diesel. You can get away with a 4.30 ratio on the 7.3 but there is programming speedo issues making that work right on the 2023+ models.
4. Chassis cab diesel or gas trucks are SLOW, drive one then drive a F450 pickup and you will see for yourself.
5. Super single tires add a lot of complexity for maintenance. Where I live only one semi truck shop can do the alignment, you won't fit on most tire shops alignment racks or they don't have equipment to mount to the super single tires. Getting super singles to balance out is sometimes a pain, also this has to be done at a semi truck tire place.
6. You will need to replace the front fenders or add extensions from McNeil, DBL Designs or Buckstop so that your front tire doesn't stick out 4 inches
7. You will have some occasional "Christmas tree lights" on the dash with ABS, traction control and hill decent assist running super singles
8. Contiental MPT81 tires are speed rated to 68mph and the Goodyear G275 are rated to 81mph. I have ran both, personally I love the look of the MPT81 but I'm currently running Goodyear G275's. The Goodyears are a PAIN to balance but once they are right I am enjoying driving the 80mph speed limit it Utah without worry. I am using a set of centramatic dynamic balancers AND you need to get them road force balanced + super glue on the wheel weights.
9. If you want to carry a spare tire realize they are around 200lbs. You need to carry some extra gear and be pretty strong to change a tire by yourself
I have done a ton of keyboard research and also spent a lot of money trying things out seeking perfection. Stazworks, Elevation Offgrid and DBL Design are the main shops doing these types of conversions. Stazworks and DBL Design both sell the parts while Elevation Offgrid sells the truck fully completed. I ended up going with DBL Design for a few reasons: They have a custom Dana80 front axle to give you more payload capacity and strength for running the bigger wheels/tires. I also have their 6.17 gears and electronic front locker. I'm currently running the G275 335/80R20 tires, with my truck fully loaded with the 48 gallon tank full, my spare tire, tools, etc I'm at 11,100lbs and I average 12mpg. My payload sticker on the door is ~4900lbs but with the axle upgrade and tires I could probably handle double that, but my suspension setup is more offroad oriented.
We all have different opinions but this is what I settled on and I'm very happy with my truck (well almost happy). I have a few more mods left but I'm close to being done. I'm happy to answer any questions but I hope this is helpful
Here is a link to my build thread on FordTremor if you want more details:
Those 40s should pull similar to a regular srw truck with stock 18s and 3.55 gears in a 450 pickip with 4.30. Maybe opt up to the high output diesel with that extra spinning mass?
But I agree when going diesel 450 get the pickup. And 81mph M rated tires.
Those 40s should pull similar to a regular srw truck with stock 18s and 3.55 gears in a 450 pickip with 4.30. Maybe opt up to the high output diesel with that extra spinning mass?
But I agree when going diesel 450 get the pickup. And 81mph M rated tires.
because you don’t want to be cruising 70mph on the freeway at 3,000 rpm with your 6.7L diesel. I am very happy with my 6.17 gears, good fuel economy and plenty of low end power.
A stock F450 comes with a 4.30 and that is with the 31.5” tires. You want more gearing with a larger tire not less.
also, as I alluded too your truck is going to freak out with abs and traction control errors if you tried 3.55 gears and 41” tires. Everytime you go through a drive through or turn left at slow speeds it will bark and traction control/abs will be disabled for the rest of your drive. It’s not a good combination.
Oh yeah 6.17 probably feels great but I was saying the math puts 40s with 4.30 at the about same effective ratio as stock 18s and 3.55s. Should be no where near 3000rpms at 80 but will be at 1900rpm per my math with 40s.
I would do that and the high output diesel before digging into gears.
But yours is just awesome and I see the money was put into it
Oh yeah 6.17 probably feels great but I was saying the math puts 40s with 4.30 at the about same effective ratio as stock 18s and 3.55s. Should be no where near 3000rpms at 80 but will be at 1900rpm per my math with 40s.
I would do that and the high output diesel before digging into gears.
But yours is just awesome and I see the money was put into it
thank you for the kind words! I spent way too much but it’s been a fun project. I’m not saying you can’t use a smaller gear but I wouldn’t recommend it. Call DBL Design and ask them, I think he did a post recently that he just sold his 10,000th set of super singles! He has been doing it for 10 years and has done a ton of trucks. 99% of his builds are 4.88 or 6.17 gears. He has a few videos on YouTube that might be helpful
Do your math with 42" tires, MPT81's are not 40's. Most 40" tires are really 39" and even then the weight ratings on those tires are way less (4,000lb rating) than an MPT tire (6,000-10,000lb rating). I guess MPT81's are only rated for 68mph so maybe you can get away with those on a 4.30 ratio and be okay because you can't drive them 80mph in the summer or they will overheat and explode.
Also, realize you are adding 300lbs or more of rotating mass with the larger tires and larger wheels, so getting off the line with a 3.55 gear ratio is not going to be fun. Add on top of that being in a chassis cab truck that is derated in power it's really going to suck. Elevation Offgrid is another up fitter and all of their trucks are 4.88 gears from what I was told. I thought Ford only sells 4.30 and 4.88 gears in the chassis cab, but I may be wrong. I have programmed about 100 F550 trucks this year so far and all of them had 4.30 or 4.88 gears.
Not saying you're wrong but I want to make sure everyone knows there is a reason why bigger gearing is better. I had the 43.0 inch G275 365/80/R20 tires initially with my 6.17 gears and really enjoy the ride and better braking/turning of the slightly smaller 41.5" 335/80R20 tires. They are 29 pounds lighter per corner it was a huge difference in how the truck handles. I think my headlock wheels and tires weigh around 210lbs per corner with the centramatic balancer and the gorilla lug nuts. The non-beadlock super singles aluminum wheels from stazworks, backstop or DBL are all between 45-50lbs per corner + 120lbs or more depending on what MPT tire you are running. Conti's are the lightest because they are skinnier, then Goodyear and Michelins are the heaviest.
Change a tire on a combat equipped MRAP not the training models in the US and you'll realize why they have a crane on the back of the 5tons and LHS specifically for lowering and raising the spare tire. 385lbs for the tire and beadlock. It takes more than 1 person to pick the tire up and get the wheel studs lined up even with a tanker bar. They are run-flats but I would NEVER want to change a flat by myself on the side of the road.
Yes!!! This is why my truck has a carbon fiber davit crane in the bed, so that I can change a tire by myself or move the spare tire to my toyhauler and put in the 5th wheel hitch.
thank you for the kind words! I spent way too much but it’s been a fun project. I’m not saying you can’t use a smaller gear but I wouldn’t recommend it. Call DBL Design and ask them, I think he did a post recently that he just sold his 10,000th set of super singles! He has been doing it for 10 years and has done a ton of trucks. 99% of his builds are 4.88 or 6.17 gears. He has a few videos on YouTube that might be helpful
Yeah its awesome. I have had so many different iterations of super duties that I will probably go with a 450 next time.
Do your math with 42" tires, MPT81's are not 40's. Most 40" tires are really 39" and even then the weight ratings on those tires are way less (4,000lb rating) than an MPT tire (6,000-10,000lb rating). I guess MPT81's are only rated for 68mph so maybe you can get away with those on a 4.30 ratio and be okay because you can't drive them 80mph in the summer or they will overheat and explode.
Also, realize you are adding 300lbs or more of rotating mass with the larger tires and larger wheels, so getting off the line with a 3.55 gear ratio is not going to be fun. Add on top of that being in a chassis cab truck that is derated in power it's really going to suck. Elevation Offgrid is another up fitter and all of their trucks are 4.88 gears from what I was told. I thought Ford only sells 4.30 and 4.88 gears in the chassis cab, but I may be wrong. I have programmed about 100 F550 trucks this year so far and all of them had 4.30 or 4.88 gears.
Not saying you're wrong but I want to make sure everyone knows there is a reason why bigger gearing is better. I had the 43.0 inch G275 365/80/R20 tires initially with my 6.17 gears and really enjoy the ride and better braking/turning of the slightly smaller 41.5" 335/80R20 tires. They are 29 pounds lighter per corner it was a huge difference in how the truck handles. I think my headlock wheels and tires weigh around 210lbs per corner with the centramatic balancer and the gorilla lug nuts. The non-beadlock super singles aluminum wheels from stazworks, backstop or DBL are all between 45-50lbs per corner + 120lbs or more depending on what MPT tire you are running. Conti's are the lightest because they are skinnier, then Goodyear and Michelins are the heaviest.
Yeah I see they are 120lbs but the stocks are the same or more in the rear when accounting for doubles. Probably adding a good 60-80 lbs in the front per side though. And yes looking it up they arent 40s they are 41.4”.
My math in my last post was using the median tire of a 275/70/18 SRW (my earlier posts were with the stock size). 275/70/18 can come with the same motor and transmission options, except now taking out the derated 6.7 cab and chassis that doesn’t come with that tire size, because I think he shouldn’t get that combo anyway. So this would apply to the 450 pickup.
Here is the right math:
33.2/41.4= 80.2% x 4.30 = 3.45 effective.
Keeping in mind these came with 3.31 and even taller tires in the SRW.
34.1/41.4= 82.4% x 4.30 = 3.54 effective
I would try it with the 4.30/HO diesel in the pickup, but yall are the experts and the rotating weight probably throws a lot of the math out the window.
He can also try the 285/70/19.5 which is 36 inches, it may work better with a flatbed (clearance) and 7.3/4.88 combo. Continental HD3 is a little more streetable and comes in an M rating in that size.
I wanted to chime in here because I have done a SRW conversion on my F450 pickup and want to give my personal feedback and opinions
1. I think the F250/F350 steering and braking is not strong enough to run super singles. Plan on replacing the steering box and all parts to aftermarket during your ownership if you go this route
2. Most places don't make super single wheels for 8 lug applications, there is a reason for that!
3. You definitely need a 4.88 gearing minimum if you are running an MTP81 41 or 44 tires on a diesel. You can get away with a 4.30 ratio on the 7.3 but there is programming speedo issues making that work right on the 2023+ models.
4. Chassis cab diesel or gas trucks are SLOW, drive one then drive a F450 pickup and you will see for yourself.
5. Super single tires add a lot of complexity for maintenance. Where I live only one semi truck shop can do the alignment, you won't fit on most tire shops alignment racks or they don't have equipment to mount to the super single tires. Getting super singles to balance out is sometimes a pain, also this has to be done at a semi truck tire place.
6. You will need to replace the front fenders or add extensions from McNeil, DBL Designs or Buckstop so that your front tire doesn't stick out 4 inches
7. You will have some occasional "Christmas tree lights" on the dash with ABS, traction control and hill decent assist running super singles
8. Contiental MPT81 tires are speed rated to 68mph and the Goodyear G275 are rated to 81mph. I have ran both, personally I love the look of the MPT81 but I'm currently running Goodyear G275's. The Goodyears are a PAIN to balance but once they are right I am enjoying driving the 80mph speed limit it Utah without worry. I am using a set of centramatic dynamic balancers AND you need to get them road force balanced + super glue on the wheel weights.
9. If you want to carry a spare tire realize they are around 200lbs. You need to carry some extra gear and be pretty strong to change a tire by yourself
I have done a ton of keyboard research and also spent a lot of money trying things out seeking perfection. Stazworks, Elevation Offgrid and DBL Design are the main shops doing these types of conversions. Stazworks and DBL Design both sell the parts while Elevation Offgrid sells the truck fully completed. I ended up going with DBL Design for a few reasons: They have a custom Dana80 front axle to give you more payload capacity and strength for running the bigger wheels/tires. I also have their 6.17 gears and electronic front locker. I'm currently running the G275 335/80R20 tires, with my truck fully loaded with the 48 gallon tank full, my spare tire, tools, etc I'm at 11,100lbs and I average 12mpg. My payload sticker on the door is ~4900lbs but with the axle upgrade and tires I could probably handle double that, but my suspension setup is more offroad oriented.
We all have different opinions but this is what I settled on and I'm very happy with my truck (well almost happy). I have a few more mods left but I'm close to being done. I'm happy to answer any questions but I hope this is helpful
Here is a link to my build thread on FordTremor if you want more details:
Thank you are all the info! I’m all over the board and now leaning towards a 350 pickup w/ the 7.3 gasser. I LOVE the 450 single setup, but keeping it simple is something I always kick myself for. I think with a modest lift, Bowen flatbed, and 35” tires, I’ll be super happy as well. Then I can focus on my camper design and start learning the world of carbon fiber. That’ll be complicated enough. lol! However, today’s Friday, I’m sure Monday will bring a different avenue for the rabid hamsters between my ears. Ugh.
I wanted to chime in here because I have done a SRW conversion on my F450 pickup and want to give my personal feedback and opinions
1. I think the F250/F350 steering and braking is not strong enough to run super singles. Plan on replacing the steering box and all parts to aftermarket during your ownership if you go this route
2. Most places don't make super single wheels for 8 lug applications, there is a reason for that!
3. You definitely need a 4.88 gearing minimum if you are running an MTP81 41 or 44 tires on a diesel. You can get away with a 4.30 ratio on the 7.3 but there is programming speedo issues making that work right on the 2023+ models.
4. Chassis cab diesel or gas trucks are SLOW, drive one then drive a F450 pickup and you will see for yourself.
5. Super single tires add a lot of complexity for maintenance. Where I live only one semi truck shop can do the alignment, you won't fit on most tire shops alignment racks or they don't have equipment to mount to the super single tires. Getting super singles to balance out is sometimes a pain, also this has to be done at a semi truck tire place.
6. You will need to replace the front fenders or add extensions from McNeil, DBL Designs or Buckstop so that your front tire doesn't stick out 4 inches
7. You will have some occasional "Christmas tree lights" on the dash with ABS, traction control and hill decent assist running super singles
8. Contiental MPT81 tires are speed rated to 68mph and the Goodyear G275 are rated to 81mph. I have ran both, personally I love the look of the MPT81 but I'm currently running Goodyear G275's. The Goodyears are a PAIN to balance but once they are right I am enjoying driving the 80mph speed limit it Utah without worry. I am using a set of centramatic dynamic balancers AND you need to get them road force balanced + super glue on the wheel weights.
9. If you want to carry a spare tire realize they are around 200lbs. You need to carry some extra gear and be pretty strong to change a tire by yourself
I have done a ton of keyboard research and also spent a lot of money trying things out seeking perfection. Stazworks, Elevation Offgrid and DBL Design are the main shops doing these types of conversions. Stazworks and DBL Design both sell the parts while Elevation Offgrid sells the truck fully completed. I ended up going with DBL Design for a few reasons: They have a custom Dana80 front axle to give you more payload capacity and strength for running the bigger wheels/tires. I also have their 6.17 gears and electronic front locker. I'm currently running the G275 335/80R20 tires, with my truck fully loaded with the 48 gallon tank full, my spare tire, tools, etc I'm at 11,100lbs and I average 12mpg. My payload sticker on the door is ~4900lbs but with the axle upgrade and tires I could probably handle double that, but my suspension setup is more offroad oriented.
We all have different opinions but this is what I settled on and I'm very happy with my truck (well almost happy). I have a few more mods left but I'm close to being done. I'm happy to answer any questions but I hope this is helpful
Here is a link to my build thread on FordTremor if you want more details:
im currently doing a single wheel conversion on my 2024 F450 with DBL design. Daniel said I can do the conversion without substantially lifting the vehicle which is what I need since I'm planning to
tow a fifth wheel. Question for you... with your build do you think you can still tow a fifth wheel even with the added height? I'm having difficulty predicting what my height will be after the conversion and if it will limit my ability to tow. Any help would be appreciated thanks!!
What wheel and tire combo are you going to go with? I originally went with the Goodyear G275 365/80R20 tires and since switched to the 335's. I would not go anything bigger than a 335 for towing along with a slight level kit in the front. I mostly bumper tow but I do have the 5th wheel prep but my truck is pretty high with the 5.5" lift, so most likely I would have to do a lift on my future 5th wheel trailer to make it work smoothly.
Daniel sells a front progressive spring kit you might want to look at if you are going with a front level kit. I would also recommend ditching the stock shocks and going with a 2.5" fox kit he sells or something from Carli Suspension. I'm running the 3.0 Dominator kit on my truck right now. I have my old Carli 2.5" kit for sale if you're interested. My truck is at DBL right now getting a few more upgrades and I hope to fly down there and pick it up at the end of the month. If you want to chat on the phone PM me your number.
im currently doing a single wheel conversion on my 2024 F450 with DBL design. Daniel said I can do the conversion without substantially lifting the vehicle which is what I need since I'm planning to
tow a fifth wheel. Question for you... with your build do you think you can still tow a fifth wheel even with the added height? I'm having difficulty predicting what my height will be after the conversion and if it will limit my ability to tow. Any help would be appreciated thanks!!
Look at the 285/70/19.50 Continental HD3. 35.9 tall and exceeds the 450 pickup rear gawr. 81mph speed rating too.
Should fit with a 2 inch front leveling kit fine.
Probably fine with some 1.5” rough country coils, I run those on my 250 with 35.1 tires and a very aggressive and wide offset (they stick way out). Very minimal trimming behind the fenderliner and minor heatgun work and I can twist and articulate stuffed as far as I can stuff the wheel on an incline.
Then raise the trailer a couple inches. Should work ok since people tow with stock trucks with 34.1 inch tall stock 20s.
Hi F450 on 44's - I really appreciate everything you have shared on the forum. I wanted to see if any dash warning lights have been showing up since the regear or if everything is working as it should. I am considering the 6.17 regear for my 22,000 lb F600 Overland rig and know how fussy these trucks can be regarding all of the modules talking the same language and seeing the inputs they expect to see. Thanks
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