Good Point!

 

Me too. It is more of a convenience to be able to get all my stuff answered without boucing all over this domain.

 

Given the high percentage of Supporters on this forum, I would think that "convenience" is something we could almost expect. Unlike the other forums that are more anonymous and distant, this is a tight-knit group, and it doesn't take long for a Newbie to have "paid supporter" membership suggested to him or her. Though we don't seem to ever make a distinction based on that status, a high-percentage seem to plunk down the bucks to join. They see the value for their bucks spent. I sure do!

I don't see where most off-topic items, that relate to 99-04 7.3-powered Superdutys, harm this forum. I do, however, see it as more work for Cookie if he finds it necessary - or is mandated by Atlanta - to sort out and move topics to "keep order". I really don't believe this entire forum - 7.3's, is disorderly at all. I believe we do a pretty-good job of keeping things civil amongst ourselves, as the guys on here are that kind of folks. Just a "cut above". It's a diesel thing. ;-)))

As BigF350 suggested, a "free-for-all" is one legitimate way of handling the moderation for this group. While I'm not suggesting complete "hands-off" to be appropriate, I have not seen any glaring abuses by this group. Of course, blatant posts may have been moved already, and I never saw them at all.

But if it's a workload thing for Cookie and Kwik, and if the "expectations from above" could leave it pretty-much the way it has been run (which I believe is a good thing) and relieve those two of having to do all this "organizing", than I think that the "problem" (if there really IS one) can be solved easily. Expect and require less organization by the moderators.

I don't see that it's out-of-control.

Pop

 

That's me to a T. I've known about this site for over two years where I got my idea for the Kwikk mod and CCV, but then stayed away. Just visited occasionally. Since I've gotten into a better financial situation. I came back for my mods. I appreciated the forum so much I just signed up and became a supporter right away. These were my reasons:

1. I understand the bandwidth is not free.

2. Good people here that go out of their way to give you straight poop.

3. People with a sense of humor. I say " I think or believe a lot". Even that can be help.

4. A ton of been-there-done-that knowledge.

Now if we narrowed this forum down to 99-03 7.3 specific topics only, I would miss out on a lot of technical "watch out for" or "don't do this" or "I was doing this and my bumper fell off" etc items on my truck that I would otherwise be unaware of because I spend 98% of my time here. I would submit to you that most people will not go to the other forums just to browse in case there is something out there that could affect their truck. I guess you could call it the information that I don't know that I don't know. Also, I know there are a lot of others here whose significant other feels they already spend too much time here just like mine does. I think that would be lost as would some of the comraderie and general BSing that I enjoy here. I find if a topic doesn't interest me, I don't look at it. Somehow this rearely happens. I learn something new just about every day on the site.

My final observation is that we do beat the horse on a lot of topics. I, speaking for myself have had very little luck using the search function. Occasionally I get it, but a lot of times I don't. Revisiting these topics sometimes brings out new ideas. My 02.

 

I have to agree with jt, arninetyes, pop, et. al., this forum is a cut above. I implicitly trust the members and there are no hidden agendas here that I can tell (except maybe to glorify our PSDs, and rightfully so). I belong to some other forums (VW TDI, using WVO, latin women, others that aren't about trucks), but often they have hidden agendas by trolls, and members are often mean spirited and childish. This forum is very well organized and professional by comparison (kudos to Scott and Kwik) and the knowledge base is unmatched (IMO). I too appreciate the comaraderie, sense of humor, fair play and maturity of the members, but also the "one-stop shopping" others have mentioned, especially since the info is better and more forthright than on other FTE forums.

I do understand Scott's concerns and it is a bit much perhaps to see a over a page of posts just for one day, and anything that makes the moderator's and administrator's jobs easier I support 100% (I'm sure we all appreciate the efforts and fine job you guys do), I just hope there is a way to accomplish this goal without limiting posts to this forum to the diesel engine only. As far as user friendliness, I think it is fine, and I look forward to these other 'qualities' we have mentioned each and every day.

 

When I started moderating it was right about the same time that the diesel forums were split up by production date. From many peoples point of view (mine included) it was not as good afterward as it was before. Things were a little fragmented after that.
We are all smart enough to know that a 1996 and a 2000 PSD have quite a few differences, but they also share a lot of the same operating principles.
I think it would be better to combine them all back together.
I agree it would make for some wading, but nobody is forcing anyone to read them all. Only the moderators have to do that and the time saved not having to sort, think about where it should go, and move an errant thread easily makes for a reduced workload for the moderators. A quick scan of all the new threads by a potential participant would be all that is necessary to choose what he/she wants to read.

 

Not to step on anyones toes here but I feel threads such as many provided by GUZZLE92 belong right here in this forum regardless if the are engine related or they are about brake caliper slide pins on any superduty. If GUZZLE92 is a diesel owner why should his excellent "how to" documentaries have to be posted to a general superduty forum which requires me to exit this forum and go enter another forum to search for something on my diesel vehicle. From that standpoint why doesn't the general superduty forum user have to exit that forum to search another forum for info that is specific to his truck. Now that is a "search function" nightmare.
In your defense Cookie88- I do agree to a certain extent as far as posts that do not belong here. I have personally posted some threads that are super duty 7.3 only related and may have posted some that are generally all super duty related, but when something is posted with 7.3 specific info including actual Ford/motorcraft part #'s (which I think is very important as most dealers parts guys can't even find the correct part #) only to find in 1 day it is buried 3-4 pages deep and has to compete with posts titled "MY AUDI IS DEAD" / "WHICH MICRON FILTER RATING SHOULD I USE"/ or "LOOK WHAT CAME IN THE GARAGE NEXT DOOR TODAY"/ then you are correct that something should be done. On the other hand, why should something like a lift kit question not be allowed here when a lift kit for a truck with a diesel engine actually has some different components than a lift kit for the identical truck with a gas engine. I could go on but feel most have covered many aspects of this concern.

 

I think here are some good suggestions...

Prehaps we a guideline along the lines of if its engine/drivetrain related? (So questions about diff's, Transmissions and Transfer cases) Electrical and wiring as well?
The Superduty forum has LOT of stuff on the likes of tires, brakes, body, interior, lift kits etc. etc. (and some very knowledgable people that regularly post there on such topics)

Just thinking out loud thats all... Everyone elses thoughts?

 

Big350,

The way I'm reading the others' comments, so far, is the overwhelming majority seem to be pretty one sided toward "leave it as-is".

If (just IF) I were inclined to agree with your above post, it would move brakes into the drivetrain column.

And that may be a good compromise!

What is the base-line "problem" that administration is trying to solve? Too much needless work for the moderators? I'm not sure they're not still going to see off-topic posts by newbies, that still need to be moved. As far as I remember (which isn't long any more), I've not had one moved (probably should have), and I wonder how many others of the "core group" have.

Pop

 

Is this on topic?

Just kidding. I will drive in the direction I am steered. Everybody makes a good point and I do not dissagree with anyone.

 

my opinion, as well as other people's here, is to have split superduty forums. if i had control over this,

there will be a 6.0 diesel superduty forum that encompasses the new frontend style (05-06) and the older style (03-04).

there should also be a 1999-2003 7.3 forum. where everyone can post about anyhing in their stroker. basically i think it is this way already with this forum. i find out that us powerstroke owners seem to know more about the entire truck in general, not just the engine. i find that the superduty forum, where the gas guys hang out, seems to be more "childish" (odd coming from a 16 yr old) and the questions that are answered dont have that "extra bit" in the post to completely answer the question. like some others have said, there is a fair amount of uncertainty in their answers. their questions asked are also more vague too. "My truck broke down, whats wrong with it?"

anyway, there will be a seperate 99-06 GAS forum, beings the 6.8 V-10 is 5.4 with two more cylinders. the engine is basically the same. not the same with a 6.0 and 7.3. i do know that maybe the fourms will want to be split, with the addition of a 3 valve head in 05 i believe. the guys that post there can have their own forum going (kind of like this one).

AND on top of that, there should be a general superduty forum. by this i mean that if you have a question pertaining to a part that is universal (for instance the basic interior parts. (yet this will be hard because in 02 they changed the instrument panel, big deal. in 05 they completely changed the dash.), so there will be differences there. but the main part of the truck remains unchanged. but i think this forum would be the current superduty forum basically, things like stereo modifications and wheels/tires/lifts that are all universal. again consider the front end changes in 05.

the 1994-1997 powerstroke guys- we can leave them alone, because they arent "superduties" so to speak of, and their 7.3 engine is different than our 7.3's we have. the insides are the same, the accesories that matter arent.

In the end, this is going to be hard to do, if anything is done at all. i know it will be a PITA for the moderators to build and pick through all the old threads to find out where they go. my suggestion is to start a new forum set, lock the current ones, and still allow for searching in them. the moderators can add the important threads, get rid of the repeat threads, such as the CPS and electrical problems, oil questions, etc, the ones that are all covered over and over. the ones i find myself as well as others answering two or three times a week.

there should be a "read first" that ALL newbies are made to read before they post.

i am only saying that we should divide the gas forums, to be fair. if it didnt HAVE to be fair, i would just say make a 7.3 superduty forum that encompasses everything on the trucks we own. but like i said, that isn't fair. others would notice, and they would feel the same, and want change.

Wow one helluva 3000th post. i would also like to add by saying that i can almost guarantee 90% (2700) of my posts have been in this very forum, helping people out, answering questions, and offering my opinions. this is the same as alot of other people. i love to come home and do this. please dont change it into something i wouldn't like to do every day.

 

Its not that - When the seperate forums for engines were set up, they were originally set up as forums to discuss things about the engine (and to further emphasize this, they were placed in a specific diesel area), we aren't trying to solve a "base-line problem"...
I am not immune to the issue either, when I was a moderator in the 6.0l forum I allowed a lot of things that weren't really engine associated - because the 6.0l owners were feeling victimised in the Super Duty forum for owning a "sick-litre" - so to help answer thier questions I kept them in the 6.0l forum.
Now, as they feel (and as the engine becomes) more accepted, the majority of them post in the SD forum - however I am sure the occasional post slips by

This is just a hypothetical example:
I am the owner of a 2003 5.4l powered superduty who is experiencing brake shudder (not all that uncommon), and I am a new user.
I have to search the 5.4l forum, the superduty forum, the 6.8l V10 forum, the 6.0l PSD forum and the 7.3l PSD forum to get all the information on brakes.

It isn't about bandwidth, or cross posting, we are trying to make it easier for said user thats all.

 

I have not been a member long, but feel that I should give my 2c worth here. I can't help but think that I might have been the last straw with my "Anyone seen my thead". I did post this in the wrong area. But, like many others here, I found this site and read for a while before I signed up and in a short time became a supporter, all from the information and quick responce to my questions.
Earlyer today, I posted a question in the a/c and heater area, https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=475615, and have yet to get an answer.
I have no dout that someone here will help me out with this.
I can live with the rules of the forum because EVERYONE has been very friendly and helpful. Small price to pay for the wealth of knowledge here, but I too would like to see the forum...this forum, stay like it has been with a little more space to move around in.

 

I thought I might add - that I was only talking about the Super Duty forum - the A/C forum (and a lot of the other very specific forums) are more based around the older vehicles - I will move it to the SD forum, and see how you go there

 

Hotwheelbill, i just replied to the question, i think it's what you need.