Over Presidents day weekend, I took an extra day off work, and myself and 4 other friends took a trip through North Baja in Mexico.

They were all tracks and trails I had done before both on motorbikes and also in my old 7.3, but it was the first time for the new truck to have an adventura south of the border... and it performed pretty well.

I have deleted the DPF (filling up at places like below, I was worried about high sulfur diesel), but apart from that, my truck is pretty close to stock, with 3.55's, and the standard 20" wheels/Michelin A/T's. FX4 package with the supposedly crap Rancho's.


Over the trails we went, the truck had no severe mechanical failings, which was good, previous trips in my 7.3 over the same tracks have resulted in destroyed ball joints and front wheel bearings respectively. (I have also snapped motorcycle frames on the same roads, but that is another story ).

The good stuff: With tire pressure 30psi cold all the way around, I never had to put it in 4x4, and the ride comfort with the "crap rancho's" was surprisingly good. I was able to sustain 50mph comfortably over washouts and corrugations, where most other vehicles looked to be shaking their passengers to death doing 20...
The Crew Cab has a great amount of room for 5 passengers over a long haul, both the front and rear seats are really comfortable, the truck rides really well (no sick passengers after lots of Pacifico's, fish tacos and margarita's is a pretty conclusive test ), and on the hwy its very quiet. The steering feels substantially improved over my old super duty, as do the brakes, both very reassuring things when travelling at night time on Mexican hwys. I also hit a massive pothole which swallowed the whole wheel on one of the sealed roads at night at 70mph, and was astounded at no front suspension/wheel/tire problems. The tuned 6.7 has awesome overtaking power, which you want when having to pass trucks at night on 2 lane roads with who knows what coming at you, the trans, after H&S calibration works really well too.

The bad stuff: Off-road, with the suspension cycling, I discovered lots of interior noises that shouldn't be there, including an annoying creak around the drivers B-pillar, and a worrying thumping sound that came from the rear passenger side door when going over corrugations, I'm yet to look at what the sources of these are, but the interior fit/finish and tolerances on these trucks isn't great Truck now has an airbag light that is permanently on, and one of the rear parking sensors came off its mount. I have the full HID headlight housing fitted, and even with that the light output was disappointing/close to dangerous to sustain 70mph on unlit hwys on low-beam. I don't know how you guys with stock headlights can handle them. Also, with 85-90 deg ambient temps, A/C ventilation in the rear is poor (I have the centre console with the rear vents).


Any ways, some truck (and non-truck) pics for evidence.


























I now need to find the source of the airbag light, JBweld the parking sensor back on, find where those interior noises were coming from and then the next thing I plan on doing to the truck is fitting an on board air system to air up tires which I just ordered.

 

Great review of how the offroad capability in these trucks really are! Like I said sweet pictures and thanks for the review. My rep gun is out, but thanks!

 

great review. Pics look like a great time.

 

Nice!!!!!!!

 

So I have to ask, how did the truck run with high sulfur diesel? Better, Worse? The same? Man looks like a great time, I wish at some point in my life I will be able to get down there to do that.

 

I'm not really sure whether I ended up with high sulfur diesel or not. I've heard reports that they are distributing some low sulfur diesel through Mexico now, but as they don't label their pumps, I don't know if I got any.

Either way, I noticed no difference with the fuel I used. I did take some of Royal Purple's Maxtane additive.

 

Wow, great fun !!!

We did that as a high school graduation trip - all the way to Monterrey and back - we were nuts as 17 and 18 yr olds going that far in a 1966 Chevy Impalla 2 door !!!

that side shot of your truck with 'mountains' behind looked eerily like one I took in between Tehran and Isfahan Iran way back when !!!

But we were on dirt bikes with a trailing land rover support following us this time!

 

Looks like a great time!!!

If that plate of food doesn't make you hungry then I don't know what will!!!

 

Nice write up!
On the SRS light, did you ever get to the bottom of your steering wheel switch issue? (Sorry if I missed it) Wondering if something is up still in the clock spring?

 

Great trip. The first picture with the above ground diesel tank gives me pause. With all the worry about fuel quality, I guess you just have to throw caution to the wind and enjoy life a little. Did you check your DFCM or change your fuel filter afterward?

 

Nice post and pics
I'll bet you made some really nice memories!

 

Thanks for the comments, it was a great time had by all.I think you could be right, that they could be related. I haven't fixed the steering wheel switch yet.
I have ordered an SRS code reader, that hopefully will give me some insight into what sensor is throwing the fault, and what wiring I need to check.
They were doing road works there, and lots of heavy construction equipment, so I think the diesel was pretty fresh. I do need to drain my DFCM though (tonight!)