Specific Question on F350's

Dual alternators mean twice the chance for failure.I'd buy a 1 ton with 20 inch tires and no bed and buy an aluminum flatbed with short side racks. Lot's of Ranchers have them.

GoPackGo wrote:
I have a couple suggestions for you, based on the options I ordered or didn't order on my 2013 F350 diesel dually 4x4 crewcab longbed. I fulltime so your mileage may vary.

1. If you have any thoughts of getting a 5er at some point, then I suggest that you get the Ford 5er prep package. In addition to the predrilled holes in the bed, it includes an additional umbilical electrical plugin in the bed - now you will have a total of two to choose from. You will get a set of plastic pucks to cover the holes if there is no hitch installed.

2. I got the Ford spray in bed liner. It seems to be a quality product and has held up well. Part of my thinking was that Ford would do all the prep work and would make sure the spray would coat all the edges of the holes that were cut as part of the 5er prep package. I have never run any kind of bed mat in my trucks. What happens when you get water trapped under it ???? RUST !

3. I did not get the dual alternator package and have not missed it. I have the Platinum model with diesel glow plugs, heated seats, running lights, etc and no problems. I believe the diesel option gets you a larger alternator then comes standard on a gas truck.

4. I agree that the Fx4 package is a joke. Check out what's really included in the package. I didn't want the crappy shocks from the package so I just ordered the skid plates separately (cheap)and put Bilstein 5100s on the truck right after I took delivery. Guess I'll have to live without the big decal that tells the world I drive a 4x4 truck.

5. I have the 3.73 rear end but that was the only one offered with my setup. I tow 14,000 pounds (gross) and all I can say is that towing is a dream. I would never want a lower (numerically) gear ratio. The gear selector never moves out of 'D'. This thing is a beast and doesn't seem to care how high the mountains are. I'm turning about 1600-1700 RPMs (maximum torque) at about 58-60 mph. And I can still get over 20 mpg on the highway when not towing.

6. I also got the optional upfitter switches. It's a cheap option ($125 ??) and will be handy if you want to wire up additional lighting, or maybe a fuel transfer pump when you get that auxiliary fuel tank in the bed (see my note below).

* Something to remember is that you get a significantly larger diesel fuel tank with an F350 longbed truck. I believe the tank is 26 gallons on a short bed truck and 37.5 on a longbed.

Tim

Something many people don't realize is that the new trucks with overdrive gears are designed such that when they are pulling the load they are designed to pull they should shift down. My truck is designed to tow a 15,500 lb trailer. When towing a trailer that size I often lock out 6th gear to keep the rpms up a little. When I hit a bit of a hill or go into a wind it might drop another gear and run in direct. This is ideal. The truck has enough power to easily maintain 70 mph but it needs some rpm to make that power. So now when there is a high power demand the power is being delivered to the rear wheels most efficiently. If I had a lower speed rear end the engine could be running the same rpm going through 5th gear where it speeds the drive up only to run through the higher ratio rear end to be slowed way down. When I am pulling 24000 - 30,000 lb trailers I run in 3rd gear at times and could be slightly better off with a 3.73 rear end so I would basically have 1 more ussuable gear.

I have a couple suggestions for you, based on the options I ordered or didn't order on my 2013 F350 diesel dually 4x4 crewcab longbed. I fulltime so your mileage may vary.

1. If you have any thoughts of getting a 5er at some point, then I suggest that you get the Ford 5er prep package. In addition to the predrilled holes in the bed, it includes an additional umbilical electrical plugin in the bed - now you will have a total of two to choose from. You will get a set of plastic pucks to cover the holes if there is no hitch installed.

2. I got the Ford spray in bed liner. It seems to be a quality product and has held up well. Part of my thinking was that Ford would do all the prep work and would make sure the spray would coat all the edges of the holes that were cut as part of the 5er prep package. I have never run any kind of bed mat in my trucks. What happens when you get water trapped under it ???? RUST !

3. I did not get the dual alternator package and have not missed it. I have the Platinum model with diesel glow plugs, heated seats, running lights, etc and no problems. I believe the diesel option gets you a larger alternator then comes standard on a gas truck.

4. I agree that the Fx4 package is a joke. Check out what's really included in the package. I didn't want the crappy shocks from the package so I just ordered the skid plates separately (cheap)and put Bilstein 5100s on the truck right after I took delivery. Guess I'll have to live without the big decal that tells the world I drive a 4x4 truck.

5. I have the 3.73 rear end but that was the only one offered with my setup. I tow 14,000 pounds (gross) and all I can say is that towing is a dream. I would never want a lower (numerically) gear ratio. The gear selector never moves out of 'D'. This thing is a beast and doesn't seem to care how high the mountains are. I'm turning about 1600-1700 RPMs (maximum torque) at about 58-60 mph. And I can still get over 20 mpg on the highway when not towing.

6. I also got the optional upfitter switches. It's a cheap option ($125 ??) and will be handy if you want to wire up additional lighting, or maybe a fuel transfer pump when you get that auxiliary fuel tank in the bed (see my note below).

* Something to remember is that you get a significantly larger diesel fuel tank with an F350 longbed truck. I believe the tank is 26 gallons on a short bed truck and 37.5 on a longbed.

Tim

4x4ord wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:
I got the plow package with the 3.55 gears and heavy alternator. Don't want the 20" wheels as they are just for show; no go. The larger wheels would make the gearing about the same as the 3.31.

Both those reasons are why I like the 20 inch wheels. I have absolutely no desire for a different final gear ratio. Why would anyone need a lower speed gear ratio than 3.31 in a srw pick up truck with a first gear ratio of 3.97 and 800 or more lb ft of torque engine?

Many THINK they need those lower gears towing fifth wheels, and of course those many have never towed with anything less then 3.73 ,and a lot of them with no less then 4.10.

I towed with 3.73 with a less powered diesel, switched to a new truck with 3.42, and can't imagine needing any lower gears, of course I am only towing 13K .

Lynnmor wrote:
I got the plow package with the 3.55 gears and heavy alternator. Don't want the 20" wheels as they are just for show; no go. The larger wheels would make the gearing about the same as the 3.31.

Both those reasons are why I like the 20 inch wheels. I have absolutely no desire for a different final gear ratio. Why would anyone need a lower speed gear ratio than 3.31 in a srw pick up truck with a first gear ratio of 3.97 and 800 or more lb ft of torque engine?

I got the plow package with the 3.55 gears and heavy alternator. Don't want the 20" wheels as they are just for show; no go. The larger wheels would make the gearing about the same as the 3.31.

skyhammer wrote:
When I bought my 2011 DRW, there were 3 ways to get the heavier front springs.
The camper package, snow plow package and the FX4 off road package.
All Ford diesels from 2011 up have an exhaust brake, the 2015 has a better one, along with a new turbo and you have more control over the exhaust brake.
I have dual alternators and would not like to be without them. Depending on your options you may have to get the heavy duty dingle alternator.
If you get the supplemental heat option(worth the money), you will need at least the heavy duty alternator.
At start up(especially on a cold morning) I have a heavy electrical load.
You may have to wait for the glow plug light to go off before starting,which sucks juice, both seat heaters going, headlights, plus the over 30 lights the DRW has,supplemental heat, which is about 1200 watts, you have no control over when it goes on or off.My air compressor for air bags etc., usually starts.
So on start up, I can be drawing over 200 amps easily.There are many other electrical draws that I haven't mentioned.

FX4 is kind of a joke. The most valuable thing in the FX 4 package to my way of thinking is the sticker. You get different cheap shocks, some skid plates and a useless hill descent button on the dash as well as that nice sticker. The Fx4 F350 4x4 diesel crew cab still only gets the 5600 lb front springs, which I believe are heavy enough. Anyway I wouldn't want to sacrifice ride to get heavier front springs.

skyhammer wrote:
When I bought my 2011 DRW, there were 3 ways to get the heavier front springs.
The camper package, snow plow package and the FX4 off road package.
All Ford diesels from 2011 up have an exhaust brake, the 2015 has a better one, along with a new turbo and you have more control over the exhaust brake.
I have dual alternators and would not like to be without them. Depending on your options you may have to get the heavy duty dingle alternator.
If you get the supplemental heat option(worth the money), you will need at least the heavy duty alternator.
At start up(especially on a cold morning) I have a heavy electrical load.
You may have to wait for the glow plug light to go off before starting,which sucks juice, both seat heaters going, headlights, plus the over 30 lights the DRW has,supplemental heat, which is about 1200 watts, you have no control over when it goes on or off.My air compressor for air bags etc., usually starts.
So on start up, I can be drawing over 200 amps easily.There are many other electrical draws that I haven't mentioned.

I can't get the camper package because I want the 20" wheels.. so I'm going with the Snow Plough Prep package. I heard that this gives you one step higher on the front springs than the standard F350.I heard that without it then the front can droop after a while.

I'm getting the dual alternators and the fast heat

When I bought my 2011 DRW, there were 3 ways to get the heavier front springs.
The camper package, snow plow package and the FX4 off road package.
All Ford diesels from 2011 up have an exhaust brake, the 2015 has a better one, along with a new turbo and you have more control over the exhaust brake.
I have dual alternators and would not like to be without them. Depending on your options you may have to get the heavy duty dingle alternator.
If you get the supplemental heat option(worth the money), you will need at least the heavy duty alternator.
At start up(especially on a cold morning) I have a heavy electrical load.
You may have to wait for the glow plug light to go off before starting,which sucks juice, both seat heaters going, headlights, plus the over 30 lights the DRW has,supplemental heat, which is about 1200 watts, you have no control over when it goes on or off.My air compressor for air bags etc., usually starts.
So on start up, I can be drawing over 200 amps easily.There are many other electrical draws that I haven't mentioned.

After doing great research it seems that the camper package is just one level of front springs higher plus a sway bar.

It looks like if you install the snow plough prep package that you get those same from springs that you would get with the camper package.

You can then fit the 20" wheels which incidentally according to the spec have a higher rating than the 18"

Totally different subject but what is the feeling about roof clearance lights? DO you guys like them?