SMOKEYBEAR

Deaver springs it is...I've been away from the 4wd world for a little bit. My truck has been finished for some time now. The only 4wd stuff I've had my hands on is my friends 2500 Duramax. Just a 6" Fabtech lift, traction bars and 35's.

Note: If you go with Fabtech and don't want blue parts in your under carriage...call them up and order the kit in black.

-JB-

I plan on running 40's on a Jeep and coil springs

WydOpen

I own a 2006 F250 CCSB with the 6.0L PSD. A lot of people will tell you the 6.0L is crap and I kept hearing the horror stories as well. However, I researched the 7.3L, 6.0L, and 6.4L before making my purchase and either test drove the different trucks or rode in them owned by friends and coworkers. I ended up going with a 05-07 truck with the 6.0L and I don't regret it at all.

Why I chose mine over a leaf sprung 7.3L?
- Quieter motor
- Better turn radius with the coil sprung/radius arm front suspension
- Smoother ride and drive
- Better gas mileage
- Better interior (Lariat)
- More attractive front end

Why I didn't go with a 6.4L?
- Not a fan of the front end styling
- Didn't like the new interior layout
- DPF (a minor issue, I know a lot of people delete this)
- Price (biggest factor)

Most of my friends and coworkers own and drive 99-03 trucks or Excursions with the 7.3L PSD. Yes, they are bullet proof, tried and trued and can make ridiculous power with the right mods. Not too important for me (right now).

The 6.0L PSD's biggest weak link are the head studs. The fix is very expensive if you don't do it yourself. At a minimum, you're looking at about $400-500 just for the head studs. The other problem is the EGR cooler. That is an easier and cheaper fix. I'm running just an AFE Stage 2 intake and Innovative Diesel street performance tune. I'm very happy with the power output for now and when I need more I'll install beefier head studs and delete the EGR cooler. I'm seeing no more than 35 lbs of boost.

I chose the 05-07 truck because of the coil sprung front end. My friends cannot believe the difference in turning radius and ride and feel of mine compared to theirs. So much in fact that they are looking for options to swap to my style suspension or getting rid of their trucks for an 05-07. They were also amazed in the performance increase with just a tune and nothing else with my truck. The 6.0L responds very well to custom SCT tunes.

My 6.0L is much quieter (injector noise) and gets better gas mileage. I'd recommend going out and test driving a variety of the different diesel options and then make your decision. What one person has an issue with a truck or motor may or may not be an issue for you. Many people are biased based on their preference and needs.

I recently lifted my truck with a Fabtech 8" four-link kit. I'd recommend this kit for the 05-07 trucks. My ride quality wasn't affected at all and it is a quality kit. I went with 22x11 wheels and 37" Toyo Open Country M/T tires. This is the second truck I've owned running this particular tire and as previously mentioned, it is a great tire.

Someone mentioned some sort of traction bar/device. I'd recommend the same due to the torque output of a diesel. I am currently not running a set, but when I do it will be a set of One Up Offroad traction blocks. These are expensive, but a very good design. You can see them here...

OUO Traction Blocks

Good luck, you can't go wrong with any Super Duty. Pick one that meets your needs and preferences. Don't be scared of the 6.0L!

95RogueM3

I actually PMd you last year with questions about your Claw Radials...then ended up selling my truck with the boggers (which were a nightmare). Thanks for chiming in below.

The headstuds are my biggest worry. From what I have read, they are often a problem even with the stock tuning. So my hunt for an 05-07 is focused around a white or gray CCSB F250/F350 with head studs, EGR delete, and a 6-8" lift...lots of qualifications, I know.

I've only driven (1) '05 truck and the handling was substantially better than my leaf-sprung '97. Both had roughly 9" lift and the 2005 felt MUCH better. Whatever truck I get won't be a total daily driver, but it would be nice to be able to pull into a tight parking spot without reversing and straightening up 11 times due to the horrible turning radius provided by some leaf spring and wide tire setups.

The 7.3 is definitely louder while driving...but I found the 6.0 louder on start-up (not counting the automatic fast idle). It seemed to clack a lot more for the first 15-20 seconds and then smoothed out a bit.

Strangely enough my 7.3 felt "woah" faster than did the 6.0 I drove. Both had similar sized tires and the 6.0 had an intake and supposedly a chip...whereas my 7.3 had a stock motor but did have 4.56 gears. That sound normal?

I would definitely be getting the Toyo tires you have (or possibly MTZs) and maybe a max tire size of 40"..but more likely 38s.

The lift is where I am stuck. I am currently only considering trucks that are already lifted up around 8" as I know thats what I want. The '05 I drove had an 8" Fabtech lift that rode great. Part of me thinks this is the route to go and another part of me is interested in buying the perfect '05 (condition/color/options) for me in stock form and then adding my own lift and wheel/tire package. Obviously it would cost more to add my own lift...but looking for a stock truck is so much easier than one already modded the way I want it.

Then another part of me is drawn to buying a Kelderman Air-Ride kit as the novelty sucks me right in....but thats $11k for suspension alone when I'm not sure it will ride any better than a Fabtech kit. Not to mention the suspension will be worth 50% of the truck's value and only add a little bit should I need to sell.

WydOpen

I don't think it was me you PM'ed about the Claw Radials. I've never owned a pair. But, glad I could provide some feedback and help with your decision.

The package you are looking for would be an awesome deal, but hard to come by. Check out the Powerstroke forums under the classifieds and one will pop up every now and then. Even on Craigslist a lifted Super Duty is fairly common. There is a used car dealer near the corner of Witchduck and Virginia Beach Boulevard that has several lifted Super Duty trucks available. I don't blame you for wanting to buy a turn key truck ready to go. You can typically save a considerable amount of money that way.

Now that you mention it, I would say my truck is a little loud on start-up. But, not a big issue because as you say it quiets down after warming up.

The 4.56 gears in your truck is what played the biggest factor in your SOTP feel, I'll almost guarantee that. Also, as in the Mustangs...the older vehicles 'feel' faster, but that is kind of deceptive. I'll bet the 6.0 had 3.73 gears at the most.

I really like the 37" tall tire and I can't say enough good things about the Toyo M/T's. They aren't loud and from other people's experiences they wear evenly if properly rotated and you can get plenty of mileage out of them. With my 37" tires and 22x11 wheels running an 8" lift I can turn the wheels hard over left or right without any rubbing on any suspension component or body part. However, when you start to flex the suspension and making a turn, it'll SLIGHTLY rub the lower plastic trim of the bumper or the inner fenderwell liner. I'll bet running a 10" wide wheel would solve my problems with a better offset and the tires would never rub.

When you decide on a truck, send me a PM and I can correct your speedometer for up to a 40" tire. The dealer can only correct for up to a 35" tire as the lowest revolution per mile setting they can do is 600 (my 37" Toyo requires 560). The SCT or any other hand held programmer only corrects the shift points when changing the rev per mile or gear ratio settings.

Again, hit up that dealership off of Witchduck/Va Beach Blvd. They have several to choose from and I'd test drive them all and see what suits you. I believe this is just one truck that they have on their lot...

'05 F250 Lifted

A great kit, but now you're talking some $$$.

WydOpen

I think this is slowrx on here and I've met him and purchased his 6" coils and blocks (never used them)...

'05 F250 ECSB Lariat

Not sure how you feel about an extended cab vice a crew cab, but this truck is very stout and has most of the 6.0L fixes you are looking for. For several grand more you could lift it to 8-10".

Again, good luck in your search!

95RogueM3

I have been looking daily..and some look nice, but I am trying my best to be patient so I don't regret anything.
That was my thought....but it was like a night and day difference. I do agree that the '97 was rougher in every way...so it also likely felt faster as a result of being more raw.

Good to know. What kind of MPG are you getting city with yours? Highway?

I talked with him on the phone and also through email, but he just doesn't seem that knowledgeable about the truck's past. He couldn't answer my questions about maintenance (EGR Delete or Studs) or the tune, etc.

The problem with that dealership is that I am in Richmond so its a good 70+ miles away. I do love the look of that truck though.

I also found a sick looking '05 F250 King Ranch in Texas with an 8" Fabtech, etc for a fair price....but its in Texas and I would prefer to buy locally.

I would need to find an '05 for $17k to make that an option....otherwise I would be far too upside down in the truck after adding $11k in suspension and another $3k in wheels and tires.

Yeah..that is his truck and it would be a good deal at maybe $22-23k, but I have told myself whatever I get will be a CCSB. I had the EC long-bed last time and don't want to do it again.

slowrx

Since the leaf/coil thing has been kind covered, Ill tell you to be very weary of those beach dealerships. I looked at a sonic blue regular cab near me and he swore it was in perfect mechanical condition. Open the hood and there is coolant covering everything, and lots of it. The degas bottle was completely crusted white. Still swore to me it was fine, as I pointed to my truck and told him I am not an idiot. Those guys sell trucks as is no warranty. So they say whatever they have to, to sell them. You could drive off the lot 4 feet stretch the studs and they would just shrug and walk away. Also, I would prefer a truck without ARP studs, and to do them myself. If they have them, you never know what the truck was through. Also, look into a good coolant filter. Arp+egr delete+coolant filter= very reliable 6.0. Plus the trannys dont suck like the pre 05s. As for my truck, its 24 obo now. Also looking for a leaf sprung ccsb haha.

95RogueM3

Thanks for the info. I agree and while I understand that car salesman often "need" to be pushy or at least "salesy"...at the end of the day I need to know about the details of what I am buying. You can't sell me a truck by trying to hype it up, actually saying "this truck is so awesome" 3x during our conversation, and not providing me with the information to make my decisions.

If at all possible, I would prefer to buy something from Davis Auto here in Richmond as I bought my last truck from them and they answered ALL of my questions and provided a no pressure environment. Unfortunately they don't have what I am looking for at a decent price currently.

Good luck with your truck search!

slowrx

Thanks, I check the davis site pretty often because they normally have a pretty good inventory. Have a white 7.3 now that I really like but the price is to high.