Tex68w
Beach Bum
Well I picked up a new 2017 Ford F-250 this week. This will be my third 6.7L PowerStroke Crew Cab FX4 SuperDuty in the last 5 years, needless to say I have been very happy with this platform. I had a 2016 that I was well on my way to building up for an Overland rig but the new truck has more room, more power, lighter weight, larger factory fuel tank (10 gallons more than the previous year), and the back seat can fold completely flat which is ideal for our two Dobermans. I will admit I am a little concerned about the aluminum exterior and all of the extra gadgetry on the redesign but just like anything else we will roll with the punches.
We almost went with a new 200 Series Toyota Land Cruiser but at the end of the day the added cost and lack of space for the dogs when traveling fully loaded pushed us towards the F-250 in the end. The diesel engine and a nearly $17K in savings played a role in our decision as well, not to mention that I do have towing needs around the ranch and for use with my Polaris Ranger for hunting excursions.
What we are starting off with:
2017 Ford F-250 Superduty King Ranch Crew Cab FX4 6.7L Powerstoke V8 diesel 6.75' bed. I opted to go without the 360 cameras and front sensors with adaptive cruise control, we didn't really see a need for the added expense and I had been reading reports that most aftermarket bumpers were having compatibility issues with the system as well. I made sure we had the engine block heater for those colder adventures and the dual-heavy duty alternators for the added loads that our accessories might pull.
Build plans:
As of right now this is what we have set to go on the truck in a few weeks when the parts are in and the shop can fit us in queue.
- BDS 4" Coil-Over Radius Arm kit with Fox shocks and dual steering stabilizer
- Sulastic rear shackles
- Toyo Open Country RT 37x12.50x20
- KMC XD829 Hoss 2 20x9 -12 offset 4.5" back space
In 6-8 weeks when the bumpers are ready we will do stage 2 of the build.
- Rogue Racing Enforcer front and rear bumpers color matched to the bottom Caribou paint
- Warn Zeon 12 S winch with Spydura Pro synthetic rope
- Warrior Hawse Fairlead License plate mount bracket (Stupid two plate state here in Texas)
- Factor55 Flat-Link E and Hawse Fairlead
- Rigid Industries Midnight Edition E-Series Radius 40" recessed in the front bumper, D-Series SAE Compliant fogs in the front inner corner, D-Series Midnight Edition surface mount spots in the front outer corner, D2 Diffused Flush Mount in the rear bumper
- Decked truck bed drawer box (I like the idea of this product but I might scrap this in favor of mounting gear to the interior bedsides if I go the camper route)
I would like a roof top tent (thinking CVT) but I am torn on how to go about executing it. My two options are a Snugtop Xtra-Vision camper shell with a full length roof rack or a Leitner Active Cargo Rack. I like the idea of the fully enclosed bed with the camper shell which will allow for more gear to be stowed more securely and out of the elements as well as provide an extra sleep option for when I am running solo or without the RTT installed. The cons being the fragility of the glass construction, obscured view, added expense at nearly twice the cost of the Leitner Rack before the cost of the needed roof rack, and more difficult access to gear not stowed in the drawers. The Leitner Rack on the other hand provides a place for the RTT when in use, organized mounted locations for gear like RotoPacks, MaxTrax, Shovel/Axe, Awning, etc. It doesn't however, provide enclosed space for additional sleeping provisions or added security to our gear and I am not sure how I feel about the look as I have never seen one on a built SuperDuty.
Eventually we will add provisions for fridge, a rear and/or side annex, outdoor cook/kitchen setup, some exterior camp lighting and possibly even a hot/cold camp shower.
I plan to keep this thread updated as the build develops as well as to keep up with our adventures in the rig. Below is a pic from the day the we brought her home in stock configuration, for now lol.
We almost went with a new 200 Series Toyota Land Cruiser but at the end of the day the added cost and lack of space for the dogs when traveling fully loaded pushed us towards the F-250 in the end. The diesel engine and a nearly $17K in savings played a role in our decision as well, not to mention that I do have towing needs around the ranch and for use with my Polaris Ranger for hunting excursions.
What we are starting off with:
2017 Ford F-250 Superduty King Ranch Crew Cab FX4 6.7L Powerstoke V8 diesel 6.75' bed. I opted to go without the 360 cameras and front sensors with adaptive cruise control, we didn't really see a need for the added expense and I had been reading reports that most aftermarket bumpers were having compatibility issues with the system as well. I made sure we had the engine block heater for those colder adventures and the dual-heavy duty alternators for the added loads that our accessories might pull.
Build plans:
As of right now this is what we have set to go on the truck in a few weeks when the parts are in and the shop can fit us in queue.
- BDS 4" Coil-Over Radius Arm kit with Fox shocks and dual steering stabilizer
- Sulastic rear shackles
- Toyo Open Country RT 37x12.50x20
- KMC XD829 Hoss 2 20x9 -12 offset 4.5" back space
In 6-8 weeks when the bumpers are ready we will do stage 2 of the build.
- Rogue Racing Enforcer front and rear bumpers color matched to the bottom Caribou paint
- Warn Zeon 12 S winch with Spydura Pro synthetic rope
- Warrior Hawse Fairlead License plate mount bracket (Stupid two plate state here in Texas)
- Factor55 Flat-Link E and Hawse Fairlead
- Rigid Industries Midnight Edition E-Series Radius 40" recessed in the front bumper, D-Series SAE Compliant fogs in the front inner corner, D-Series Midnight Edition surface mount spots in the front outer corner, D2 Diffused Flush Mount in the rear bumper
- Decked truck bed drawer box (I like the idea of this product but I might scrap this in favor of mounting gear to the interior bedsides if I go the camper route)
I would like a roof top tent (thinking CVT) but I am torn on how to go about executing it. My two options are a Snugtop Xtra-Vision camper shell with a full length roof rack or a Leitner Active Cargo Rack. I like the idea of the fully enclosed bed with the camper shell which will allow for more gear to be stowed more securely and out of the elements as well as provide an extra sleep option for when I am running solo or without the RTT installed. The cons being the fragility of the glass construction, obscured view, added expense at nearly twice the cost of the Leitner Rack before the cost of the needed roof rack, and more difficult access to gear not stowed in the drawers. The Leitner Rack on the other hand provides a place for the RTT when in use, organized mounted locations for gear like RotoPacks, MaxTrax, Shovel/Axe, Awning, etc. It doesn't however, provide enclosed space for additional sleeping provisions or added security to our gear and I am not sure how I feel about the look as I have never seen one on a built SuperDuty.
Eventually we will add provisions for fridge, a rear and/or side annex, outdoor cook/kitchen setup, some exterior camp lighting and possibly even a hot/cold camp shower.
I plan to keep this thread updated as the build develops as well as to keep up with our adventures in the rig. Below is a pic from the day the we brought her home in stock configuration, for now lol.
Last edited:
