F 450 flatbed camper build

[DzlToy]

your dealer is most likely an idiot, as so many of them are. The 6.4L problems are well known at this and time and all of the common ones at least can be easily fixed if you are so inclined:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN7IDiV2aUM

http://www.backglass.org/duncan/ps64_manual/

http://www.youtube.com/user/powerstrokehelp

additionally, I would contact some of the well know Powerstroke shops (not dealers) and talk to them about the issues you are having.

I am certainly not a Ford fan, but the Dodge's and Chevy's have their issues as well. The problem is all the whiz-bang gadgets on these new trucks. Take a 1998 Dodge 12 valve for comparison, very simple, straightforward and reliable truck. If something does break, very simple and easy to fix.

good luck.

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

Call Brain at BTS in Arkansas - http://www.brianstruckshop.com/

After having two different Ford Dealers tell me various things were wrong with my 2003 6.0L, one dealer telling me I needed to replace my oil cooler for a small fee of $1500, I happened to be in Arkansas and stopped by BTS. Brian looked at it, and ran a few checks with various tools. One of them being a flashlight into the radiators and cooling systems up in front of the truck.

He said "I'll bet money that if I take off the front end of the truck, powerwash all these radiators and cooling fins, it'll solve your overheating issues."

He spent a few hours on it, charged me $500 for the days labor of taking the radiator, intercooler, trans cooler, and oil cooler off and powerwashing all of them, then re-installing them with new fluids. I've yet to have any issues with the truck running hot. He showed me a video he took of the mess he washed out and it was bad.

I asked what I could do to prevent this, and he laughed saying "In 11 years, come back and see me and I'll do it again."

Brian is a stand up guy and knows his Late Model Fords

 

[Capt Eddie]

I just received an Email from Dodge that my truck is finished and in transit to Louisiana. It should be at the dealers in two weeks. I went with another 4500 with the 200 inch wheel base like the Ford.4 X 4 crew cab. Diesel Cab and chassis. This one will come with a back up camera. On this truck I will mount a 4400 watt Onan Microquiet generator. I am gong to use 24 inch deep boxes instead of the 18 inch that I used on the first bed. This will allow me to use the wasted 12 inch space that I had after the camper is on. I still do not know what to do with a 12K Warn winch. It is 6 years old and NEVER been used??? But if this truck gets put to work later down the road it will come in handy unsticking the tractor or other trucks. I have almost decided to put it on the front in a heavy duty bumper. If you hit anything with the front of these truck you will be stranded. So I will have the bumper reinforced to take large animal hits. As well as extra lights. It is a worlds of different driving this Dodge with the engine brake over the Ford. As well as shift on the fly FWD system. I have the All terrain tires instead of the highway tread. Let the build begin.

 

[Capt Eddie]

I picked up the truck today. So far no surprises Except that the bed rail is 4 inches longer then the Ford..

 

[Carlyle]

Sounds great so far!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

 

[continentaldrifter]

bumper



Here you go...i'd sell you mine, 4500 and 5500 are identical..I have built quite a few of these for pickups and Big trucks. Call the number or google the name if interested. If not, congrats on you new truck and happy camping.

 

[Capt Eddie]

That is a great looking bumper. I do appreciate the workmanship put into a bumper like that. But I could probably not be able to afford a bumper like that. By the way, I have a fence company also. We are in Louisiana. How do the headlights do with all of the pipe around them?

 

[continentaldrifter]

never a problem...tamp away !!

 

[Capt Eddie]

I have been working on the new bed. But I have hit a slight snag. The rear backup camera. As in where and how to mount it. I will say that it is by far the best quality picture that I have seen. I know that I have to mount it on the back bumper area. But it need protection from abusive people. so I was going to mount it behind the 1/8 plate. The problem comes in with the unit itself. It is 1 inch square with 2 small tabs cross corner from each other. has anyone used something like this? What are my options?

 

[easyshell]

I have a 5500 coming at the end of the month and I was thinking of putting it in the back bumper as well. Around all my lights and hopefully the camera I was thinking of putting a ring around them. Mabey 1/4" out from the bumper so that if you back into anything or while loading you hit the ring not the light or camera.

 

[Capt Eddie]

I have mine setting up above the receiver hitch. That way you can se the ball. It will not work right in the bumper. My bumper per se is 16 inches high.

 

[Capt Eddie]

I am on the last leg of outfitting the new Dodge truck. I have all the boxes in place. I installed centering guides in the bed to help keep the camper centered while on rough roads. The Onan Microquiet is at the shop getting checked out. Al the wiring is ran to the correct location, but not connected yet. While under the truck I noticed a few thing that other builders may need to keep in mind. The DEF tank and the massive muffler hang down 4inches lower then the lowest box. And hang down 6 inches below the frame of the truck. Making the breakover terrible. I think that I read about a builder moving the DEF tank to another location, hopefully up higher. I do not know what to do with the GIANT MUFFLER. Maybe some other previous Dodge builders have addressed this problem. My next stage will be to address the need for running boards/sliders. I do not believe that I could build sliders strong enough to protect the muffler and tank from being damaged during breakover events. Any thoughts? Now on to the winch.

 

[Capt Eddie]

I have all the wiring finished up to the generator. I installed a power cutoff switch before the camper connection and the generator. I will install a solar panel to recharge the camper batteries but not the main truck batteries. I thought that it would be to much for the charger to have to deal with four batteries.

 

[Capt Eddie]

My dear wife helped me work until 9p.m. installing the Onan generator last night. And today worked after church to finish wiring 3 different receptacles. One 30 amp RV receptacle and two 110 20amp receptacles. I also found out that I installed the back tie downs to far to the rear. The camper would be sitting on top of them. Back to the drawing board for the rear tie downs. I am going to set the camper on the bed and then see the angle that I have to deal with before I start drilling more holes in the bed. It will be nice having 4000 watts of power.

 

[Capt Eddie]

A few things that some people may be interested in.
1. Breakover angle on this truck is terrible.
2 The muffler and DEF tank hang about 6 inches below the frame.
3. The turning radius is larger then the Ford.
4.But the two stage engine brake is more then Ford ever thought of being.
5.The rear tank is 2 inches lower then Ford.
6. Shift on the fly can be God sent on bad roads.