Is Offroading in a SuperDuty Really That Bad?

[StrangerInAStrangeLand]

I’ve taken my 01 7.3 crewcab shortbed up to the 4wd trailhead at Yankee Boy Basin, Clear Lake, 550 side of Black Bear Pass, and allllllllll over Cedar Mesa/Bears Ears with no issues…just have to make some multipoint turns on the switchbacks. Went and did the whole Cathedral Valley Loop out to the Hidden Splendor mine in the Swell and aired down to 20psi on 35s…smooth as butter. As long as you remember it’s not a trophy truck or a rock crawler….it’s more of an off road grand tourer. The 99-07 super dutys honestly aren’t much bigger than say a crewcab Tundra. Does seem like the newer SDs are bigger though.

 

[Mack M]

I’ve taken my 01 7.3 crewcab shortbed up to the 4wd trailhead at Yankee Boy Basin, Clear Lake, 550 side of Black Bear Pass, and allllllllll over Cedar Mesa/Bears Ears with no issues…just have to make some multipoint turns on the switchbacks. Went and did the whole Cathedral Valley Loop out to the Hidden Splendor mine in the Swell and aired down to 20psi on 35s…smooth as butter. As long as you remember it’s not a trophy truck or a rock crawler….it’s more of an off road grand tourer. The 99-07 super dutys honestly aren’t much bigger than say a crewcab Tundra. Does seem like the newer SDs are bigger though.

That’s awesome. I did Yankee boy last year in my GX, and look forward to doing it again this year in this truck.

 

[Mack M]

XLs can be had with any motor. However they come standard with the 6.8. You can option for the 7.3, 6.7 standard output, or 6.7 high output.

Correct, I was just being lazy haha, and 99 out of 100 you find on a dealer lot will be speced with the 6.8. I test drove an xlt with the 7.3 and just normal driving, couldn’t tell the difference.

 

[rruff]

EDIT: $7k option. Forgot to select 4x4. Apparently, 7.3 forces you to go 4WD.

For $7k you also get a forged crank and a heavier duty transmission besides the wee displacement increase, I think. I've heard that the 6.8 gets the same trans that's in the F150.

Wouldn't be worth it to me...

 

[tacollie]

For $7k you also get a forged crank and a heavier duty transmission besides the wee displacement increase, I think. I've heard that the 6.8 gets the same trans that's in the F150.

Wouldn't be worth it to me...

It gets the 10r100 vs the 10r140. The 10r100 is stouter than the 10r80 in the F150. The 10r100 is supposedly better suited to the gas engine. It's essentially replaced the 6r100 in the '17+ 6.2 F250.

 

[Ozarker]

For $7k you also get a forged crank and a heavier duty transmission besides the wee displacement increase, I think. I've heard that the 6.8 gets the same trans that's in the F150.

Wouldn't be worth it to me...

Me neither.
There might be a justification for the difference in a commercial use, but for civilian utility and pleasure use, probably has no benefit.

 

[Mack M]

Better with 35s,

 

[rruff]

Better with 35s,

Oh ya! Those actually fit on your stock rims ok? I thought they were only 7.5" wide...

 

[Ozarker]

Ultimately, I guess this site requires a discussion about tires.

My rig looks like ^, a white F 150, however. I'm running stock wheels with KO 2's.

This thread is about "Off roading", as opposed to "Overlanding" I suppose there is a difference, where off roading entails encountering obstacles at a "slow" speed where the purpose is to negotiate that obstacle, vs. overlanding as travel. Overlanding may involve off road travels and encountering obstacles but the purpose is traveling.

So, with huge tires, does your HD pickup negotiate boulders, mud, sand and downed forest debris better than stock sizes? I guess, but it really messes up expectations of a comfortable ride on the streets, sure makes for more wear and tear on the vehicle and may require ear plugs on the interstate.

Most here use their vehicles as an everyday driver, I'm sure. With that assumption, should we address the best alternatives for 90% of our driving requirements or suffer all the negative aspects of running larger tires.

I do understand some guys hauling their egos in their trucks, but you can certainly have your overlanding and occasional off road episodes with stock wheels and OEM size tires.

 

[tacollie]

Oh ya! Those actually fit on your stock rims ok? I thought they were only 7.5" wide...

They are 7.5". It's not uncommon to see 35x12.5 or even 37x12.5 on them. They mount fine. Some national chains won't mount them because they are outside of what the tire manufacturer recommends.

 

[IdaSHO]

They may mount "fine", but there is good reason why the tire MFG specifies wheel widths.

Especially for a proper truck with a proper payload rating, that are designed to haul weight reliably/safely.
Running a tire on a wheel outside the specified width puts far more strain on the sidewall, beads, and carcass than designed.
It is not advised.

TIRE TOO WIDE OR TOO NARROW – Rim Ringz

www.rimringz.com

 

[tacollie]

Ultimately, I guess this site requires a discussion about tires.

My rig looks like ^, a white F 150, however. I'm running stock wheels with KO 2's.

This thread is about "Off roading", as opposed to "Overlanding" I suppose there is a difference, where off roading entails encountering obstacles at a "slow" speed where the purpose is to negotiate that obstacle, vs. overlanding as travel. Overlanding may involve off road travels and encountering obstacles but the purpose is traveling.

So, with huge tires, does your HD pickup negotiate boulders, mud, sand and downed forest debris better than stock sizes? I guess, but it really messes up expectations of a comfortable ride on the streets, sure makes for more wear and tear on the vehicle and may require ear plugs on the interstate.

Most here use their vehicles as an everyday driver, I'm sure. With that assumption, should we address the best alternatives for 90% of our driving requirements or suffer all the negative aspects of running larger tires.

I do understand some guys hauling their egos in their trucks, but you can certainly have your overlanding and occasional off road episodes with stock wheels and OEM size tires.

Moving up to 35s improved the ride of my F250 on and off road. They are quiet on the highway because I went with a modern AT. I did lose .5 mpgs. You can buy a brand new F250 with the exact same size tires that I have on my truck. You can even buy a brand new F150 with 35s.

Also it isn't the1980s. 35s aren't considered big anymore. GM, Ford, and RAM all offer trucks on 35s.

 

[IdaSHO]

Yeah... and at least on these Superduty trucks, 35's look downright small
I run the 285/75r18 Toyo AT as its the highest load index LT available.
Quiet, smooth, and long wearing. Its also the most round and easiest to balance tire Ive ever ran.

 

[Ozarker]

LOL, I should have known mentioning anything that could be judged subjectively would be. 0.5 mpg, LOL. Noise, actually I'm deaf as a door nail, you could run tracks off an Abrahams and I'd say it was quiet.

I think that's great, you can have larger tires that are still OEM or options by the manufacture.

However, physics is physics.

 

[rruff]

However, physics is physics.

What physics are you referring to?