New (to me) 2002 7.3L F350...ideas on where to start....

[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

Like the title says...

Plan to own this rig for a long time. I'll be using the search, but looking for any and all ideas/links on things to do to make this truck a solid expedition rig.

So it begins!


Thanks

 

[F350joe]

Post some pics! I would start with gauges and the transmission. Oil rail crossover is nice mod that is cheap and easy if you are dying to jump into it. The “.25 cent” fix is also something worthwhile, I didn't do it and cost me four days in Utah of a seven day trip. I'm partial to the PHP Hydra for a tuner but don't go there until you get gauges.

 

[rayra]

Reliability first. Go over it thoroughly and if maintenance info is sketchy give a full 100k mi interval maintenance workover. Also with an eye towards replacing belts, hoses, full brake inspection and/or service.
Drive it around get a good feel for it. Don't be in a rush to spend a ton of money of Overlander fad equipment. Figure out what you really need first.

what sort of uses do you intend, on and off-road? Is it transportation or a mobile home, too? What sort of creature comforts do you require? What parts of the country / seasons will you use it in? Those things should help steer your priorities.

 

[drumguy_18]

Gauges are a must to keep an eye on EGT, oil, trans & coolant temps. Instead of traditional manual gauges, I highly recommend the Edge Insight CTS product, it plugs into your OBDII port and provides much more valuable info from a single screen, also reads check engine codes and helps keeps track of maintenance intervals.

I had a TS Performance 6-position chip on my '02 7.3L Excursion, great tuner, really woke up the engine and increased fuel mileage. I recommend 4" exhaust, gauges and a cold air intake before installing a tuner.

Enjoy your new truck!

 

[tkrrox]

I did a redhead steering box that really helped the steering and put some bilsteins on it. Also like others recommended. Gauges, exhaust, intake, tuner. Be ready for a tranny because they are definitely the weak link. I don’t know what the 25 cent fix is. I also did a 38r turbo and injectors on mine. If you are going to tow, it would benefit from lower gearing depending on tire size.


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[rayra]

iirc the 25cent fix is changing a woodruff key. Or maybe I'm thinking of Dodge.

 

[jws4621]

25 cent mod is for the Valve cover wiring harnesses. The connector gets loose over time and comes apart. It is basically taking a quarter cutting it in half and putting it in the connector to keep it tighter. I fixed this by going with after market valve cover gaskets, well so far anyway.

My truck now has 270,000 miles on it. It is also a 2002 7.3. I got really lucky and my truck was very well maintained before I got it. That being said I don't run a tuner on it for the simple fact that they are really hard on the transmission. Mine shifts well at this point and I don't know if it has ever been replaced. It has nice red fluid in it so I am leaving it alone. I run Torque pro on a cheap tablet with a cheap odbII bluetooth adapter for gauges. Since I don't have a tuner EGT's aren't really an issue, transmission temperature is though, heat is a killer.

Depending on what you have and what you intend to do with it they are great trucks. I love mine. We haul my race car, camp, little bit of offroading and daily drive mine.

Also make sure to do something to disable it when leaving it over night in an area of high theft. These trucks are stolen alot! Mine was stolen and luckily recovered mostly intact.

Maintenance is probably going to be a big key to it's survival, if 4x4 check all the ball joints in the front, if they haven't been replaced replace them, check the u joints, find and fix any oil leaks.

These trucks also were designed for regular diesel not the ultra low sulfur that is available now. Run an additive for lubricating the injectors and such.

Sorry for all the info I hope it helps. Good luck with your truck.

 

[jtcym1149]

Great choice for a dependable, long living truck. I have two 2001 7.3s both with over 255,000. One needed the under valve wiring harness replaced at 130K but other wise they're bulletproof. I just have a edge tuner and the middle setting is more then enough power. The high setting worries me with how much smoke it puts out and how much power it has. Luckily both of mine are 6 speeds. I like the edge because it can read codes too in case I have trouble on the road away from home.
Maintenance wise ball joints around 100k, wheel bearings a little less than that and brakes 60-80k. I seem to get issues with the brake pistons seizing but generally it's something you catch and can remedy before it's a major problem. Only been towed once and that was for the starter going in a drive thru...That sucked.
First thing I would do: 35's on 16" steelys. no lift needed. Just sawzall the bumper and pull back the black plastic. It'll rub a little but whatever. It's a 15 year old truck....besides highway mileage will improve.

 

[Tex68w]

Pretty much everything has been covered by all of the previous posters. I have to agree that the biggest weak link is the tranny, spend your money there after running through the rest of the suggestions. Once you've gone through it all and made it bullet proof, then you'll have options galore for lift and bumpers. Great choice in a truck, if you do things right and take care of her, she'll take care of you for a long time.

 

[jesser]

I'd suggest you keep this forum for the adventure build and move to FTE (Ford Truck Enthusiasts) for 7.3 reliability/service details.

You didn't say if your truck was single/crew cab and Long/Short bed. As for an adventure build, pay attention to the service and trade industries. These folks carry a lot of stuff on their trucks daily and they do it with extreme efficiency. I've always thought it would be good to have an aluminum flat bed and then add cargo boxes as needed to complete the immediate storage needs.

RTT's being all the rage, add simple mounts to the four corners and mount a tent on top of the flat bed. The F350 has a great spring package, so the suspension can carry more then you will want to carry on a trail. The end result will be an efficient truck that can go most places. I say "most" because a CC LB truck is over 20' long, my Excursion is 20' long and I can tell you, it's a white-knuckle experience to do an 8-pt turn on a switch back driving up a mountain.

I love my full size adventure Ex and won't sell it, but there are advantages to shorter wheel base trucks. Pleas post some pics!

 

[BigDaveZJ]

I've had my 7.3 for 11+ years and 100k miles. It's primary purpose is tow my Jeep, but we've used it a few times for light wheeling and camping.
.
One thing I'll add to what's been said so far is to make sure your power steering pump is in good shape. These trucks use a hydroboost system. This means that your power steering AND your brake power assist are powered by the same system. A weak power steering pump can make it impossible to turn the steering wheel while applying the brakes as the brakes are given priority in the system. Most will just run ATF in the system too instead of power steering fluid.
.
One other thing, I would highly recommend some type of on board air. These things ride STIFF on the trail. I can cover substantially more ground in my Jeep than my truck due to the suspension, but dropping the pressure in the tires really helps the truck out. Of course once you lower the pressure, you need to bring it back up for highway travel. A small compressor or CO2 tank can get this done for you.

 

[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

Thanks guys!! Not sure why I dropped the ball on this thread. Maybe because right after posting my truck was in an accident and the body shop had it forever. No major damage but they were backed up and just kept putting me off. Had to get my insurance company to bust their balls to get it done. Anyway, I have beck now and love it.
As I’ve been going through it I keep finding all the great stuff the P.O. did. Already has gauges, 4” turbo back exxhaust, modest 4” lift. Hoop crossover, AIS filter, afe intake plenum, wicked wheel, ccv re-route, and more stuff I can’t remember. Oh ya, an old edge tuner. Will be dumping it for php hydra eventually.

First order of business is new tires. Came with junk mud tires. Will be getting BFG AT/KO2s. Any reason I can’t run 325 75/16s on my stock 16x8 wheels?


Also Picked up a Lance camper for super cheap. It has a few little issues but all systems work. The wife wants a little comfort. Not really an overland setup given the weight but it’ll be ok for mild baja stuff. Will go lighter weight when it’s just the guys.

Anyway, thanks for all the great info. I’ll try to check this thread more often!

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[JSwanson]

You need a wheel with more backspacing to run a tire that size. You will rub on the front leaf springs when turning. Unless you run spacers which i wouldnt suggest. Truck looks very nice. Nice to have all the upgrades already. Looking forward to the build.

 

[JSwanson]

Ive got the same wheels and i believe they're only 7 inches wide not 8. I ran 315 75 16 on stock wheels on a 01 excursion and it rode horribly. The wheels are to narrow for that tire and it ballons the sidewall too much. A 16x10 wheel is a much better size for a 315 or 325.

 

[Regcabguy]

I wouldn't trust a BFG KO on a truck that heavy especially with a cabover.
There are sturdier choices out there. Toyo,Nitto and Cooper come to mind with their thick sidewalls.