School me on Ford Super Duty

[cnynrat]

The Achilles Heel of the 7.3L PSD's was the Cam Position Sensor. Veteran Baja PSD drivers don't leave home w/o a spare.

Ford has the CPS on a recall now, so they may have a new CPS that fixed the problem.

We have a 99 F350 7.3L PSD. Our first CPS was replaced under warranty. We paid for the second, and at that point bought a spare. Haven't had another failure yet, and I believe we got the new CPS after the second repair.

 

[cjmitchell5]

the CPS is a $125 spare part

Nah, you can get sensors for less than $30 now, even from the dealership. The new ones are light gray.

 

[masterplumber]

Here's my '95, still going strong 13 years after mfg date & 138K miles of hauling & towing. I know one guy who got 750K out of his. They do 4 wheel well as long as you get to know where your corners are. I wouldn't do the Rubicon with it but that's only do to the tightness of the track - it will crawl over or through just about anything even with the camper on.

If you need the room you really can't go wrong with these as long as you avoid the couple of bad years.

best wishes truck hunting,
Doug

Edit, sorry I only seem to have this picture in my computer - I'll have to get busy & upload all the discs I have form when I only had a 35mm point & shoot.

 

[Pskhaat]

...late 2006 was the last of the 6.0 L diesels...Third generation...Production 2008-present...

So what engine was in 2007 model years?

 

[Pskhaat]

I guess the 2005 and up 6.0L trucks aren't that bad.

Hundreds of them were bought back right? And the engine only had a 2-3 year run (see earlier post)? Are mostly all issues resolved?

 

[jdholder]

I love my Excursion - 2001 XLT version - automatic with the 7.3 liter.

The CPS is a non-issue. It's $30 now and I can change one in 10 minutes with a 10mm socket.

The tranny's can be beefed up - and there are some with a bad mechanical diode (I think 01 and previous), which you want to avoid - most have been replaced though now because they went bad - mine has.

I have a 4 inch lift with Fiberglass front fenders and cut rears. I run 40 inch tires with no issues. Someone said it before, but the only way to get these things to work offroad and have acceptable break over angles and approach and departure angles is to fit larger tires.

I wouldn't trade my Excursion for anything - well, maybe a Hummer H1 Alpha with an AC system that didn't break all the time.

 

[locrwln]

Can you comment more on this? I would normally agree with you but there are Mogs that have driven the World 'round much bigger than these?

Sorry about that, I should have been more clear. When I said "serious overlanding" I was referring more about where you can stick a 80/100 sized rig. Spressomon and I seem to be able to find the worst kind of narrow, off-camber, remote crap when we go out. Just not places I would feel comfortable or would drag "my" truck. As I said, I bought it new and it has a very nice red metallic paint job that does not/will not get Nevada pinstriping.

Now with the prices having dropped to the bottom, there are plenty of $10k rigs out there. If I was building a rig to head to SA, I would take my truck over my 80. Just has more room, fuel economical and weight carrying ability.

Also, '02 is when the D60 fronts started showing up in the SRW trucks, mine has one, I know because I have had the front cover off to do a fluid change.

Mine is totally stock suspension wise other that the air bags in the rear and some rancho 9k shocks for the cabover. I understand that some of the better aftermarket suspensions handle the rough road stuff alot better. I have taken mine on some rougher dirt roads and it just kind of beats you up, stock.

I haven't put any power adders on mine. I have done a Walker BTM muffler (straight through) Ford's AIS intake, with fender sleeve and a 203 degree thermostat on mine. I average 18-19 mpg empty and 12-14 with the cabover on. With the long bed 38 gallon tank, I can go 600 miles on a tank of fuel. This last September, I was up in Yellowstone with the cabover on and driving around the park (45 mph speed limit), I got 17 mpg on that tank.

There are 55+ gallon replacement tanks available.:sombrero: Now if you did one of the 55gal replacements, added an excursion or 450 rear tank, you would have almost 100 gal of diesel onboard, talk about range...empty I would have an almost 1800 mile range.:bowdown: Loaded we are looking at 1200 miles. I would have to relocate the spare, but if you were going to turn it into a european type camper (which is a dream of mine), then you could mount it on the rear of the camper.

Jack

 

[jdholder]

Also, '02 is when the D60 fronts started showing up in the SRW trucks, mine has one, I know because I have had the front cover off to do a fluid change.
Jack

The Dana 50 and Dana 60 are identical except for the outer axles where the Dana 50 necks down, the Dana 60 are full diameter. Inside the pumpkin thought they are the same.

 

[locrwln]

The Dana 50 and Dana 60 are identical except for the outer axles where the Dana 50 necks down, the Dana 60 are full diameter. Inside the pumpkin thought they are the same.

Actually the outside of the 50 housing is almost as big as the 60 housing, but when you open them up, the diff just doesn't fill the housing, at least the pictures I have seen. Whereas the 60 diff fills the housing, like it should. Also, I confirmed mine with both the sticker on the housing and the pinion nut diameter.:elkgrin:

Jack

 

[cjmitchell5]

Article speaking of the differences of the Dana 44, 50, & 60.

 

[jdholder]

Got it - I was misinformed.

 

[ntsqd]

Article speaking of the differences of the Dana 44, 50, & 60.

[hijack] Why do magazine article authors insist on promoting the poor terminology "reverse rotation" when referring to a high pinion design? There is nothing there that rotates opposite from normal. Are they really that stupid?[/hijack]

 

[RocKrawler]

Should technically be reverse cut. The major difference is the D50 is 30 Spline, and the D60 is either 32 or 53 spline depending on the BOM#

 

[Pskhaat]

I was referring more about where you can stick a 80/100 sized rig. Spressomon and I seem to be able to find the worst kind of narrow, off-camber, remote crap when we go out. Just not places I would feel comfortable or would drag[ging a] truck.

Well this is exactly my problem right now. I love my 80 & 100 and think they are ideal if not the perfect overland rigs (Rovers' size too). However to carry my crap I need a trailer and then I'm just as out-of-luck on these trails anyway, so then the consideration goes to a full-sized truck, but am possibly at a small loss there too.

I'm thinking I'll actually spend less on a SD with some basic mods net a LC sale than a good trailer purchase!

 

[olympiccop2002]

Also when the plagued 6.0 hit

The 6.0L was introduced in 2003 and ran through 2007. By 2005 when the coil sprung suspension came out the bugs had been mostly worked out of the 6.0L.

So what engine was in 2007 model years?

The new diesel is the 6.4L and it was put into the 2008 Superduty. It has the DPF and does not get the greatest for MPG. Nice looking truck though.