New to trucks, looking for some advice for my build!

mr4rings · Jan 7, 2015

Hey guys, my names Tom. New to trucks but not new to modifying or forums at all.

I recently traded my Porsche Panamera in for a '15 F-350 Platinum in order to tow a car or two for a new venture I am starting.

I told myself I would be keeping it stock but as we all know, that is never gonna happen.

So here is my dilemma. I'm not really sure which way to take the truck. Seeming as how it is a work vehicle and I bought it with no intention of modding it, I'm looking to mod the truck on a budget.

I have two routes I can take right now that I can justify to myself (and my girlfriend

)

Option 1:
Roof Light Bar
Fab side steps
Exhaust
Tuner
Intake
Maybe a egr delete

Option 2:
Lift
Wheels
Tires

I've been doing a lot of research on the subject and the information is very confusing. Which I also attribute to me being new to trucks in general.

Here are my main questions:

What is a good lift height for a first time lifted truck owner?
I was thinking between 4.5-6 inch lift and the forum seems to have a general consensus that this is the best starting point.

Which lift kit would you recommend for that amount of lift for a reasonable amount?
I'm looking to spend around 1,500 dollars +/- a bit. It seems as though the forums say ICON or CARLI but these lifts can be upwards of 5k!:fustrate:

I can not justify spending 1k for a light bar so Rigid Industries seems to be out of the question. I was looking at Rough Country 54in Light bar. Any other brands you'd recommend with a warranty or of good quality?

Should I be worried about egr deleting my truck seeming as how its new?

Is it worth getting a tuner, exhaust, and intake if I don't go full bore and egr delete?

I apologize for all the questions, but I am doing my fair share of research but would like some input from some of the guys that have been here before.

Also, vendors feel free to chime in! I have no idea where to go as there is not really a shop that does this stuff near me. Would love to get a direction of where to go?

Thanks guys!
Tom

webb06 · Jan 7, 2015

mr4rings said:
Hey guys, my names Tom. New to trucks but not new to modifying or forums at all.

I recently traded my Porsche Panamera in for a '15 F-350 Platinum in order to tow a car or two for a new venture I am starting.

I told myself I would be keeping it stock but as we all know, that is never gonna happen.

So here is my dilemma. I'm not really sure which way to take the truck. Seeming as how it is a work vehicle and I bought it with no intention of modding it, I'm looking to mod the truck on a budget.

I have two routes I can take right now that I can justify to myself (and my girlfriend )

Option 1:
Roof Light Bar
Fab side steps
Exhaust
Tuner
Intake
Maybe a egr delete

Option 2:
Lift
Wheels
Tires

I've been doing a lot of research on the subject and the information is very confusing. Which I also attribute to me being new to trucks in general.

Here are my main questions:

What is a good lift height for a first time lifted truck owner?
I was thinking between 4.5-6 inch lift and the forum seems to have a general consensus that this is the best starting point.

Which lift kit would you recommend for that amount of lift for a reasonable amount?
I'm looking to spend around 1,500 dollars +/- a bit. It seems as though the forums say ICON or CARLI but these lifts can be upwards of 5k!:fustrate:

I can not justify spending 1k for a light bar so Rigid Industries seems to be out of the question. I was looking at Rough Country 54in Light bar. Any other brands you'd recommend with a warranty or of good quality?

Should I be worried about egr deleting my truck seeming as how its new?

Is it worth getting a tuner, exhaust, and intake if I don't go full bore and egr delete?

I apologize for all the questions, but I am doing my fair share of research but would like some input from some of the guys that have been here before.

Also, vendors feel free to chime in! I have no idea where to go as there is not really a shop that does this stuff near me. Would love to get a direction of where to go?

Thanks guys!
Tom

If you like your warranty then you better keep the engine side of things stock, meaning no tuner, exhaust or egr delete. Intake would not void the warranty though.

Depending on how much you're towing and whether it's a gooseneck or not would determine how high of a lift you could justify.

Everyone loves pics so let's see the truck.

TheOx · Jan 7, 2015

mr4rings said:
Hey guys, my names Tom. New to trucks but not new to modifying or forums at all.

I recently traded my Porsche Panamera in for a '15 F-350 Platinum in order to tow a car or two for a new venture I am starting.

I told myself I would be keeping it stock but as we all know, that is never gonna happen.

So here is my dilemma. I'm not really sure which way to take the truck. Seeming as how it is a work vehicle and I bought it with no intention of modding it, I'm looking to mod the truck on a budget.

I have two routes I can take right now that I can justify to myself (and my girlfriend )

Option 1:
Roof Light Bar
Fab side steps
Exhaust
Tuner
Intake
Maybe a egr delete

Option 2:
Lift
Wheels
Tires

I've been doing a lot of research on the subject and the information is very confusing. Which I also attribute to me being new to trucks in general.

Here are my main questions:

What is a good lift height for a first time lifted truck owner?
I was thinking between 4.5-6 inch lift and the forum seems to have a general consensus that this is the best starting point.

Which lift kit would you recommend for that amount of lift for a reasonable amount?
I'm looking to spend around 1,500 dollars +/- a bit. It seems as though the forums say ICON or CARLI but these lifts can be upwards of 5k!:fustrate:

Fabtech or Procomp are both good lifts for the price. 6" radius arm kits can be had for ~$1500 without shocks.

I can not justify spending 1k for a light bar so Rigid Industries seems to be out of the question. I was looking at Rough Country 54in Light bar. Any other brands you'd recommend with a warranty or of good quality?

On my jeep I had a couple Trail Worthy Fab light bars and they were awesome for the price point! http://www.trailworthyfab.com/Trail-Worthy-Fab-Trail-Series/

Should I be worried about egr deleting my truck seeming as how its new?

delete the EGR if you get a tuner.

Is it worth getting a tuner, exhaust, and intake if I don't go full bore and egr delete?

Yes! Increase in fuel economy and not to mention increase in FUN! :rockon:

I apologize for all the questions, but I am doing my fair share of research but would like some input from some of the guys that have been here before.

Also, vendors feel free to chime in! I have no idea where to go as there is not really a shop that does this stuff near me. Would love to get a direction of where to go?

Thanks guys!
Tom

See above and good luck!

Stangr8cr · Jan 7, 2015

I went the ready lift route because of towing needs. It's considered more of a level kit than a lift but brings the front up 3" and the rear 3.5". That being said, with a properly setup 6" + lift, you can pretty much tow whatever you wanted within reason. Changing out the shocks was a huge improvement. I tow a 12k car trailer with this setup along with 35 12.50 20 wheel tire combo and truck does just fine. I agree with leaving the engine side alone if warranty is a concern as you'll be footing the bill more than likely with an engine related issue if it's tuned. I kinda wish I had went 6" inches now but I'm very happy with what I have now. Welcome to the truck world, the 6.7 is a really nice truck!!

Keith

ftast350 · Jan 7, 2015

If warranty isn't an issue go with a DPF and EGR delete and a No Limit intake with a custom tune and 4" exhaust and talk to bigrpowr. A 2.5" leveling kit is nice with 35" tires for towing (think about doing airbags in the rear).
Good luck!

mr4rings · Jan 7, 2015

I called my dealer and they stated that as long as the mod is not the cause of the problem then I should be good. I also spoke to the one shop local to me that does trucks. He said that the tuners usually will store stock maps so I can go back to them if/when I need to.

Is there any truth to that?

I'm looking to pull a gooseneck trailer, but it will only be from auctions to the dealership. It will be far more of a daily driver than a dedicated hauler. Think I'll be able to get away with a 6in lift with a gooseneck or is it going to be a serious headache?

josh@thedieselcartel · Jan 7, 2015

Based on what your looking for, i think getting the looks done first is the way to go.

If your daily driving the truck and want to improve the ride, i would suggest an Icon 4.5" with some 22x12s and 35" Tires. This will really improve the looks and attitude of the truck yet still be totally practical.

Doing all the EGR and tuning and stuff is great but if your concerned about warranty then I would steer clear for now.

Feel free to email me [email protected] and i can get all your questions answered and get you great pricing on whatever you decide togo with.

mr4rings · Jan 7, 2015

webb06 said:
If you like your warranty then you better keep the engine side of things stock, meaning no tuner, exhaust or egr delete. Intake would not void the warranty though.

Depending on how much you're towing and whether it's a gooseneck or not would determine how high of a lift you could justify.

Everyone loves pics so let's see the truck.

Sorry about the crappy pics haha I haven't had time to truly take shots of it and being stock I don't really feel the need to give it the royal treatment yet.

TheOx said:
See above and good luck!

Thanks for the reply! I saw that i could get a nice radius arm kit for around 1500 without shocks. However won;t I need longer shocks? increasing the total to above that range.

Stangr8cr said:
I went the ready lift route because of towing needs. It's considered more of a level kit than a lift but brings the front up 3" and the rear 3.5". That being said, with a properly setup 6" + lift, you can pretty much tow whatever you wanted within reason. Changing out the shocks was a huge improvement. I tow a 12k car trailer with this setup along with 35 12.50 20 wheel tire combo and truck does just fine. I agree with leaving the engine side alone if warranty is a concern as you'll be footing the bill more than likely with an engine related issue if it's tuned. I kinda wish I had went 6" inches now but I'm very happy with what I have now. Welcome to the truck world, the 6.7 is a really nice truck!!

Keith

I am really leaning towards 6 inches. I don't like buying things twice and it seems as though more often than not people who don't go atleast 5" regret not going more. From my research.

ftast350 said:
If warranty isn't an issue go with a DPF and EGR delete and a No Limit intake with a custom tune and 4" exhaust and talk to bigrpowr. A 2.5" leveling kit is nice with 35" tires for towing (think about doing airbags in the rear).
Good luck!

Airbags are expensive correct? I have had airride on many cars but I know nothing about them on trucks. Custom tune you mean pro tuned? Or do they have off the shelf maps included with tuners?

mr4rings · Jan 7, 2015

InMotionJosh said:
Based on what your looking for, i think getting the looks done first is the way to go.

If your daily driving the truck and want to improve the ride, i would suggest an Icon 4.5" with some 22x12s and 35" Tires. This will really improve the looks and attitude of the truck yet still be totally practical.

Doing all the EGR and tuning and stuff is great but if your concerned about warranty then I would steer clear for now.

Feel free to email me [email protected] and i can get all your questions answered and get you great pricing on whatever you decide togo with.

Great! Sending an email now!

TheOx · Jan 7, 2015

Yes you will need shocks... Bilsteins are around ~$450 for the set... If you get a basic kit you can get it all for $1500.

As others have said if your worried about warranty don't tune or delete the EGR.

Good looking truck!

01pwrstkr · Jan 7, 2015

Nice truck! Post some more pics after you start doing some things to it. And welcome to PSA!

"3 can keep a secret if 2 are dead"

ftast350 · Jan 7, 2015

mr4rings said:
Airbags are expensive correct? I have had airride on many cars but I know nothing about them on trucks. Custom tune you mean pro tuned? Or do they have off the shelf maps included with tuners?

No not air ride but air helper springs, they basically allow you to level the truck out with a load on it. Firestone makes em.
Custom tuning is required for deleting the EGR and DPF otherwise you can get some extra hp from super chips or edge both keep your stock maps on the device but many dealers blame tuning for anything and everything! So warranty could be an issue. Do some searches on the 2015 powerstroke and these mods as there is a difference between 2014 and 2015 6.7 Powerstroke but there are plenty of similarities as well. Good luck!

UpstateDieselGuy · Jan 7, 2015

Welcome aboard, nice truck! Where in NY are you?

Chris

WHY NOT · Jan 7, 2015

Tune and delete with EGR block off plates to give you some more power. Then a 4.5" lift with some 20x10's and 35" x12.50 tires. I think 12" wide wheels stick out way to far, they look great but throw crap all over the place.

Craig@MFI · Jan 7, 2015

Let us know if we can help you out with a lift and performance parts
410-354-0340

mr4rings · Jan 8, 2015

UpstateDieselGuy said:
Welcome aboard, nice truck! Where in NY are you?

Chris

I'm from Rochester. Are you a NY local?

ftast350 said:
No not air ride but air helper springs, they basically allow you to level the truck out with a load on it. Firestone makes em.
Custom tuning is required for deleting the EGR and DPF otherwise you can get some extra hp from super chips or edge both keep your stock maps on the device but many dealers blame tuning for anything and everything! So warranty could be an issue. Do some searches on the 2015 powerstroke and these mods as there is a difference between 2014 and 2015 6.7 Powerstroke but there are plenty of similarities as well. Good luck!

I'll start checking out some videos!

WHY NOT said:
Tune and delete with EGR block off plates to give you some more power. Then a 4.5" lift with some 20x10's and 35" x12.50 tires. I think 12" wide wheels stick out way to far, they look great but throw crap all over the place.

I was thinking 22x12, but i'll do some more research and see. I think im gonna stay away from the deletes right now seeming as how theres only 7500 miles on the truck and I'm not trying to void a warranty....yet.

Craig@MFI said:
Let us know if we can help you out with a lift and performance parts
410-354-0340

I'll give you a call soon! I was looking at your performance package for the 6.7L anyways

TripleE44 · Jan 8, 2015

If you decide to do the lift first, check out PMF. I've found with them you get a little more value for the money, and they actually use Icon coils so you can get the same Icon type ride or better, for a little less. For just a mild lift, I have a 3.5'' lift from them and its a really nice height as far as function goes. Tall enough to look lifted, but not enough to be a burden.

Here's a link to their site and the kit that I have. I just added a 1'' spacer from them to get to 3.5''. That is actually my truck in the pics as well.
Link: http://www.pmfsuspension.com/2011-13-25-Alpha_p_95.html

And also, when you get to doing steps, check out AMP steps. Again they're pricey, but so, completely, worth it.

The Butcher · Jan 8, 2015

If you want the best ride pay to play. Carli or Icon.

Do you already have the gooseneck trailer? If so, you need to take into consideration the attitude of the trailer when towing. What I mean by that is that you want it to ride as level as possible, and the height of your truck will effect that. If the neck height of the trailer is adjustable, then it isn't as big of a deal. Long story short, if you are nose high on the trailer, you are going to be changing the stress on the trailer suspension and tires. Even loaded with weight biased toward the front, if your trailer nose is in the air, the rear tires on the trailer will be getting the most stress, and I've seen this cause blow outs on long trips.

The quick answer to your question (given what you are going to do with the truck), is to go Carli 4.5" with their replacement rear leaf pack and long travel air bags and 35" tires on a wheel that is 9-10" wide. Rides like a dream, tows fantastic. Toyo M/T if you want a mud tire (relatively quite and tow pretty good). If you want an A/T, there are tons of options. You could run a 37" tire on that kit with the right wheel width and offset, but if you aren't swapping gears or doing engine mods right now, I'd stick with a 35. You can always go to a 37 on the next set of tires if you want to go bigger.

All of that being said, I went with the Icon 7" and 37s, and it rides fantastic and tows good too. I think it needs a little more power though, so will probably delete and tune it soon...

UpstateDieselGuy · Jan 8, 2015

I'm an hour northwest of Albany. Nice looking truck!

mr4rings · Jan 8, 2015

The Butcher said:
If you want the best ride pay to play. Carli or Icon.

Do you already have the gooseneck trailer? If so, you need to take into consideration the attitude of the trailer when towing. What I mean by that is that you want it to ride as level as possible, and the height of your truck will effect that. If the neck height of the trailer is adjustable, then it isn't as big of a deal. Long story short, if you are nose high on the trailer, you are going to be changing the stress on the trailer suspension and tires. Even loaded with weight biased toward the front, if your trailer nose is in the air, the rear tires on the trailer will be getting the most stress, and I've seen this cause blow outs on long trips.

The quick answer to your question (given what you are going to do with the truck), is to go Carli 4.5" with their replacement rear leaf pack and long travel air bags and 35" tires on a wheel that is 9-10" wide. Rides like a dream, tows fantastic. Toyo M/T if you want a mud tire (relatively quite and tow pretty good). If you want an A/T, there are tons of options. You could run a 37" tire on that kit with the right wheel width and offset, but if you aren't swapping gears or doing engine mods right now, I'd stick with a 35. You can always go to a 37 on the next set of tires if you want to go bigger.

All of that being said, I went with the Icon 7" and 37s, and it rides fantastic and tows good too. I think it needs a little more power though, so will probably delete and tune it soon...