Painted Horse

Wow, A post almost three years old raises from the dead. I won't buy the Chrome package because I don't care for the clad wheels. I always buy my trucks with the cheapest wheels/Tires ford puts on and then I drive over to the Tire store and Put on what I like. I sell the "Take Offs" online. If you figure that I saved $1500 on the Chrome Wheels and upsized tires from Ford, Plus sold the OEM tires online for $1000 I'm only $200-$300 difference from the custom wheels.

They will warranty it as long as you have the receipt showing you are the original buyer of the product. In the 5 years I've had my current cover, I've misplaced that receipt. But I did buy new velcro and new vinyl two years ago when a strong cross wind ripped it off my truck. They expect me to maintain receipts for 5 years, But can't look at their sales records for two years ago. The reason the wind ripped it off was because the velcro was not holding the edges down and the wind got underneath the cover. Its too big a bother to have to replace the velcro every 18-24 months. I'm looking into other types of covers.

I have a Truxedo Low Pro on my 2011 F350. The Velcro last me about 2 years then I have to call and have them send me out new velco ( hook side that slides into the rails) The loop side is sewn into the cover and not possible to change out. My cover right now basically connects at the 4 corners of the bed. The sides blow and bellow with any cross wind. I would seriously love to order something different for my new 2015 truck that is coming. But I pull a GN horse trailer several times a week and need something that allows use of the bed. But I often haul tools and lumber and like to be able to cover the bed in weather or when I park at Home depot.

The Airbags work well to help level the truck. They don't do anything to increase the load rating of the truck. Which is usually a combination of the tires, wheels, axles, springs etc. Take your existing truck, Put all the people in it that will normally accompany you on any camping trip. Throw the kind of stuff in the bed that would normally be in the bed on a camping trip. i.e. Generator, 5th wheel hitch, tools, leveling blocks what ever. and go get the truck weighed on a scale. Specifically each axle, So you know what weight each axle is carrying. Subtract the actual weight from the load rating for the axle and see if you have enough capacity left to carry your trailers pin weight. Most of which will sit on your rear axle. Trailer mfg advertise their trailer weights as Dry weight. So you know that when you get water, propane,bedding and all your household items inside the trailer that weight will increase, Most F-350 SRW trucks have a 11,500 lbs GVW rating. Most F-250 SRW have a 10,000 lbs GVW rating. And most of that difference shows up in the rear axle capacity. Most 5vers will have 15% to 25% of their total weight on the pin. Your numbers above are showing 18% of the dry weight will be on the pin. You will probably break 20-22% when you get the trailer loaded. I didn't catch the configuration of your truck, But most F-250 CC, 4x4, diesel trucks will only have 1900lbs of load capacity, Subtract you and your wife, a full tank of fuel and your 5th wheel hitch, You are down to 1300-1400 lbs of load capacity left. Your trailer will most likely put you over your ratings. If you have a 4x2 Regular cab, gas engine your capacity will be higher and you might be just fine. . Lots of folks tow with a F-250 over their ratings. That's your choice, But do what you can to stabilize the load and enhance the trucks capacity. Squatting is just one small problem that will need to be dealt with.

I've had the Truxedo roll up covers on my trucks since 2003. My 2006 and 2011 both had/have the Low Pro. It was a great cover in the early days. I'm a little frustrated with it lately. The velcro on the side is totally worthless now. It attaches at the front rail and back corners. Any strong cross wind now gets under the cover jerks it around. A couple of really strong gust have actually popped it off and I've had to stop and get out in terrible cross winds and try and catch the top and get it fastened back down. As long as your velcro is in good shape, this isn't a problem. But the velcro doesn't last forever. I just ordered a 2015 truck and am considering the folding covers. I really want a 4 fold vs a tri-fold. I want more of my bed exposed ( I drive long bed trucks with a GN hitch.) Several times a week I hook up my GN horse trailer and don't want to remove the cover when I need to pull the trailer. I do a lot of weekend camp out with the horses, where I need to put hay and water in the bed. So the Roll up type is probably the better choice. But I'm looking at my options. The roll-up covers have a bad habit of rubbing the paint off the back of the cab when you store the cover rolled forward.

At 100,000 miles I got the death wobble on my 2011 F350. I replaced the front steering dampner, which helped, But still had the problem. I finally replaced the front bearings/hubs and it cleared up my problem. As indicated by all the comments above, It can be a problem because of many small problems that in combination create the problem.

I frequently remote start my truck and when I come out 5 minutes later my windshield is almost defrosted from the Rapid Heat

The Exhaust brake on thse trucks won't do much in stop and go traffic. You really need to have some higher RPMs, for it to create any back pressure. ( at least on my 2011, have no idea on the 2015) Most exhaust brakes turn off at low speeds, basically unlock the Torque Convertor, so that you don't stall the engine. I do find that my 2011, does a good job of holding back a load in 1st gear at 25 mph, 2nd gear at 40 mph and 3rd gear at 60 mph. So it works well for me coming down 7% mountain grades with a load of horses behind me at 13,000 lbs. I can come down a 6-7% grade at the speeds I listed and not touch my brakes. I tell people to plan on using this exhaust brake to hold a speed down a grade, Not to expect it to slow me down. Also plan on the best performance from your exhaust brake at around 3000 rpm. If you are at 2000 rpm, there just isn't enough back pressure to feel any braking

I had this problem at 36,000 miles. Took it in just before my bumper to bumper warranty ran out. The dealership replaced the front steering stabilzer. Which fixed the problem. Now it has come back again at 100,000 miles. I installed a Bilstien steering stabilizer and reduced the shaking a lot. But I still get it occassionally, Especially at 50-60 mph on left hand radius turns where I hit a bump. I had asked the dealership to look at the front end when I had it in to flush and replace my coolant. They said everything was fine. I'm going to swap out tires, my current tires are almost worn out, if that doesn't fix the problem, then its time to start replacing parts on the track bar.

In 2011 the F350 has 57 spines on the axle shaft vs 55 for the F250. There is also a slight increase in the shaft diameter for the F350 vs the 250. Also the F350 comes with Hydraboost brakes and the F250 has vacuum boost brakes. If youa re pulling a bumper pull trailer, The F250 will probably be fine. If you stepup to a Gooseneck or 5ver, You will quickly hit your rear axle weight limits. The ride difference between the two is minimal. If you ever think you might need an in bed hitch. Buy the F350

I've driven several of these trucks across country on the interstate system. With both the 3.31 and 18" tires and the 3.55 and 20" and gotten almost identical mileage. Set the cruise at 80 mph and drive 1000 miles and I'll avg 18.0 to 18.5 depending on the temps, headwinds, and grades I've gotten as high as 23 mpg when sticking with 65 mph Towing is anywhere between 10 and 12 and around town avg 14

I've had mine since early August. I have 15,000 miles on it now, Probably more than half of that with some kind of trailer behind me, I pull a 4h Goosneck around 13,000lbs, a 20' flatbed equipment trailer with a skid loader or Miniexcavator on it, Usually around 10,000lbs. A 14' dump trailer thats' 5,000 empty and with broken concrete or gravel around 14,000lbs. Towing I'm getting 12 mpg range. Around town lots of short trips chasing, I'm getting 12-13 If I do any hiway driving mixed with city driing, I jump up to 15 mpg I took a trip from SLC to Jackson Hole (300miles each way) and got 23 mpg going up and 21 mpg comeing home. So hiway mileage has jumped vs my 6.0L Towing mileage is about what I used to ge with my 6.0L If you will do most of your driving in town or towing, Don't expect any big changes vs the 7.3L or 6.0L. But it will be better than the 6.4L But if you can get it into 6th gear and just cruise along at 70mph, It will turn the best mileage of any of the Superduties

sorry, 6.7L diesel

My truck is a F350 CC LWB SRW. The trailers I pull are a 4h GN Logan horse trailer. Loaded around 13,000lbs a 20 foot tilt bed bp for hauling equipment. With the Mini Excavator or skid steer loaded around 10,000lbs a 14 foot bp dump trailer. With broken concrete or gravel usually around 12,000lbs In city driving with these I'm getting 11.5 to 12.0 mpg Longer Hiway trips with the horse trailer have yeilded around 15 mpg Empty around town the truck gives 14.5 to 15 mpg. Last summer using summer blend #2 fuel I got 23 mpg on a 300 mile trip between SLC and Jackson Hole crusing at 70 mph Winter driving with winter blend diesel is slightly less than summer fuel

I bought mine last summer. It now has over 12,000 miles on it. Mostly towing. 4h GN horse trailer. 20' flatbed with Mini Excavator or 14' dump trailer. So it has something hooked up almost daily. I've owned a 2000 7.3L, a 2003 6.0L a 2006 6.0L and now this 2011. It is the best truck of the 4 I have owned. We will see when we get up around a 100,000 miles how good an powertrain this really is. but so far no problems. Very quiet, plenty of power and slight better fuel mileage than any of the past trucks