? for F 250 owners – options mods etc on custom ordered 2019

[john.]

? for F 250 owners – options mods etc on custom ordered 2019 or 2020

Hi all

Considering buying a custom ordered Ford F-250. Gasser for sure.

Advantages are:

with Super Crew I can still get an 8’ bed. Better for an 8’ custom built ATC Cougar camper. The camper would stay on 99% of the time.

QUESTIONS:

-> The F-250 only seems to come with 3 seats up front, in sort of a bench. I would much rather have an armrest with tons of storage below. Is this somehow possible without major surgery?
Does that front center seat somehow fold down to make a nice armrest with storage?

-> If I am able to close the tailgate with the F250 with the ATC – would i just keep it off all the time, anyway?
I’d have to relocate the backup camera to the license plate. Any recommended backup cameras that would have the right harness, so plug and play in place of the tailgate one?

If I get 4×4 and FX4 off road package… it then comes with the 3.73 Electronic Locking Axle. Is this ok? No heavy off roading.

-> I’d get the 9,900 GVWR package. Any disadvantages? Does not cost much to add. 🙂

-> Do i want to get the $95 LED Roof Marker / Clearance Lamps? Only for looks. (not spending any other $ on ‘looks’ items.

->Do I want to spend an extra $210 to get Medium Duty Battery?

->Do I want to spend an extra $405 for power sliding window? Seems to be the only rear sliding window available. I can’t imagine a reason to have it… unless somehow want to reach into cab to grab something on the middle of rear seat. It looks way too small to squeeze thru, in case of weird emergency (need to drive off)

-> If I get 4×4 and FX4 off road package… it then comes with the LT245/75Rx17E BSW A/T tires. How are these for FSR and desert washes?

-> To add cruise control then I have to also add the XL Value package for $1,000. What a rip off. 🙁 Any workarounds?
The person who I will order it thru has Fleet ordering abilities… perhaps cruise control can be ordered on it’s own, without the $1,000 XL Value package. :-/
Only good thing is the single CD/MP3 player is included with that.
Anyone know if Bluetooth phone integration comes with that? I would hope so! :-/

-> To get Sync 3 (Apple Car Play) is a $1,715 package. Ouch. Bummer. I’ll have to sleep on it. I do really like Apple Car Play.

Thanks for any and all thoughts!

L.A.

[john.]

I figured out that to get the 2 front seats with the center console, it seems that you have to get the XLT trim. getting the XLT trim with a few various nice things… adds $5,000.

part of that $5,000 is about $1,000 for the front seat center console. Yikes. 🙁

[Mello Mike]

Hi John,
I would get the 9,900 pound GVWR, you want the biggest payload possible. That figure should net you a payload around 3,000 pounds. Definately, get the 4×4. The 3.73 gears are fine though with a gasser 4.10 gears would be better. Forget about the rear sliding window. It’s a waste of money, IMHO. Cruise control? I rarely use it. If you don’t use it, I’d pass. The other options are personal preferences.

Just my 2 cents.

Mike

[john.]

Been having fun doing all this research.

So a couple things I am wondering about….

-—> Is the GVWR only a sticker – that relates to a statement for commercial trucking that it’ll never carry more? and nothing else is different about the truck? I have conflicting info from a variety of places. Can anyone clarify as to why Ford would put different GVWR stickers on the exact same truck?

-—> I have yet to order truck, or order the ATC/FWC, so if I go ATC I can get the camper to be whatever length I want. I could have it hang a bit over the bumper, or I could get it so I could close the tailgate.

 If I am able to close the tailgate with the F-350 with the ATC pop up camper on it…. if I close the tailgate and lock it… it is an extra layer of security? (when I am not in the camper) although if they want in, they could just break a window….

If we were in the camper, could I get locked in the pop up camper if someone raised the tailgate while we were inside? Yes I know there would be an emergency exit window but still… :-/
With the tail gate off is it easier to enter and exit the camper?

-—> Should I bother to get the $150 Ford rubber floor? for the truck bed.
Could they slide in the ACT or FWC with the rubber floor in place?

-—> Many people recommend that I get the 4.30 gears.

I dont plan on towing (I hate towing) and no super serious off roading i dont think. (but yes FSR and desert washes and rough roads.

Will likely get gasser F350 4×4. SRW for sure. (better for rocks, i am told)

Yes will get Electronic Locking Rear Axle for sure.

Will likely get the biggest tires available from Ford…. 18” wheels… to avoid spending $$$ on new rims and new tires from the start.

-—> What is the advantage of the 4.30 gears (or 4.10) when always hauling an 8’ ATC or FWC pop up camper?

I dont understand how the different ratios changes how it would behave with different ratios…

-—> What are the advantages of getting slightly taller tires? I can see why *wider* would be good for off road, but taller?

-—> Someone suggested that I skip the FX4 package as the shocks are lousy for my situation, but to get Fox 2.0 shocks instead. If I bought the shocks for about $700 for a set, approx how much would it cost me to have someone install them for me? (well above my skill set)

-—> What skid plates would be best to install? cost? Again – not heavy off roading.

-—> Is anyone driving a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?

I know the Ford has more advanced bells and whistles, and the Chevy is an older design, but many people like it’s “strong acceleration, good towing manners, top fuel economy and overall livability.” and the Chevy may be a little better value than the F 350.

Thanks!
J.

[Jeff Sherman]

John,
I ordered a 2016 F350 XLT 4WD SB SRW extended cab through a Ford dealer associated with the COSTCO car buying program and got exactly what I wanted at a great price. Actually, an unbelievably low price. (We buy all our vehicles through COSTCO.) So I do have some experience ordering a Ford pickup. A few thoughts, not in any particular order.
If they still have the camper package, order it. What it does, it gives you upgraded/heavier springs (if not already included in some other option) and a rear sway bar. The Ford OEM sway bar is not as heavy duty as the Hellwig but I am close to the GVWR with my rig and I have no issues with the Ford sway bar. The rig corners just fine. And the Ford sway bar weighs less than the Hellwig. In the 2016 literature it says “Camper Package required with F250/F350/F450 Super Duty”. Can you get by without it and put in an after market sway bar – probably – but better peace of mind if the truck is certified for use with a camper. Especially to get heavier springs.
Lights on the cab roof just reduce the clearance between the camper and the cab roof. Not a good idea IMO. And your camper will have its own running lights anyway.
As for tires, I found when ordering mine that the AT tires gave a higher GVWR than the M&S tires – both from Michelin. Even had the salesman go out on the lot and look at weight ratings on the tire sidewalls and he discovered much to his surprise that for the same truck, one with AT tires will have a slightly higher GVWR. That was the case for 2016 model year anyway.
Also I definitely suggest the 18″ wheels on the F350 – gives you a significantly better GVWR than than 17″ wheels.
I bought an aftermarket aluminum wheel to match the Ford OEM aluminum wheels to replace the steel wheel spare so I do a five wheel tire rotation – keeps the tread on the spare same wear as the others so when you need the spare you do not have to worry that it is new and the other three tires have less tread.
I got the 3.73 rear end. I worked construction and at one time we had a fleet of Chevy pick ups with 4.10 rear ends and I thought for sure when I bought a pick up I would always want a 4.10 rear end. But the 3.73 is so much better on paved roads – you can actually go the speed limit. But maybe you do want the 4.10 for towing. But do consider your top speed will be lower relative to your RPM with the 4.10 or higher rear end. But Mike is right in saying with a gasser a 4.10 rear end might be better. My truck is a gasser and on the uphill side of Colorado passes I am definitely slow. But for all other driving I am glad I have the 3.73.
I also got the electronic locking axles. Important for getting unstuck.
The XLT package gave me the front seat I wanted – semi-bench with a fold down console in the middle.
I just went with the skid plates that came with the 4WD package – did not order any specials or put on after market specials. Weight was a consideration for me.
My salesman was helpful providing weights of every option – used Ford document called “Truck Payload Actual Regular Production Content Weights”. Even gives you the split between front and rear axle weight for each option. For instance, the rear sway bar adds 17 lbs to the rear axle but actually takes a pound off (lighter) on the front axle because the sway bar is mostly located beyond the rear axle a bit.
About the rear view camera on the tail gate. When you remove the tail gate to install your camper you will find that the camera wiring harness connects to the truck via a plug – but it is a factory assembly type plug – not easily disconnected – I actually broke the plastic latch disconnecting it first time – no big deal – the fit is so tight it never comes loose on its own. You can find on line the replacement part – camera and harness with the plug and install that where you want leaving the camera in the tailgate. Word of advice – if you mount the camera approximately at the same elevation and angle as the tail gate one then the green/yellow/red lines on the screen on your rear view mirror will be close to reality. If you mount the spare camera too low or or at wrong angle you will have to ignore the warning lines and learn to “calibrate” what you see on the screen with how close you really are. I mounted mine on the camper itself.
Sliding rear window is a waste of money IMO. I did not get one.
Yes, the GVWR sticker and the GAWR shown on it are all real numbers that you should not exceed. I would go with the package that gives you the absolutely highest GVWR. And be wary of heavy options that increase the weight of the bare truck and thus reduce payload for your camper. 4WD is the only super heavy option that is worth it.
Hope that helps some.
Jeff

[john.]

very helpful Jeff. Much appreciated. 😀

Not sure if an ATC or FWC camper comes with running lights. good question.

and… all of what you say makes sense. Cool.

one confusion on my part, tho… i thought the 3.73 (or 4.30 or 4.10) only related to first gear?

or does it relate to all gears?

many folks have suggested the 4.10 or 4.30 as i will always have the camper on it, and we do end up in mountains a lot.

will be gasser. F350, super cab, 8′ bed. 3 people plus camping stuff, food, water

J.

[Jeff Sherman]

John,
Rear end number is the ratio of the ring gear teeth to the driven gear teeth (pinion or drive shaft in this case). That ratio is applied to whatever speed the drive shaft is turning regardless of the gear the transmission is in. The transmission is before the rear end and changes in gears there change the speed of the drive shaft. And the rear end just passes that on to the rear axle at the ratio of the teeth. So no matter what gear you are in the rear end ratio is applied the same to all gears.
A 4.10 rear end just means there are 4.1 times as many teeth on the ring gear than the pinion. More teeth on the ring gear (bigger number) means the rear axle will turn slower before it makes a full revolution.
But you are right, if you have the rig on all the time and are in mountains a lot and on back roads a lot and/or towing, the 4.10 rear end will do great.

[john.]

Thanks! 🙂

[Jay]

I ordered a 2019 F350 srw diesel with some options. It weighs in at 7950lbs and a GVWR 11500.
I want to buy the Cirrus camper but am concerned about the total weight not exceeding 3550lbs. any thoughts on this?

[Author]

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