Look what I got around Memorial Day... Changed the suspension, put on these wheels. Doing a new alternator and A/C compressor with my son tomorrow.
funny enough, I didn't have a single issue backing it up. I guess I'm so used to my little 5x8 here on the ranch, that something with a longer wheelbase was easier by comparison. Issues we had with the camper were largely camper-related (they forgot to fill our propane tanks when we rented), but we were over-prepared for sure. Towing wasn't necessarily easy, but it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. Backing up, thanks to the 7 surround cameras in the new rams, was substantially easier than I anticipated and I coulda gotten it a lot more precise looking back. What I did realize is, the stock tires suck, and I'll eventually be getting new ones, as well as a level, adjustable trailer hitch and airbags for the rear so if I do tow something heavier and it sags I can adjust.
I fucked it. I was looking at it on my phone, quickly at work. Anyway, today I got to work on and drive this magnificent beast. When I was in high school, this was the truck that every guy wanted (in my group of friends, anyway). Spoiler The ORIGINAL POWERSTROKE, 7.3 liters of fury.
I'm thinking of doing airbags to adjust the height, as well as a weight distribution hitch. Don't plan on needing it all the time, but the times I do, I'd rather not fuck up the truck or whatever I'm towing. stupid question for those smarter than me though: if I did a 3-4 inch level as well as some larger tires (purely aesthetic), would that make a difference in my hauling and/or payload?
Yesterday my son spent an hour detailing the engine bay and we got a new air filter. I changed the AC compressor and the alternator (from 63A to 140A... amplifier and sound system, here we come!)
Possibly depending on the tires. They have to be properly rated for hauling or they'll be soft, won't handle well, and likely are at greater risk for a blowout. I run Goodyear duratracs on my 15 F250. They're a cool looking (aggressive ish) tire and rated for hauling. I would second the weight distribution hitch, though we quit using them once we put airbags on our trucks. The combination of the two is very solid but we found we didn't need the WDH so long as we were careful to put the weight over the axels of the trailer or forward. Weight too far back can get stupid scary and I make sure I load my own trailer now because not everyone thinks about that.
so part of the new ram's technology package includes 7 cameras -- traditional backup, plus one in the bed, two under each mirror going out the sides, then one in the front grill -- which is sold as like surround sound basically. I thought it was a gimmick, something that looked cool but I'd never use. Yeah I will never own another vehicle that does not have surround view cameras. This absolutely has to be a standard feature at some point right? Like just for safety if nothing else? It takes all the cameras, puts them together and gives you a live "aerial" video feed as if you're looking down from like a drone. Obviously it's helpful when parking and things, but I can imagine it would save quite a few lives of small children and especially pets that are playing too close and not thinking.
DO NOT get too reliant on those cameras. I get to drive a wide array of vehicles at work, and the aspect ratio/ lens angles aren't always the best. I still look back when backing up.
oh yeah, for sure. Best sense is common sense and still using eyes and ears and even usually windows down for me if I'm backing. Heard too many stories of people hitting shit because the car didn't beep and they assumed nothing was there. HOWEVER, it is an additional tool. Especially because the rams (at least mine) have a lot larger blind spots than what most vehicles do. The cameras work great for backing up to a trailer, or for like if you just wanna check on the stuff in your bed. Also like how the wheel lines curve and change depending on the direction of the wheel.
Believe it or not, I've been wanting to mount a set of really big, skinny, freak tires, just to see how hard it is. Largest I've ever mounted are 24".
I remember doing split rims for trucks back in the 70's with a big fucking weighted breaker bar. Not fun. Airing them up was another adventure....had to put them under the hydraulic lift just in case the ring failed to seat.
So anyone else replace the high-pressure fuel system on a 6.7 Ford Powerstroke today? Just me? Spoiler This is what's know in the industry as a "catastrophic failure of the high-pressure fuel pump." In Spanish, it is pronounced "el fucked-o." This distributes metal shavings throughout the fuel system, requiring replacement of any component downstream. Spoiler Here's where the high-pressure fuel pump lives: right next to the turbocharger on Ford's "Hot Vee" Powerstroke. When everything is working properly, this is the fastest diesel truck on the road. Cummins is great, but Powerstrokes are faster. Spoiler Here's a new fuel rail, injectors, and lines installed! A thing of beauty. You can't tell in the picture, but that steel is purple in the sunlight. Spoiler Here is what the whole system looks like off the engine, seen from the back. Spoiler Here it is from the front, with the low-pressure return lines installed. I'll post a picture of what the whole thing looks like on the engine, installed, tomorrow.