My new truck 2021 F350 7.3gas

Machinebuilder · Sep 16, 2021

My Copilots

Sox

Gabby

Outside Kaycee, Wy

Dozer%20and%20Pan%2C%20Kaycee%2C%20WY-M.jpg

Acsess%20trail%201%2C%20Red%20Wall%20country-M.jpg

Outlaw Cave Campground

Gabby%20and%20Sox%20Outlaw%20Cave%20Camp-M.jpg

Machinebuilder · Sep 16, 2021

eyemgh said:
Glad you’re enjoying the truck! We’re pulling the trigger on a 2022 F350 Super Cab with a 7.3/4.30 this week.

I'll give a brief write up on the truck, but it did everything I asked of it. and some places were pushing my limits while being far from home and alone.

AWG_Pics · Sep 16, 2021

Looks like a great trip. Thanks for the report. It is good to get out. We are heading out for 3 + weeks in a couple of days.

Happy camping and peaceful traveling.

Tony

Machinebuilder · Sep 17, 2021

These are from my second day at Outlaw Canyon and a hike down.

Machinebuilder · Sep 18, 2021

I said I would give a brief write up about the truck.

I went through a cat scale on my way to Wyoming, so a I was still basically loaded for a 3 week trip with my 2 dogs.

the trucks rated
Front GAWR 5200LB
Rear GAWR 7230LB
GVWR 11800 LB

From the Weigh ticket
Front axle 4560lb
rear axle 5120lb
gross 9680 lb

Remember this is a big heavy truck, driving the front seems slightly over sprung, the rear is awesome,
With the FX4 package it gets "off road rated shocks" they are a bit stiff in the high speed damping and adequate low speed damping.

I learned a lot about suspension setup from my dual port bikes, but all I know is I don't know enough. The truck works well enough I am not going to rush buying replacement shocks, the springs I will not touch. I plan on a big beefy front bumper and winch at some point.

The 10 speed transmission works well, I did have several times that the programming leaves something to be desired.
I would not hesitate to get this engine transmission axle combo again. with the 4.3 axles in 10th gear at 75mph its running about 2200rpm, just enough into the power band to maintain speed most of the time. In 1st gear it it slow enough to crawl most things.

With the FX4 you get "Hill Descent Control" this is an automatic braking/speed control for up to 20MPH, it works really well.

there were a few places I shifted to 4 low, something about a narrow steep washed out 2 track made me extra careful. I idled up in 3rd gear at 3mph.

I see no reason for me to "upgrade" tires and suspension, I did scrape the front air dam a couple times but nothing damaging. I do not want to go rock crawling with a rig this big. When the OEM wrangle kevlars wear out I will replace them with the same size in something that works better. They work ok in dry conditions but if there is any mud they clog instantly and do not clean out well.

Over the entire 5152mi I averaged 11.6MPG (from the Truck computer) I had many miles at 50-65mph that were about 12.5-12.8mpg, slow 2 track was single digit mpg. I think that's not too bad for a big heavy truck and camper

Taking the rear seat out worked out great for my dogs and storage. I still want to do a flatbed with this camper it would make storage so much better. I really need to carry more than 12G water to boondock with no water sources.

The 34G gas tank was adequate, probably a 350mi range. I did make sure to fill early and often, many times when I could not, when I needed.

I will possibly upgrade at least the drivers seat sometime, I like the easy to clean vinyl seat but the shape of it isn't the greateset after several days in it.

If anyone has any questions ask and I will try to answer.

eyemgh · Sep 18, 2021

Great write up. Sounds like it was a fun trip. We just ordered ours, configured quite similarly. A Hallmark K2 will ride on the back with a Bowen flatbed and upper and lower boxes. It will be a 20" increase in wheelbase over our Silverado/FWC combo. How did it feel in 4WDL?

Machinebuilder · Sep 19, 2021

eyemgh said:
Great write up. Sounds like it was a fun trip. We just ordered ours, configured quite similarly. A Hallmark K2 will ride on the back with a Bowen flatbed and upper and lower boxes. It will be a 20" increase in wheelbase over our Silverado/FWC combo. How did it feel in 4WDL?

The only difference I felt in 4WDL is its a lot slower, it does turn off all of the traction control stuff.
Spend some time figureing out all the different modes etc, I hope you are at least getting the sync3, somehow adding it also added the 4"dash display and several transmission shift modes, and there are different modes to the advance trac (traction control)

Example if you hit the TC button once it turns most of it off, iff you hit it twice (fast) it puts TC into Sport Mode which allows some tire slip.

You should be able to download the owners manual, but many of these things are not easy to find in it.

The Bowen Flatbed looks interesting, living in East TN, I have a hard time with custom companies that far away.

eyemgh · Sep 19, 2021

I did get Sync3. I also ordered a winch, which gets a stronger alternator and dual batteries, a block heater, upfitter switches, camper pkg and FX4 pkg. I did all weather mats and a carpet delete. I had a carpet free Element for a time and loved it.

I have to get to Denver to get the Hallmark anyway (FWC and ATC wouldn’t configure what I wanted). I could have gotten a Highway Products or Sherptek here in OR, but Brent Bowen is doing an overland bed that is very well thought out and right down the road from Hallmark. The integration should be spot on.

We’re probably adding a Carli suspension too, as we drive a lot of forest roads.

I’ll let you know in a year!

Machinebuilder · Sep 20, 2021

These are from the Ed O. Taylor Wildlife habitat conservation area just west of the outlaw cave campground.
The "improved" road quickly becaame rough exposed rock and 2 track.

eyemgh · Sep 20, 2021

Beautiful and one of the many reasons not to own a regular RV.

michelle_east_county · Sep 20, 2021

Machinebuilder, ' looks like good road to me!

Machinebuilder · Sep 20, 2021

michelle_east_county said:
Machinebuilder, ' looks like good road to me!

Compared to parts of the back country byway that’s a highway.

Improved road is still a big stretch

smlobx · Sep 22, 2021

Machinebuilder said:
I said I would give a brief write up about the truck.

I went through a cat scale on my way to Wyoming, so a I was still basically loaded for a 3 week trip with my 2 dogs.

the trucks rated
Front GAWR 5200LB
Rear GAWR 7230LB
GVWR 11800 LB

From the Weigh ticket
Front axle 4560lb
rear axle 5120lb
gross 9680 lb

Remember this is a big heavy truck, driving the front seems slightly over sprung, the rear is awesome,
With the FX4 package it gets "off road rated shocks" they are a bit stiff in the high speed damping and adequate low speed damping.

I learned a lot about suspension setup from my dual port bikes, but all I know is I don't know enough. The truck works well enough I am not going to rush buying replacement shocks, the springs I will not touch. I plan on a big beefy front bumper and winch at some point.

The 10 speed transmission works well, I did have several times that the programming leaves something to be desired.
I would not hesitate to get this engine transmission axle combo again. with the 4.3 axles in 10th gear at 75mph its running about 2200rpm, just enough into the power band to maintain speed most of the time. In 1st gear it it slow enough to crawl most things.

With the FX4 you get "Hill Descent Control" this is an automatic braking/speed control for up to 20MPH, it works really well.

there were a few places I shifted to 4 low, something about a narrow steep washed out 2 track made me extra careful. I idled up in 3rd gear at 3mph.

I see no reason for me to "upgrade" tires and suspension, I did scrape the front air dam a couple times but nothing damaging. I do not want to go rock crawling with a rig this big……

I had the same issue with the ridiculously large front air dam on my F-350. I ended up going to my Ford dealer and ordering the front air dam for the 2wd version which is only a couple of inches. It looks OEM, because it is!
Here’s a write up I did on it in another forum. Starts at post #30..

https://americanadventurist.com/forum/threads/big-green-my-2016-f-350-build.4405/page-2

Foy · Sep 23, 2021

Machinebuilder said:
Compared to parts of the back country byway that’s a highway.'''

Improved road is still a big stretch

We drove that exact road (trail is more like it, correct?) from outside of Winifred, MT into the western part of the CM Russell NWR, through the Two Calf Creek crossing about a year before you did. Doing so was a route planning error on my part, partly because my low range wouldn't engage (operator error, it turned out) which made both the descent into the Two Calf Creek canyon and the climb out of it way too difficult in high range, but mostly because we were towing our 19' long nearly 3,000 lb popup camper trailer. I had failed to re-read the trail guide which led me to consider the route in the first place. To add insult to injury, the bottom of the Two Calf Creek wash entry and exit were so steep that I managed to knock the camper off of the drawbar ball. It took an hour of chocking, jacking, and backing to get the camper hitched up again, then began the long, steep climb out. My wife is still giving me grief about that route.

Glad to hear your F350 succeeded where mine came close to failure! Your new truck seems like a great vehicle.

Foy

Machinebuilder · Sep 23, 2021

Foy said:
We drove that exact road (trail is more like it, correct?) from outside of Winifred, MT into the western part of the CM Russell NWR, through the Two Calf Creek crossing about a year before you did. Doing so was a route planning error on my part, partly because my low range wouldn't engage (operator error, it turned out) which made both the descent into the Two Calf Creek canyon and the climb out of it way too difficult in high range, but mostly because we were towing our 19' long nearly 3,000 lb popup camper trailer. I had failed to re-read the trail guide which led me to consider the route in the first place. To add insult to injury, the bottom of the Two Calf Creek wash entry and exit were so steep that I managed to knock the camper off of the drawbar ball. It took an hour of chocking, jacking, and backing to get the camper hitched up again, then began the long, steep climb out. My wife is still giving me grief about that route.

Glad to hear your F350 succeeded where mine came close to failure! Your new truck seems like a great vehicle.

Foy

WOW, I can't explain my adventure to route planning error. I wanted to drive it.

This is the best description I could find and it's not great.
https://www.bigskyfishing.com/scenic-drives/missouri-breaks.php

I had stopped at the BLM office in Lewiston to get a map or info and the new maps had just gone to the printers. They didn't say anything about a trail guide.

I did get a brochure on the homesteads trail, another that I can see people getting in trouble trying to do it with a car.

I can't imagine towing a trailer through 2 calf creek, I was a bit concerned I wouldn't make it, I'm sure a hitch would have hit and I'd be stuck.

I do have pictures of my truck with the front wheels in the creek bed and the rear on the slope, the creek bed is not wide enough to get all 4 wheels in it. I need to take some time and finish my writeup and finish going through my pictures.

The other road that was much worse than anticipated was Hyattville rd from Meadowlark Lake to Hyattville in the Bighorn Mountains and then the back country byway from Hyattville to Greybull. The grading crews have spent much of their time on forest fires so many roads have not been graded this year.

Foy · Sep 23, 2021

The BigSkyFishing dot com website was in fact the trail guide I referred to, I just called it a trail guide for simplicity's sake. Yes, it's a bit vague in places but it does detail the deterioration of the route as one heads east and he gets very specific on the steep climb out, I think he refers to it as a quarter mile, and I'd say that's good on the initial climb, but that it's very much a roller coaster with steep climbs for at least 2 to 3 miles from the floodplain. My "poor planning" reference was to my own failure to read through it again before sticking my neck out--I'm sure I hadn't read it in at least 2-3 years, but I wanted in so bad that I just didn't think of it.

I also never saw the summary at the end where he writes: "Trailers--No". I elected not to tell my wife about that omission.

I had maps in the form of my trusty Benchmark and DeLorme, but no more detailed topos which might have readily shown the steepness.

We approached from Big Sandy, MT and crossed the Missouri via the McClelland Ferry, then turned off to the east before reaching Winifred, which I highly recommend if you get back out that way. The ferry and the long 50-55 mile gravel road segment to reach it from Big Sandy were excellent choices.

And back to your truck--It'd be a kick to see your pic of the crossing. The one I'll add shows a naked drawbar ball and the coupling on the camper dug into the silt in the creekbed. I wasn't feeling much like preserving evidence of my foolishness for all to see so didn't take a lot of pics.

Machinebuilder · Sep 23, 2021

Ill skip forward a couple days to post the pictures of 2 calf creek

That was one of the 13degree slopes, looking at the pictures I am glad I stayed out of the ruts. the last picture is the exit side. it stays that steep as it climbs and wraps around the hill in the background

Machinebuilder · Sep 23, 2021

Foy said:
The BigSkyFishing dot com website was in fact the trail guide I referred to, I just called it a trail guide for simplicity's sake. Yes, it's a bit vague in places but it does detail the deterioration of the route as one heads east and he gets very specific on the steep climb out, I think he refers to it as a quarter mile, and I'd say that's good on the initial climb, but that it's very much a roller coaster with steep climbs for at least 2 to 3 miles from the floodplain. My "poor planning" reference was to my own failure to read through it again before sticking my neck out--I'm sure I hadn't read it in at least 2-3 years, but I wanted in so bad that I just didn't think of it.

I also never saw the summary at the end where he writes: "Trailers--No". I elected not to tell my wife about that omission.

I had maps in the form of my trusty Benchmark and DeLorme, but no more detailed topos which might have readily shown the steepness.

We approached from Big Sandy, MT and crossed the Missouri via the McClelland Ferry, then turned off to the east before reaching Winifred, which I highly recommend if you get back out that way. The ferry and the long 50-55 mile gravel road segment to reach it from Big Sandy were excellent choices.

And back to your truck--It'd be a kick to see your pic of the crossing. The one I'll add shows a naked drawbar ball and the coupling on the camper dug into the silt in the creekbed. I wasn't feeling much like preserving evidence of my foolishness for all to see so didn't take a lot of pics.

I will get back there someday, I hope to be retiring soon and have more time to explore. I really enjoy the remote places and the incredible scenery you can find there.

Machinebuilder · Sep 25, 2021

I had a friend meet me and he arrived late on 8-26, the next day we hiked around and found the petroglyph cave, I would not have found it except for a friendly person who secretly hinted where it is.