When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Had an '11 SCrew, swapped for an 11' Expedition, then an '03 King Ranch F150, then an '08 F250... and am now back in an F150, this time a '20 SCrew XLT. Bought it 'used' with <600 miles on it, appeared to be a special order that someone bumped the front end of on a dealer lot, so I got a pretty decent deal. It's got the 3.5L Ecoboost and Max Tow package, which was a must-have given that our travel trailer is right at 10k, and pulls the rig just as well as the 13-year old 250 did. Interestingly, they're both rated for 12.5k off the bumper, but while the 250 is rated for 15k on a 5th wheel, the 150 drops back under 10k. Not like it really matters since the trailer is a bumper pull, and the truck is a 5.5' bed, so unless I do one of the pivoting hitches, a 5'er is off the table anyway.
Mods thus far:
Ranch camper shell: Bargain-bin tier shells, but they're well constructed, and since this one was <$150 used, I wasn't too picky. Sprayed it with Rustoleum bedliner to cover the blue and match the black of the truck. Have a sliding front window on order so I can route AC from the cab back into the shell for the dogs. Currently has a fold-down front window, which works, but leaves a lot to be desired with regard to keeping the cool in.
Camper shell roof rack: Snagged a used set of rails with crossbars off a '21 Toyota 4-Runner. With some minor modifications and the construction of some mounting plates, they bolt down to the roof quite securely. No issues with noise at speed, we'll see how they do with stuff strapped down eventually.
Decked Drawers: These things are awesome. Plenty of storage, dog crate still fits on top (have to put it in the truck in pieces, but no biggie), and they are flat all the way across, so the old dog not in the crate has more room to lie down. Added a cross-bed piece of 2"x10" which is hinged in the middle so I can put groceries at the tailgate and keep them from sliding forward. Everything in the drawers goes into the back of the trailer when I'm towing so I don't run afoul of payload capacity maximum, but the transfer takes <2 minutes, so it's not a problem.
Tow Mirrors: Stockers SUCK with regard to pulling a trailer. Given that the actual Max Tow package isn't ordered on many trucks, I don't understand why the tow mirrors aren't standard with that package. I realize it's probably for fleet average mileage ratings or some such nonsense, but Ford is doing anyone with the capability to pull this much off the back a huge disservice by even having the small mirrors as an option. I could see the manual fold being the 'standard' on Max Tow, and power-fold being an optional upgrade, but c'mon Ford... pull your head out. Incidentally, if anyone needs a set of the stock mirrors with BLIS (manual fold, non-heated), I can pull the ads off Ebay and sell them here.
In-channel window drip rails: Added these to the F250 as soon as I got to TX (Army PCS), and am really surprised that my wife won't let me put a set on her Flex. Had to get a set for this truck as soon as I drove it home. Big help keeping the heat from getting stupid in the cab when it's parked in the sun, since I can crack the windows even when there's rain in the forecast.
I realize this thread is worthless w/o pictures, so here are a couple of the truck in its current form. I'll probably end up with 285/75R18's and a ~1" level (just so the tires will clear) once the stockers wear out, and a center-console vault in the near(ish) future, but other than gas & oil, not too much else planned. The updates to the 3.5 Ecoboost in the decade since the '11 I had was built, along with the 10-speed transmission and switch to the aluminum body (and accompanying massive weight reduction) mean I don't really feel the need to do any tuning or aftermarket parts under the hood. Damn thing runs like a scalded cat, tows the 29' trailer fine, and manages ~18mpg on the interstate at +/- 75MPH (unloaded... towing is a different story). Happy as a clam with it.
Very nice! I love the Cap and Decked combination they provide such a great use of the bed for contractors/etc.
I have the camper shell so we can tote our 3 dogs on camping trips / adventures, and the Decked setup is SO much more useful than trying to get a toolbox in up by the cab. As soon as the trailer gets parked, the gear goes back in the drawers, so I have access to everything. I might be able to get away with leaving the gear in place, but haven’t weighed everything at the scales to see how much slack I have in my payload yet.
Last edited by Galaxieman; Jul 14, 2021 at 08:49 PM.
Hi and welcome to the community! Great to have you here. Plenty of knowledgeable and friendly folks here as well as informative and insightful discussion threads. Hope you stick around and find this forum useful!
Back in an F150.
