My 1999 Superduty Chase/prerun/tow truck

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 2:22 am

So, since I finally pulled the trigger on a set of Beadlocks for the F350, I thought I would put a Build thread for my Goliath. A girlfriend called it that because, I'm David. :-/ She tried to get me to get personalized license plates with Goliath on it. Needless to say I kept the truck a got rid of the girl.

The Stats.
1999 Ford F350
Diesel 7.3L with a K&N air box and filter, along with a pre filter wrap.
100 HP programmer giving an estamated HP of 395. Upgraded turbo waste gate.

Automatic that has been completely upgraded and all internals replaced to combat overheating issues with the stock transmission. Installed an adjustable torque converter lockout control to lock it up at lower speed while towing. That keeps the trans cooler while towing up the grade. Also, I added an inline 45,000lbs rated tranny cooler and a trans temperature guage. A few years back, I burned up the trans on San Telmo Rd during the Baja 500. Not a problem since. Work done by Valley Transmission in El Cajon. No cheap, around $6000 when all is said and done.

The truck is lifted 6' with a ProComp lift but I went with Bilstein shocks, dual front, single rear. For the first year I had the ProComp shocks and hated my first trip to mark the course for a race out at Plaster City.

In the bed of the truck, I have had several chase cages and eventually built a swing away tire holder. The first chase cage for the bed was part of a leftover roll cage frome the rear half of my Bronco. I cut the cage down to bed height and added tire holders for a couple 37" race truck tires and my spare tire. We also would strap the race truck light bar on the cage for safe keeping and also hauled 2 or 4, 11 gallon dump cans.

And for the newest upgrade, my BFG Baja TA'S 37"x12.50"x16.5, 24 bolt Humvee beadlocks. They have had the wheel's recentered to 3.5" back spaced and changed the lug nut pattern for the F350. Once I get a Chace I will post a picture with them on the truck.

Post by **SteveG** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 6:11 am

That is a beast! If never heard of the H1 wheels being re-centered for use on another truck... from one beast to another.

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:19 am

Well they are on, I am so out of shape. The tires kicked my rear putting them on. By the third tire my arms did not like me. I have been spoiled the last few years pitting for motorcycles. with the weight of the Hummer rims and 37's, I bet they weight about the same as a race wheel with 39's. One day I may chase for a truck again.

Here is a picture of the 35's next to the new 37's

robertcrav · Post by **robertcrav** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 4:06 pm

Look good

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 7:10 pm

Here are some pictures of the F350 with the new shoe's.

That is my Dog Bob. It was a little harder to get him in the truck. I was already using a dog ramp
to get him in but the bigger tires made it a little steeper. His back legs don't work as well over the last couple years.
He is 106lbs, 15 years old and half blind. He is half Dalmatian and Great Dane. He loves riding in the truck.

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 7:14 pm

Can you tell I weld alot in my driveway

Rusty from grinding bad stuff off and doing it right. I have had to tell a couple friends that I had to say, step away from the welder, you are making way to much work for me to fix, but thanks for the help.

PaulW · Post by **PaulW** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 6:51 am

I have to reply. My 99.5 F350 has been one of my better buys. Trailer and camper package. SRW with 295 tires on stock Alcoas. 30 gal transfer flow tank - now with a 1200 miles between fill ups.
A dream to drive . Comfort and good AC. Issues since new: Cam pos sensor, camper recall. Turbos bolts and new turbo to fix -free. $New clutch$ at 100k and got the significant upgrade. Front sway bar beef up. Get a later 7.3 and have none of those issues and have more stock HP. Still gets 16mpg with a towing chip (285 rwhp on the dyno). Pissed because I have to add oil before my 20k oil changes.
My big complaint is I wish I had the automatic, but then it would have to have the monster coolers add-on.
Want a strong, reliable tow rig get a 7.3. Talk about a bargain price compared to new - wow.

cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 8:44 am

I'm stoked as my buddy is finally ready to sell me his. It is literally the twin to Goliath except long bed and 2.5" lift. My buddy has owned it since new. We haven't talked price yet, what do you guys think is fair? 180k just put fully built Trans couple years back. Upgraded front clip and rear lights too.

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 11:19 am

I got my F350 used in 2002 with just under 50,000 miles on it. The 7.3L has been a great engine. Even with the big tires I average 13 - 14 mpg with the programmer and only 10 - 11 without the programmer. The only issues I had with it was a cracked intake and a turbo problem, but both were covered under the factory warranty with Ford and not a problem since. I now have almost 160,000 miles on it and it is doing great. Even with the new 37's I can do a little burnout.

As for price, they range from $12,000 to $15,000 depending on a condition with the millage around 160k miles on it.

I paid 32k for mine in 2002. It was not lifted back when I first got it. It was all stock and I lasted 1 month after I got it and lifted it 6in and put 35" BFG AT'S or 315x75x16 tires on it. Loved it ever since, except for the transmission problem. But a big 45,000lbs cooler and completely upgraded trans, fixed that.

cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 11:42 am

What do you mean by 45000lb coolers? What brand? You have a pic of them and where they are located? I assume just bigger tranny cooler?

PaulW · Post by **PaulW** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 11:57 am

Normally we ignore such specs and just buy the biggest that fits in front of the radiator. For towing lots of us use one that is big and has a fan.
Yup, bigger is better. Two is better than one.
PW

robertcrav · Post by **robertcrav** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 12:57 pm

I thought the 'go - to' upgrade was the 6.0 trans cooler

robertcrav · Post by **robertcrav** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 12:57 pm

David, you think your mpg would improve if you regeared?

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 1:05 pm

The cooler I have is as big as will fit. So yes. The one I got is for a vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight of 45,000lbs. I run it and the OEM cooler.

I was going to run a electric fan but the one I had would not fit so I tried it without and it work great. So I never put one on it.

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 6:37 pm

In my case with the diesel, I don't think it would help, it may even make it worse. I drive the truck on the freeway more then arount town and with the current gearing I can still spin the tires. If I went lower it would get worse mpg on the freeway. Right now I am happy, but I have been thinking of getting a 5th wheel trailer and replacing the motorhome. If I do I may have to go with 4.30to1, which is a common gearing for the diesel-powered f350's. We will see, it drives great on the freeway at 70mph at 1900rpms in overdrive with the 37's, down a little from just over 2100rpms or so with the 35's.

PaulW · Post by **PaulW** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 5:19 am

You might be correct with 37s? My chipped rig has stock gears and 34.5" tires (295BFG ATs). Pulls great with my 15k 5er.
With 37s do a drive up a grade before changing gears. Of course a modern programmer instead of my vintage towing chip would be a huge equalizer - try that.
Paul

cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 6:43 pm

Goliath's twin is now mine, I'm stoked!

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 7:04 pm

Sweet!!! Congratulations!!

I did a little off roading with mine today and with the 6" lift the 37's rub on the inner wheel well behind the tire in a turn when you hit a bump. It does not rub in a flat u-turn. I am going to have to trim the inner wheel well plastic back a couple inches.

PaulW · Post by **PaulW** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:05 am

Gosh, don't trim it. Rig with wire to just pull the plastic back until it clears.
=================

Wrightracing.net wrote:Sweet!!! Congratulations!!

I did a little off roading with mine today and with the 6" lift the 37's rub on the inner wheel well behind the tire in a turn when you hit a bump. It does not rub in a flat u-turn. I am going to have to trim the inner wheel well plastic back a couple inches.

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:46 am

I am not sure yet. I need to look at it closer. If I can I was going to move it back as far as it will go to the body. I want the wheels to tuck in at full bump, even when in a turn, so we will see. It's not rocket science.

I do like the 3.5" backspacing on these rims, because the tires don't rub on the front leaf spring at full lock in a u turn like the OEM rims did with 315x75x16's did before on the truck. I am not sure what the backspacing was on the OEM 16x7" rims was.