Diesel noob just paid for and registered our 'see sig'. We're happy with our truck as we took it on a 150 mi road trip to shake her out saturday averaged 20.4 on town, mountianous and interstate (hand calc). She has only a few insignificant battle scars and I'll be getting those fixed, because I'm ****.
I'm happy to get our nicer condition and lower mileage 02 f150 supercrew outta-here. The wife was concerned about the diesel drone, yet I had to remind her a couple times on the ride we were wheelin in one. Our intended purpose is highway miles some with a trailer (under 8000#) in tow, town duties and pilgramiges to the provisions that the 50 mile away town hold for us.
An ironic twist, as fate would have it this ol' street racer and drag race fan had to give the gals at DMV $1,320 tax and transfer (reg good til 2/09). I left there smiling even though I just got boinged
Anyway, after bonding with our new steed I have a few mods in order. First a new lift pump, at 80k, I don't want a problem. After that there is nothing significant, we new a shell, will likely opt for a leer xt, before next winter a set of piaa 540's in the stocker location, and we need to upgrade the stereo to a nice sound quality with mp3 and bluetooth for the phone and probably katzkin leather reupholstrey (the wife prefers leather). Also new tires and wheels (with stock offset), then who knows what else.
See you on the boards and will probably pick your brains from time to time.
I am a good reader, been coming here for quite some time as I was searching our new truck, I thought this a good place to start as it's basically a good starting point and I can learn a lot without sacrificing big $.

 

Congrats on truck... Welcome to DTR... where abouts in Nor Cal are you?? Lots of us here are from there....

 

Thank you! I'm up in trinity county. In time I hope to personally meet some local owners that like to wrench and keep these trucks in peak shape. I ran into a couple guys at a truck accy store in redding and I was able to see some customizing and some mods first hand. Some I'd pursue others I'd leave for the serious guys.

 

Ah, Trinity...if only I could get drawn for a deer tag there...

 

srt:

Welcome to the website! Nice looking truck you have.

--------
John_P

 

Thank you both!
For hunting we are part of "big green" B Zones, one can get the tags over the counter. Hunting here can be very, very good, provided we get some weather to move the critters out of the high country. I used to hunt the alps via pack, or back-pack, but those days may be a thing of the past. I am looking forward to focussing my efforts towars dome of the ne x zones and looking at hunting some of the southern lands for desert mulies.
Re: I was truly aftaid of getting a dark truck, but figure, wth, I have the time to wash her and green is my favorite color. Ordinarily not on cars, but I rationalized that a truck is not a car, so she's a keeper.
FWIW, I have already bonded more with the Dodge than I have with our going away ford that I've owned 2.5 years.
I'm looking at non performance upgrades right now thus: ordered bilstein shocks, ordered a jvc arsenal head unit (we like good tunes on trips and the blue tooth will be required for phone use later this year), ordering a leer shell today, and looking into wheels and tires. I believe I have the wheel thing worked out. I want to run taller tires maybe 295, (or 305) provided they do not create interference at 6" offset on an 8" rim. I really do not want tires that stick outt, requiring flares, so am doing a lot of on-line studying.
I'm going to pick up a new lift pump, a stocker from Geno's, a piaa 540 fog kit (we get winter fog and lots of deer here ), some lighted visors for the whip, maybe some katzkins as we prefer leather and a gauge set perhaps. It's fun making a list for Santa!.
As I read and learn I'm sure there will be more. I do all of my own maintenance, and mods, and a lot of the repair work (save auto trans and differential setup).

 

welcome aboard!