MrTruck Test Mule

To provide another ongoing story we decided to buy a used 2006 Ford F250 Power Stroke diesel that was reacquired by Ford. (Buy back as a problem truck) So we are taking the risks we wouldn't recommend the average person do.  That might be enough to tow the 15,600 lbs of trailer that the truck is rated at in our Rocky Mountains. We're at 16 mpg empty and 9 mpg pulling a loaded trailer. This we have to improve. This truck is a trailer towing test vehicle. We can tow gooseneck, 5th wheel and a up to a 12,500 # bumper pull trailer. It's equipped to haul a slide in camper as well.

So far with aFe CAI, 4 inch exhaust and Superchips, we have 438 hp, 847 ft/lbs torque.

Stay tuned as we add more products and have more details. Going to SEMA next week, should have more ideas.

So far we've logged over 3600 trailer miles. Yes it's a XL work truck, 6-speed manual, bench seat, rubber floor, but we did get AC. The truck was used with 16,000 miles and within budget at a little over $25,000. There were thousands of reacquired 6.0L Power Strokes from 2003 to 2006. A lot of them were fixed and sent to the auction. We did our research to see why it was bought back by Ford. The ongoing story....

DEBO Step®. My old knees don't like me climbing on my tailgate. I like Debo Step because it's not in the receiver hitch like most aftermarket rear steps. So I can use it with a trailer and with the tailgate down. Rated for 400 lbs, I can walk up my tailgate to retrieve cargo. It slides under the bumper and locks into place. One of my favorite toys, I mean tools. For more,  www.debostep.com

EZ - Connector, RV Pro Plug and Max Brake Wireless Trailer Light Tester Those of use that tow trailers every week know how many times we drop the coupler on the ball and plug in the wire connection (and wiggle the connection for contact.) Spent my share of nights with a flashlight in my mouth in the rain as I work on trailer lights. Fuel injection and electronics make our trucks more trouble free, now trailer wiring and electronics make tracing trailer wire problems a breeze. What do you do when you don't have someone to check your trailer lights while you run the blinkers and light switch? The rest of the report...

CNG, is it the Answer for the Fuel Crisis? Forget veggie oil, bio-diesel, power programmers and hydrogen water separators. And hear the gospel of CNG/diesel. The beauty of this system is if I can't find a Compressed Natural Gas fill up station, I just run on diesel. We've now had time to run several tanks through our test truck in a loop using both CNG and diesel together at 2 to 1. We reduced our fuel cost per mile 23% to 27% with Colorado prices. Almost double that with Utah prices, Read the rest as one of the most important reviews this year...

SuperSprings, install took 30 minutes, More...

aFe cai, they just came out with one for the 6.0L that replaces the battery box as they did on the 7.3L. 13hp gain and 67 lb ft of torque. Install took 2 hours. More...

aFe aluminized 4 " exhaust, cat-back, install took 2 hours.

This was the winter to remember in Colorado. So snow plows ,were among my favorite article reviews this year. SNOWSPORT from ACI, the tonneau cover folks, is a strong plow. It's a extruded aluminum residential seven ft. plow that works keeping your lanes clear. No hydraulics, the plow angles and lifts by hand. You drag it backwards instead of raising it.

GO Weld, (right picture), may not be your first accessory choice, but it's cool. Imagine being able to plug a wire feed welder into your trucks batteries and then go back and weld on your horse trailer broke down on the side of the road. GO Weld's are on many Humvee's in Iraq along with plasma cutters for repairing military trucks. We'll have the full article soon.

I don't use my knees to climb up into my pickup bed anymore, putting my weight on my knee on metal isn't as fun as it use to be. Access Steps allows easy access to your truck bed. Many of the newer trucks have tall bed sides so you can't just reach over the bed rail anymore. This means you have to climb into the bed to reach anything. And then there's the long way down. Access Steps are simple to install and stay out of the way. Access Steps will work with or without a receiver hitch.  The rest of the review...

B&W turnover hitch from Transwest Truck Trailer RV

BrakeSmart trailer brake controller from Transwest Truck Trailer RV

Pressure Pro tire sensor, More...

AgCam, 9 inch monitor in the cab, with 4 waterproof, bulletproof camera's. We're going to do a lot of testing with trucks and trailers.

Wingmaster, always wanted one of these. This one is the polished stainless steel. It's suppose to lower drag when towing and give you 10% better mpg. We'll be testing.

Hell-Ya hitch helper. Now with duals.

DEBO Step®. I like it because it's not in the receiver hitch. So I can use it with a trailer and with the tailgate down. Review coming. www.debostep.com

Cloud Rider extruded aluminum mudflaps. Quick attach.

Co-Pilot GPS. I take my laptop on trips and having a 17" screen to see the GPS map, helps me. At 70 mph, looking at a little 3" screen is dangerous. The sensor on the right is all that goes in your truck, USB cord to the laptop.

I consider Superchips one of the safest tuners for the Ford 6.0L PS. We have ours on the Econo Tune setting, which is the middle choice rated to tow 8000# trailer. According to Superchips this gives us an increase of 88.9 horsepower and 132.1 ft/lbs of torque at 3200 rpm. Next, Superchips Digital Lazer Gauge for turbo boost and EGT. The last part in the equation for save power increases.

PML Ford F250 Differential Covers Install, If you've read your trucks owner manual, there is a different schedule for normal use and "severe or trailer towing". For some maintenance schedules you change oil twice as often for severe use. Towing stress creates heat, heat breaks down the oil faster and you know what happens next. A lot of us overload our trailers especially using 3/4 and one ton pickups. More....

They are bold and sexy! I consider them the best built mudflaps I've found. The new model has a polished aluminum yoke, and heavy wall aluminum tubing. Still adjustable in, out and up, down. Which is so good for my truck reviews which range from a tall H2 to a Nissan Frontier. And I review new trailers too, any mudflaps can protect your trailers from mud, that's a slow speed problem. But the damage comes from.... More.....

Went 260 miles to the sandhills of Nebraska at Cow Country Sales and Service to get my deer deflector. Just 60 miles North of Ogallala, we attached the replacement bumper. My worry towing trailers across the country, is hitting a deer and night and loosing my radiator, intercooler, water pump etc. Then I'd be stuck waiting for parts. This rugged bumper even kills bugs. The report...

Of course a few breakdowns along the way, first one the IPCM in Oklahoma. Then an injector blew the top out in New Mexico. Ford warranty and road side assistance rescued me.