New Tractor Tugger

[dirtydeed]

These folks have great products in bed covers and boxes. I have one on my F-150 and would say that they are top notch.

You can find some at reasonable prices here (factory seconds) and they do offer military discounts as well.

Link to factory seconds and used models...

Outlet Store | DiamondBack Covers

Overstock, factory seconds, and used DiamondBack product that include a limited lifetime warranty.

diamondbackcovers.com

Mine has been great and I installed it 7 years ago...

 

[McMXi]

@McMXi , do you hang out in my head , or at least at my work?! I've had a few demos of the various decked systems over the years and we just implemented it in at least one truck last year. Have a buddy who has their cross box on his F250 and loves it. No gas struts and it's deep. The only issue with deep is it can cut down on the 8ft material you can load in the bed before having the tailgate open or stuff propped on it, but with enough trailer options that's not typically an issue. I also like that they are a composite material, they don't dent, rust, oxidize, etc., and are truly waterproof. The cross box even has a ladder option that comes out & over the side of it to help with those vertically challenged.

Decked and Weatherguard are my go too's, both are expensive, but you get what you pay for with them.

Like minds and all that!

I've had the Decked drawer system in my '02 F-250 since August of 2019 so almost six years and it has been excellent. That very positive experience had me going back to Decked for the cross box tool box. As I mentioned, my truck came with the optional old man folding 2nd step at the front of the bed on both sides, so accessing the toolbox won't be a challenge.

I saw the ladder in a video on Decked's website but couldn't find it for sale, not that I need or want it.

 

[McMXi]

These folks have great products in bed covers and boxes. I have one on my F-150 and would say that they are top notch.

You can find some at reasonable prices here (factory seconds) and they do offer military discounts as well.

Link to factory seconds and used models...

Outlet Store | DiamondBack Covers

Overstock, factory seconds, and used DiamondBack product that include a limited lifetime warranty.

diamondbackcovers.com

Mine has been great and I installed it 7 years ago...

View attachment 150614

View attachment 150616

View attachment 150617

That looks like a good system, but not ideal for gooseneck towing I assume.

 

[dirtydeed]

That looks like a good system, but not ideal for gooseneck towing I assume.

They have one style that works with 5th wheel/gooseneck trailers.

 

[McMXi]

They have one style that works with 5th wheel/gooseneck trailers.

I looked at that model, but unfortunately the panel next to the cab doesn't fold up so it wouldn't work for me. Regardless, they look like excellent products.

 

[John T]

well it IS a 'real' truck... has TWO doors ! Congrats !!!

I agree 100%

seems every spoiled kid in town owns a 4 door pickup truck with wheel spacers and led lights ..... looks ridiculous not to mention impractical.

kid at work just bought one.... I said that has a lot of doors....

He said "4 doors for more whores" ..... I guess he has a point....

 

[biketopia]

I can't get my seat comfortable for long drives in a 2-door truck, plus I like inside storage for my belongings. I also prefer an 8' bed though, had a crew cab long bed 2500HD for 10+ years, I'd haul all the friends, all the gear, and the boat. If I needed a strictly hardware store, around-town truck, a 2 door is fine, but I'll always prefer an extended cab at minimum.

 

[PHPaul]

I can't get my seat comfortable for long drives in a 2-door truck, plus I like inside storage for my belongings. I also prefer an 8' bed though, had a crew cab long bed 2500HD for 10+ years, I'd haul all the friends, all the gear, and the boat. If I needed a strictly hardware store, around-town truck, a 2 door is fine, but I'll always prefer an extended cab at minimum.

Me too, but not in my budget and don't spend that much time in the truck so saving $40,000 (crew cab) or so is more important.

 

[McMXi]

seems every spoiled kid in town owns a 4 door pickup truck with wheel spacers and led lights ..... looks ridiculous not to mention impractical.

I agree that wheel spacers on trucks are moronic for a number of reasons, and it says a lot about the owner of that vehicle, and nothing good. However, I see nothing impractical about four doors and a rear seat in a crew cab or similar model. In fact, quite the opposite. I've owned regular, extended (super) and crew cab trucks over the years including three Ford Rangers, a Toyota SR5, an F-150, an F-250 Super Duty, an F-350 Super Duty and now an F-450 Super Duty as well as the M-1078. In fact, I've only bought crew cab four door trucks since 2002, but I still appreciate and respect the choice that @PHPaul made since it's his choice. I had considered a two-door truck when I began my search for a new truck, but had I chosen a regular cab model, Like @PHPaul it would have been a dedicated tow truck and not something I'd want to use on a long road trip.

To me, four door trucks are incredibly practical whether it's the need to provide seating for kids, friends, dogs, etc. My Great Pyrenees passed away about 18 months ago, but when she was with me I had the rear seat of the F-250 sitting on a shelf in the garage for years so that she had a area to lay down, turn around, sleep etc. on the long drives to Sheridan, WY and other places. At less than 40lb my Heeler rides in the front seat but the only option for Maggie was either in the bed (not going to happen) or where the rear seat used to be which worked well. I've put all manner of things in the rear seat area of the F-250 and F-350 over the years, and my only complaint is that I wish the rear seats in those trucks folded up like it does in my new F-450.

Tell me what's impractical about the rear seat in my F-450? It can be used as a seat for passengers, there's locking storage beneath the seat, and within 30 seconds it can be folded up to provide a relatively flat floor for dogs, rifles, shotguns, coolers, luggage, bedding or whatever. In addition, the crew cab offers the "full recline" option where the front seats (with the transmission in P) can lay flat if you want to take a nap at a rest stop. I see nothing impractical about any of that.

I can post hundreds of photos of "real trucks" with four doors doing "real work" if you want.

 

[McMXi]

I found a photo of the Decked draw system that's in the F-250. This was before I sold the SnugTop which I kind of hated. Other than preventing access to any kind of gooseneck or 5th wheel towing, it does a great job of keep lots of gear out of the weather, organized, and locked up while still allowing the deck to be used to haul stuff. It's rated at 1,500lb if I remember correctly. You can see the totes with the blue lids that lock into the drawers, and that are compatible with the Decked tool box that I ordered.

I suppose like anything, there are compromises to be made. Nothing works in every situation or covers every need. We just have to try to find the best solution for our needs, but with the realization that adding one use of feature might eliminate another.

 

[biketopia]

Me too, but not in my budget and don't spend that much time in the truck so saving $40,000 (crew cab) or so is more important.

The cost of trucks is ridiculous these days. Plus whatever the dealer has on the lot is the most optioned-out version possible. In my opinion, a crew cab XLT has all the bells and whistles any average truck user could ever want, especially when compared to work trucks of yesteryear. But the dealers insist on having fully loaded King Ranch and Platinum series trucks that are $90k+ new. I just submitted PO's for 3 Extended Cab F-350 pickups, XL trim, 4x4, 6.8, running boards, heavy suspension, and steel wheels for $51k each. Wasn't long ago I could order that same truck and include the service body for under $60k, now truck and body are between $79k-$85k depending on body options.

 

[McMXi]

The cost of trucks is ridiculous these days. Plus whatever the dealer has on the lot is the most optioned-out version possible. In my opinion, a crew cab XLT has all the bells and whistles any average truck user could ever want, especially when compared to work trucks of yesteryear. But the dealers insist on having fully loaded King Ranch and Platinum series trucks that are $90k+ new. I just submitted PO's for 3 Extended Cab F-350 pickups, XL trim, 4x4, 6.8, running boards, heavy suspension, and steel wheels for $51k each. Wasn't long ago I could order that same truck and include the service body for under $60k, now truck and body are between $79k-$85k depending on body options.

I bought the '02 F-250 Super Duty from my pilot friend John Ujihara in July of 2018 for $8k with 117,044 miles on the odometer. He bought the truck new in December of 2001 for $42,000. He and his gf drove it up from San Francisco to Kalispell to deliver it to me, stayed the night and then flew back. It's a Lariat trim crew cab but still a very basic truck by today's standards. $42,000 in 2001 is around $76,000 today. I think people forget about inflation. New trucks are crazy expensive for sure, but then again they are so much more than the trucks of 20 years ago in terms of features, performance and even quality.

Speaking of my friend, I met him in 2002 through a Ford diesel truck forum when I lived in Hawaii. He used to fly to Honolulu a couple of times a month so we'd meet up for dinner, talk trucks and women and other typical guy stuff. I stayed at his house in SF a couple of times when I was driving cars from the East Coast to SF to ship to Hawaii. Anyway, he moved to Oahu recently after retiring from American Airlines. He held the rank of Commander in the US Navy and flew P3s for a decade or so. Now he surfs every day and drives a tiny Toyota of some sort. I spoke with him last weekend as he was about to jump in the waves at Waimea Bay. Lucky bastard!

 

[GrassLakeRon]

The torq-shift g is the trans in the F150 rated to about 500 ft/lbs. The other 10 speed is rated to the 6.7 H.O. rated at 1200 ft/lbs.

 

[lugbolt]

we have one at work, but ext cab 4x4--6.8L/10 speed

it tows better than my 7.3 diesel. About the same MPG too, about 17-ish no load and 10-12 with a trailer behind it. Maintenance is easier and less expensive as well. Good truck so far but they've only put 22,000 miles on it since November 2024.

 

[John T]

I can post hundreds of photos of "real trucks" with four doors doing "real work" if you want.

Post whatever you want.....

Seems like you have a chip on your shoulder with all your long winded justifications for buying a 4 door truck... Quite comical...

Nobody cares what you drive... Especially me. You don't have to explain anything to me.

I prefer a Regular cab pickup with an 8' Bed.


The Dogs agree....

-Carry-On.....

 

[McMXi]

Post whatever you want.....

Seems like you have a chip on your shoulder with all your long winded justifications for buying a 4 door truck... Quite comical...

Nobody cares what you drive... Especially me. You don't have to explain anything to me.

I prefer a Regular cab pickup with an 8' Bed.


The Dogs agree....

-Carry-On.....

View attachment 150701

I will carry on and there's no chip. I just shake my head at the stupid comments that are made about what constitutes a real truck. Lifts on trucks are just as dumb as wheel spacers so thanks for making my point for me. Your location says it all.

Some people simply can't say "nice truck or nice tractor" and carry on. They have to throw in their personal biases, albeit juvenile and ignorant at that.

 

[John T]

Some people simply can't say "nice truck or nice tractor" and carry on. They have to throw in their personal biases, albeit juvenile and ignorant at that.

You really shouldn't pick on Greensville Jay like that....

 

[slamin81]

well it IS a 'real' truck... has TWO doors ! Congrats !!!

lol RIGHT!!!