New Gen 1 Owner

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DMDRaptor

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Hey all,

Thanks for all knowledge shared here, I finally bought my first raptor after years of researching. I got into the desert "prerunner" truck scene around 2018. Needed a truck for work asap and grabbed a 2016 tacoma. Soon after I realized a little more coin would put me in a used Gen 1. 2020 came the tacoma got totalled I was back at the drawing board. I settled on a 2004 ranger with Dixon bros long travel, deavers and a bed cage. Truck was wicked fun but was also totalled by a drunk driver in 2021. Grabbed a clean 95 F150 with plans on building a whoop eating ttb truck but crunching numbers would have me 30k into it. Alas I came to my senses and got the truck I've always wanted, she's a 2011 supercab with 111k when I bought in Nov. 2022.

Truck has "luxury" package, leather, sunroof, dual climate and seat heaters are nice with my always cold gf. It's black which is slowly growing on me, looks best either clean or with dust after a run.

Ocotillo Wells is an hour away. Have ran the truck through Cal City/ Randsburg. It's amazing as soon as you hit the dirt how these trucks seem to transform and just feel at home. I love hearing the 6.2 just ask for more pedal. Get back on the highway and there's no other vehicle I'd rather be eating up the miles in.

Right away noticed truck sat high on bottom perch, this thing better not have spacers on it I thought. Fought to get the shock out and discovered readylift spacers with cut studs and all. Ok, fought to put it back together. Shock not sliding into place should be first sign spacers are no bueno. Ordered new shock tops and got back in there. Next time I hit the dirt I won't be afraid of hurting the front end.

Again, thanks for all the knowledge and support you guys have put together here. Hope to see some of you guys out there someday.

TLDR; new to me gen 1 owner and I couldn't be happier.

Pics cause it ain't no prius
20221231_064141.jpg20221110_164701.jpg
 

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DMDRaptor

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Welcome and congratulations on your new acquisition!

Did you get the prior maintenance records on your truck? I too have a 2011 supercab and can make some maintenance suggestions if you like.
Thanks

All I know is it was a 1 owner truck from Sacramento. Looks like she was a street queen. I've replaced IWE lines with new Ford set. I think plugs and coils are probably due soon. Gear oil in the diffs. What else am I missing?

Deavers and revalve the stock shocks are somewhere in my future to help handle the sxs chop that seems to be everywhere these days.
 

Ruger

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Thanks

All I know is it was a 1 owner truck from Sacramento. Looks like she was a street queen. I've replaced IWE lines with new Ford set. I think plugs and coils are probably due soon. Gear oil in the diffs. What else am I missing?

Deavers and revalve the stock shocks are somewhere in my future to help handle the sxs chop that seems to be everywhere these days.
All fluids age, regardless of use, and become increasingly acidic with time. So front and rear differentials, transfer case, transmission and filter, and power steering fluid. You might also consider a complete gravity bleed of the brake system, too.
- Transfer case; 50 ounces of Mercon LV
- Rear Differential: 75W-140
- Front Differential: 80W-90
- Transmission: Mercon LV
- Brake System: DOT3 (The system will gravity bleed just fine. It just takes time, patience, decent music, a couple beers, and some aquarium tubing.)
- Power Steering System: Mercon LV. Pull the reservoir's bottom hose with a catch can under it. It's simple. If you do this every other oil change you will never need to replace the PS pump.

You will find - if the previous owner did not make modifications - that neither differential has a drain. You can use a suction device and get as much as 95% of the old fluid out, or you can remove the differential covers. Be advised that Ford does not merely seal the covers, they bloody glue them down. Removal of the rear cover is challenging, and exceptionally challenging in the case of the front cover. because physical access is so limited. The transfer case DOES have a drain. Amazing.

The transmission deserves a thread of its own and there are several here. Suffice it to say that Ford opted to use a "diptoothpick" that is so close to the exhaust system that thousands of mechanics all over America must have burn scars on the backs of their hands. The fill procedure is a two-step method, with the final level made when the transmission is at full operating temperature. And that's where the burns come in. A glove with 4 or 5 layers of duct tape across the knuckles will help. You will probably still get burned, but not as severely and you'll heal faster. Read up on the two-step fill procedure and crawl under the truck and familiarize yourself with what it'll take to do this successfully before you decide to do it yourself. Lots of us do, but I promise it fails the fun test.

Check the air filter and replace as needed.
Check the cooling system, drain and replace coolant if it's dark in color: Motorcraft Orange prediluted, PN VC-3DIL-B.

Changing the spark plugs can also be challenging. A good selection of extensions, wobble extensions, a u-joint, and a real good quality spark plug boot tool is necessary. The combination of extensions is different for each plug, so some good 3D problem solving is the order of the day. The top 8 are easy as long as the coils are okay. The bottom 8 plugs must be accessed through the wheel wells. The front right plug is right in line with the shock tower and is the most difficult to get to.
 
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