Ford F350’s really are great trucks. Especially when they are diesel-powered. We have had a LOT of fun with Ford Super Duty trucks over the years. It’s almost like the “Honda Civic” of the truck world. There is an endless supply of upgrades and parts available for them! We have conquered jobs in these trucks anywhere from a simple iPod interface to full-blown stereo and performance enhancement projects. We recently had a long time Westminster, MD client bring us a 2006 Ford F350 for an upgrade. His goals were pretty straight forward:
- He wanted GPS navigation with SiriusXM Satellite Radio and an integrated backup camera.
- Since the factory stereo did NOT sound very good, he wanted to do an audio upgrade to improve the sound quality and output.
- Finally, he also wanted us to do a few fuel economy upgrades to the truck.
And away we go!
Kenwood Navigation Source Unit Offers Tons of Features
For the GPS navigation system and the source unit for our other planned stereo upgrades we decided to go with the Kenwood DNX690HD. This unit has some really great features. The navigation software built into it is a partnership between Kenwood and Garmin. If you haven’t experienced it before, Garmin navigation is VERY user-friendly. All the menus are easy to access, the buttons are large and easily visible, and the voice prompts are clear and right on target. The DNX690HD also gave the client the ability to play his iPhone through it with full control on the touch screen. It gave him access to all the music on the phone itself, as well as control of Pandora and a few other internet radio apps! We installed a SiriusXM tuner behind the radio so that it would come up as an added source on the touch screen. For the finishing touch of this navigation installation, we installed a backup camera above the rear license plate. The clear image from behind the truck is displayed on the touch screen of the DNX690HD as soon as the client shifts the F350 into reverse. This makes it MUCH easier to line up his hitch with his trailer! Now it’s a one-person job, instead of having someone help to guide him into place.
4 Speakers + 400 Watts = 1 Happy Client!
The factory speakers in a Ford F350 are pretty awful! There. We said it! Ford put very little effort into making the stereo in Super Duty’s sound good, knowing they were mainly being sold as work trucks. But who wouldn’t want to enjoy good quality sound especially since it’s a work truck and you’re in it all day? We went right to work replacing the 7-year-old paper factory speakers. We installed German Maestro Concept Series speakers in the front doors and Powerbass 2XL series speakers in the rear doors. The sound quality matters more in the front since that’s where you are sitting. We decided to put a higher quality speaker up front to make a bigger improvement and still maintain the client’s budget for all these upgrades.
To go above and beyond just replacing the speakers, we also installed foam rings on each speaker. This closed cell foam couples the speaker to the door panel, eliminating resonant sound waves from bouncing around inside the door. Essentially, the foam ring helps to push all the sound waves directly out of the grille in the door and into the cabin of the truck. All four speakers made a dramatic difference in the sound quality of the stereo in this F350.
The client also wanted more output so we knew we would need to add a good source of power for the speakers. After demonstrating a few amplifiers to the client, we chose to install a JL Audio XD400.4 amplifier under the rear seat. This “small footprint” amplifier delivers a heck of a punch! Now that the speakers were powered at 100 watts a piece the audio system jammed! It had a lot more output and we knew the client would be thrilled.
Superchips Power Programmer Adds 47HP and Improves Fuel Economy
The last goal that this client wanted us to work on was fuel mileage. There are many improvements that can be made on a diesel truck that offer improved fuel mileage and make the truck a lot more fun to drive at the same time! We chose a Superchips power programmer and an Airaid air intake system. The Superchips Flashpaq has three levels of tuning. The performance tune adds a whopping 114 horsepower and 162 ft/lbs of torque!! This makes it seem like a completely different truck! Since this particular client was mainly interested in fuel mileage we programmed the truck with the “tow” tune, which still gave him a 47hp and 81ft/lbs improvement! The Superchips tuner allowed him to adjust a few other parameters such as shift pressure, speed limiter, torque management, and tire size calibration. The Airaid air intake system was also a great addition allowing much more air to flow into the engine at a higher velocity, which in turn allows the truck to build boost faster (and the faster a diesel engine is in boost the better the fuel mileage!)
Mission Accomplished!
We were very happy to deliver this finished project to the client. When he got in and turned up the stereo his face lit up with excitement. THAT is the reason we do what we do! We don’t ever want any client to leave disappointed or feeling like we let them down. Our goal is to always go above and beyond expectations in any way possible.
Do you have a Ford Super Duty? Are you interested in a stereo upgrade or any fuel economy improvements? Let us show you exactly what we do best! Stop by at your convenience and experience our incredible sound room, talk to our knowledgeable and customer-service oriented staff, and let’s get some plans in action! We can sit down with you and design a “plan of action” for your specific vehicle with your particular wants and needs in mind! To set up your free consultation, give us a call of Contact Us today.