Hello everyone, I am new to the forums here and I am looking for some ideas. I have a 2005 F150 flareside (4.6L v8) with 72k on the clock. I am looking for some things to do that will make my truck perform better in offroad conditions as well as everyday use. I don't have a lot of $ to throw around, but I could probably get about 1,000 to play with. I have a list of ideas but I want to know if there is other things out there that would be a better use of my $.

Ideas:
Underdrive pulleys
E-fan (is the troyer kit really worth it?
Hella Headlights (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLA-009456801/)
Rancho Lift struts
Rear shocks (any ideas on best brand?)
Rear lift blocks
General Grabbers (new style, How big should I go?)
Tonneau cover (what kind is best for the money?)
Programmer?
CAI?
Brush guard (best bang for the buck?)
New grill (either chrome or black)



Let me know what you guys think please
I would like to keep the stock tires for awhile, even though they are those crappy general ameritracs.

Additional info
Truck is the lighter red in color
3.73 L/S in the rear
I had both a K&N CAI and a Edge CS before, and I felt that the programmer didn't do anything for me and the CAI f'ed up my MAF sensor, so I sent it back for a refund. I have interior LEDs already as well as Exterior (tails and 3rd brake light) I have a DeeZee bed box, but if I go with a tonneau cover, I would probably get rid of it. I was thinking that I would like to go black with the exterior stuff (rims, grill, brush guard, etc.)





Any info would be much appreciated especially if you know the best place to get something. Links are my friend. Thanks guys

 

The programmer and new shocks is your best bet for under 1000. Get a leveling kit so you can do bigger tires in the future too.

 

If you plan to do any off-roading I wouldn't recommend a leveling kit. It throws your suspension geometry and drive line angles off. If you plan to off-road one of these trucks your pretty much stuck with getting a suspension lift of some sort.

If your wanting some ideas to help now, I would get a programmer. Maybe some sort of exhaust setup to make your system flow better.

 

First thing I would do is the Gotts mod and get a programmer. My Gryphon has served me well with my custom tunes. I'm actually doing the Gotts today and ditching my K&N CAI. I agree with Watson, some sort of exhaust upgrade would be great too.

 

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I have a flowmaster cat-back system installed already. I would prefer not to cut up the stock intake, unless I can find one at the JY for cheap. What kind of programmer would you guys suggest?

 

PHP Gryphon FTW! Bill knows his stuff and makes some great custom tunes.
As far as the intake, you don't cut anything up and it is completely reversible. All you do is replace the piece that goes through the fender, 2", with a piece of pvc pipe, 3". https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...04-2008-a.html

 

I'd go with the Gryphon (re-badged Edge). I added a 3" CAI and Maggies and then got the Gryphon with custom tunes. It changed the whole attitude of the truck. Before, the truck would barely chirp the tires. Now, it will roast them (I've only done that a few times). I've had zero issues with this set up (5.4)

www.powerhungryperformance.com

 

I'd get a tonneau. I want to get an A.R.E. fiberglass tonneau for mine but you do lose a lot of the bed function. They are water tight and IMO really make the truck look better.

 

Oh, I thought that the Gotts mod was when you cut the right side of the filter housing so that the filter is exposed. I just did the one on the write up that you had on there. I used some pvc pipe for the part that goes into the fender. And as far as the PHP gryphon is concerned, it seems like a lot of money. Is it a lot better than the edge CS? I didn't like the CS at all. I ended up selling it for like $300. What about superchips? or a SCT? Hypertech? anything like that? I don't really like the dash mounted ones either. Any info helps. Thanks again guys

 

Why didn't you like the Edge CS?
It was probably because of having the K&N CAI on there too. Believe it or not, I did the Gotts mod today to replace my K&N kit. I put my stock intake in as it normally was to go to Home Depot to get the parts that I needed for the Gotts mod. During that drive, my truck drove better with the stock intake than with the K&N CAI and my average mileage shot up quickly also. Now I have to see what Gotts will do. lol
I love my Gryphon. The reason I got it was because I kept getting codes with my Edge and the K&N CAI. Custom tunes fixed that and made the truck a lot more fun to drive.

 

Has anyone heard anything on the hypertech econ? I don't really need more power to spin the tires or anything, I just want something that will give me better mileage now, I tried the power on the edge, and it was doggy. I expected something that would actually boost performance, but I was running premium fuel with the Level 3 tune in the programmer and it was no different than stock. And that was without the K&N CAI. I was looking more at the E-con or maybe the bully dog power pup. Is Bill really that good at tuning? I mean, the tunes that are in the programmer, are his way better? Thanks again fellas.

 

very nice list, I plan on doing almost the same things to my 2004 fx4, I also just ordered the hypertech econ, also if you find some decent lifting shocks let me know

 

roast them? Not so much in my opinion. Maybe wishful thinking eh?

Whatever you do, don't get Troyers efans. They have been proven to be unreliable.

 

Bill's canned Gryphon tunes are better than Edge's tunes. IIRC Bill's custom 87 perf tune is better than Edge's 93 tune. Then Bill can make custom 93 perf tunes also. When you order custom tunes from Bill, you explain to him your driving habits and how you want your tune written. You can ask for a tune for better mileage, better power or balanced.
I myself would stay away from Hypertech and Bully Dog since not many people on here have them. I know the Bully Dogs are usually made for several trucks (ie Chevys, Fords and Dodges) all in one part number. How can that be better than a programmer made for one specific model? The only things I have read about Hypertech on here is of people selling them because they didn't like them.
Sct would be the next choice of programmers IMO. I have heard good things about these and they can also have custom tunes. Superchips would be third on my list. Check out Diablo also. Good luck with whatever you choose and do your research first.

 

Okay, so PHP gryphon/SCT tuner and ???