Hey, guys. I'm Eric with AmericanTrucks. In this episode of "The Haul," I'm showing you my
picks for the first five mods that you should be checking out for your 2017 and later Ford F-250.
Now the hardworking F-250 certainly earns the name Super Duty, but whether you've just picked it up
or you've had it for a couple years, this truck can certainly benefit from some upgrades. Now
for the first five 2017 and newer F-250 mods, I wanted to pick parts that are performance capable
but also look great on these newer trucks. So, I've got some appearance and utility covered here.
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up to date on more F-250 builds, news, and product videos. Let's get started.
Okay. So, to kick off my list, guys, I wanna start with one of the very first mods most truck owners
pick up and that's a tonneau cover. Now there are a ton of styles, designs, and applications
out there in the tonneau cover category all of which provide some level of protection
from weather and theft. Now I picked this Rough Country low profile hard tri-fold tonneau cover
for its versatile design. It gives you access to sections of your bed as you need it,
but still allows you to flip it up all the way to the back windshield
for complete bed access. This way you can haul larger cargo, like a couch or an ATV.
Not every cover offers that which is one of the reasons why I like this one so much.
It's extremely easy to use with a quick release latch at the tailgate so you don't need to go back
and forth to each corner to open it. And because the F-250 is mainly a utility-based vehicle,
you might want a tonneau cover that is more theft proof to protect your cargo such as
expensive tools of your trade. Now I wanted a hard tri-fold, meaning it's made with an aluminum cover
over an aluminum frame, for that added support and protection. Soft covers can usually be cut into
pretty easily by thieves, but with a hard cover that's not an easy thing to do if at all. Now this
one has an internal latch to make sure it can only be opened with the tailgate unlocked and down.
Now one of the things to consider with a tonneau cover purchase is how safe your cargo will
actually be. Now this particular cargo also uses really high quality weatherstripping and water
channels to make sure weather elements can't damage the goods that are inside.
That's really another important thing to look for in a cover for your F-250. It's also low profile,
meaning it sits flush with your side bed rails for a cleaner look. Overall, it's one of the more
popular, easier to use and more secure tri-folds which makes it an easy first pick for me.
Next up, we have another utility mod, one that makes getting in and out of your truck
a lot easier and safer. Now I know that a lot of F-250s come with factory side steps,
but upgrading them can not only add an easier stepping experience but also a good amount of
style to the side of the truck as well. Now here we have the AMP Research powerstep plug-and-play
running boards. The AMP Research steps are unique in a sense that they actually retract
the underside of your rocker panels when the doors are closed. Once you open the door,
it automatically drops down to an easy to reach height to help you get in. It's a modern
approach to a classic truck mod that also helps give you some added ground clearance
on the side if you're concerned about your steps getting dinged up.
Now these running boards have one long stepping pad instead of the small,
individual pads like our factory steps did. Now this way you don't have to worry about stepping
in a specific spot on the board. The entire step has raised grooves for added grip to
make sure it's safe in any weather condition. If you're located in a higher elevation or a
northern climate like we are, you'll see a good amount of snow in the wintry months,
so it can really be helpful having this slip-resistant surface, especially on a
utility vehicle that you might use as a work truck. Now with the included LED lighting,
you'll have no problem getting in and out of your truck in low light conditions or at night.
The other thing these steps have going for them is their durability. Now these have Teflon-coated,
die-cast aluminum alloy linkage arms and powder-coated extruded aluminum steps so,
no matter where you take your truck, they're corrosion and rust resistant.
Now it's a great first mod for any F-250 owner looking to get
away from their factory styling while adding some head-turning features.
Now speaking of taking your truck anywhere, next I have a set of wheels and tires that will add
off-road traction and a more rugged appearance to your truck. These are the fuel beast wheels
in matte black, machined with a size of 20 by 9 and a +1-millimeter offset. And they're wrapped in
33 by 12.5-inch Atturo trail blade multi-terrain tires. Now these 33s fit perfectly with a factory
suspension and have a slightly more aggressive tire tread than the stock all-seasons that our
truck came with. In fact, the multi-terrains are a midway between the all-terrains and the more
aggressive mud terrains making these perfect for daily drivers and work trucks alike. Now this is
gonna help give us the added grip we need when taking it off the beaten path to the work site,
but won't be loud on the highway like the meteor tires. That's why these are a great
best-of-both worlds type of mod. The wheels add to the aggressive off-road truck appearance and
the 1-millimeter offset has some poke so, that's gonna give your truck a wider stance. Now compare
that to the stock wheel with a 40-millimeter offset, you can see it makes a big difference.
Now we're shining some more light on the road with our next mod in my first five-list,
and that's headlights. The factory headlights could use an upgrade in both appearance and
visibility which is why I'm picking these Morimoto XB LED projector headlights. These headlights are
one of the most unique sets I've seen in the aftermarket and that's because they stack four
individual projector lenses in a vertical line and then surround the housing with a bright LED DRL
or daytime running light. Now our '17 F-250 here didn't come with a DRL bar which a lot
of the newer generation trucks on the road do come with. So, these headlights
really modernize the front end of our truck a lot. They even have a built-in sequential
turn signal and hazard light that is built into the DRL itself which sets it apart
even further. The black housing in the clear lens adds to that appearance by giving the
impression of a smoked headlight without hindering any of the light output. Another
big bonus is that they're plug and play, making them a pretty easy first mod as well.
Now for my last mod, we're moving inside the truck for, arguably, the easiest, most
straightforward mod you can do to your F-250, and that's floor mats. Like I said, these trucks are
mainly utility-based so if you're working getting your hands dirty, you're more than likely getting
your boots dirty and tracking it back into your truck. These Rough Country heavy-duty front and
rear black floor mats replace your factory floor mats with a set that is completely contoured to
the floorboards of your F-250. That means it hugs every corner, turn, and crevice that the factory
ones didn't. You're getting more coverage for your interior to protect your investment. Any dirt,
mud, and liquids that inevitably get tracked in get trapped in the channels to prevent stains on
your carpet. You can easily pop them out, close them off real quick and throw them right back in.
The rear mats cover even more area than that by laying across the entire floorboard,
including under the rear seats to protect the under-seat storage area
from dirty tools or cargo. They also stretch a little bit under the front seats as well for
more foot area coverage. Now these are durable black polyethylene, but come in
different colors to match different interior finishes. Definitely a first mod any truck
owner should invest in to keep their interior protected especially if it's a work truck.
Well, that's gonna wrap up my picks for the first five F-250 mods. Drop a comment below
and let us know if this matches your first five mods or if your list is different.
Maybe yours focuses on towing and hauling or is more off-road and protection based.
Let us know. Subscribe to our YouTube channel while you're at it to see all things F-250,
including product videos, news, and content like this. Keep it right here at americantrucks.com.