Hello from Fremont, CA

[NightCrawler]

Hey everyone! Just joined OB today.

I’m in Fremont, CA and have lived around the Bay Area for about 4.5 years now.

I drive a 2016 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Platinum 3.5L EcoBoost 4x4. Until recently it was totally stock but I’ve made some mods in the past couple weeks.

I’ve added upfitter switches and the engine bay relay box from a 2017 Super Duty so I now have very stock looking auxiliary switches in the overhead console.

I’ve swapped out the OEM fog lights for double Rigid brackets, each holding a Rigid fog light and an off road light connected to an aux switch. I installed a pair of flush mount Rigid SR-Qs in the rear bumper and wired those to another switch.

I have a CB Radio installed in the cab with an antenna cable going back to the front driver side stake pocket. Will be installing the mount and 3ft FireStik antenna in there next week. I’m a HAM Technician and will do General at some point too - then will look to mount a UHF/VHF antenna as well as an HF antenna for some DXing.

I’ve just replaced the stock tires with BFG KO2s. Only put about 10 miles on the truck so far so far too early to judge them but I’m hoping they give me some better off road handling.

I’m looking to add onboard air and air helper springs to give me tire inflation capability as well as support extra load as we’re looking at regularly towing a 7,500lb travel trailer.

I’m pretty new to overlanding although we’ve done some off-road driving before - a good trail out of Capitol Reef NP and the high mountain pass route in the snow out from Racetrack Playa in Death Valley are two highlights. We’ve done lots of long distance road trips though - the truck has been to 10 western states in the past 18 months and we’ve visited about 20 National Parks in the past few years.

We love camping, getting out into nature, seeing things and visiting places that most people can’t / don’t.

I’m looking forward to being a Member of the OB community - learning lots and meeting some great people!

Nice to meet you all in advance!

Hello from Southern California and welcome to OB! Sounds like one badass F-150...catch ya out on the trails someday brother!


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[Rubicajon]

Hello and welcome to OB. Hope to meet you on the trail some day.

 

[Kcrkolby]

Welcome from Morgan Hill CA! Glad to have you aboard lol

 

[mjherron]

Nimco, welcome. Nice truck! I’ve got a ‘17. Can you provide info regarding the upfitter switches from the 250’s. Have seen it before on another forum but the info is all over the place. Thanks in advance.


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[Louie559]

Welcome to OB sweet rig! From NY

 

[AdventurousWay]

Nimco, welcome. Nice truck! I’ve got a ‘17. Can you provide info regarding the upfitter switches from the 250’s. Have seen it before on another forum but the info is all over the place. Thanks in advance.


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Thanks - appreciate it!

For the upfitter switches I read through lots of the posts in this thread and found someone who needed the same overhead console as me to get the part number for. I think they’ve got a spreadsheet now which enumerates the different combinations but I didn’t need it.

In the end, I came across an awesome PDF guide on how to do the install. I followed that and found it to be incredibly helpful.

I only deviated when it came to the bracket to mount the relay box in the engine bay. I tried fabricating a bracket but my Dremel wouldn’t cut it - literally! In the end I used copious zip ties to secure it - I’ll probably need to find a solution to that at some stage but it seems secure for now.

I’m more than happy to share more details if you want - just let me know. And if you get stuck I’m happy to help. Are you anywhere near me in CA?

The only thing I would advise is that it wasn’t cheap. I’ve not added it all up but my guess is probably $500-600 in total. The stock look is nice, but a few after market switches and a hole drill is a lot cheaper!

 

[mjherron]

Thanks - appreciate it!

For the upfitter switches I read through lots of the posts in this thread and found someone who needed the same overhead console as me to get the part number for. I think they’ve got a spreadsheet now which enumerates the different combinations but I didn’t need it.

In the end, I came across an awesome PDF guide on how to do the install. I followed that and found it to be incredibly helpful.

I only deviated when it came to the bracket to mount the relay box in the engine bay. I tried fabricating a bracket but my Dremel wouldn’t cut it - literally! In the end I used copious zip ties to secure it - I’ll probably need to find a solution to that at some stage but it seems secure for now.

I’m more than happy to share more details if you want - just let me know. And if you get stuck I’m happy to help. Are you anywhere near me in CA?

The only thing I would advise is that it wasn’t cheap. I’ve not added it all up but my guess is probably $500-600 in total. The stock look is nice, but a few after market switches and a hole drill is a lot cheaper!

Nimco, that’s exactly the thread I was reading and am part of that forum as well. PDF is awesome. Thank you for the info.

Unfortunately, I’m am no where near Fremont or California. Midwest, Missouri.

Have seen quite a few other ways of doing it/cheaper ways of doing it and agree that this way is $$$. It seems that space is at a premium in this model and like the OEM style the best.

Got to like modding!!!


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[AdventurousWay]

Nimco, that’s exactly the thread I was reading and am part of that forum as well. PDF is awesome. Thank you for the info.

Cool man!

Let me know if you have specific questions. I took plenty of photos as I did it so happy to share / help if I can.

I ended up solder-splicing all my connections to make sure they’re mechanically and electrically strong - I recommend it but there’s a lot of soldering!

 

[Xof]

Welcome!!!

 

[elromero3]

I’ve been looking round the forums for meetups or rides near Fremont but couldn’t find anything. Is there something regularly? Can you point me in the right direction?

The closest ones I’ve been to have been in the Pleasanton/Concord area. It’s more central to other members.


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