ForceofWill's 2025 Tradesman light build.

[Forceofwill]

Just picked up the truck finally after ordering it in late February. I'm going to use this thread to document the progress of my truck. Currently I just have some pretty modest plans for it. This is basically my goldilocks build, I spec'd it out with everything I wanted and nothing that I didn't and I'm extremely happy with it so far. I don't tow anything heavier than my car to shows, the truck will be my normal daily and be used for mild offroad/camping, taking my fishing kayak places mostly. Why did I get a Cummins then? Because I wanted it.

Window Sticker:


Current parts ordered:
Carli 2.5" Back Country Reservoir leveling kit
CJC intercooler guard
Fittipaldi FT100 in 18x9 anthracite wheels
Toyo R/T Trail 37x12.5 tires
Morimoto XB Led tails and 3rd brake light

The truck as it sits: I'm very pleased with the 2025 LED headlights, I was pleasantly surprised that the back of the housings are black to match the rest of the truck and not chrome. I'm ecstatic that you can get a tradesman that looks basically like an offroad/black out package for cheap AF(relatively) now. Yes I realize it looks ridiculous with those wheels but I didn't want to pay for better stock wheels that will sit in the garage after a week, so for now it's a socal low rider.



Mileage from the trip home from DC. This includes like 4 traffic jams but mostly highway. Before the traffic jams it was around 22.3 just cruising highway:


Tradesman level 1 with the aux switches incase anyone wanted to know what the setup looks like now:

 

[McHenry2500]

I didn't know they made the steelies in black.

 

[Forceofwill]

Took the back way home from work. Stop and go traffic and I drove very aggressive like I would in the Tesla, with no regard for gas mileage. I feel this is pretty good, I would expect my mileage in the 6.4 to be about 8mpg at best(I owned a 2014 6.4 2500).

 

[Forceofwill]

Fixed the Tradesman door panels for $9. Fit perfect.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2JYT2BL?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

 

[Forceofwill]

Put the suspension on yesterday, took a little longer than I remember but the driver's spring is giving me trouble. Had the axle up and down 5 times trying to seat this damn spring properly and it just won't. It keeps getting pushed forward into the frame bracket. I'm hoping that when I have it aligned tomorrow it will go into the right spot. Maybe it's the caster or something.

P

Passenger Side: It's just fine



Driver Side: Keeps getting pushed into that bracket whenever you set it back down.

 

[Forceofwill]

Today we took that plastic BS off the front and added the CJC intercooler guard. Looks much nicer and gives the appearance of like an extra 3-4" in the front. Was kind of a PITA to get to some of those bolts though. Truck is looking extra ridiculous with the tiny wheels hah.

 

[Forceofwill]

Looks like the wheels were backordered and just got to factory. Won't be here till end of this week at the earliest. Guess it's baby wheels on the lift for now lol.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

I’m sorry did that say $71k tradesman?

Build is coming along nicely though !

 

[Forceofwill]

I’m sorry did that say $71k tradesman?

Build is coming along nicely though !

Basically as cheap as you're getting a Cummins with decent options these days(MSRP). I ended up at like $59k + TTL from Koons after everything. I'm pretty happy, considering what everything costs now.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Basically as cheap as you're getting a Cummins with decent options these days(MSRP). I ended up at like $59k + TTL from Koons after everything. I'm pretty happy, considering what everything costs now.

It’s beautifully optioned. I love it. I just had a little sticker shock compared to my 19 gasser.

 

[gurdbonk]

Dang I would have bought your take off wheels and tires. Had I known you were upgrading. I ended up buying four more black steel wheels off eBay for almost $1,000. I bet you would have sold me the Firestone tires with the wheels for around that price. Arrhgh for both of us. Great tip on the Amazon elbow pads, I ordered a set today. Should be here tomorrow. That's my number one comfort complaint, actually my only complaint so far in 6,000 plus miles of driving all over the West

 

[gurdbonk]

I took a different approach to protecting my intercooler.

 

[SpeyRam]

That trim looks good without all of the chrome. It's Night edition looking. Well done!

 

[gurdbonk]

Fixed the Tradesman door panels for $9. Fit perfect.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2JYT2BL?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

View attachment 87590View attachment 87591

That is the greatest upgrade I have ever added. Thank you ForceOfWill, my left elbow thanks you especially. Funny, this was the biggest complaint I have for my new truck and that little pad solved it perfectly. Wahoo

 

[Forceofwill]

New wheels finally came in. She's finally looking like a truck.

 

[G Mcpherson]

Did you resolve the Spring clearance issue

 

[Forceofwill]

Did you resolve the Spring clearance issue

It's still pushed forward a tad. After some research it seems these rubber isolators are trash and will deform easily. I probably squished it on one side when setting it down one during install. CJC recommended I buy another and swap it, I guess they see it happen enough. It doesn't make any noises or move around so I'm not terribly worried about it in the meantime.

 

[azrwilkinson]

Truck look sexy! Did you do track bar too?

 

[Forceofwill]

Truck look sexy! Did you do track bar too?

Yes, the kit came with the Carli track bar.

 

[azrwilkinson]

Nice and are those 37's?