Ford Trucks are the best selling trucks in America for a reason - they deliver. Customers in the know choose Ford Powerstroke Diesel engines because they deliver in performance, fuel economy, reduced noise, easier serviceability, and increased durability.

The Ford Powerstroke is known for its outstanding performance, rugged reliability and excellent fuel economy. Because of their durable and massively powerful engines, Ford has gathered die-hard fans and legendary status. Right from the factory, these diesel trucks are designed to work hard and take on the toughest challenges.

For the average consumer a stock Ford truck will exceed your expectations. For the die-hard enthusiast you're probably itching to ad diesel performance parts and modifications. Below are some common diesel mods to get you started, but I'm sure you'll find that when it comes to diesel performance parts, upgrades are limitless.

Many truck owners start with the suspension or a lift. This is a great place to start because upgrading the suspension can alleviate driveline shake and wheel hop while improving overall ride. There are several suspension mods that you can make, but one I like is the incorporation of Traction Blocks or a lift block with a traction bar. With the bar attached to the block and the U-Bolts running thru the blocks this insures that there is no twisting or kicking and the leverage amplification from the taller block is removed by the traction bar. This produces a soft ride and factory load capacity with taller ride height with no loss in articulation, no loss of wheel travel and no noise transmission to the frame. All these no's equal one big yes in my book.

If you want to build your truck to be useable, traction blocks are a solid system in all high torque applications. They are great for sled pulling, Drag Racing, Mud bogging, sand dune running, Burnout competitions, towing max truck load on loose surfaces like sand or dirt. But a lift block with traction bar might be a better combination, after all what good is the system if the tires damage your fenders the first time you really need to haul or tow a real load?

Typically, the main reason to increase ride height of a truck is to run bigger tires, so it makes sense that the next thing you upgrade are the tires. If you’re using standard factory tires, you’re going to have to reconsider your options and go with something larger. Larger tires will not only fit better with your new raised option but also will perform far better. You want a tire that will give you a smooth ride, have minimal noise and keep you moving forward. Look into larger options that help with reducing mileage and keep you steady in all sorts of terrain.

Also, when you’re considering modifications, take a look into switching out the dual mass flywheel. Eventually this part will fail, if it hasn’t yet, expect it to fail sooner rather than later. The dual mass flywheel, or DMF, eliminates excessive transmission gear rattle, reduces gear change/shift effort, and increases fuel economy. You may as well preempt the fail and swap out the factory flywheel for a better performing part.

Fuel economy is always a concern for any truck owner and when it comes to fuel economy, factory up-pipes are another "sooner rather than later upgrade". Leaky diesel up-pipes cause a loss of power, loss in gas mileage and a gain in EGT’s. Unfortunately, Ford trucks are prone to Up-pipe leaks, so even though I mentioned this upgrade last, you may want to get to it first. Stock Ford up-pipes are designed using a crush donut gasket to seal the up-pipes into the y-collector. Over time, expansion and contraction cause the donuts to leak, hurting engine performance and mileage. Bellowed Up-pipes not only improve performance, but they are a permanent solution to this common problem.

The above are just a few places to start, and in no way represent all the necessary options or just for fun upgrades that you can do with your Ford truck. The sky is the limit and you don’t’ have to let the manufacturers tell you how you can create your masterpiece, but it wouldn't hurt to check and make sure that you're not going to void any warranties.