The final part on a pristine Ford 6.0L

“I need to make this truck last”, says Rod Graff about his 2006 Ford F-250 Power Stroke. “Especially because new trucks cost so much these days. The 6.0L diesel gets a bad rap, but many of the new trucks are even worse. I don’t hot rod mine, I am meticulous about the maintenance, and I haven’t had a problem at all.”

One of the main reasons why Rod claims he’s gotten so much life out of his truck is because he’s learned to stay away from dealerships. There were a few instances early on in the truck’s life when it was rather new that put a really bad taste in his mouth. “I have a few horror stories involving the truck, but that’s a thing of the past. Because of all the guessing at how to fix my stuff and the damage that they had done to the truck while they were guessing, I swore off dealerships and keep the maintenance and any repairs to myself. I’m a Porsche mechanic, and I’ll never go to another dealership again. I’ve kept this truck running for 18 years without any help from them.”

Another part of why the truck has lasted has been the Banks equipment. “I started by putting on the Banks Monster Exhaust on about 10 for 11 years ago. Next, I did the Technicooler with Boost Tubes and Monster-Ram, then Ram-Air Intake, and now the Ram-Air Differential Cover. I have everything that Banks makes for the truck except for tuning. Everything is for longevity, to free up the way that the truck breathes, and to keep it cool when I’m working it. At 144,000 miles on the odometer, I tow my 8,800 lb. 35-foot trailer with all the power that I need.  And with all benefits from the Banks parts installed, the only thing left was my new Ram-Air Diff Cover to help protect me for the long haul. The engineering is done right. They’re designed to last the life of the truck.”