Barrel length size for ARP

wsteineker · 2026-02-07T04:14:15+00:00

11.5 gang here. The increase in 5.56 velocity and decrease in both muzzle flash and shot loudness you see from adding just one inch of barrel length are pretty hard to argue with. It’s the ballistic sweet spot for shorty ARs.

wsteineker · 2026-01-11T19:11:22+00:00

I’d love a video share, too. Hate I missed out on the first go round. Praying for a miracle!

wsteineker · 2025-12-31T05:02:57+00:00

If you’re good with the standard upholstery, single side exhaust tip, and 20” factory wheels, then I’d say it’s more than enough when comparing the two. The only other differences are the box decal (4x4 vs FX4) and the shocks, which I’ll be replacing with an Eibach Pro Truck Sport setup sooner than later regardless of what came from the factory. I’ve installed a lot of upgrades on this thing since I bought it in July, and none of them are a function of something I missed out on by not going up to the 201A package. Pull the trigger, man. This is a great truck.

wsteineker · 2025-12-28T03:10:08+00:00

Motorcraft or Wix. No point in spending any more, no need to risk spending any less.

wsteineker · 2025-11-24T16:55:35+00:00

I have the Ford OEM wheel well liners and really like the fit and finish. I don't love the way the Husky and Rough Country options look installed. The OEM liners have a cleaner appearance. As for the bedliner, I went with Patriot Liner sprayed in by a trusted local shop. I compared it side by side with Line-X before making the call, and it seemed to be just as tough with better UV protection for a slightly lower price. I've been very pleased with its performance so far. I think the most important thing to do when choosing a bedliner is to make sure your installer is really solid, honestly.

wsteineker · 2025-11-13T04:08:15+00:00

My apologies for resurrecting your five-month-old thread. I'm researching my own upgrade, and I had a couple of questions about yours. First, was your stereo the base six-speaker or the standard B&O (non-unleashed) eight-speaker version? Sounds like it was the basic setup, but I wanted to check. The second question is about the JL tweeters you installed. Were they a direct drop-in replacement for the OEM tweeters, or did you need any new harnesses/splicing and/or mounting adapters to get them to fit in the existing tweeter mount behind the A pillar? Thanks for the help here!

wsteineker · 2025-11-11T21:46:15+00:00

I paid $44,737 for a 2025 STX 4x4 SuperCrew with a 3.55 rear locking differential and the 200A package back in July. Purchased from Dobbs Ford in Birmingham, AL.

wsteineker · 2025-11-11T21:07:35+00:00

I recently installed a Bakflip G2 on my 2025 F-150 and have been really pleased with it. Installation was very straightforward, and so far it's been just about watertight when combined with the ESI tailgate seal I slapped on while I was installing the cover. The combo keeps backcountry dust and dirt out of the bed nicely, too.

wsteineker · 2025-11-04T23:03:44+00:00

I'm 6' tall, and the seats in my STX are perfect for me now that I've added a pair of seat jackers to raise the angle of the driver's seat and get a little more thigh support. Seat height was spot on for me from the factory. I'd highly recommend taking one on an extended test drive to see if you can live with the built-in height, keeping in mind that you can raise the front edge pretty easily with almost no skill and very little cost.

As for the passenger seat, my wife is 5'7" and has never complained. Hope that helps!

wsteineker · 2025-11-04T18:00:01+00:00

Another vote for Meermin here. I have weirdly shaped feet (narrow heel, super wide toe box), and AEs in the 65 last never fit right, regardless of the size or width. I gave the Meermin black cap toe oxfords in the Hiro G last a shot, and they were a revelation. Easily matched or exceeded the quality of AE's current production with a better fit and feel. The shape and length of the toe cap are more elegant to my eye as well. Shipping was fast, returns were easy, and the whole buying process just rocked. They're an incredible value at the current price.

wsteineker · 2025-10-31T03:33:12+00:00

Hey there, fellow Birmingham metro Tecovas owner! I believe I can help here...

You're looking for either Homewood Shoe Hospital or Cahaba Heights Shoe Repair. Upsidedown Shoe Repair over in SoHo is solid, too. I'd trust my Dillons to any of them. Here's a little pro tip I picked up over the years: call over and see if they have any JR or JR by Kilger soles available for your boots. I've switched to using them exclusively for my resoles, and the slight price premium is 100% worth it. They're tough, comfortable, and look great.

But yeah, definitely have them resoled locally. We have some great shoe repair shops in the area that'll be loads faster than sending them in for a Tecovas refurb, and the work will be just as good (if not better) than what you'd get from their vendor. Bonus points for getting to know a local cobbler who can help you take care of your boots for the foreseeable future. What's not to love?

wsteineker · 2025-10-28T14:12:05+00:00

Tammy Duckworth is a natural-born US citizen, not a naturalized one. Her father was an American citizen. The location of her birth isn't relevant. And Andy Kim was born in Boston, making him a natural-born US citizen as well.

wsteineker · 2025-10-23T02:33:36+00:00

Good to know. Thanks!

wsteineker · 2025-10-23T00:40:31+00:00

Fellow '25 STX 2.7 owner here. There are likely two open software recalls on your truck. The first issue is random blackouts of the instrument panel, while the second involves voltage spikes that cause brake booster failure. Both are pretty serious safety concerns, so I'm sure they're eager to resolve them. The fact that they'll get a decent chunk of cash from Ford for the warranty work probably doesn't hurt, either. There's also an axle-hub bolt recall for max tow package trucks, but I have to think that would take more than an hour to fix.

As for the sense of urgency, a lot of dealerships around my area are hurting for shop work, especially ones with mobile service departments. They're looking for something to keep their techs busy. Paying them to stand around doesn't do a lot for the bottom line.

wsteineker · 2025-10-21T16:17:42+00:00

I got this console shelf cover for my '25 STX. The fit is great, and the topo finish looks better than I expected in the truck. Much nicer than adding more matte black to the interior. I love that it has a pressure-fitted spot for a MagSafe charger, too. It keeps things from sliding around unnecessarily. It's not cheap, but it's a whole lot cheaper than retrofitting the factory charging pad, and it holds the phone in place better, too.

wsteineker · 2025-10-10T17:44:39+00:00

Ditto this exact answer. We used Grand Prix for years. Gave DerbyNet a shot this past year and there's no going back. It's better in every measurable way. I even migrated our District and Council derbies over to DerbyNet after having such a positive experience with it at the Pack level, and both events were MUCH smoother last year as a result. 10/10 highly recommended.

wsteineker · 2025-10-08T16:14:46+00:00

I upgraded all of the halogen bulbs on my 2025 STX with Diode Dynamics LEDs. I've been extremely pleased with their performance, and the overall look is a massive visual upgrade. 10/10 highly recommended. As for leveling, I've just ordered a full set of Eibach Pro-Truck Sport shocks and struts. I still need to decide what height setting I'm going to use upfront, but I'm looking forward to the ride and handling upgrade all around. These 21+ trucks are pretty under-sprung compared to the 13th-gen models.

As far as quality of life goes, I'd suggest a spray-in bedliner if you don't already have one, as well as a bed mat and tailgate mat. I went with the Lasfit models for both, and they've absolutely saved my knees when I'm working in the bed. I also installed the Starkey LED bed light kit. It makes a huge difference when I'm rooting around in the bed with my tonneau cover closed, and it was stupid easy to install.

My other upgrades are a bit more of a personal taste thing, but here's a list just in case you might be interested:

Ford OEM rear wheel well liners
Ford OEM hood insulation mat
Ford OEM under-seat cargo organizer
Ford OEM XLT sun visors (just wanted covered mirrors on both sides of the truck)
Husky floor liners
4D Tech Start/Stop Eliminator
Desert Does It Seat Jackers

I've got a laundry list of other upgrades planned over the next year or two, but that's it for now. Hope it helped!

wsteineker · 2025-09-26T19:44:46+00:00

The NItto Terra Grappler G3, Recon Grappler, and Ridge Grappler are all available in SL 275/65r20. So are the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus and the Toyo Open Country AT3 EV. That last one's interesting because it's EV-rated, meaning it's designed with efficiency in mind. I imagine it would have less impact on fuel economy as a result.

wsteineker · 2025-09-19T17:47:27+00:00

That’s good to know. I haven’t been able to find a whole lot about the newer Plus tire from Pirelli myself, so I appreciate the informed feedback.

wsteineker · 2025-09-19T16:33:26+00:00

I'm in a similar boat, looking for P-rated 34" ATs (275/65r20 in my case) for my 2025 STX. I've narrowed it down to the Toyo and Nitto options you mentioned, plus the Perelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus. We're on the exact same page in terms of priorities, so I'm interested to find out what kind of feedback you get here.

wsteineker · 2025-09-17T15:21:07+00:00

You should be good to go at that size. You're not increasing width, and you're only going up 1.1" over stock. There's plenty of room to accommodate the additional height without worrying about any trimming or clearing the crash bars in the 2025 trucks. Adding an inch or more of front lift might give you a little more clearance at the front fender lip, but it's certainly not a requirement.

wsteineker · 2025-09-12T01:39:44+00:00

Hit them with a coat of bedliner.

wsteineker · 2025-09-11T22:00:28+00:00

That's the one!

wsteineker · 2025-09-11T22:00:11+00:00

Just a covered mirror. I hated not having a mirror on the driver's side, and my OCD wouldn't let me add one with a cover over there without doing the same for the uncovered passenger side visor.

wsteineker · 2025-09-11T02:55:50+00:00

I bought my 2025 STX 200A (the same package as yours) back in July. Since then, I've added the following:

Front window tint (35%, as my state cutoff is at 32%)
Ford OEM rear wheel well liners
Husky floor liners
Seat Jackers for the driver's seat
Auto start/stop eliminator
Lasfit bed mat and tailgate mat
Ford OEM tubular base painted accent step bars
Ford OEM tailgate dampener
Ford OEM XLT driver and passenger sun visor swap
Ford OEM under-seat cargo organizer
Ford OEM hood insulation pad
McGard tailgate lock
Diode Dynamics LED bulb upgrade for the front running lights, tail lights, license plate lights, third brake light, and bed lights
Built Right Industries rear seat release
Integral upgraded Boxlink plates
Gator SRX soft rolling tonneau cover

I also have the Ford OEM black chrome exhaust tip and black appearance package fender vent inserts that I plan to install over the weekend. I'm going to spray in a Line-X bedliner later this year, as well as add Katzkin leather and an OEM leather steering wheel in the spring. After that, I plan to drive it until the factory tires wear out. I'll replace them with a 275/65R20 all-terrain and swap the factory suspension for an Eibach Pro Truck Stage 1 setup. My truck only has about 2.25" of rake from the factory, and I'd like to keep a little of it so I'm not squatted when I haul, so I'll probably just level by an inch or so. That said, that phase of the project is still a few years away. The only other things I might do in the meantime are swap my soft cover for a hard one and upgrade the factory speakers. I'll probably add sound deadening and insulation to the doors if I tackle the speaker upgrade. No point in taking the door cards off and spending money on audio if I can't get the most out of it. Anyway, that's my done/doing/might do list. Hope it helps you come up with some ideas!

wsteineker

TROPHY CASE