Recent Posts

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  Hunting Rig Reality: Building and Maintaining a Truck That Gets the Job Done

  When Stage 3 Motorsports introduced the First Lite 2020 F150 Hunting Rig Build, it was more than a showcase of custom upgrades. It was a blueprint for crafting a capable, reliable vehicle tailored for hunting’s unique challenges. While many admired its features, such as lift kits, lighting enhancements, and storage solutions, not everyone has – or wants – a newer rig with a bank note on it to bounce around in the outback. The simple reality is that most hunters rely on older, high-mileage trucks for a lot of reasons, and cost is absolutely one of them.

  And the simple fact is, the Ford F150 can be found for sale everywhere, and with just a few tweaks from Stage 3 Motorsports, it can do everything you ever need in the field.

  

  1/13/2025

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  Build Your Dream F150: Must-Have Mods on a $2,000 Budget

  Not a day goes by that our teams don’t hear questions (or ask them) about projects and budgets. It’s easy to blow your budget on anything, from a date to your daily driver, but a while ago, the Stage 3 team decided to shop our own warehouse to see how far we could get balancing performance gains and looks on the most popular truck in America – the Ford F150.

  Now, in that build series, we ran four tiers for our budget - $2,000, $4,500, $7,500, and "Blank Check," and the truth of the matter is when we originally built it, the truck was technically under warranty.

  In 2025, though? It’d be a rare bird to find a 2018 still under warranty, and your build now might require some different upgrades, depending on whether you're chasing better performance, a sleeker look, deferred maintenance from a previous owner, or simply enhanced functionality. One thing has remained the same, though, ANY build gives you the opportunity to elevate its performance and style without burning through your savings.

  Here's some new ideas mixed with some throwbacks to our original build documentation.

  

  1/9/2025

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  EcoBoost Challenges pt. 3: Navigating Internal Issues: Carbon Buildup and Timing Chain Stretch

  The Ford F150 EcoBoost engine is a marvel of engineering, but like any complex system, it’s not immune to internal wear and tear. Two common challenges—carbon buildup on intake valves and timing chain stretch—are well documented in the 3.5 EcoBoost across all generations (although not as much in the newer engines) and can wreak havoc or destroy your engine. The downside is, to sort these out, you’re cracking open your engine and removing a LOT of “stuff” to get to them, so understanding their importance and taking advantage of the repair process to consider upgrades can make a world of difference.

  Regardless of whether you’re simply looking to buy a truck with the 3.5 EcoBoost or dealing with these challenges in your daily driver, we’ll break down these internal issues and explore how smart planning during repairs can improve your EcoBoost’s reliability and performance for years to come.

  

  1/6/2025

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