After 5 years of ownership, our customer decided to change up the wheels and tires on his F-150 and add Apple CarPlay to this vehicle. He has a number of exotic vehicles but uses this truck for ski trips and wanted a better navigation than the MyFordTouch setup that this 2015 model year came with. Specifically he wanted something capable of wireless Apple CarPlay like his 2021 Audi RS6.
We went with the Pioneer DMH-WT7600NEX as it features a 9" floating screen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. In our experience Wireless Android Auto is still filled with bugs (as of 2021) and doesn't work well with a number of devices. However, wireless CarPlay has consistently worked for our customers. The factory screen is already an 8" touchscreen for this 302A XLT truck, so standard double dins with a 7" would've felt like a bit of a downgrade.
For installation in this vehicle, we used the iDatalink Maestro RR and MFT1 kit which is specifically designed for MyFordTouch equipped vehicles. This kit is simpler than the FTR1 kit as it just consists of a bracket kit, t-harness, and new aux panel for USB/HDMI inputs. The FTR1 kit for 4.3" screen F-150's requires disassembling and reassembling the climate control unit but these 8" screen trucks utilize a digital setup. The Maestro not only helps to retain the steering controls but also retains the volume knob, tune knob, and preset buttons. We mapped the preset buttons (1-6) to do different functions such as displaying the gauges, climate control, etc.
On top of the new stereo, we also added a front facing camera. This bullet shaped camera was mounted between the O and the R of the Raptor style grille. These cameras can be handy not only when off roading but also for parking in tight spots as it can account for the length of vehicle the driver cannot see.
For the wheels and tires, we went with the Black Rhino Alamo in 20x9.0 with a factory sized 275/55R20 Falken Wildpeak AT3W. We found these tires to be a bit louder than the BF Goodrich KO2 but chose them for their superior winter performance. Our customer previously had Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs which he did not like at all in terms of snow and ice performance. We went with a +12 offset which is a fair bit wider than stock but had no issues in terms of rubbing.
Contact us today if you're looking to upgrade the infotainment, look, and performance of your vehicle!
