01' F150 XL 4x4 w/ Triton V8-What can you do?

[TestDrive]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Towing a heavy load with an automatic probably forecloses any gearing benefits.

Why?

[Big Dave]

If you put a serious gear in it (like a 3.08) it slows the torque converter down and reduces the amount of fluid pumped to the cooler. Heat buildup causes spectacular failures, scattering parts down the road. It is a common problem with diesels where the engine is capable of high torque/low RPM operation for hours on end. Heat buildup cooks car-based automatics like the one in a F-150. Check out Ford diesel sites like thedieselstop.com and read the tales of woe among automatic guys who tow a lot.

[Red]

There is bound to be a slam kit for an F-150 and if he pulled the front diff, the geometry won't kill anything. It's an IFS truck, as long as the A arms don't bolt directly to the diff but rather its girdle it shouldn't be a problem. The only catch is if the unit bearings are designed to run without a shaft installed. One thing you could do is find a guy with a 2WD truck and just swap parts with him, makes life easier and you could do a "true" conversion.

[Blister]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Lowering a 4x4 probably is not in the cards.

My recommendations:

Get a flat tonneau cover. Hard or soft. Both work.

Get some low rolling resistance tires. Goodrich Long Trails are excellent in that size. air them up to the sidewall max. I overinflate by 25% but that's for me.

Covering the cab/bed gap is good. Covering the wheel wells, even partially is better.

Towing a heavy load with an automatic probably forecloses any gearing benefits.

Slow down. Drive the limit and no more.

I do practice a form of hypermiling even though I never knew what it was called before I came here (to EM). It's a somewhat hilly area here so slight acceleration in the middle of two hills to reach the top of the second and coasting down hills with no more in front of me is the usual. I don't speed unless I'm coasting downhill and don't want to hit the brakes due to a flat spot or hill coming up after the grade has pushed me over 55mph. With the trailer on, it's actually easier because the trailer will push me quite a long way. My normal speed is between 45 and 55. I try to maintain 55 for the sake of those behind me but if it puts me into OD, I don't worry with it. They can pass me if it bothers them that much.

I tried looking for some premade fender covers online but got a bunch of nonsense... fender flares and whatnot so maybe I should start learning how to bend plastics. Fiberglass would be ok too. I do have a very, VERY small amount of exp with fiberglass. I also have the aluminum stock for structure.

I saw comments about diesels. This is a gasoline powered engine. I had mentioned driving a diesel but it belonged to my dad who lives next door. Until now, that was the only vehicle I had that would pull the trailer. Very inconvenient for both of us. I would schedule jobs and he would take off in his truck. lol. I guess since it was his, that was just my tough luck.

[Big Dave]

If you want a slam kit for a Ford 4x4, you'll have to fab it yourself. Ford uses a rather unique front suspension - the "Twin I-Beam" for 4x2 and a driven analog for 4x4.

Not saying it can't be done but fasten your seat belt for a real engineering project.

[Blister]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

If you want a slam kit for a Ford 4x4, you'll have to fab it yourself. Ford uses a rather unique front suspension - the "Twin I-Beam" for 4x2 and a driven analog for 4x4.

Not saying it can't be done but fasten your seat belt for a real engineering project.

Ok, I have a noob question: If I never run it in 4WD, why do I need to do all this? It's seems to me that whenever I'm not in 4WD, none of those axles are spinning. Is this true? I really don't ever see the need to use 4WD. While I do live in an area with lots of clay roads, I rarely use them. The county grades and maintain these roads and after it rains, they develop a pattern of small ridges perpendicular to the road's direction. It's kinda like riding on rumble strips for long periods of time. I bring up the clay roads because when they're wet that is the only time I would need the 4WD unit operational. They're slick as baby **** and one could end up in a ditch very easily. Even when dry, the bumpiness you get going more than 30mph will cause the truck to float off to one side. I try and stay off them in larger vehicles.

I don't have the knowledge to do these things but IF it's guaranteed to bring sizable gains (2-5mpg) on the highway, I would seriously consider it.

[almightybmw]

The axles will only be engaged when 4WD is used. If newer trucks are similar to older ones, they use a one way clutch in the wheel hub to engage the axles to the wheel; put it in reverse in 2WD disengages it. You should never see your axles rotating in 2WD. If you are, you've got some serious savings to be had just be disengaging them.

[IndyIan]

I assume your truck has the 5.4L, 2 valve head? My Dad has pretty much the same truck and I've only driven it a couple times using my scangauge so I can't say I know how to drive it perfectly for mileage. The 5.4L with the 3 valve head is about 20% better for mileage. Maybe you can trade in your truck for a 2wd 3 valve, with a manual transmission?

In any case, first I would get a scangauge, then you can tell if what you are doing is helping. Things like coasting in neutral show up instantly on the gauge so you are inclined to do it more. You'll also see how important it is to get into OD with the torque converter locked quickly, accelerating slowly for a mile before you get into OD will use more gas than getting up to speed in a 1/2 mile.
Ian

[95badbird]

wow.....a lot of bad info.


first, the suspension up front is not twin I beam. Ford quit using that in 96.
The front uses torsion bars, you can raise and lower the vehicle(the front) slightly without screwing the geometry up.(I lifted the front of mine up....hey its 4x4, people usually want theirs higher when off roading).
You can try and pull the front shaft, but it might cause a CEL to come on.

I would highly NOT suggest lowering the 4x4.
get rid of it, and get a 2wd.

also, you don't have to go in reverse to get 4wd to disengage....at least on mine I don't.


lemme ask you, what do you get for gas mileage now?

I went from an average of 13mpg, to an average of 17 mpg, just by changing the way I drive.


and, when putting around town, with or without a load, a lower gear would help....say going from 3.55's to 4.10's.

If you want to know the gear ratio you have now, you can check by two ways:
first, get under the truck, and see what the diff tag says on it....or, look when you open the driver's side door, their is a sticker in the door jamb that has info about the truck....their will be a place on it that says AXLE, it will have a code of something like H9 on it. write that down and post back, and I can see if its in my Ford shop manual.

[Blister]

Originally Posted by IndyIan

I assume your truck has the 5.4L, 2 valve head? My Dad has pretty much the same truck and I've only driven it a couple times using my scangauge so I can't say I know how to drive it perfectly for mileage. The 5.4L with the 3 valve head is about 20% better for mileage. Maybe you can trade in your truck for a 2wd 3 valve, with a manual transmission?

In any case, first I would get a scangauge, then you can tell if what you are doing is helping. Things like coasting in neutral show up instantly on the gauge so you are inclined to do it more. You'll also see how important it is to get into OD with the torque converter locked quickly, accelerating slowly for a mile before you get into OD will use more gas than getting up to speed in a 1/2 mile.
Ian

According to this article Ford Modular engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia , the 3 valve didn't come out until 2003. Since it's a stock 2001' model, it's most likely a 2 valve head. A 20% increase would be awesome sooo...

Since this is a modular engine, how compatible are the blocks? Can a 3 or 4 valve bolt up directly to the 2001' block? With the low population here it is doubtful (not impossible, just doubtful) that anyone would want to arrange a trade like that, especially since the mileage is a little high for it's age. Plus, the 3 valve is only available on a newer truck and would be worth the trade to anyone. We got this truck for $1500 at the company auction and unfortunately, $1500 was the entire budget for another truck.

I did a search on scanguages and most of what I found was the scanguage II 3 in 1 with prices ranging between $139 and $170. It'll take me a couple months to be able to do that at this rate but it's at least doable. As an interesting sidenote, it appears eBay motors has been commandeered by thieves with the average price for the exact same scanguage being $180. *Note to self*- stop going to eBay motors.

My dad's truck has one of these built into it and I'm somewhat envious of it. lol. Interesting to see that most all stations carry diesel that allows that truck around 11mpg but one station here has fuel that gives him 18+mpg. Nice to be seeing that stuff in a readout. It's geared strictly for pulling and gets the exact same mpg whether it's hauling the tractor or not.

Anyone know of a cheaper scanguage? Also, anyone know of one that works on a 1987 toyota pickup? I could REALLY use one on that. Once it's fixed, all in-town and non-hauling driving will be done in that. That would also be a nice target for some mods as well, with the F150 being just a necessary evil for work.