Tough Truck Choice
September 5th, 2009Stupid Wheels Ruin Perfect Package
Here’s a question.
What’s better? An F150 with the max tow package minus the really good rear springs (and with the pimp wheels which would have to be replaced to maximize the payload), or an F150 with the regular tow package?
The max tow package has a different steering ratio, big mirrors, a transmission cooler, and a bigger radiator. It ordinarily has big rear springs, but the truck I’m looking at has the stupid 20″ pimp wheels, and Ford won’t combine big springs with them. If I ever needed to get the most out of the truck, I’d have to replace the tires, and wheels, and rear springs.
If I wanted to simulate the max tow capabilities on the other truck, I’d have to change the springs, replace the radiator, and add a transmission cooler. That’s most of it. These things are not extremely expensive, but it’s work. I would still have little mirrors.
The big benefit of the non-max truck is that I may be able to get it three or four thousand dollars cheaper. That should cover any upgrades, with money to spare. Also, it doesn’t have the fruity captain’s chairs the other truck has. It’s pretty ugly, however.
The max-tow truck is a very light color, which would be great in the Miami heat. The other one is red, which is hotter, but not as bad as dark blue or black or grey.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:11 AM
What kind of towing do you have in mind? If you don’t pull a lot of weight often I don’t think the extra towing stuff will matter that much.
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All my neighbors are farmers and they buy F-250 or F-350 trucks as they pull large trailers and haul heavy loads regularly.
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I have pulled a 22 foot boat with my F-150(no extra towing stuff) several times with no problems.
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Lighter colors, at least in my opinion, hold up better when the vehicle has to be parked outside with the added benefit of less cabin heat.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:28 AM
I don’t have a specific job in mind. I want this truck to last me ten years, and I want to get rid of the Thunderbird and make the truck my primary vehicle, so I want something versatile. If I decide to pull a trailer five years from now, I don’t want to have to get a new truck.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:16 AM
I’D also take a look at the Rear Axle. The MaxTow probably has a Dana60, while the regular F-150 has a Ford 9″. The Dana will be a stronger unit for towing. The Ford 9″ is not a bad unit, just that the Dana Unit is stronger.
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As for the springs, it sounds like the MaxTow package was configured for towing trailers with Weight-Distributing Hitches (where bed-payload is not as much a factor). To address this, instead of completely replacing the springs (which is somewhat involved) you could add helper springs or air-lift bags:
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http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/1510.html
http://tinyurl.com/mlcyey
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http://tinyurl.com/n8t6x5
http://www.shockwarehouse.com/site/mon_air.cfm
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I have a pair of the Monroe Max-Air shocks on my Dodge Ram and they really help when towing the Travel-Trailer. It doesn’t seem like Monroe updated them for the newer Pickups, but the Air-Lift bags should offer similar performance (it not more based on the specs I read).
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To me it seems easier to get the MaxTow Truck and add the Helper-Springs/Air-Lift Bags (you can get around to the wheels later…as long as their combined load-range is acceptable).
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BTW, did you hear that Ed B.’s church got shot? Alcohol was involved…
September 5th, 2009 at 10:38 AM
Oh and BFGoodrich makes an “E” Load Range for the 20″ rims from Ford (which should be good for any kind of Towing you’re going to do with this chassis).
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http://tinyurl.com/mhpure
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The actual size you want is P275/55R20. If the stock tires are already Load Range “E”, then nothing to worry about.
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So maybe the easy answer is get the MaxTow and upgrade with the AirLift and Tires as needed.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:18 AM
Go for the max-tow. Light color, the Dana, and all the other extras, especially bigger radiator and transmission cooler. Those two will make the truck run better (though perhaps not noticeably) in the Miami heat even when you aren’t towing.
Yeah, the captain’s chairs are kind of ghey, but they’ll be nice if you have to go very far. Stock Ford seats aren’t particularly comfortable for me. Your mileage may vary.
Sooner or later you’ll have to buy new tires for it anyway, and at that time you just shrug and replace the wheels, too. In the meantime, short trips with a light trailer on D-range tires aren’t the best thing you could do, but keep the speed down and it isn’t dangerous or anything.
Regards,
Ric
(I just started a blog. May I humbly request a hit or two?)
September 5th, 2009 at 1:51 PM
What JeffW said, plus if you get the heaviest springs available for a situation that may or may not occur – you will definitely be sacrificing ride quality. It’s a truck, it’s gonna ride like a truck, but the heavier springs aren’t gonna add to the ambiance. People who tow amounts that test a F150 usually buy F250s and F350s because they’ll take the abuse better.
Plus, tow capacities are just now being standardized – what one manufacturer claims may not be what their product can actually handle compared to someone else.
The tranny cooler, bigger radiator and the heavier rear axle are all good things – particularly when it’s hot out.
September 5th, 2009 at 5:29 PM
I guess I have been out of the loop for awhile, but if you are buying from a dealer and ask him to change out the wheels, tires and anything else within reason to make the sale won’t he do it? I mean those are pretty standard things and it may be that the pimp wheels were added at the dealers to try and attract the attention of some more hip, young, cocaine snorting customer. The original clunky old wheels and tires may be back collecting dust in a stock room somewhere.
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I feel like maybe I completely misread something somewhere, and I know I have been out of the country for a while, but back in a different life I did spend one short period of desperation selling cars for a Mazda dealer and those kinds of things were done all the time to move a customer along the golden path of vehicular ownership.