New F-150 Motor Lineup

[Lt CHEG]

That F-150 may be cute and "look" like an off-road rig but it's nothing more than a desert runner. You want an off-road truck that can do it all including rock climbing, mud running and still tow a heafty load then a Dodge Ram 2500 Power Wagon is the ONLY choice. Keep that toy Raptor on the pavement. :laughing:

I've actually come to a different conclusion. If you really want to go 4 wheeling, put an ATV or side by side in your pickup bed, drive that to the trailhead and unload and then take the ATV wheeling. Trucks are just too darn expensive to take anything new and nice off road for any kind of serious wheeling nowadays. Yeah, I'm sure I'll get a little heat for that opinion, but it's what works for me. No more buffing out brush scratches and worrying about my frame rubbing for me. If I really need to get somewhere I bring my ATV. If we're just talking about hunting roads, logging roads with mud, etc. that's one thing, but going over rocks and stumps, etc ain't for my pickup anymore.

 

[BillP603]

I have been closely following the numbers on F-150 message boards about these new engines and am quite excited.

I may be ready to retire my 2000 F-150XLT 5.4 next spring and it will probably have about 220K on it by then. It has been rock solid, but I've been drooling over all the 2011 specs and configuration sheets and my instinct says go with the 5.0 V8, but the gas mileage of the ecoboost is very tempting. I'm eager to drive them side by side but will have to wait.

If I'm one of 1st year Ecoboost customers I'd want a very long extended warranty on it, Ford is taking a huge risk replacing all of the engines on their best selling vehicle, even though they have been out in the Mustang for a year they are still new and modified for the f-series platform.

 

[Diamondpilot]

That F-150 may be cute and "look" like an off-road rig but it's nothing more than a desert runner. You want an off-road truck that can do it all including rock climbing, mud running and still tow a heafty load then a Dodge Ram 2500 Power Wagon is the ONLY choice. Keep that toy Raptor on the pavement. :laughing:

Man... They poured the Kool-Aid down there at the Dodge dealership and you were first in line. I am glad you are so happy with Dodge products but for those of us who buy whats best, not just one brand, we realize there is a whole other world out there.

That Power Wagon is a neat truck. My secretaries husband has one, but its no off road vehicle. No 3/4 ton up is from any manufacture. Too big and heavy. It would make a great farm/ranch truck but not for off roading.

First off the HP and TQ are a wash between the two so we can call that a tie.

The Power Wagon has a solid front axle. Great for plowing snow or pulling/hauling a heavy load but not good for off roading.

The Power Wagon weighs about 2,000# more but with the same power as the Raptor.

The Raptor has electron lockers front a rear. Power Wagon has none. No Dodge does to my knowledge.

Again, the Power Wagon has its place but comes no where near the Raptor when it comes to getting off the pavement.

My 1/2 ton with lockers and independent front suspension will go 4 times further than any of my other trucks in the snow and mud. Every 1/2 ton I have owned no matter if it had lockers or not was just plain better in mud and snow than the six 3/4 and 1 tons I have owned from Ford, GM, and your beloved Dodge.

The worst truck I have ever driven in the mud and snow is my old 1 ton GM followed closely by my current F-350 diesel. Just too heavy and my 3/4 ton' is not much better but the tires make up some of the difference on that particular truck.

Chris

 

[dodge man]

When I was having my Challenger worked on, I was checking out a Power Wagon. I also thought it was a neat truck. As far as off roading goes, I've had quite a few vehicles off road, and pick up trucks aren't that great. Someone above said get a 4 wheeler or side by side. Thats the best advice. The best off road vehicle I've been in was an older Bronco II. I'm guessing it was late 80's model. It had crappy street tires on it and it still did great off road, probably because it was light, short wheel base, and very handy.

 

[Diamondpilot]

When I was having my Challenger worked on, I was checking out a Power Wagon. I also thought it was a neat truck. As far as off roading goes, I've had quite a few vehicles off road, and pick up trucks aren't that great. Someone above said get a 4 wheeler or side by side. Thats the best advice. The best off road vehicle I've been in was an older Bronco II. I'm guessing it was late 80's model. It had crappy street tires on it and it still did great off road, probably because it was light, short wheel base, and very handy.

I hear ya. Back in college my roommate had a little Suzuki SUV. I think it was a Samurai but not sure. Anyway it was on 33" and stock other than that. It would go 3 times the places my 89 S-10 Blazer with the 4.3L would go. He pulled me out of many a mud hole.

Chris

 

[Dmace]

That Power Wagon is a neat truck. My secretaries husband has one, but its no off road vehicle. No 3/4 ton up is from any manufacture. Too big and heavy. It would make a great farm/ranch truck but not for off roading.

First off the HP and TQ are a wash between the two so we can call that a tie.

The Power Wagon has a solid front axle. Great for plowing snow or pulling/hauling a heavy load but not good for off roading.

The Power Wagon weighs about 2,000# more but with the same power as the Raptor.

The Raptor has electron lockers front a rear. Power Wagon has none. No Dodge does to my knowledge.

Again, the Power Wagon has its place but comes no where near the Raptor when it comes to getting off the pavement.

Chris

There you go again making statements without knowing the facts...

The Power Wagon may have a solid front axle (stronger) but it also has an electronic disconnecting sway bar which means MORE flexibility than that Raptor's front end. Also, the Power Wagon DOES HAVE ELECTRONIC LOCKING DIFFERENTIALS FRONT AND REAR (Raptor ONLY has a REAR locker). Add in full skid plates, 12k lb winch, 4.56 gears (4.10 for Raptor), and Bilstein shocks and you have a TRUE off road truck not a stock truck with taller shocks...

2010 Dodge Ram 2500 Power Wagon - Short Take Road Test - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

I agree that a 4x4 or UTV in the back of a truck parked at the trail head is a better plan too.

 

[Diamondpilot]

There you go again making statements without knowing the facts...

The Power Wagon may have a solid front axle (stronger) but it also has an electronic disconnecting sway bar which means MORE flexibility than that Raptor's front end. Also, the Power Wagon DOES HAVE ELECTRONIC LOCKING DIFFERENTIALS FRONT AND REAR (Raptor ONLY has a REAR locker). Add in full skid plates, 12k lb winch, 4.56 gears (4.10 for Raptor), and Bilstein shocks and you have a TRUE off road truck not a stock truck with taller shocks...

2010 Dodge Ram 2500 Power Wagon - Short Take Road Test - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

I agree that a 4x4 or UTV in the back of a truck parked at the trail head is a better plan too.

I stand corrected on the front and read diff locks. I looked all over Dodge's site prior to posting and found no such information. As for the article its wrong on the raptor. It does have locking diffs and the tow rating is off by 2000# so there are some inconsistencies.

Either way they are two totally different trucks for totally different markets.

Chris

 

[RobertN]

I started it with my smart-alek remark about off road and Jeep. Here is my more serious reply.

There are too many variables in all this. Come run Rubicon; you'll run a solid axle. Even in a pickup, for most off-road a solid axle will be better than IFS. IFS might be good for desert running? Running around the Sierra Nevada's, and trips hunting in Wyoming, straight axle is the way to go.

IFS has generally rode better on the street. But, it does not have the flex and wheel travel of a solid axle. If you do lift them, they still do not have the travel or flexibilily/articulation of a solid axle.

FWIW, 400hp and 400ft/lbs power are not always needed. I've been in a number of old flatfender Jeep CJ2A, CJ3B, Ford GPW, that had a flathead 4 cylinders. 60hp motors, that would take those Jeeps places you could never take a Raptor, or Power Wagon, or Sierra, or Tundra.

I've also taken Jeeps between trees and/or rocks on trails, where no full size is going to pass, without a chainsaw or dynamite. Even as much as I like early Bronco's, have seen them have to winched back out, from where they wedged in rocks my Jeep had just gone thru.

For the Power Wagon, disconnect the front and rear sway bars. It would do nicely on open trails.

I would agree, from having run in mud and snow, that a 3/4 ton or larger with a diesel is a pain; no matter the brand, those front-ends are heavy. The biggest thing that limits me off road now, is my Dodge is a long bed xcab. I'm wide, and looooong. Same for my previous F250. My old F250 was gas; the weight was never that much of an issue.

You really have to be more specific about how and where you want to go four wheeling to specify a vehicle.

I would generalize, IMHO, repeat IMHO, and for my kinda wheeling, for general off-road, my following list. If you want to get in to more specific applications, the list would vary:

1 - Jeep CJ/TJ/Wrangler series. Can simply go about anywhere
2 - FJ40 Land Cruiser/early Bronco tie. Bigger, heavier, but can still go about anywhere
3 - Early Scout/Samuri. Decent rigs that can manuever really well.
4 - Range Rover/Nissan Patrol

5/6 - Hummer, Unimog. Work amazingly well, but big for a lot of trails

7 - Mid 70's F150 shortbed. Works really well, but big for a lot of trails

Of course, all this has little to do now with the new Ford

That Power Wagon is a neat truck. My secretaries husband has one, but its no off road vehicle. No 3/4 ton up is from any manufacture. Too big and heavy. It would make a great farm/ranch truck but not for off roading.

First off the HP and TQ are a wash between the two so we can call that a tie.

The Power Wagon has a solid front axle. Great for plowing snow or pulling/hauling a heavy load but not good for off roading.

The Power Wagon weighs about 2,000# more but with the same power as the Raptor.

Again, the Power Wagon has its place but comes no where near the Raptor when it comes to getting off the pavement.

My 1/2 ton with lockers and independent front suspension will go 4 times further than any of my other trucks in the snow and mud. Every 1/2 ton I have owned no matter if it had lockers or not was just plain better in mud and snow than the six 3/4 and 1 tons I have owned from Ford, GM, and your beloved Dodge.

 

[buck12]

Man... They poured the Kool-Aid down there at the Dodge dealership and you were first in line. I am glad you are so happy with Dodge products but for those of us who buy whats best, not just one brand, we realize there is a whole other world out there.

That Power Wagon is a neat truck. My secretaries husband has one, but its no off road vehicle. No 3/4 ton up is from any manufacture. Too big and heavy. It would make a great farm/ranch truck but not for off roading.

First off the HP and TQ are a wash between the two so we can call that a tie.

The Power Wagon has a solid front axle. Great for plowing snow or pulling/hauling a heavy load but not good for off roading.

The Power Wagon weighs about 2,000# more but with the same power as the Raptor.

The Raptor has electron lockers front a rear. Power Wagon has none. No Dodge does to my knowledge.

Again, the Power Wagon has its place but comes no where near the Raptor when it comes to getting off the pavement.

My 1/2 ton with lockers and independent front suspension will go 4 times further than any of my other trucks in the snow and mud. Every 1/2 ton I have owned no matter if it had lockers or not was just plain better in mud and snow than the six 3/4 and 1 tons I have owned from Ford, GM, and your beloved Dodge.

The worst truck I have ever driven in the mud and snow is my old 1 ton GM followed closely by my current F-350 diesel. Just too heavy and my 3/4 ton' is not much better but the tires make up some of the difference on that particular truck.

Chris

Chris why bother responding to Dmace posts concerning Fords? If Ford manufactured a truck that ran on water with 500 HP he would find fault.

 

[Dmace]

Chris why bother responding to Dmace posts concerning Fords? If Ford manufactured a truck that ran on water with 500 HP he would find fault.

That's funny because I said this new engine lineup was interesting and honestly IF they prove to be reliable I would definitely give them a look when I replace my truck. But if you want to be one of those that just agrees with everyone else to avoid voicing your true opinion then so be it.