1995 Ford F150 4x4 experience

[Gale Hawkins]

Anyone have or had a F150 XL 4x4 with the 302 engine and I think it is an automatic from the mid 90's era? The picture shows a clean truck not beat up at all.

Having 215K miles on it is my big concern especially it being 4WD because I can see there is nothing cheap about the front drive train. The seller has only had it 6 months and uses as his daily driver and states he has his eye on another truck is the reason he is selling it.

It is listed for $2K FIRM which is not much over dealer trade-in for a solid truck of that age per www.kbb.com so the low price scares me a bit. He said the truck looked as good on the other side as in the photo and the engine and transmission worked well. He has put brake pads on it and a power steering pump.

The truck will be for the neighbor actually who has horses and one belongs to my daughter so the truck will be for local use more for pulling equipment trailers getting hay ect and may never be over 50 miles from the place most of the time.

 

[slowzuki]

The old F150's back then weren't rated to tow much. Very soft springs in the rear of most. The auto trans is not terribly robust. They have a strong power assist on the steering a drive a bit vague.

That said, we used to overload and abuse them on the regular. Put a huge cooler on the transmission if you are going to tow with it.

 

[RoyJackson]

The old F150's back then weren't rated to tow much. Very soft springs in the rear of most. The auto trans is not terribly robust. They have a strong power assist on the steering a drive a bit vague.

That said, we used to overload and abuse them on the regular. Put a huge cooler on the transmission if you are going to tow with it.

I don't think that 302 cid engine would be up to towing, do you?

F-150's are great trucks...I own one (2006 Crew Cab). For some hauling a few bales of hay and other relatively light chores, might be a good choice.
However, it is a 16 year old truck...and the OP has no idea how the previous owners used it. For $2000...well, you get a $2000 truck.
Definitely a caveat emptor situation...

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I don't think that 302 cid engine would be up to towing, do you?

F-150's are great trucks...I own one (2006 Crew Cab). For some hauling a few bales of hay and other relatively light chores, might be a good choice.
However, it is a 16 year old truck...and the OP has no idea how the previous owners used it. For $2000...well, you get a $2000 truck.
Definitely a caveat emptor situation...

I read they have to turn at high RPM to make much power. Not a 460 for sure.

It would replace an old Ranger that gets 20 miles to a quart of oil with a slipping clutch so if it held together it would be a step up.

$2K really will not buy much these days for sure.

 

[Blast Chamber]

I had that exact truck for several years. I towed a car on a trailer from Atlanta to Wisconsin with it. It did the job, but took forever to get up to speed as the 302 is underpowered.

Check out the oil pan for rot; I had to have mine replaced at a dealer and it was around $800. Also, the automatic front hubs tend to cause problems, so I wound up replacing mine with Warn manual locking hubs and liked them a lot better.

The fuel economy won't be great, and the 4-speed automatic OD trannys were not the most reliable in those trucks, so hopefully it has had regular fluid changes. Probably not the best choice for towing in general.

 

[slowzuki]

A 2006 and a 1995 F150 share absolutely nothing. Different drivetrain, suspension, frame and body.

All the farmers here had the inline 6, not the 302 so I can only assume it would work as well. We'd tow 8-10,000 lbs with the inline 6's. Once you got the springs onto the bumpstops you could really load them up lol. The 4 speed (3 spd with granny low) was the hot ticket on the farm. The automatic did not like getting big trailers moving.

I don't think that 302 cid engine would be up to towing, do you?

F-150's are great trucks...I own one (2006 Crew Cab). For some hauling a few bales of hay and other relatively light chores, might be a good choice.
However, it is a 16 year old truck...and the OP has no idea how the previous owners used it. For $2000...well, you get a $2000 truck.
Definitely a caveat emptor situation...

 

[Gale Hawkins]

If it has oil pan rot or any other kind I will not touch it.l :thumbsup:

I agree a inline 6 with manual transmission would be the dream old truck to have around the place.

Maybe someone will buy it first and I will get to keep my $2000:thumbsup:

 

[RoyJackson]

A 2006 and a 1995 F150 share absolutely nothing. Different drivetrain, suspension, frame and body.

I wasn't comparing the two trucks...you read something that wasn't in the post.
The F-150 has long been considered a good truck...still is. But a 16 year old $2000 truck is something to be looked over a bit more closely due to the normal wear and tear on any 16 year old truck...you don't want to put anothe 2 grand into getting it road worthy...

 

[Fordman1981]

The 302 is not as under powered as people here make it out to be I have had an 87 f150 302 4x4 for many years now before I got my 1 ton I pulled 10,000 lbs 3 to4 times a week not one problem and that was towing up a mountain here in NC now I will say mine is the 4 speed manual and that's a big difference from that auto that's what would keep me away from that truck the auto they were terriable in those years. The 302 in my experience is not a high rev engine makes good low end torque a lot more so than these new module motors.

 

[RoyJackson]

The 302 is not as under powered as people here make it out to be I have had an 87 f150 302 4x4 for many years now before I got my 1 ton I pulled 10,000 lbs 3 to4 times a week not one problem and that was towing up a mountain here in NC now I will say mine is the 4 speed manual and that's a big difference from that auto that's what would keep me away from that truck the auto they were terriable in those years. The 302 in my experience is not a high rev engine makes good low end torque a lot more so than these new module motors.

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