How do you step into your tow rig?

[Diamondpilot]

I hear you on the expensive part. The big wheels look good but I am looking at $1400 to $1600 for the tires on my F-350 in 275-70-18's. Heck, its just single rear wheel. A dually would cost nearly $2000. You can get the cheap Continental ContiTrac TR for about $1000 but they suck. It came with them from the factory and will not go through any snow. I have been stuck 3 times in this truck and have had my buddy with 2005 F-150 drive through what I got stuck in to hook up the strap and pull me out. Kind of embarrassing. The other time I got pulled out by a GMC 3/4 ton gas. I had my 2 year old with me and all she could say is "daddy we are stuck".

What was funny about that was the guy with the F-150 had to pull him out and a cop in a Explorer just 10 minutes prior. I was coming down to help when I got stuck 1/4 mile from where he was pulling them guys out. Anyway he got the GMC out first and he came down and got me out.

My wife's F-250 has 265-75-16's and they are BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A These tires will go though anything. When I ordered our 2007 F-150 I told them to put the same tires on it no matter what it took. It will go though anything also. They did the tire swap as a dealer installed option and gave me $700 credit on the oem tires which I used on running boards and a bed liner. Nice to have a good dealer.

Chris

 

[Builder]

I hear you on the expensive part. The big wheels look good but I am looking at $1400 to $1600 for the tires on my F-350 in 275-70-18's. Heck, its just single rear wheel. A dually would cost nearly $2000. You can get the cheap Continental ContiTrac TR for about $1000 but they suck. It came with them from the factory and will not go through any snow. I have been stuck 3 times in this truck and have had my buddy with 2005 F-150 drive through what I got stuck in to hook up the strap and pull me out. Kind of embarrassing. The other time I got pulled out by a GMC 3/4 ton gas. I had my 2 year old with me and all she could say is "daddy we are stuck".

What was funny about that was the guy with the F-150 had to pull him out and a cop in a Explorer just 10 minutes prior. I was coming down to help when I got stuck 1/4 mile from where he was pulling them guys out. Anyway he got the GMC out first and he came down and got me out.

My wife's F-250 has 265-75-16's and they are BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A These tires will go though anything. When I ordered our 2007 F-150 I told them to put the same tires on it no matter what it took. It will go though anything also. They did the tire swap as a dealer installed option and gave me $700 credit on the oem tires which I used on running boards and a bed liner. Nice to have a good dealer.

Chris

I have a similar tire to the BFG AT's made by General called a "Grabber". They do get incredible traction.

Paid $530 for a set of 4 installed on my GMC 3500.

Pretty cheap, huh?

F-150's (or any brand 1/2 ton) get better traction than superduties becuase they have a softer suspension and their tires run a lower PSI. Both factors increase traction noticeably.

When I got stuck in a Superduty I used to apply the E-brake to get the l/s rear to try to kick in and lowered the air pressure in the tires down to 30 psi. That would help sometimes.

 

[Ryan03]

I am running 265/75-16 goodyear wrangler silent armor pro grades. excellent traction, but wow were they expensive.

 

[Builder]

I am running 265/75-16 goodyear wrangler silent armor pro grades. excellent traction, but wow were they expensive.

Try the Grabbers next time . They look just like A/T's, no humming, great traction, nice wear so far. Best part is the price. I think I paid $124/each over a year ago. Got 'em at tirerack.com

 

[Diamondpilot]

I hear ya on the lower the pressure deal. I have not got stuck with the F-250 or the old 99 F-350 we had. I do understand what you are saying about the higher pressure making it harder for the tire to conform to the terrain. In all honesty every time I got stuck with the crappy tires I mentioned before it was due to them being completely plugged with snow. I was afraid to take it into any mud but heard from other truck owners with the same tires they plugged also and were like slicks.

The F-150 is my choice for snow or mud. I have been driving it for the last 2 weeks up till today when I got the Saturn out. The F-150 will go through more in my opinion due to the points you listed above and there is not the heavy weight of the Diesel hanging up front. My mechanic kid had a Ryder Moving Truck stuck in his front yard last spring and when he gave me a call for help I new which truck to take. Put that truck in 4 low and pull in reverse and the 275-65-18's on that truck bite in good.

By the way the Grabbers are a nice tire. My neighbor I talk about all the time with a 07 3500 Dmax like yours has them on it. He went up in size like you did also but I believe he cranked up the front torsion bars a bit and put 285's on it.

Chris

 

[Builder]

Another reason your F-150 is your truck of choice in mud or snow is because F-150's also have IFS which is better than a Superduty's SFA (solid front axle) in sticking to the surface under the tire in mild to moderate off roading and especially bumpy mud.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My 06 F-350 has IFS (independent front suspension) but my 04 F-250 and the old 99 F-350 had a solid front axle. The SuperDutys since 2005 have had IFS. Much tighter turn radius and a better ride also.

Chris

 

[Builder]

My 06 F-350 has IFS (independent front suspension) but my 04 F-250 and the old 99 F-350 had a solid front axle. The SuperDutys since 2005 have had IFS. Much tighter turn radius and a better ride also.

Chris

Chris, sorry bud, but you're incorrect. Your 06 has a coil over/trailing arm suspension, which replaced the leaf spring suspension, but make no mistake, you still have a SFA (solid front axle). All Ford Superduties from '99 to current, have solid front axles, not IFS.

All newer F-150's and all newer GM trucks have IFS, or independent front suspension for at least the last 20+ years. the last Ford product bigger than a F-150 that had IFS was the 80's "twin traction beam" F-250's. I had one. It was a tire eating POS.

Independent front suspension simply means one front wheel can travel over an obstacle without affecting the travel of the other front wheel. The reason this happens is because each wheel is powered by a seperate axle shaft that pivots off the center differential. That is why IFS is considered by most to deliver a smoother ride than SFA. It's also the reason the Humvee uses IFS-makes it easier to fire that toe missle or .50 cal off the roof more accurately.

When one of your SFA Superduty front wheels travels over an obstacle it will always affect in some way larger or small, the other front wheel. The reason simply put is because both axle tubes are rigidly connected to the center differential.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Your 06 has a coil over/trailing arm suspension, which replaced the leaf spring suspension, but make no mistake, you still have a SFA (solid front axle). All Ford Superduties from '99 to current, have solid front axles.

All newer F-150's and all newer GM trucks have IFS, or independent front suspension for at least the last 20+ years.

You are correct. I had a brain fart. I was thinking of new suspension instead of axle.

Chris

 

[Builder]

You are correct. I had a brain fart. I was thinking of new suspension instead of axle.

Chris

Must be a bad feeling when a GM owner knows more about your Ford than you do.

Just let me know if you need any other info on your Ford.