RECENT FORD F-150 SUPERCAB BUYERS

bobh12

Something is strange here, and your experience raises some questions in my mind. If the vibration
is a "characteristic of the 5.4L" why did they do all of the things they did? and why don't they all 5.4Ls do it? "That dog just don't hunt." Also if it were a charcteristic of the 5.4L it seems to me it would be a function of RPM and not speed!! I can cruise my Y2K 5.4L at that range all day, about 1650 RPM and not a problem. Maybe some of the folks that are more versed in engineering/harmonics etc can pitch in with their thoughts.
Bob

modvptnl

Trade in, no way. Insist on a buy back and only pay for the miles used.

kit1404

I had a little steering wheel vibration on my 1999 F-150 - late model production, purchased 6/99. It could not be felt accept thru the steering. At 6,000 miles I had the tires vibrated - not re-balanced - I could tell from the wheels that the dealer had already re-balanced the tires before I purchased it. Bingo -no more vibration, period. The truck literally "rides like a Cadillac". I may just leave the tires where they are with no more re-balancing. The truck rides nice and I live way out in the country with mud and snow - can't run them down in tread much more than 50% anyway. Personally, I have had about 30 years worth of trouble getting tires balanced properly on 4X4 trucks. The fact that this was not a major problem and corrected only by rotating the tires leaves me impressed - maybe my constant tire problems will be solved with the impressive suspension system on the new F-150. I really like the truck and have about 12,000 miles on it now - no problems to report.

As far as the Tundra - looked hard at it and looked hard at the Dakota. Seems like the Tundra has a little more room than the Dakota - especially headroom. Outside of that observation, they seem like the same truck. The F-150 feels more solid - maybe some people convert that impression into a harsher ride, but it is a truck? The F-150 has more room in the cab and I truly think the latest generation 5.4 V-8 is equal in gas mileage to the smaller Tundra with more power (both horses and torque). Guess it comes down to who do you want to trust - Ford or Toyota. That one may be a coin toss - but neither of these manufacturers are famous for good dealer service. I would suggest finding a the best dealer in your area - either truck - and banking my money on their service.

bobh12

Question, you said you had the "tires vibrated",
exactly what is that? Later you indicated you had them rotated. That I know.
Thanks,
Bob

needinfo2

I have a 99 F150 SC 4x4 5.4 w/ the 17" wheels and 265 tires. I have rotated the tires 3 times and have never noticed any vibration at any speed or RPM. Are the vibration problems with the 16" wheels? I know many people with 5.4 4x4 who also don't have any problems, so I doubt this is caused by the 5.4.

In reference to Tundra, I have owned 6 Toyotas, including a Tacoma and T100. They were very good trucks, but I continue to be impressed with the F150 build quality. Toyota trucks have nothing on Ford in that department. Also, here in CO, Fords are selling for about $5000 below sticker, Toyotas about $1500. Better truck for less money, the Ford is a no-brainer.

peter68

I had speed related vibration on my F150 (started at around 62mph) and it drove me nuts. I took it to an outside tire vendor and had all four tires checked - they said that not one of them had been balanced properly! I paid for new tire balancing, and that corrected the problem completely. Now it rides great, and I have't had any other problems to speak of. Good truck.

espdixie

To "Kit1404",

Gee,
I see you are an expert on ford vibes too. Do tell...!!!

Guys....he is an expert on Chevy vibes too.....he has been all over the Sivlerado Posts talking about their "vibration" problems. I wouldn't put a lot of faith into his "opinion" we are staring to think this is some kid having fun!!

Go to Edmunds, 2K Chev. Silverado, comments and you will see what we mean.

jlc4

i have the same vib problem, starts at about 63mph thru 65mph. mines a 98 150 xltexcab auto 4.6 motor 23k miles. i have to agree with bobh12 it don't make sense. i have had the tires balanced & rotated and the vib is still there leading me to believe its a design problem. if anyone has had success getting this fixed beyond what i have seen hear, please respond. thanks jlc4

anonymous

I am also experiencing a slight vibration at 65-70 mph, but have a stronger vibration at 38-42 mph. Seems to be coming from back wheels. Have had tires balanced, but did not help. 4.6 engine, automatic, 3.08 rear end.

davesnothere

Everyone who is having a vibration problem coming through back wheels, seat of pants etc.

The problem is that the driveshaft is out of balance.

Unless I am mistaken Ford buys its driveshafts from one company and they are defective about 10-20% of the time. Ford trucks have this as a chronic problem and when my truck had this problem I did the usual wheel balance, tire replacement number. No luck.

I took it to a place that did driveshaft balancing. They removed the shaft, put it on a special lathe, welded counterweights on it and it was perfectly smooth after that. Cost is usually $75 - $125. Have them mark the driveshaft with bright colored oil based paint to show where the installation is correspondent to the U joints. If it is installed rotated on its axis or backwards after balancing the vibration will be worse.

I have had 3 vehicles with this problem and corrected it this way, including a Ford truck a Chevy truck and a Volvo sedan so I believe very strongly this is the solution. It is something people almost never look at.

page62

Another thing to check is whether the tires are slipping on the wheels. Although it's not happening with my F150, it happened to my 97 Cougar.

Believe it or not, tires can slip (spin?) on aluminum rims. In my case, a Ford field engineer diagnosed the problem!

To check and see this is happening, put a mark on the tire at the valve stem location. Drive the vehicle for a while, and check the marks. If they've moved away from the valve stems, eureka!

In my case, a good set of Michelins solved the problem (and Ford paid for most of 'em, too!)

bobh12

Hey folks, long time no hear/read. How are you doing on your truck selection?

rkill

I was very interested in the vibration in the F-150 supercabs. I have a 1997 SC and it has a vibration between 35-42 mph. I have taken it back to the dealer 6 to 7 times. As of yet they claim to not be able to find out the problem. They have adjusted the pinion gear and checked the tires but have not been able to solve the problem. The last time they said they not doing any more work on the truck unless ford told them what to do. I contacted ford and they said it was the dealers responsiblity.I would appreciate any help if any one else has had this problem and what did they do to fix it.Thanks

page62

Ask the dealer to have to have one of the Ford field engineers look at it. It was one of those guys that nailed down the tire slipping issue in my 97 Cougar. They know what they're doing!

trussman

I HAVE A Y2K FORD F-150 W/4.6 AUTO. IT HAS A VIBRATION AT 41 43 MPH. AND A WHINE AT THE SAME SPEED MUST NOT BE TIRES, BECAUSE WHINE GOES AWAY WHEN YOU LET OFF GAS. DEALER CAN'T FIND BUT THINKS IT MAY BE TRANSMISSION.

page62

It's easy to see if you have discs in back. The wheels have large enough openings that it's easy to see. But I would assume that you do have them. (And if this were a Tundra forum, I'd point out how Toyota is too cheap to put discs on the rear...)

By the way, IMHO, sliding rear windows are like moonroofs -- an invitation for water to leak in!

erich3

Hi all,
Am looking to buy a 2000 XLT Supercab 2wd with 4.2 V6, 3.55 L/S, auto. I tow 10% of the time, mainly short trips to local lakes, 2-3 times a year tow a 3000 lb ski boat up north.
I have a couple questions, is gas mileage better with the V6 than the 4.6 V8 in mostly commuting driving, I drive at least 80 miles a day, so I will have this truck a max of 4 years since it will have 100k on it and that is when I typically trade.
Also, anyone have experience with a carseat in the back of the Supercab? Is there plenty of room, we have an infant and want it to be relatively easy in and out.
Also, I wouldn't mind the sport group, but those 17" tires will kill any acceleration I did have with the V6 won't they? Course I could then go to 3.73 rear end.
Thanks,
Erich

page62

Skip the V6. At highway speeds (70-75 round these parts), the V6 is puffing away at 3000 rpm while the V8 cruises at 2000 rpm. The V6 is also much noisier. And towing...I could go on and on and on...

Skip the sport package and use the money you save to get a 4.6L V8. There's only 1 mpg difference, and your eardrums will appreciate it. (There are some that would even recommend the 5.4, but I think in your case the 4.6 is the ideal balance between mpg and towing capability.)

modvptnl

While I won't argue gas mileage, acceleration etc. If both trucks have the same gearing why would the V6 be turning more RPM's at the same highway speed? Just asking.

Erich3, I'd get the most motor you can afford. Don't ever want to say, "I could of had a V8"

page62

The two vehicles do have the same rear end axle ratio. But the transmission ratios are different. Smaller engines have to rev faster to make up for less overall torque/HP.

trussman

Back to dealer for fourth time today. Now they say its the rear end gears, want to tear it down and then order parts. No time frame as how long it take. I don't think I want a new truck with a rebuilt rear end. They should at least replace whole rear end with a new one. Anyone else having this problem?

modvptnl

Sorry to disagree but all Ford overdrives, be they stick or auto, have an overdrive in the .70 range and they are all 1:1 in either fourth gear for the stick and 1:1 in third on the 4 speed auto. Your lower gears may be different in the Mazda built 5 speed for the half tons but we were talking highway speeds. Both V6 and V8 will cruise at the same RPM given the same rear axle ratio.

paulsf150

Erich - I have placed the baby seat in the rear of the F150 several times. Not a lot of extra room negotiating it into position, but it does fit nicely on the seat. I guess it depends on what type of frame your baby seat has. I have the 60/40 split bench in my truck, and expect the captain's chairs would also make a difference in terms of installing and deinstalling the car seat. I never have had the baby car seat in the front of the truck, or even turned off the passenger air bag for that matter. As for engine, I have the 5.4 coupled to a 3.55 axle, and 17 inch wheels. Final drive ratio is a-ok for both commuting and towing in this configuration (my estimation anyway). Perhaps wheel size accounts for some of the difference in rpm noted for the various trucks with similar axles and transmissions? Does anyone know how to measure that?

Paul

bac431

I just bought a 97 F-150 S/C that is in very good condition. I get a very noticable wind noise at highway speeds. I found that at the front of the passenger door there is a gap between the door and the seal right next to the upper corner of the windshield. It appears that the pass. door and the 3rd door should close closer to the body but I can't see where there's any adjustment. Also, the door closes tight to the windshield trim. I'm 99.9% sure that the truck has never been wrecked and I almost feel as if the windshield was replaced and the trim not put on right and that the door is being held from sealing. However, this doesn't answer the fact that the joint of the two doors looks as if it should close in tighter. Is wind noise a common problem with the 3rd doors?

modvptnl

On the Mustang site www.Corral there is a cool gear ratio/tire size/rpm calculator. At 65 MPH the above mentioned tires with a 3.55 rear axle ratio would as follows; 1786 RPM's for the 17" tire and 1821 RPM's for the 16" tire. This was for a older Mustang T-5 trans in 5th gear which has a very comparable overdrive to the current trucks.

modvptnl

www.corral.net

smcpherr

I have noticed a loud wind noise too on my truck, but it only occurs when the rear door is not closed completely. If it looks like the two doors are not meeting correctly, that may be the problem. When it has happened to me, the doors feel like they are correctly closed, they feel solidly connected, but the wind noise is definitely noticeable. This is usually remedied by getting out and shutting the rear door hard. If yours doesn't close far enough, something may be keeping it from doing so. I'd suggest getting it looked at.

blume1

I found getting in and out of my 99 F150 sc 4wd a little slippery with wet or snowy feet. When placing my foot on the step in area with the little raised areas that look like this ( \\\\\\ )
, it tended to be a little unstable. I went to my local hardware store and bought the 3M stair tread
anti-slip tape that is about 1 inch wide and cut it up in little sections to cover the little raised \\\\ thingies. Wait till you have a little
warmth in the air -- above 40F or so, and stick them on. We (4yr old grandaughter and I) did , and thr result is great. I have the tan\beige interior , and they look ok. I think that the black would go with the other color(s) as well. Hope this little tip helps someone else. Total cost was about $1.50 (75 cents per foot)

flyinfisher1

Im a die-hard Toyota owner in need of a bigger full-size truck due to growing boys. New Tundra is way too much $$, and in light of that fact need to look to Ford,Chevy,or Dodge. Have tried the Ford and after much research dont think I even want to try the other two. Im thinking of trying to find a nice pre-owned F-150,4x4, Excab,Lariat or XLT, auto, with a 4.6 liter engine unsure of which rear-end to look for. Would welcome any advice or comments from others who have been forced to stray from their Toyota lineage and go American full-size. Also wonder just where the best place is to go look for a good deal on a nice truck. After checking the Auto-Guide publications here in the NW seems there are some dealers who shop the auctions and sell for many thousands less than a regular dealer. Whats up with that? Can they be trusted? This seems to be a great forum, and Im glad I found it. Thanks for your reply. Wally

rgfergie

In response to bac431, I also have a noticable amount of wind noise coming from my driver's side door. I have a 1999 F-150 XLT Supercab, and I have taken it to the dealer to get it looked at. All they did was put some silicone on it to lubricate it but it wore of about ten miles down the road. I am going back to the dealer today and will see if they can find anything else.I will let you know!!

rgfergie

Did I mention that they lubricated the weatherstripping on the door, not the entire truck.......The doors seem to shut pretty tightly.

bobh12

A lot of the vehicles that go through the auction are lease returns, most dealers just turn them back to the leasing company becasue they know they can't get the residual for them on a resale and they end up going to the auction. Like anything else there are good ones and bad ones it is the old "Let the Buyer Beware" deal. When I turned in my 97 F-150 loaded Lariat 4X4 Supercab with 31,000 miles the residual was about $24,000. (I got my Y2K for $27,700), the dealer knew they couldn't get the money out of the 97 so they turned it back to Ford Credit. I am sure it ended up at the auction.

kit1404

I had some kind of noise early on with my 1999 F150 supercab. It seemed to me like the passenger door was almost too tight. I put some silicone lube on the mechanism itself and used a good rubber/vinyl lube on the weatherstripping. Not sure if what I did was what worked or if the weatherstripping just sealed itself. Anyway, it is nice and quiet now. Does seems like a lot of weatherstripping on these doors. Makes me think it could take some time to get them to seal properly in some instances. Haven't had any more problems.

wsdepa

I just bought a 2000 F 150 xlt off road. The sticker did not include the " heavy duty cooling and electrical" package. I noticed that the 5.4l engine has two little radiators at the bottom of the big one. Are these oil and trans coolers? Does the cooling and electrical package give anything else that doesn't already come with the 5.4l? I hope this is the case since I plan to tow a trailer.

rickb9

Have you ever seen that package sitting on a dealers lot. I looked at both lots and website inventories and never found one. Finally ordered it with capt chair pkg, 531 cooling, (as i did not want the heavy duty shocks or 7 pin harness of the class 3 towing pkg) limited slip, and keyless remote as an option not a package. Flt. Mgr. price 21,300 after a $300 commercial rebate from Ford. Anyone heard of this rebate? Would be interested in hearing the price of one on a lot if anyone has seen one.

lloydw2

I had posted previously (#309) about a vibration in my Y2K 5.4 Sup.cab. Vibs were at 63-67 MPH. Took vehicle in and was advised to ck back in 2 months as Ford was cking on it. Went back last week and here was what svc. mgr said: FORD ENGINEERING ASCERTAINED THAT THERE IS A VIBRATION PROBLEM COMING FROM THE CONNECTION WHERE TWIN EXHAUST PIPES JOIN TOGETHER AT THE SINGLE EXHAUST PIPE. THEY DID NOT HAVE A FIX AT THIS TIME, BUT WERE WORKING ON IT.

I'm to check back at a later date and see if there is a solution. I'm no mechanic, so I have no way of knowing about the possiblity of this being a problem. Has anyone out heard of this being the problem? Tx.

Lloyd Williams lwjw@etcrier.net

page62

If your problem is the two pipes meeting as one, replace that part of the exhaust system with a dual "cat-back" system. This replaces everything from behind the catalytic converter with a dual exhaust. It'll solve your vibration and give you more power, too!

bobh12

Not sure that will fix the problem. I believe the two exhaust (engine pipes) join IN FRONT of the converter, not behind where the cat back system would install.

delcam

Hi everyone.

Picked up my truck tonight. Very pleased I must say. I got a 2000 F150 2WD SC SB XLT V6 Auto, with Limited Slip and B3G ( Keyless Entry, Single CD, and Upgraded tires). I paid invoice of $21,021, and got the $500 rebate. I also got an extra key ($25, and bedliner $215) but I paid for those.

Everything was right on except for one thing. When I showed up they could not find the keyless entry remotes. After about 1o minutes of searching, they got a replacement set and reprogrammed them so all is good. Well.... When I got home we were looking at the truck and wouldn't ya know in the dash mounted cup holder we found the remotes. So now I have four.
Opinions please, should I be honest and give them the 2 back or keep my mouth shut and have four????? I keep going back and forth on this one:-)

I really like the truck though, quite a step up from my 93 F150XL. I ordered on January 15th, and took delivery today 3/7. I was told that the 2WD's were not so "popular" so it was built fairly quickly.

Now what to do about those remotes:-)????

See Ya

Steve

znstr

Congrats,,Steve. I plan to buy a 2000 F-150 4x2 SC SB XLT (4.6 ltr V8 w/auto trans) and am hoping to get one less than 1 % above dlr invoice. I wonder how much hassle I'll encounter to do that in South Carolina ?

rlswarin

I ordered my truck yesterday. At least I think that I did, do not have the dora yet. I was told by one dealer it to late to order and another gladly accepted the order. I ordered the V6 2WD manual SC SB XLT with the larger tires, two tone paint, and the limited slip differential. How long have the orders been taking to get, and is it to late to order a 2000. One other item what kind of gas mileage have owners of similar truck been getting.
Thanks
Richard

mkidwell

Just bought a F150 Lariat Supercab Styleside with 5.4 Liter, 3.55 LS and towing package. Am looking for a hard tonneau cover. Any suggestions from those who own them would be appreciated.

Love my truck but second day I had it the RED brake warning light came on and wouldn't go out. Problem is microswitch in parking brake. Can't get just the switch, they have to replace the whole assembly. Glad it happened now instead of after warranty.

trussman

TOOK TRUCK IN MONDAY FOR REPAIR THEY GAVE ME A RENTAL TRUCK NO CHARGE. THEY REPLACED ALL PARTS IN THE REAR END EXCEPT HOUSING AND AXLES. MUCH BETTER NO NOISE ONLY TOOK 3 DAYS. I'M HAPPY WITH THAT PART, BUT THAT 40 43 MPH VIBRATION HAS GOT TO GO

rlswarin

I now have my truck ordered and have a copy of the dora with the vin number. I see that my truck is being built in Ontario truck plant. Is there some place or way that I can monitor the building and get the ship date of my truck?

Thanks
Richard

rspivey653

The new F150 SuperCrew brings Ford closer to my ideal truck. Put the SuperCab front end on the standard cab 120"WB chassis and then use the 4.5 ft. bed from the SuperCrew. If Ford would build it, I would buy one tomorrow. Anyone else interested. I couldn't find anyway to get Ford's attention about it on their site, since the Concept Vehicle Technology group didn't have a link.

Rich Spivey(rspivey653@aol.com)

jmarhal

I have a 1999 F-150 with a 4.6 liter engine that runs great! It has about 34,500 miles on it. I can still buy the extended warranty for about $1100.00. I think it will extend it to 60K miles or 75K miles. My question is do I guts it? Pass on the warranty? I haven't heard of any major problems with the 4.6 or their 4 speed automatic.
Any advise?

badfish440

I'm in the market for a pickup, it will be my first one. I already own a 98 Ford Expedition which has been great so far. Unfortunately, my wife drives it more than me. I'm looking for a full size PU, either a Ford or Dodge. I've heard some great things about both. In regards to the Ford, some questions that current owners might be able to answer. 1) 4'6L V6 or 5.4L V8? My Expedition has the 5.4L, which is great for jumping on the x-ways and pulling my fishing boat. I'm afraid the 4.6L won't have enough pulling cap. A friend says the F150's are lighter than my Expedition. Any truth? 2) Is there enough room in the Crew Cab for 3 kids to sit in for short periods of time? I'm talking an hour or so drives. A test drive won't tell me much on this issue either. Appreciate anyone's response.

Jim

hollidayassts1

I don't know about the other things you mentioned in your post, BUT my brother in law has 4 kids that he hauls to school daily in his super cab pick up and then he drives all over creation running errands and such with the kids in the truck after he picks them up from school and babysitters. The kids (three in the back [one in a car seat])have plenty of room to sit and they manage to stay there on occasion, for at least 4 hours at a time until their dad can get his running around done.

jamesl3

A FRIEND OF RECENTLY BOUGHT A 2000 F-150 EX CAB 5.4 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANS . HE HAS WHINING NOISE IN FIRST GEAR WHICH DISAPPEARS WHEN THE TRANS SHIFTS INTO SECOND GEAR ,I DO NOT HEAR IT IN MY 2000 F-150, HAS ANYBODY ELSE EXPERIENCE THIS?

tinmanhvac

odered truck 1/26/00 dealer said it will be built maybe in June if then. Ordered a 2000 F150 XLT super cab 4x4 LB. buckets, A/T tires, sidesteps, shift on the fly,CD,two tone paint, rear slider, auto trans. Need it for work sooner might cancel and try some one else if there that hard to get. Any body else have this problem.