Simple question, never had any other truck behave like this, but this is my first Ford.

When I pull my boat into the water it makes me put it into low gear to pull it out, just wont move if I leave it in D. Either of the lower gears and it will pull like a champ.

(edit, this is all in relation to the shifter, not the actual trans gear)

Is this normal for these trucks?

I have had zero problems with my 24' travel trailer in any scenario getting it to move, just pulling the boat from stop on that steep incline of the dam reservoir I go to.


2005 F150 Screw 45K Miles 5.4 4.10

 

I'm not sure what's wrong, but no truck can pull a boat out of the water on an incline in any gear other than first. (Been a while, but if my memeory serves correctly) Mine just is in first while it's in drive, I don't have to manually put it in first and lock it out to only that gear, if that's what you mean.

 

How big is the boat?

I have a 17' G3 that I use 2-3 days a week year round, and have never had a problem pulling it up the ramp in drive. Even with a larger ski or bass boat, I've never had to lock the truck in a low gear to get it up the ramp.

 

Its a 95 SeaRay 19ft boat, technically Dads, but he usually uses my truck. That boat weighs around 2000 pounds I think, plus the trailer, and water. Still should be way less than my 24' Nash that weighs closer to 6500 pounds by the time we load it up with beer and water. I have never had any issues pulling the Nash.

Just to clarify, I am referring only to the shifter position in my first post, and not the actual trans gear.

Its like the trans is not going into first if I just have it in Drive. I just do not see how that is possible since I pull my trailer at least 6x per year without issues.

 

Yeah, that's weird. My 06 5.4 pulled our old 21' 1999 Air Nautique wakeboard boat that was around 4k lbs, trailer and all, around no problem without taking it out of drive.

That boat had less than 100 hours on it, miss that thing. 351 in it was nice.

 

Very weird, not even sure where to start with this.

 

If you have 4.10s as indicated by your sig, I would say something is definitely irregular. I pulled a 21 ft Four Winns with a single axle trailer out of the water with ease last weekend.

 

I should also mention that I have 3.55 gears and our boat ramp was quite steep, relatively speaking.

But, if the transmission is fine, I would just put it in first manually and not think about it anymore. It's a small inconvenience, but not really a "problem," is it? I wouldn't know where to begin with this, and it's possible that tampering with it could just be a waste of time, or make it worse. I'd just leave it alone if it were my truck doing it.

 

I have 3.73's in my 05 with a 5.4 and pull my 20' Lund out of the water two or three times a week with no issues. At 5400 pounds and a steep ramp it definitely puts a pull on it but has no problems. With 4.10's it shouldn't even bog the engine down.

 

Which shifter do you have? Column or console?

 

What do you mean it "does not go into first gear?" Does the engine spin in neutral, does the engine rev up but not have the power to move, do the tires spin?

 

No it's not normal, I have a 2004 ranger with the 4.0 and 4:10 rears that I pulled a 18ft fish and ski with an in-board motor out of the lake about 4 times a week. I could pull it up the ramp in drive with no problems, however I have used tell same truck to pull a 24' hydraulic utility trailer that weighs about 6000lbs and it heats my tranny up to the point that when taking off from a stop I have to manually shift because it will not down shift to 1st

 

is the needle closer to the 2 on the indicator or the N ? maybe when you think you're putting it into drive its actually 2nd gear.. and the reason it might not pull up a boat ramp very well.. maybe !!