We are getting our first good snow of this year (midwest, i.e. North Central, Indiana). Any where from 6 to 20 inches is currently falling or has already hit the ground. The truck loves this stuff, put it in 4WD High. Drove thru 8 to 12 inch areas on I-69 (4 lane Highway.) no snow plows were out yet mind you this is at 4:00 am this morning. I was able to drive 40 to 50 mph grinning all the way the truck handles great.

I think I'll leave work early today and go play in the snow. I've had this truck (Lariat, 5.4 Supercab) since Sept. 03 when they were first coming out, 9000 miles now and not a single problem. I've had 4 new Ford trucks over the past 30 years, and I think I've beat on this one harder than the others and still can't make it even say ouch.

I think to many people any waiting for anything to even look, sound, smell or feel funny and then they jump and say these trucks are nothing but problems. I disagree, it's a lot of fun and even more when you get a "Good Snow" to go play in.

To all of the members of the F150 online group, have a Merry Christmas and hopefully a good New Year.

 

HA HA you said I-69.

All kidding aside this truck (04FX45.4) is way better than my previous (97Lariat) in the snow. Like it has claws! However I find you have to give it some throttle around corners or else it tends to push a bit.

Happy Holidays!

 

I have experienced the same handling traits, I think it is due to the "Electronic Throttle Control", the jury is still out on that one. I'm old school and still miss the mechanical link between my right foot and the throttle. However the bad boy will still go where I tell it to...

 

I must confess that the weather is not very frightful here in Monterey, CA. However, I do drive in the mountains quite a bit and plan to this Christmas. I will not miss chaining up over mountain passes.

I just bought my 04' F-150, FX4, Supercab and I love it. I have owned lots of trucks. This is the first one I ever bought new and Im very happy. Cant wait to find some weather!

I just put in a Magnaflow exhaust and my Air Force One Intake Kit is on order. Then I suppose I will get the remote start, Line-X, and then a lift & tires.

Merry Christmas.

STU

 

welcome to the site
congrats on the new truck..

 

Capenter,

Howdy... I am just north of you in the South Bend area. We have been getting some white stuff, but not quite the storm you got down in the Indy area. The weather guestimators are still saying we are under a "Lake Effect, Storm Watch" blah, blah blah.

We received about 3 inches last night. But the plows had it mostly cleaned up by the time I headed into work around 8. I have a 2004 Flareside SCAB with the Wrangler LTs on it. So far it has been GREAT in what snow I have been able to play in.

Bring on the WHITE STUFF!!!!

 

I think the handling in the snow is better on these new trucks partly because of the weight of these things, they are heavy units! BTW carpenter, if you invest in the tuner you wont be able to tell the difference between the "fly by wire" and a mechanical linkage setup. It takes that lag out of the response, Plus you will get the added HP gain!

 

10" of frozen precip here last night (mainly grainular snow/sleet and powder)...

It made for a nasty morning and it's looking like it's going to keep me from getting home as 'home' had a lot more than we did... oh well...

The truck did WONDERFUL in the snow today... I didn't shovel the driveway until late and was easily able to crawl in and out... even over where the snow plow had piled near the end of the driveway...



There I am at the grocery escorting the wife around so she could do her Christmas specialty... Banana Bread

Yum...


RP

 

Here she is before digging out...



And here's the driveway I have to go up/down

 

Well down in Greenwood, IN we got about 12 inches on top of the five the night before. Have to say that my 2004 Scab 4x2 struggled on the neighborhood roads that had 17 inches of snow. I think I would have been SOL if I didn't have the limited slip. Starting in second also helped a lot. This is actually my first truck and I didn't have any weight in the back. Not sure how much it would help. I was impressed that the truck was very predictable. This will probably be the last time I wished I had 4 wheel drive this year since it's going to be 45 in a few short days.

Jason

 

Weight in the back of a 4x2 will help a LOT. Also the LS rear end is a bonus. I wouldn't have made it in some of the areas I traveled today without 4x4. I had to pull in to unplowed areas and turn around and also had to pull to the side in unplowed areas to let cars by. I would have gotten stuck without 4x4....unless maybe I had weight in the back and great snow-specific tires. These wide BFG's (stock) aren't the best in deep snow. Too wide and not a very aggressive tread pattern

 

Can you suggest how much to put in the bed? I am a big fan of snow tires as I always had a set for my SAAB when I lived in Wisconsin and Michigan but here in Indy it just doesn't seem to be worth the few days we get significant snow. Hoping the Michelins and a little weight will be enough, just don't know how much to put in there.

Thanks
Jason

 

I don't know if there's any official amount of weight you need. Maybe 400 or 500 lbs? I wouldn't go near the cargo capacity or it would likely end up being just a waste of gas. Maybe just enough to level out the rear with the front...maybe that would be enough. Don't know. All depends on how hard core you want to be with it. If I were doing it myself, I would only add something like 400 lbs.

I've seen people without bed covers fill their bed with snow. With this wet snow we have here, that would be a lot of extra weight. I have a bed cover and wouldn't want to put snow in the bed. I don't think I'd ever be that desperate.

 

Thanks for the suggestion, I was thinking maybe 100 to 200lbs. Maybe that won't be enough. I know what you mean, I have seen many people out with their beds full of snow and bumpers dragging. Funny funny stuff.

Jason