I just purchesd a 2004 Ford Ranger 4x4, 4.0 super cab truck.
Real good looking truck and all but it absolutly CAN NOT HANDLE ANY SNOW in 2 wheel drive. It was all over the road and we didnt even have an inch on the ground, swerving and sliding all over the place.
i put on 4x4 and it was a little better tho

My question is, ARE the f 150's better in the snow? because they are heavier?

i got a real good deal on the ranger and might be able to sell it for 2-3 thousand more and buy a f 150 stx or something more heavy duty.

I live in the north so winters are real bad snowy and icy

what are your thoughts about the snow driving in the ranger and 150?

 

I've always put extra weight in the bed of my trucks in the winter.
It worked well on the old '92 Ranger 4x4 scab I owned back in the day.

 

I love the snow. Ive never had a problem in the snow and I dont even put any weight in the back of the truck. I do fine even when the roads are totally snow covered.

 

wow,

now i really think i might sell the ranger for a 150..

 

i have a '94 ranger and an 05 F-150....i have never had a problem with my ranger in the snow...goes anywhere in 4x4....what kind of tires do you have on it??....even tho things are awd or 4wheel drive the right type of tires do alot....i also had an 02 audi a4 which was awd....it did ok in the snow but not great unless i had snows on it....

 

goodyear Wrangler RT/S

 

For starters, you need weight in the bed. Usually 200 pounds or so over the axle will do.

And secondly, those tires are BAD BAD BAD. Tires would help a lot too.

For what you can get for the Ranger you won't get a 4x4 F150...

 

For what you can get for the Ranger you won't get a 4x4 F150...[/QUOTE]


so your saying the 4x4 150 are better?

 

I have these and they're great.

 

Swapping to a heavier car to get more traction is a waste.

More weight does help, but even semi-trucks slide off the road. The exra 1000 pounds of an F150 isnt going to make that much of a difference.

Some times the road is just too damn slick. Judging your pick-up on one snow storm might be a bit premature.

The fact that you said kind of leads me to beleive that it was pretty slick out.


Just put a couple of sand bags in the back "over the rear axle" and make sure you have good tires. If your still swerving all over the place, then your driving too fast for conditions.


I bought a ranger in 2000 and drove it for 4 years. I only lost control in the snow one time, and that was to swerve around a car in front of me that was sliding into the ditch.

It was by far the best truck I ever owned. The only reason I got rid of it was because I was pulling a 3600# boat and I was getting real tired of dragging it down the hi-way listening to my engine pant the entire way to the lake.



Just out of curiousity, What vehicle did you own before? I might be out to lunch, but It sounds like this is your first pick up?

 

its my first vehicle .

 

I went from an 01 Ranger to an 04 F150, and to me the F150 feels much more planted, stable, and solid than the Ranger, both in and out of the snow. Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

I owned two Rangers (1990 & 1993) before moving up to an F-150 to put a little more steel around my son. I never had any real issues with winter traction with my Rangers. but I think you'll find several things make a big difference here. First, I had Limited Slip rear ends in both of mine (and all of my F-150's). This makes a difference in 2 or 4 wheel drive.

Second, tires make a HUGE difference. My 1997 F-150 had the Goodyear RT/S tires and they were marginal at best. The Generals that came on my 2005 absolutely suck. Oh yea, and don't forget that size does matter in a tire. Just about anything wide will hurt you. Skinny is best in the snow and ice.

Finally, weight over the rear end will help, but don't get too silly here. If you put 200 pounds in the back of a Ranger, your headlights will be pointed at Mars. The other bad thing will be when you break the rear end loose in a corner. Notice where the weight is in a pendulum? I'd keep it under a hundred pounds.

 

Skinny is better? can you explain this?

I would expect a wider tire that provides more contact to the ground to give you better traction.

 

I bought a ranger in 2003 and less then two years later traded for a 150, and couldnt be happier