Originally Posted by Power Kid

What you find very quickly on this forum is that you can not critique the power of an F150 or you will quickly be shunned. Doesn't matter if you own one, have ever driven one, ever towed with one, or ever driven any other truck in your life. You will quickly be given a speech on how 0-60 times don't matter, and you must just want be a racer. Yes this is how people with fragile egos deal with things. Put your head in the sand and tell yourself everything is wonderfull... Those of us wanting more power shouldn't have to explain why we want more. We shouldn't have to pre-position our opinion. Our loyalty is immediatly questioned. It doesn' matter that we are loyal ford guys who have bough many new Fords over the years, we have the Ford poster in our garage, the Ford coffee mug, we cheer for any Ford guy watching Nascar on Sunday afternoon. We're told: if you like the power of the "insert Dodge or Toyota, or GM or Nissan here" (ANY other truck) then why don't you go just buy one and leave this forum? Funny I guess we could say that to any other topic too, like the spark plug issue etc. What you prefer a truck where you could change the plugs without a huge bill or even taking off the heads, well then why don't you just go and buy a "Dodge or Toyota, or GM or Nissan?"
For the billionth time we know the Ford has the: stiffest frame, torque way down low, the nicest cab, the new 6 speed will help a bunch etc etc etc...... We KNOW all that. And yes depite having the least capable engine we still bought them. But we are allowed to want more power and torque. It bugs us Ford loyalists that we are not (as of yet) a leader in engines, we lag. This 09 5.4L/ 6 speed combo should have been in the 04. Nissan had a 5 speed in their 04. The 3v 5.4L should have been around in in the 97. In a couple more years we'll approach the 6.2L Gm in performance..... (Hopefully sooner)But by then its 4 years old an GM will be onto something new! In all things but powertrain we are leaders, not followers. Name one engine/powertrain right now, that is best in class in the Ford product line? Powerstroke, Duramax smokes it stock/stock. We need a 6 speed. 09 5.4L? Yes better than a 5.3, lags behind 6.2L and proabbly even 6.0L. The 3.5L? Reviews I read say its too rough and sometimes slow. Now I hope the twin force/ecoboost (doesn't Twin Force sound 1000% better) change this. I hope our 4.4L is competitive with the Gm 4.5L and the Dodge 5.0L baby diesel. Does my 04 5.4L do the job? Yes. Its it slow. Yes. Does it pull my 7000lb trailer. Yes. Would the Hemi, 6L, Titan or Toyota pull it easier, YES. I'm I disapointed with the 09 5.4Ls #s now that they are finnally out after waiting for over 8 months. No. I never expected them to bump it to the levels of the competition. Perhaps thats what pizzez me off the most. The fact that I'd given up hope that Ford would smarten up. Will I still buy one? I'll wait for 2010 to see the final verdict on the 6.2L and the eccoboost and the diesel. But possibly. If they are competitive. Thinking back nearly 5 years ago when I bought my 04 Screw it was easy. If I wanted a real 4 door crew gm only had the Fugly avalanche back then so they were out, Nissan was not available yet, Toyota didn't make a fullsize truck yet and the Dodge quadcab was not a true 4 door crew (IMHO). My how times have changed.

Oh and the reason MPG went up is primarily due to 6 speed.

Here is a chart with new Ford #'s.

09 Ram 09 Silverado 09 F-150 08 Tundra
Engine 5.7-L V-8 6.2-L V-8 5.4-L V-8 5.7-L V-8
Horsepower 390 403 320 381
Tq (lbs-ft) 407 417 390 401

So peak tq we are close. But still last. Hp not close. Dodge and Nissan still only 5 speeds. Woudl love to see chart with peak tq curves. Better yet I'd like to drive them all.

Originally Posted by mSaLL150

The point is that you are still basing your decision of which truck to get solely on the HP/TRQ and engine size stats. You would make a perfect Tundra owner.

Originally Posted by mSaLL150

The point is that you are still basing your decision of which truck to get solely on the HP/TRQ and engine size stats. You would make a perfect Tundra owner.

Originally Posted by bobs64ford352

I would check your hearing (eyes) too, skippy. You are singling out a couple words out of what we said and berrating us from those choice words. I can't speak for power kid (and I appreciate his input) but what I was trying to get across is that I want a truck that can do the work, but I want to be able to unleash the fury too if need be. This can be done and needs to be done. Like I said before and power kid just said, the current numbers are out dated and so are the new ones for '09 and they aren't even out yet. I take pride in my brand and I want to see it on top (INCLUDING THE ENGINE AND TRANNY).

Originally Posted by bobs64ford352

I would check your hearing (eyes) too, skippy. You are singling out a couple words out of what we said and berrating us from those choice words. I can't speak for power kid (and I appreciate his input) but what I was trying to get across is that I want a truck that can do the work, but I want to be able to unleash the fury too if need be. This can be done and needs to be done. Like I said before and power kid just said, the current numbers are out dated and so are the new ones for '09 and they aren't even out yet. I take pride in my brand and I want to see it on top (INCLUDING THE ENGINE AND TRANNY).

Originally Posted by MercedesTech

Sorry, "skippy" would be a damn funny comment if ya knew me !

Anyways, No, I perfectly understand what yall are saying, and its not reality. Plain and simple. You want high HP, you want a reliable rig, you want strong towing abilities, you want good MPG, you want your truck plated in platinum, fed to you on a silver tray. Doesn't work like that. You want super high HP ? Want to be able to "unleash the fury" ( why ? when ? racing from stop light to stop light ? or do you plan to actually hit the track ?)

My point is, you want a fast truck ? Then buy one ? Why should EVERY truck being made, be made to suit you ? They have a lightning !!!! Those haul *** !! Dodge makes that SRT-10 with the viper motor. never riden in one, but I am sure, they also HAUL ***. You want a decent truck, not to do much, buy a Tundra. The "regular" F150's aren't made for high HP, or high speed. They are made to be reliable. Also, in todays economy, they need to try and suit as broad an array of people as they can. meaning they need decent MPG numbers, decent ride qualities, handling, power, etc. I am sure they spent more then a couple days, refining it, working on it, deciding what was the best mix of everything to appeal to the most amount of people. What you are asking for, is a very specific kind of truck, sound like the lightning would be perfect for you ! Man do they haul. You need 4x4 ? Buy a super charged 4x4. The mix is endless, they make the F150 for EVERYONE ! Not just you.

And you complain about the power, yet my small 4.6 with my large tires and wheels does just fine. I haul heavy loads, I tow a buggy up some "roads" and traisl that you probably wouldn't dare drive your truck, let alone tow something. My truck can get to 65 MPH and even slow down. My truck gets me from point A to B, very comfortably, and IMO, looking good. Not everyone needs the high HP. Why make a truck to only suit one need ?

Originally Posted by mSaLL150

Lets look at the past:

1980s: Ford had the 460, Chevy had the more powerful/faster 454.
late 80s/early 90s: Ford had the 5.8/351, chevy had the more powerful 5.7/350.
late 90s: Ford came out with the 5.4 2v, chevy's redesigned 5.7 was still more powerful.
2000: Chevy's 5.3 comes out, more powerful than Ford's redesigned 5.4 2v.
2004: Ford's new 5.4 3v rated more powerful than chevy's 5.3, but the 5.3 still much faster.
2009: Ford's redesigned 5.4 3v rated below chevy 5.3, 6.0, and 6.2 engines.

Dont you guys see the trend here?!?! Ford's never been the fastest (outside of the lightning). The other trend? Ford has more trucks with 200k miles+ by a longshot. Ford is bestselling by a long shot. Ford doesnt build it to be fast....so you're not going to get a fast truck. period.

Their engines/trannys might not be the fastest, but they last. If you buy a truck and plan to keep it for 10 years, get a Ford. If you want a new truck every 2 years, a "faster" Tundra or Ram might be for you.

You want to take pride, do it: your truck may line it up against your buddies Tundra and get burned today. But ten years from now, you'll still be in that same truck going strong: will he?

Originally Posted by Barritia

Thats the exact reason the lightning ceased production. Not enougth buyers for a truck of its kind. But also the reason you hardly ever see them on the road. I would never buy one just for speed alone because in my eyes the lightning aint even a work truck.

Originally Posted by MercedesTech

Sorry, "skippy" would be a damn funny comment if ya knew me !

Anyways, No, I perfectly understand what yall are saying, and its not reality. Plain and simple. You want high HP, you want a reliable rig, you want strong towing abilities, you want good MPG, you want your truck plated in platinum, fed to you on a silver tray. Doesn't work like that. You want super high HP ? Want to be able to "unleash the fury" ( why ? when ? racing from stop light to stop light ? or do you plan to actually hit the track ?)

My point is, you want a fast truck ? Then buy one ? Why should EVERY truck being made, be made to suit you ? They have a lightning !!!! Those haul *** !! Dodge makes that SRT-10 with the viper motor. never riden in one, but I am sure, they also HAUL ***. You want a decent truck, not to do much, buy a Tundra. The "regular" F150's aren't made for high HP, or high speed. They are made to be reliable. Also, in todays economy, they need to try and suit as broad an array of people as they can. meaning they need decent MPG numbers, decent ride qualities, handling, power, etc. I am sure they spent more then a couple days, refining it, working on it, deciding what was the best mix of everything to appeal to the most amount of people. What you are asking for, is a very specific kind of truck, sound like the lightning would be perfect for you ! Man do they haul. You need 4x4 ? Buy a super charged 4x4. The mix is endless, they make the F150 for EVERYONE ! Not just you.

And you complain about the power, yet my small 4.6 with my large tires and wheels does just fine. I haul heavy loads, I tow a buggy up some "roads" and traisl that you probably wouldn't dare drive your truck, let alone tow something. My truck can get to 65 MPH and even slow down. My truck gets me from point A to B, very comfortably, and IMO, looking good. Not everyone needs the high HP. Why make a truck to only suit one need ?

Originally Posted by bobs64ford352

Again, I never said I want a jet truck and the towing of a big diesel. Way back at the beginning I said I want some thing for average towing and something that can hold its own. So, skip you can have the last word if you want but I'm done you aren't really reading what I've said or you are and you just feel like putting words in my mouth. All the best.

Originally Posted by mSaLL150

The point is that you are still basing your decision of which truck to get solely on the HP/TRQ and engine size stats. You would make a perfect Tundra owner.