Let me just say....I am very impressed with the transmission! The fuel mileage is acceptable, and the rest is just for your reading pleasure and detailed info...

I just got back from a trip towing my 7k lb cargo trailer from Austin to Phoenix (2400 miles total mostly on I-10) and back. The truck had 3700 miles on it when I started, so it was pretty well broke-in. I got about 11 mpg average going between 65 and 75 mph usually with the cruise control on. The trans is extremely smooth, only on the steepest hills would it over shift (IMO)when it did it only revved up around 4000 rpm( I could turn off the cruise and continue up the hill at 2500-3000 and maintain speed within 5mph). The truck pulls the trailer with minimal effort, though the high wind areas were a little more noticeable than when pulling with my old Dodge ('06 2500 w/ cummins). I did beef up the rear springs with a Hellwig ez-990 series helper spring set which brought the rear end up an inch without any noticeable ride difference when empty. The integrated trailer brake controller is beyond excellent, it's the best I have ever used.
I am pleasantly surprised by the high level of performance the 2009 F-150 was able to deliver and would highly recommend this truck.
If I have any complaint it would be that the seat is not as comfortable as I would like, I'll have to experiment with some cushions or maybe stuffing the existing seat with some new or extra foam. Also the 26 gal fuel tank is too small, you'll want to try to get one with the larger tank.
My conclusion is that this truck is a solid 9.3 out of 10 and I am happy I came back to Ford!

 

Was this done with the tow/haul engaged the whole time? If so that is a little bit better mileage than what I got with my old 04. I have not towed with my 10 yet. Thanks for the info.

 

Yes. I always use tow/haul with a load

 

How do the 990 helper springs install....do they go on under factory spring u bolts?
I am looking for a set that just bolt on and are easy to install and remove but on hellwigs website they dont show anything after 08 f-150.

 

Keep adjusting the seat and give it some time. I felt a bit like you do at first, but I finally found the right combination of adjustments that make it very nice. It is now a very comfortable seat.

 

The new 09+ F150's do tow very well for a 1/2 ton truck. My dad now has 42,000 miles on his '09 (purchased late May of '09) and many of those trouble-free miles have been logged while towing a 5000lb+ trailer. Back in August he loaded his truck up with 4 people, all their luggage, and pulled an enclosed double motorcycle trailer with a pop-up camper tagging along behind it all the way to Sturgis (about 1500 miles one way). Aside from hitting a deer around St. Louis their trip was nice and comfy inside the F150 and it never skipped a beat.

By the way I've drove his truck quite a bit as well and it does take some time to find the perfect adjustments for the seat, pedals, and steering wheel. Once you find your "perfect number" it's great!

 

I am glad I am not the only one that thought the new seats are little off, in terms of comfort.

I have been on several long trips in my 09 Expediton, and spent 25-30 hours in my Dads 09 platnum F150 last summer on a 5 day trip. his F150 is a little better then my Expy, but not much, both of them have hard seats compared to years past Fords I have owned. My 06' KR SD F250, 02 and 05 Excursions, would put my 09' KR Expy to shame for road trip comfort. I think 90% of the problem is the seats are hard in the new models.

I am going to be taking mine by an apolstry shop to see if they can beef up the foam padding inside the seats of my Xpy .

This is not just a Ford deal, its happend to other brands as well, older models just had better or maybe I should say more padding in there seats in years past.

 

Call Hellwig on the phone....there is a different part # than the one on suspension connection (unless they fixed it already). The springs install above the factory bolts, very easy install...and you won't need to remove them, I can't tell any difference when unloaded. I only have them adjusted to a little over 1/2 of max.

 

The seats have sucked 04+, IIRC the seats in the 09+ are no different than the 04-08

 

I could be mistaken, but my '09 Plat seats seem much more comfy than my '05 Lariat seats were? The '09's seem more sculptured whereas my '06's seemed more flat and "slab like". That was one of the selling features that steered me towards the Plat, adj. pedals, seats and power adjustable tilt and mirrors...with MEMORY My g-friend can get in there, mess everything up and all I have to do is press the memory button and all comes back to normal. It takes me a long time to get the seat/pedals, etc. in just the "right" position and that memory feature is priceless