Having used it a few times in the snow, I'm able to make some observations on it.

First, the stock tires suck. It is the STX package with the 18" wheels, and the stock rubber is not very good at all in the snow, even with the limited slip rear end my truck has.

I found 17" F150 steel wheels on eBay for $200 shipped for the set, and wrapped new Blizzaks around them for $600 more, and now it is a beast in the snow. Just a night and day difference over the stock rubber. With the stock tires, taking off wasn't so bad being 4x4 but stopping was an experience. The Blizzaks really provide sure-footing.

Second.... the truck is just noisy in the snow. The gap between the bed and cab is almost immediately filled with ice/snow which then makes noise as you drive and the bed shakes. I have a Truxedo cover over the bed, when you drive the snow blows and collects up against the back of the cab. Clearing the gap stops the noise. That noise.

The other noise I can only assume is from blocks of frozen slush and snow in the suspension, but it sounds like horribly worn out ball joints.... this things bangs and knocks really badly. I've noticed the snow freezes up between the exhaust pipe and the rear fender, which adds to the knocking, and the step rails along the side are bad about collecting the frozen gunk just behind the front wheels.

I have Weathertech mud flaps installed, I'm not sure if it helps or hurts, but the chunks of brown snow that collects behind the front wheels and on the front of the step rails is pretty large.

The drivers side windshield washer nozzle froze up on me today. Nothing on top of it, and I tried to melt anything from the nozzle hole by holding my finger over it to warm it, but it was frozen and refused to spray. The passenger side worked.
I let the truck sit and idle in the lot while waiting to pick my wife up and it finally thawed out, but it froze up on me.
The wipers seem to do pretty well.... they maintain contact with the glass and wipe well, but I have to remember to start lifting them off the glass at night.

I woke up to find the snow that collects on top of the truck in those ridges everyone hates when washing the truck would melt after parking the warm truck, the water would run down the windshield, freezing in place as everything cooled down. Rain-X helps.

The traction control and so on works well, and the heater is pretty darn good. Not as good as my little VWs, which have stellar heating, but it isn't bad. I'm not sure if VW felt bad for decades of freezing owners in the air-cooled cars, but the water cooled cars have heaters you can light cigarettes from after 5 minutes. The truck takes longer, but it will make some serious heat after a bit.

I hate not being able to shut that A/C compressor off. I'd like the option of putting air on the windshield without running the compressor, but it can't be done as far as I can tell in the stock truck. If the defrost light is on, the compressor is on. If the light for the windshield is on, even without the defrost button pushed, I hear the compressor kick on.

The design of the cab allows snow on top of the truck to fall into the cab when you open the door. Rain too. It'd be nice not to have to brush the snow from the seats after opening the doors.

The TPMS is confusing to me.... I removed the stock tires/wheels, they are strapped into the bed now, so the sensors are still being picked up by the truck. I drove short trips after installing the winter wheels/tires, and never had any TPMS warning. A 20 minute drive results in the light and beeper starting.
I can only assume it has something to do with the heat, but I would have thought the tires getting warmed in the covered bed during driving would make them have HIGHER pressure than when cold, but as long as everything is cold, no warning. After 20 mins driving, the system tells me I have a tire sensor fault. I'd love some way to disable that feature so it will shut the hell up.

The rear license plate is quick to get obscured by snow, I have to make sure to keep it cleared, the wind swirling behind the truck seems to just collect it there on the bumper.

So far, with the winter tires on it, the truck is pretty decent in the snow, there are just a few small things I'd like to change on it, but other than those, it is pretty nice.

Brian

 

First snow with new truck. 2010 reg cab 4x4,XLT, trifold tonnu. Your right on with the complaints.

Snow and ice build up, cab and bed. The gap is close together. I'm having the same problem. Hard to keep clean. Ice slides around hart to get out. Annoying while driving.

Also the snow that builds up behind front tires. Its been cold here latley, Upstate NY. When opening door the sheet metal rubs against ice build up. I tried kicking off but hard.

I've had the washer spray nozles frees on me too.

Traction control. Is good does its job. But somtimes when trying to have a little fun it takes over.

 

Press and hold the traction button for 5 seconds or so, until the icon starts flashing. When it flashes, it is all shut off, and the truck will then do donuts if you want it to. It turns off the straight line traction control as well as the stability control that stops it from going sideways.

A single push of the button turns the icon on without flashing, and this just allows straight line tire spinning, in case you need to spin to get out of a spot... but the sideways control is still on, and it'll still catch the *** if you step on it in the corner. When you push and hold the button for a few seconds until it flashes it lets it get sideways, in case you want to play a bit.

When you get over 35mph or something, it will re-activate the control systems, and I think it will turn them on again if you select 4x4... I'm not sure how the system works with 4x4 selected though.

I thought I saw the icon flash while in 4x4, but at the same time I was able to do 4-wheel drifts with heavy throttle use in the corners while in 4x4.... nice controlled ones, honestly! It had the RWD tendency to let the tail step out, but had the FWD trait of allowing you to point the front end where you want to go and have it pull everything that direction.

 

Hey, so if I understand correctly, the Weathertech's mud flaps aren't really helping to keep dirt/mud/snow off your step rails?

So they're more aesthetic than functional?

 

OMG! some people complain about everything, it's a great truck enjoy it.

 

HOLY #&$@! have you EVER owned a truck? I have the same truck!
Just drive it and enjoy it. you're gonna drive yourself freaking nuts!!

PS. Its not like we all drive in snow EVERY day!

 

^^^ x2

 

Some of your complaints would not be a problem if you cleaned off your truck. Clean the snow off the roof, the bed cover.

 

x3,,,bitch,bitch,bitch!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Not at all, actually they are quite functional, but putting 5 gallons of **** into a 2 gallon bucket will always result in a mess.... in other words, they only stop so much.

I was behind a Toyota truck that was leaving big rooster tails as it drove (covering the windshield I couldn't wash!) this weekend, and I looked in my mirror and I wasn't leaving nearly as much behind me. The vehicles with flaps had less spray behind them.

ZOMG!
If only you had posted a little sooner... I've already set the truck on fire. It's burning in the driveway as we speak.

x2 and x3 and hey, x4 too, which is my unique way of saying I agree with myself, you know, without actually having to form words of my own... just x2 and I'm on a bandwagon!

Nope, never owned a truck, driven in snow, or anything like that. I don't have several decades of driving under my belt, never been off-road with any vehicle, and I think you're right... my observations, err, complaints, err, obser-plaints... those will drive me nuts. NO good can come of paying attention, no solutions to anything could ever be discovered that way. Nope, just insanity.

What does driving in snow EVERY day have to do with anything?


Granted, but if you park a warm truck when it is currently snowing, the snow that gathers on top after you park it will collect, some will melt and run down freezing as it cools again; some will stay and fall into the cab when you open the door.
Brushing the cover helps, but the air while driving will pull any blown snow (like light powder) right into the area between the cab and bed.

The bit of snow/rain that gets inside the truck when you open the door isn't so bad, but the noise of the ice between the cab and bed is annoying. I've brushed it clean and it gathers it up as you drive. Depending on what you;'re driving in can make it worse (freezing slush, etc.).

I guess you brilliant little minds never had any troubles with your vehicles, and reading comprehension isn't a strong trait amongst you, or you'd have noticed the places the truck impressed.... wipers, heater, stability control, traction once good rubber was used, etc..... but no, just like some fan boys you freak out anytime someone says anything negative about what you like. You're as bad as Glock Fan Boys.

I obviously didn't lie about anything, the 1st reply to my thread was someone else experiencing the same thing.

People took the time to post to tell me how much I complain and to ask if I've ever owned a truck, but nobody had any info about the TPMS system, nobody came up with any suggestions on preventing ice between the cab and bed (I have one, if it works, I'll be sure not to mention it to any of the wonder-minds in this forum, you bunch know too much already!), nobody had any comments about the compressor, 1 person had a productive suggestion, and only one person actually asked a question.

I even concluded that other than a few small things, the truck is pretty nice... but that was glossed over in your fervor to spin what I said and make it out like I hated the truck. Whatever floats your imaginary boat I guess.

Enjoys your trucks... don't bother posting to this thread, I won't be bothering to view any more replies

 

Thank God!

 

The difference between you and me and probably many others on here is:

I take mental note of the little things that bother me and do what I can to change or prevent it instead of writing about it.


TPMS was required by US government since 2008. Plenty of people have dealt with what you are. Take a look around the wheel and tire forum. And by take a look I mean search and read, not ask over there.

The worst dedicated winter tire outperforms the best all terrain and all season tire in the snow. OEM tires generally suck. Take a look at Tire Rack's survey results for the tire model you have to confirm that.

 

^^^ x2 x3 x4. You need to create your OWN thread called "F150 RANTS".
Bashing other forum members won't get you much of anywhere around here either.

 

sell it and get a kia.

 

x2.

I have a ford product and it didn't start because the starter is frozen. I am buying a KIA next week.