new member saying hello. and asking a question...
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Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 80
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From: florida
new member saying hello. and asking a question...
first would like to say hello to the rest of the f150 owners out there. i am a proud owner of a 2004 F150 STX v8 4.6L red beauty as of tuesday of last week. 
now i have been driving it for a week's time and so far im having a blast, it drives like a dream!
but yesterday it had been raining for most of the day, i got off work and was headed home. at the stop light i took off like i normally do but unlike my old 88' fifth avenue my STX was trying to fish tail to the left.
i know that since the front end being heavier than the back end and the back end pushing since its a RWD vehicle (which my 88 happened to be aswell) it was sliding to the left both times i tried to accelerate after the light turned green.
i am trying to find a solution (other than sand bags to make the back end heavier to reduce the fish tailing occurances) would like to know if there is something i could add / upgrade to make it not fish tail when its raining and i decide to act like billy bad **** and try to haul butt when the light turns green
~Q
now i have been driving it for a week's time and so far im having a blast, it drives like a dream!
but yesterday it had been raining for most of the day, i got off work and was headed home. at the stop light i took off like i normally do but unlike my old 88' fifth avenue my STX was trying to fish tail to the left.
i know that since the front end being heavier than the back end and the back end pushing since its a RWD vehicle (which my 88 happened to be aswell) it was sliding to the left both times i tried to accelerate after the light turned green.
i am trying to find a solution (other than sand bags to make the back end heavier to reduce the fish tailing occurances) would like to know if there is something i could add / upgrade to make it not fish tail when its raining and i decide to act like billy bad **** and try to haul butt when the light turns green
~Q
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,867
Likes: 0
From: NH
Sounds like you have a limited slip differential because that’s what they usually do when both tires lose traction. If it was an open differential it “usually” doesn’t pull the rear in any direction.
Anyhow there really is no solution except to not nail it on a wet surface or to load the bed up with some more weight but that would hinder fuel mileage a bit…
Congrats on an excellent truck and welcome to F150online…
Anyhow there really is no solution except to not nail it on a wet surface or to load the bed up with some more weight but that would hinder fuel mileage a bit…
Congrats on an excellent truck and welcome to F150online…
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,316
Likes: 1
maybe you could lose the heavy foot in rain and snow.
One doesnt realize how unsafe they are driving for the conditions until they get into a rear drive vehicle. This means that as long as you see loss of traction in acceleration, you will also know how little traction you have for braking.
Me personally prefer the fishtailling for just this reason.
One doesnt realize how unsafe they are driving for the conditions until they get into a rear drive vehicle. This means that as long as you see loss of traction in acceleration, you will also know how little traction you have for braking.
Me personally prefer the fishtailling for just this reason.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 387
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From: Somewhere near the back of beyond
Welcome to the site!! 
The fishtailing is something you're going to have to live with if you decide you need to lead foot it off the start. You could put some weight in the back and that would help but, like 01 XLT Sport says, that would affect your fuel mileage. There are tires that offer better traction on wet surfaces but I think with the lack of weight in the rear, there will always be a certain amount of breaking loose.
The fishtailing is something you're going to have to live with if you decide you need to lead foot it off the start. You could put some weight in the back and that would help but, like 01 XLT Sport says, that would affect your fuel mileage. There are tires that offer better traction on wet surfaces but I think with the lack of weight in the rear, there will always be a certain amount of breaking loose.