I am thinking about an L for my next truck. I will need one in about 9 months. I currently have a 97 extended cab F-150 4x4 and an Expedition 4x4. My son will be driving next year and I planned on giving him the F-1. My problem is SNOW. I live in the mountains of Pennsylvania and go skiing every chance I get. I have not had a rear wheel drive vehicle since the early 80’s. I am sure some of you folks out there live in the northern climate, how is the truck in the snow. What type of problems do you have? How about the front height? How about different wheels and tires? I know this sound crazy but I really want this truck. But if I have problems, my wife will never let me live it down. Her point is a valid one; I have a sports car. So buy a truck!

 

IMO, the Lightning will be marginal for the use you intend it for.

Minimally, you will NEED a set of winter wheels and tires.

The Lightning has an ungodly amount of torque and no traction control system. Realistically, it will be as bad as any pickup truck can be in the snow.

You won't wash, wax or drive the sports car once you get the L anyway. So, if it were me, I would buy the Lightning, sell the sports car, and get a 4x4 with the proceeds.

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Regards,
Gordon

'99 Red Lightning
Johnny Lightning Superchip
Johnny Lighting Stage II Ram Air Kit (coming soon)
Century Tonneau

 

I use my L all year round. I have a set of good winter tires and to be honest it's the second best vehicle *I* have ever owned in the snow. The other vehicles were 87Escort, 79LTD, 89CRX, 98ContourSVT. I always had good winter tires on all of them. I never had a 4x4 so I can't comment on them. All the front wheel drive cars were just dangerouse with the CRX then Escort being the worst. The drive train/power/tires make little or no diferance if you have no vehicle weight. The LTD was a little better because it did not have as much power. You must remember that the L is supercharged. The power is not from a naturally asperated engine and that what makes it very usable in the winter. As long as you are easy on thre gas and let it shift around 2000rpm, you will not be pushing any boost and with the reduced 8.4:1 compression ratio that means it will drive no different than a standard 2x4 F-150. With the 4700lbs and good tires it's not a problem at all. Now I do not do much driving with elevation changes(big *** hills) so there I can't comment either. The worst I have driven through would be 6-8 inches with no problems. I have always prefered rear wheel drive in the snow because front wheel drive gives you too much of false sense of control and when you do loose it there is no getting it back. Rear wheel drive on the other hand is much more prone to step out/spin/slide so you drive at a more respectable safe speed because you get a better feel for the road conditions IMO. Now if you drive it like an idiot you will be in the ditch, but that is true with any vehicle in the snow. Ask anyone up here in Canada and they will tell you that the most frequently seen vehicles in the ditch in the winter are 4x4 Sport utilities. The owners think....hey I got 4x4 so I can drive like it's summer....it just plain boggles the mind


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99 Lightning in Pull me over Red.
- Build...#1869, June 2nd 1999. 1 of 1533 red
- K&N Filter Charger Kit.
- PSP Chip
- Bridgestone P245/70/R16 Winter Dueler's, on steel rims.

Email me at bowerina@aci.on.ca

 

Wow. You mean I can press on the gas just a little bit, and the L will accelerate slowly?

I'll have to try that sometime. I thought the accelerator was just an on/off switch.

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Regards,
Gordon

'99 Red Lightning
Johnny Lightning Superchip
Johnny Lighting Stage II Ram Air Kit (coming soon)
Century Tonneau

 

LOL

I guess your L is a summer vehicle only !!



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99 Lightning in Pull me over Red.
- Build...#1869, June 2nd 1999. 1 of 1533 red
- K&N Filter Charger Kit.
- PSP Chip
- Bridgestone P245/70/R16 Winter Dueler's, on steel rims.

Email me at bowerina@aci.on.ca

 

Snowplow, you guessed right.

I'll drive it short distances in the winter when it is dry. Otherwise, it's my summer vehicle.

But I still stick by my opinion that the L wouldn't be a good mountain/ski area truck.

With good tires it would be probably be OK on plowed roads in civilized areas, but I know when I was most interested in going skiing, was when the roads were at their worst. Snow day off work = free ski day!

UCRed is also used to4x4s. He would most likely be disappointed in comparison.

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Regards,
Gordon

'99 Red Lightning
Johnny Lightning Superchip
Johnny Lighting Stage II Ram Air Kit (coming soon)
Century Tonneau

 

Sorry about the late return, I was out of town. I am still undecided. This is the reason I have started so early in this process. It is true that I am used to 4x4 and I will still have access to my old F-1 if the roads are bad. I can always take my son to school and use the truck. I certainly would not give the L to a 16 year old! And no way would I give it to my wife to use her expy. (my son has a better chance than her!) As for getting rid of the sports car, that is not an option. There is nothing like putting the top down and ripping through the mountains on a summer day.

I think with any vehicle it takes time to get used to how it reacts to the road conditions. But the thought of buying a new truck and then getting stuck or worse listening to my wife say “I told you so” may turn out to be more than I could bear. I guess I will have to just do some research and see what is the best solution.

BTW Snowplow, I have been driving in the snow all my life. And it always amazes me how people drive in the snow, especially the 4x4. Anything can go fast, the problem comes when you have to turn or stop. I usually will just get out of their way and get as much distance between them and me as possible.

Once again thank you for your responses.

 

Well I have to also agree that if you *NEED* to use it under extreme winter conditions, on a regular basis (especially mountain areas) then yes it would not be the way to go. I just wanted to make sure that UCRed did not pass up on an L if his concerns were for regular every day winter use for things like going back and forth to work. To put it simply, if everyone else is on the road and getting around in the snow, then an L can as well. If snowplow's are getting stuck you would want a Hummer



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99 Lightning in Pull me over Red.
- Build...#1869, June 2nd 1999. 1 of 1533 red
- K&N Filter Charger Kit.
- PSP Chip
- Bridgestone P245/70/R16 Winter Dueler's, on steel rims.

Email me at bowerina@aci.on.ca

 

Snowplow,

I will have to do some more thinking, I got several months to decide. It will certainly take some time. Anyway a Hummer would be GREAT! But they are extremely over priced and too expensive to maintain. Not only that but I am looking for something to push me into my seat during the "normal" days that you can't drive a ragtop. The L's 6+ sec 0-60 is impressive for a truck.