The reason ford (this is what i heard or read somewhere) didn't make the truck 4x4 (or awd) was because it didn't package easy (what the ford does all the tims to save cash....swapping parts from the ford lineup so the truck is cheap....not at Z06 price)

So what is exactly stops us from makeing our trucks into AWD or 4x4???? how hard would it be??? What mechcnical problems face us???

Thsi would rock and make our 0-60 foot tiumes rock as well as solving the traction problems

so what stops us???

Ray

 

Sorry, I don't know all the mechanical hurdles, but off the top of my head I'd say:

reliability
weight
added drivetrain loss
loss of handling
ride height
cost




[This message has been edited by mracer (edited 10-29-2000).]

 

Uh, common sense...j/k

 

Ah damn Tampa , you took my answer! OH well. I'll still say it, COMMON SENSE!!!!!

-Marcus

 

us?

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Money?

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whats stopping us from making a 4x4 lightning???
a mob of angry villagers armed with pitchforks and torches...

good idea.. just not something i'd do..

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HAHA TB I read the topic and that was the first thing that crossed my mind too...Funny
CA

[This message has been edited by WhiteLightninSVTGirl (edited 10-30-2000).]

 

It seems great minds run on the same track...

Rich


[This message has been edited by TampaBayLightning (edited 10-30-2000).]

 

I'm actually exploring the isea of putting a Navi front axle under my L and making it AWD, but there are a lot of problems...I posted a topic about it somewhere here..look it up

 

No no no no.......im trying to get a serous answer, but i guessed i phrased it wrong

I wasn't thinking about jacking the mother up like this


I was thinking that we could have the truck converted to all wheel drive like the syclone and typhoon and use the existing 4x4 components to do it (money aside here)

For thoes who said something about clearence..then how did the sy/ty do it? Lots of them are lowered to the ground?

I think the next major step would be AWD..the truck would rock..sooooooo many ppl on the sy/ty thread where bitching how the L dosent have AWD like the sy/ty and how they wanted ford to do it

The truck would be WAY TOO fast....it would be sweet.

Anyway let me know what u guys think

Ray

 

Wow guys, you really slammed him for that idea.

Ride height is not an issue. Think about it. A 4x4 sits high to clear stuff, like the 8" concrete drop I "accidentally" drove off today, only a slight scrape on the crossmember by the tranny. I think a L would have gotten stuck. But my drivetrain does not sit any lower from the frame than yours.

Reliability? Hmm, I don't see this one. Plenty of 4x4's here have lotsa miles.

Weight. Definately. But how much really?
For the front diff, transfer case and CV joints? 200, 300 lbs if that? Is it really that much of a liability if you can mash the gas from a stop?

Drivetrain loss. For sure. The front shafts spin all the time.

Handling. Yup, more weight up front. Maybe relocate the battery to even it out some.

Cost is not as issue when you want a 4x4 L in my mind.

The REAL problem is the actual 4x4 system. It's not made for on road use. It would be OK in a straight line, but that's about it. You would need a transfer case with a center differential in it, basically AWD.

It can be done, you just have to really want it.

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I work at the Expedition plant and know for a fact the front half of the frame is different on the 4x4's from the 4x2's. There is a place to mount the front diff. and it has torsion bars instead of coils in the front. The other issue would be the different harness and computer to control the transfer case.
I have owned a '97 and currently own a '00 4x4 F150 and the drivability really sucks when in 4 wheel drive on dry pavement. Perhaps the all wheel drive transfer case out of a Navigator would work.
In my opinion it would be easier and probably cheaper to buy a F150 4x4 Regular cab STX package with a 5.4L motor put a '01 intake and blower on it or a centrifical blower. Then go by BABolt's house and ****** all the ground effects, seats and wheels when he's not looking. He has Lightnings parked all over the place and probably will not notice for a while.

HIGH RISK

 

HIGH RISK
Sounds like a plan......let us know when!
HAHAHA!

 

The parasitic drag on the engine of putting the power to four steamroller wheels and front and rear axles would probably kill close to half a second off of the et.
Here's an experiment. Take a 4x4 F150 to the drags. Run it in 2 wheel mode then run it in 4 wheel drive and compare the results.
Theres an example.

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