Well, it took almost 7 weeks of waiting, but I finally got my supercrew n may. After doing 3k miles of city, highway and 5500lbs of towing, I've got a pretty good feel for the truck's pros/cons in relation to my old '97 and '98 F150s.

To give some background- it's a lariat 4x4, 5.4, bench seat, 6-disk, moonroof, tow pkg, limited slip, skids, 17" chrome wheels, deep wedgewood blue with grey interior.

Pros:
-the leather is much softer
-the back seat RULES! this thing hauls all the buds as expected (I and all my friends are 6'4"+ 230lbs+)
-the easy flip of the back seats is kick-***. What a nice, stable platform to put groceries, cooler, etc.
-the new posi is much smoother than what was in the earlier trucks. I used to get wheelhop around tight turns - no more of that
-finally they dampened the engine noise! The hood now has sound deadener, along with the firewall. Thank goodness!
-it's about time the center console (bench seat) got 2 cup holders. Got tired of fighting with the woman for rights to the single cupholder.
-the new audio system seems to have better clarity... controls aren't quite as easy (maybe I just need to get used to it some more), but I like the display a lot better. Overall I'd say it's a clear improvement.
-overall the build quality, fit/finish, etc are top-notch. I've come to expect this from my trucks, but my '01 supercrew seems to be the best yet. There are no squeaks, rattles, poorly fit panels, paint defects, etc. I'm thoroughly impressed... then again it did have a $34+k sticker.
-the tranny seems to be much more deterministic now than the older trucks. no more "BANG" into a higher gear when letting out of the throttle. It does seem to hunt quite a bit when towing at high speeds - but gears would help that a lot (see below). Overall the tranny programming and smoothness is several orders of magnitude better than before.

Serious Issues/Gripes:
-there is a hideous resonance/vibration with the moonroof wind deflector under certain circumstances which is clearly a design problem. You have to have all windows up, but the moonroof open. You can't drive over 65 before the noise gets really annoying (sounds like an airplane passing overhead) Hopefully Ford will come up with a fix, otherwise I'll probably invest in a cheap plastic wind deflector which will likely fix the problem. The other alternative is to increase the mass of the wind deflector to raise/lower the resonance frequency/harmonic.
-brakes have a low-frequency howl at really slow speeds once the pads are warm
-what happened to the spacious center console? The console included in the bench seat got shrunk considerably, along with no more handy coin holder and seperate compartments. It's hard to fit all the junk, glock, etc. The pseudo-ashtray at the dash makes a LOUSY coin holder. Maybe the regular F150 console can be swapped in?
-where did the little cubby under the steering wheel go? That cubby made the perfect parking spot for my trailer brake controller, but it's GONE now. Ugh! I've got my controller sitting on the floor for now until I can figure out a clever spot for it... IDEAS? Hopefully the regular F150 trucks still have the cubby and I can just swap that panel.
-the 5.4/tow package with 17" wheels is a bad combo. Even though they rate this thing for 7200lbs, getting up to speed with 5500lbs of cargo/trailer was strained. You can definitely feel the extra weight of the bigger cab when towing... I'd love to drop in 4.1 gears and am willing to pay the cash if i can find a speedo/tranny alternative. The Abbot ERA box will likely work for adjusting the speedo, but I'm worried about the tranny shifts happening at the wrong times. I'd hate to pay for a custom reprogram, but maybe what I have to do. 4.1 gears will make a world of difference in this thing for towing... and won't be bad at all on the highway with the 31" tall tires. (2178 rpm at 70mph with 4.1 gears in OD)

Nits:
-the driver visor USED to have a bungee strep to hold a pen, cigarettes (I don't smoke) or whatever, but it got replaced with a mirror of all things. It's pretty clear they've marketed the supercrew to the women out there. (ducking) Now there is no really easy/quick/handy place to put my pen... which you always need when you least expect it.
-the deep wedgewood color is MUCH MUCH darker than what appears in the brochure. I ordered mine sight unseen and was pretty unhappy at first. In low light, the paint doesn't look blue or black, but rather what I've been calling a "faded dirt" color. It has grown on me, but still bugs me a little. If I had to do it over again, I'd go for silver. To top that off, the stripe color for DWB is a hideous "copper/peach" color, which I might expect on a truck with tan interior. Since my truck has grey interior, the stripe sticks out like a sore thumb. The stripe is coming off (really can't stand it- hell it doesn't even match the color of the 4x4 emblem on the back) and hopefully I can replace them with silver lariat pinstripes from a red truck... the local ford parts counter guy is definitely going to become my friend after it's all overwith.
-the exhaust is too quiet! You can't even hear this thing run! I will definitely be "fixing" that.
-there's a slight wind "whistle" around 85+ mph that probably comes from the antenna or maybe the wipers. You get used to it after a while, but it's worth mentioning. Other than this one subtle whistle, this sucka is dead quiet. All doors, windows, etc seal tight and are quiet up over 100mph.
-the AC seems just about marginal with the bigger cab and dark paint color. On really hot days (95+) with north carolina humidity, it struggles to cool down the cab. IMO the AC is "good" when you can't stand to run it for more than about 10 minutes on full blast on max cold. If your lips turn blue after 15 minutes, it's perfect!

Well, that's about all I can think of for now... overall I'm extremely pleased with my new truck. It's got a few things I want to change, but no showstoppers.

HTH,
jC. www.lugnutz.com
'67 camaro 8.94@150
'00 mustang GT 13.71@101
'01 supercrew ??@??

 

jcakers,

Very nice write up, covers everything I was wondering about the new SuperCrew. Hey, I live over in Greensboro and can definately identify with those 'warm' days. Let me know if ya'll get a truck club together!

------------------

The Truck: 1997 Black F-150 Flareside. Regular Cab ORP and Towing Package
The Mods: K&N Filter, Eurolid Hard Tonneau, Profile Windstream Side Deflectors and Lund X-Terminator Bug Deflector.
The Site:
Triton's 4.6 Liter Web Page
www.mindspring.com/~acbradley/index.html
<A HREF="https://www.alladvantage.com/joinsecure.asp?refid=LTM-954" TARGET=_blank>I made $450 surfing the web last month...you can too!
</A>

 

JC-

It sounds like you have the exact same truck that I am going to order save for the bench seat. Do you have any pictures? So far, I have seen pictures of a DWB XLT (10 spoke wheels), a DWB and silver Lariat, and a DWB Lariat that is in the Supercrew ads that has a tan interior. Pictures of yours would be great!!!!

All trucks with this dashboard are missing the cubby under the steering wheel. Stupid cost cutting, IMHO. I also do not care for the monotone dash...the 2-tone one looked much "richer". I am also going to remove the "wallpaper" from the side of the truck. The pinstripes look cheap and the ride height tells the world it is a 4X4 much better than any sticker.

I also agree that the 3.55 "economy" gears have got to go. The SuperCrew I test drove would hold 2nd gear at WOT 'till after 80mph! I think that 3.73s would be perfect with the stock size tires, but I can't justify spending that much to change them out to only go up .18! So in go 4.1's! The Ford dealer can hook the truck up to their service bay computer and reprogram the speedo for the 4.1 gears. In fact, Ford Motorsport sells a 4.1 gear kit for the 4WD F-150 and Expedition. Make sure that your dealer keeps up with the software updates because early revs of the SBDS computer software could not program gears greater than 3.73 into the '99+ computer. I'm probably going to have the gears swapped in by the dealer before I take delivery. An Auburn LSD will probably go in at the same time, as that is the only aftermarket diff available for the Ford 9.75" axle.

FWIW, Superchips can also make you a chip that will compensate for the gears, but then you are stuck using premium fuel. Hypertech also makes a box that you can plug into the diagnostic port under the dash to reprogram the speedo, change shift points and firmness, and install a premium fuel engine calibration. This might work out better than a Superchip since you can install only what you want, when you want, without returning the chip and paying big $$$ to get it reprogrammed.

Another thing that bothers me are the crappy Goodyear RT/S tires. I have not heard one good word about these tires and you can't get the decent Goodyear AT/S LT tires on the Supercrew that you can get on the SC/RC. I'm probably going to get some BFG AT's and give the Goodyears to my dad to put on his '99 Expy when his Firestones wear out.

Rob

[This message has been edited by RPFB (edited 05-25-2000).]

 

jCAkers,

Great review, thanx for the information!!!

Triton46,

Nothing to do with trucks, but does that "get money for looking at the web" work. Have you ever received an actual payment. I always thought that this was a bunch of BS, but if it does work, I'll get paid while reading about trucks, great!!!

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(Currently) Ordered 4 May 2000
4X2, Lariat, 5.4L, Deep Wedgewood Blue and Gold, Moonroof, 6cd changer

 

jCAkers,

don't hesitate on shedding those stripes. park your rig out in the sun, then peel 'em off. took my 4x4 stickers off last week. couldn't believe how easy it was. hardly left any glue residue. seemed more like a sticker that adheres to a window without glue.

buy you a CASE LOGIC cd visor holder ($6-8, depending on where you buy) and you will have 12 cd slots, a pen "bungee strap" and a webbed pocket for your registration.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. I've snapped some digipics that I'll post ASAP. We just got back from a race in Memphis, so I've been too busy... will try to get it done this weekend.

I don't have any complaints about the tires... they seem to do well dry and in the rain. Nice and quiet on the highway. Haven't offroaded them yet. What is it about them that people don't like?

Good suggestion on the cd holder- will have to invest on one of those for the bungee strap.

Later!
jC.

 

I checked into getting the 4.10 gears and was told that its about $500 for labor and about $500 for parts. It will aslo void the warrenty on the rearend, but not anything else. If I should decided to get the 4.10 since they will have the rearend completely brokedown should I have them put synthetic back in.



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F150 4x4 XLT Supercrew 5.4 3.55LS 17"wheels medium graphite interior skid plates tow package

 

The warranty voiding on the axles is one reason I plan on having the dealer do it before I take delivery of the truck, since work done at a Ford dealer is guaranteed as long as you own the vehicle (I believe). Also, the $1000 cost can be financed with the purchase price (actually, with an Auburn LSD it would be more like $1300...but not really any more cost in the end if order the truck W/O the factory LSD). Also it keeps them from bitching about reprogramming the computer to compensate for the gears.

In the other forums on this site people seem to complain that the RT/S grip very poorly compared to other tires out there (even Goodyear's own AT/S). Plus they are passenger car "P" rated tires, not light-truck "LT" rated tires, so the sidewalls are much weaker (big disadvantage towing and off-roading).

Oh yeah, the stock rear axle comes with synthetic lube from the factory (and new Ford synthetic axle lube is VERY expensive from the dealer). I do not know what is in the front axle though.

[This message has been edited by RPFB (edited 05-27-2000).]

 

When I checked about haveing the dealer perform the gear swap they have no problem with doing it. As far as the warrenty they said no factory warrenty and that the only warrenty would be that of the Ford Motorsport parts. I don't think that covers labor.

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F150 4x4 XLT Supercrew 5.4 3.55LS 17"wheels medium graphite interior skid plates tow package

 

The swap, if done by the dealer, wouldn't be covered by the waranty on the vehicle. It would be covered by the guarantee they have on the work that they perform. I'll have to check again, but I think it is the policy that Ford dealers guarantee their work as long as you own the vehicle.

 

Thanks for the good info guys. I'll talk to the service guy this week to see what the deal is. A friend and I could do the install, but it'd be worth the extra $300-500 in labor to not have any warranty headaches down the road.

jC.