I took advantage of the Memorial Day savings over the weekend and traded in my 2004 STX with a 4.6 liter engine and 3.55 limited slip to a 2006 FX4 with the 5.4 liter engine and 3.73 limited slip. I wasn't sure if it would make much of a difference, but the second I took it for a ride, I noticed an immediate and substantial increase in power and I was barely on the gas.

I'm still in the break-in period, so no trailer hauling, yet. I'm fairly certain, though, that this truck should be able to handle my motorcycle trailer quite nicely.

I must say, Ford did a bang up job on this truck. I love all the electric windows this thing has to offer. The only problem is that I keep forgetting to close the rear sliding window! Other than a gravel driveway (where I coudln't resist the temptation to try out the 4wd) I haven't had a chance to take it off road, yet.

I'm really, really looking forward to many years with this truck!

 

Good luck with it!!!

My '97 F-250 w/5.4 and 3:73 gears handles my boat (4500+ lbs.) quite nicely. You shouldn't have any trouble with a cycle and trailer.
Just learn to keep a lite foot on the accelerator. Unle$$ you like to burn lot$ of ga$$$$$. I drive as easy as I can and still burn 40-55.00 (half tank) a week and I only drive 25 miles a day, round trip, to work and back.

 

Actually, I must say that my last truck didn't do too bad. It had some issues on steeper inclines, but all-in-all, I could barely tell the trailer was there unless I was trying to merge and the ramp was on an incline.

It's an open, tandem axle trailer with a 7,000 pound GVRW. I loaded it up with about 1.5 tons of wood last weekend and the 4.6 surprisingly did quite well, for the most part. Heck, I even pulled a 5,000+ pound boat + car out of the water once in 4WD low and barely noticed that I was pulling anything! (don't ask me why somebody with a small, front wheel drive car thought he could pull his boat out of the water).

For as well as the 4.6 performed for me, I have a feeling this should be great for my needs.

 

When I was test driving trucks, I could tell very little difference between the V6 and the 4.6 V8 in this truck. You won't regret moving up to the 5.4!

 

I'll agree with David since I've owned both engines in similar trucks. The biggest differnce is in torque - which you feel when towing or going up hills. The 3.73 rear end makes a big difference too.

 

and for those of us stuck with the stock 4.6, 4.56 gears make a world of difference

 

3.73 gears makes ur major difference. but everyone knows the 5.4 is better for towing.

 

Unless you have a 4.6L M5OD with 3.73s

 

I've got close to 200 miles on my new truck. Also went from the 4.6 to 5.4 and the difference is quite noticeable. I would have gone with another 4.6 but the gas mileage was rated the same and in the Northeast they were thowing in the tow and go package for free.

 

Yea i just traded my 04 stx in for a 04 lariat 4x4. awesom 5.4 motor and full luxury while towing my boats.

 

the 5.4L has decent power....but when you add exhaust, cold air intake and a chip of some sorts....OMFG ...hold on....i added a single in dual out exhaust, poweraid throttle body spacer, edge evolution chip, and an INJEN powerflow cold air intake to my 06 King Ranch F-150...holy crap.....i did all of this for about 1200 bucks....itll turn your 5.4 into a beast!!!