My 2002 had the tray as well. The oil does tend to pool a little. You have to snake your hand up there with a rag and wipe it off or it will drip a little on your driveway.

 

I have the '04 new body style and it has the tray also. In my case the oil that drains from where the filter screws to the engine drains into the tray, but the back part of the tray has 2 places that allows oil to drain out and this tends to drip onto the differential cover (4X4) and then onto the ground unless you have your oil pan setting there to catch it. Maybe they have redesigned the tray (I hope so), but if you feel around the tray you will notice that there is a lip all the way around it, except the back 2 corners. I wish I had known this the first time I changed my oil!!! Now there is usually not much oil that drains out, most of it is in the filter. So if you don't turn your filter upside down it won't be too messy. You will still have to tilt the filter in order to get it out. I have not had any oil fill the tray and spill over the front, it all comes out the back. Just to be safe position the pan so it covers both!

If I were you I would try out your filter wrench on your filter to see if it going to work before you drain all your oil (especially if it is your only vehicle). The first filter wrench that I bought, never was able to grip the filter ridges well and just sat there and slipped and wouldn't budge the filter. I ended up buying one of those filter wrenches that clamps down on the end of the filter and that works for me!

Once I figured where the oil was going to drain and drip, I was good to go. Clean up wasn't too bad. It just took a paper towel or two to clean up the little bit of oil left in the tray and wipe down any other place the oil dripped on.

 

Hey Sarge,
To answer your question about the mess... No, there is not a bad mess with the tray, as long as your truck is level. (on a lift) If you crack open the filter and let it drain the oil flows down through the big round hole in the skid plate. Once the oil slows quickly unscrew and drop it in bucket. The tray is there to keep from spilling on the axle. 1 or 2 wipes later you're ready to install new filter. It gets easier with each time. I just did my 12k oil,air, and rotate 3 days ago which was easy now. Just a note though, the first factory filter was so tight, my filter wrench crushed it trying to get it out.
Also, I use a fram PH2 ($4.00) filter with the grippy end and 7 qts of motorcraft synthetic blend 5 w20 which is available at any wallyworld for 15 bucks or so. I figured that is what ford puts in the truck so i'll stick to that. Have fun doin your first oil change.
Let me know if this helps. Leon

 

Does anyone know anything good/bad about the Motorcraft Full-Synthetic Oil? They make full-synthetic in 5w20, 5w30, etc. etc.... Is it worth the extra money?

 

You can use synthethic oil if you like - they do offer superior protection. But the best protection/least money ratio is Motorcraft Semi-Syn 5W-20 with the 820S filter.

 

You use a fram filter