I've been following this website for a couple of months and it is full of great information. The lack of petty bickering is most refreshing.

Any way my question is for any of you who have a 2wd and live in snowbelts. I live up in canada and i'm looking at getting a 97-98 f150. Will I need the 4x4 or do these trucks handle well on snowy roads with 2wd? Do I need limited slip?
Thinking of '97 4.6,3.55ls,s/c,auto.
Thanks...

 

North Man,

Get a 4x4 ....... there's no comparison. Mine desn't handle well in any snow even with the LS.

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Dunbarton "The Middle Aged Kid" '99 XLT SC SB 4x2 4.6 auto 3.55 ls The occasional Z-71 Eater! Wedgewood & Denim, SuperChipped, Airaid FIPK. Man, I got it all!

 

4x2 w/ LS will still yeild good traction, but on those real slippery surfaces, ala snow/ice, they tend to 'spin out' easy, especially in turns. Also easy to correct, however, spin nevertheless.

If you spend any time other than an occassional weekend in snow country, go for the 4BY. I feel they handle like sports cars and certainly like no other truck on the market!

 

I had problems with my 98 4x2 on wet roads from rain even with the LS. I hate to think what it would have been like on SNOW but we don't see much of that here in Florida; I got the 4X just in case...


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99 F150 5.4 4x4 ORP 3.73 styleside deep wedgewood blue ..no mods (yet)

 

Mines awesome in the snow. My 97' was crap though. I can punch it in the snow and the back will BARELY fishtail. Just slight movement. But, yes go with the 4x4.

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Fast46Triton


1999 Ford F150 XLT Supercab, Shortbed, 4x2, 4 wheel disc brakes/4 wheel Anti-Lock Brakes, Cloth Seats, Amazon green, 16" All season tires, Soft Tonneau Cover, CD Player, 4.6 liter Triton V8, 3:55 ls, towing package, 4 speed auto, K&N Airfilter
Future Mods:
1)Superchip
2)Airbox Mod
3)Gibson Exhaust

Speed kills. Drive a Silverado or Ram and live forever!

 

Thanks for the input guys. I guess I'll be looking for a 4x4. Now I have to choose between the f150 and an Explorer...

 

I have a 4x4 Chevy and a 2wd 99 F150 with a posi rear end. Sure thre 4x4 has better traction in REALLy deep snow or mud, but a LS rear end provides plenty of traction for all but the most extreme conditions.
I own a cottage in nothern Ontario an a crappy logging road and my 2wd has done me well on all but one miserable ice storm day.Even then I went to the local salting station and they gave me about 1000lbs of sand which and I had absolutly no problem going up really icy, really steep hills.

 

All you need is REAL tires the stock goodyears are junk. Wheel spin and sliding all the time, Had LS installed all i gained were both rear wheels spining till I replaced the tires.

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97, 4.6, 3.55LS, Dk red 265/75/16, Leer cap, Rhino bed, rose wood dash, CD player,

 

I agree about the tires. The Goodyear tires will hydroplane on almost any wet surface. I have almost done a full circle just pulling out of a car wash. My replacement tires will be a real truck tire with an agressive tread and I don't care about tire noise.

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97 F-150, 2WD, Reg Cab,Flareside,Dk Toreador Red, 4.6, 3.55 LS, EGR Bug Deflector, ******* Bed Cover, Bed Liner, XL Full Length Running Boards, Air Aid Kit, Gibson Single Out Cat Back, Superchips, TransGo Shift Kit, Hellwig Rear Sway Bar, Hellwig 2500# Overload Springs

 

T Ellenberger: I sure would have liked to have seen that take off at the car wash. Some times you just can't get off that accelerator fast enough

I've found on my truck that most of the time the 3.55 w/Limited Slip will do the trick. But there have been occasions when I "had" to put it in 4x4 to get out. It's nice having it when you need it and not having to call a tow truck

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97F150 XLT SC 4x4 Flairside 4.6 V8 5sp Dk Toreador Red, 3.55LS
ARE tonneau cover, p255/70rx16 tires (came w/235), Superchip
Pioneer CD w/4 Polk Speakers & Clarion APA5240amp, skid plates
bed liner, side window deflectors, reese hitch, K&N air filter
40s-2chamber Flowmaster, Bosch +4 spark plugs, rustproofing
Better Built Stainless nerf bars

 

Good advice, I've had a number of 2 wheel drives and the best thing is weight in the back! Even in my 97 lariat 4X4 I used to put in 300 lbs of sandbags, using 2X4's built into a tictactoe board like you did. This year, I'll still put weight in the back of this one, mayve a little less since Ihave a spray on which is pretty heavy to start, just make sure you put the weight over the wheels, not in the back or the front of the bed. Oh, I am Canadian, been here 3 years and miss all that snow!!!!!

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David
'99 F150 XLT SC, STYLESIDE
4X4 ORP 5.4L, AUTOMATIC,
139wb, Rhino, K&N,
BugGuard, RainGuards
SHE SAID YES! SHE SAID YES!
SUPERCHIP MOD SOON!

 

Well I test drove a 4wd f150 and a 2wd yesterday. Here were my observations:

2WD....Good power but rather bouncy ride.Tromped on the gas to turn a corner from a stop and lit up the tires and did a little fish tailing before it got straight. If you do not modulate the throttle well your back end is gonna step out on you. Too dicey on a snow covered street.

4WD....Much larger. Not as much punch. Will need a superchip. Found it to have a good ride even on the highway. Felt much more stable even blasting down gravel roads in 4x4. Inspires more confidence for winter driving.Couldn't get the rears to spin.

Both trucks had 4.6l,auto,3.55 ls.

Ps. How do you guys find parking these trucks?Much bigger than the old minivan...

 

easier then a minivan! when I look back, I see the whole outline of the box, it's easy backing up, and I won't parallel park it often!

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David
'99 F150 XLT SC, STYLESIDE
4X4 ORP 5.4L, AUTOMATIC,
139wb, Rhino, K&N,
BugGuard, RainGuards
SHE SAID YES! SHE SAID YES!
SUPERCHIP MOD SOON!

 

NorthMan and all,

I did discuss this situation personally some months back with UKNigel who just posted here.

I should clarify this and UKNigel is correct: my truck with the passenger type stock 255x70-16 sucks in the snow. I have been assured by Nigel and others that a different/better truck type tire will correct the situation nicely with a 4x2 LS rear.

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Dunbarton "The Middle Aged Kid" '99 XLT SC SB 4x2 4.6 auto 3.55 ls The occasional Z-71 Eater! Wedgewood & Denim, SuperChipped, Airaid FIPK. Man, I got it all!

 

My trucks rides like its on air!

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Fast46Triton


1999 Ford F150 XLT Supercab, Shortbed, 4x2, 4 wheel disc brakes/4 wheel Anti-Lock Brakes, Cloth Seats, Amazon green, 16" All season tires, Soft Tonneau Cover, CD Player, 4.6 liter Triton V8, 3:55 ls, towing package, 4 speed auto, K&N Airfilter
Future Mods:
1)Superchip
2)Airbox Mod
3)Gibson Exhaust

Speed kills. Drive a Silverado or Ram and live forever!