Yeh, that's so true! Don't know for sure when it happened but there came a point where what it's worth to others didn't matter anymore. Whatever it takes, Intensive Care Unit, Life Support, just get 'er done and me back behind the steering wheel.

Most of my time in the truck is on the freeway with little or no load so the transmission limitation isn't an issue. It does fine pulling me and day gear into the hills when the mood takes hold.

I had a little red Ford Focus as a rental when the truck was being worked on. More than one person, who's known me for a while, couldn't believe I went that direction. When they learned I wasn't coming out of the closet, and it was just a rental, the world returned to normal. Had a Vette for a while (besides my pickup) but old age, new fat and knees ruined from marathons made rolling out of the driver's seat on my hands and knees a little less sexy than I had mentally pictured. It's me and the truck now . . . to the bitter end. We take each other to our hospital of choice for repairs then it's back on the road.

Heading out to a movie now, "Star Wars, The Ford Awakens." Wife assured me of the title so I'm interested.

 

One more 5spd 4wd here. Not sure about the trans being weak, my truck has spent most of its life pulling a mastercraft boat as well as many loaded car trailers. Only problems I had was the differential exploded about 52k & was replaced with an Eaton Posi, & then it blew a plug out about 105k. Otherwise, Its been a real good truck!

 

Boy Howdy!! This keeps up we'll have to have a meet! Good looking truck. You're using your's a lot harder than I use mine.

 

Mine doesn't look as nice as cyclones. It needs a polish and wax. I'll have to post a picture or two.

Cyclone, how much weight do you pull with yours? Mine bogs down on hills when I'm pulling about 3000 pounds. I've never been able to figure out if there is something wrong with it. I have 3.55 gears.

Yeah, George, time for a get together.

 

My boat is 3600, and when we are camping I am loaded with firewood, lots of extra gas, & a few packed ice chests... I would guess close to 5000lbs. We go to a lake that has a 7% uphill for 3 miles, & I can pull it about 35mph in second. Freeway at 75 is no problem.

I think the heaviest load I pulled was a Chevy Tahoe on a trailer. Its no diesel, but it pulled OK.

Not sure if you noticed my signature but I have it superchipped. The site says its only about 9hp improvement, but it was an enormous difference.

 

My most common towing in the last couple of years has been a 10 foot trailer with a large Grasshopper mower with grasscatcher. It weighs over 1,000 pounds and the trailer weighs Almost that much. In the bed of the truck is a push mower, weed eater, trim, edger, blower and all the supplies.

I hit some pretty good hills on the way to town where the cruise control floors the pedal and it will make 55.

During the summer I make this 44 mile round trip once a week to mow our veterans memorial as a volunteer.

I think I have the truck running as good as it can run, so it is what it is. I wish I had more towing power, but this won't cause me to give up that jewel.

 

Just curious.... Do you gear down when climbing? When I am towing heavy, I usually stay in 4th, sometimes 3rd when climbing. Ive never been afraid to wind up the motor.

 

Sure, I use lower gears when appropriate. I was describing the difficulty climbing at 55 in high as an attempt to describe the lack of power.

I need to be able to tow a car hauler long distances, so I just don't think this ol' girl could do that. It's hard to imagine driving across several states using a lower gear so much.

 

I picked up my 97 F150 4x4 with the 5-speed manual and 160k miles about 2 years ago for $1700, had to put some TLC into it with suspension right off the bat. I have not been easy on her at all as I use this truck strictly as a mud truck, I have had to replace the slave cylinder in the tranny that was leaking a quart a week (when i still drove it on the road). Rear Diff rebuild after blowing the 8.8 apart-shredded pinion bearing- coming back from a trip to the woods at 75. Rebuilt the trans case after the oil pump seized and the Range fork sheared off leaving me stranded in Orlando (i had 4-low still but that wouldn't get me 100+miles home) on my way down to Redneck Yacht Club.

Anyway besides the issues it has had caused by me abusing it, I absolutely LOVE this truck! I'm at a critical point in it's life though where I am seriously considering if it is worth fixing the 4.6 2v that is in it(No compression, Tons of smoke - i can drive it around the block and it's still smokey when i get back to the driveway- unknown if head gasket or piston rings, if its the rings possibly cylinder walls too), or going with a 5.4 swap for more displacement and torque to build on.

Thing is I dont want to loose my Manual, is there any way to beef up the stock 5-Speed to allow it to handle more HP/Torque of the 5.4?

My local Ace-Pick-A-Part is having a 50% off sale this weekend and i am thinking to go pick up a complete Motor/Tranny 5.4 4v out of a navi they have sitting (if its 4x4-doesnt say on the site-, i'll be pulling the trans case too) for about 350-400 bucks. Knowing the Navi will have either the 4R100 or the 4R70W is it even worth trying to stay with a manual knowing I plan on beefing up the stock navi motor to I'm hoping 400-450 rwhp N/A (Cams, P&P, LT headers, Valve job... the list goes on)? or is that just gonna be another trip to the junkyard after my first run out in the mud?

 

I as well have a 4.6 that crapped out at 600k in a 4x4 and was wondering if the 5 speed would hold up to a 5.4 as it looks to b a somewhat simple swap.