Looks pretty good, Im not too sure on the wheel arches yet, have to see one in person. I think IRS is a good idea if you dont loose the handling and load capacity of the solid Axle. The difference in ride would be welcomed.

95 Ford F150 XLT 4X4 --Superchip, K&N, Flowmaster full dual exhaust (no cats), Hard tanneau, Brush guard, lens covers, ventshades, Lund Moonvisor, Lund intorceptor, kick A$$ stereo!

 

ok, i still like my 99. but what about more HP and torque. did they add anything to push this truck faster without adding mods


he who drives fast on frozen lake at night pursues utter happiness without mudding up truck. catch a walleye not a cold.

 

>Personally I think Ford is heading in the right direction
>with this new generation. I was very dissapointed in 97
>when they came out with that body style. Fortunately my 90
>F150 is still going strong so that I can wait and save for
>the new generation. Not particularly crazy about the
>current SD either. Current Expedition and Explorer are
>designs that I think are steps in the right direction as
>well.
I too was disappointed with the redesign of 1997,it looked like a joke although the engineering was pretty good..but it was just too ugly.Ford needs to borrow a few styling cues from the Super Duty because its a beautifully styled truck.Restyling the F-150 would definitely give it more respect,and I hope Ford adresses the crash-test deficiencies of the current model.

 

personally i think ford stopped making trucks after 96.. the new ones are more like ranchero's the trucks.... i'd like to see something along the lines of 78-79 trucks.... maybe a 66-77 bronco remake again..... and irs has no place in a truck to me... anyone who uses a truck, like a truck , will soon be hung up with all that junk down in the way... with a solid axle, you know what you've got, you can load it up, and still have the same clearance... guess i'm stuck with my 79's

 

I have seen this pic a couple of times before. It seems to be what they are going with. From what i've heard, Ford did step up hp in both the 4.6 and the 5.4 to be more competitive with the new dodge and chev motors.

 

Well I think that a truck should ride like a truck, if you want a truck that rides like a car buy a Chevy. Thats basically all they are. I dont see why everyone wants IFS and IRS. True, they may ride a little better, but that can be accomplished in other places such as springs and suspension. With IFS and IRS, I see a lot more wear and weak points. More maintenance mean more expense for the customer and the manufacturer, depending if the vehicle is still under warranty. The new Super Duty's are what I call a "real" truck. Nothing beats solid front and rear axles with leaf springs in my opinion. Its much better than the front wheel drive car front end under most 4x4's. I hope Ford doesn't start using a frame like the new chevys use. The rear section of frame, under the bed is several short pieces welded together. Also their beds are either held to the frame by metal tabs, or some really small bolts. As far as styling I like the pre '97 F-Series the best. From what I see this new truck is going to look like some engineers wet dream. Just hope they leave the Super Duty's looking like a truck!



'90 F-150 351 AOD "The General"
'78 F-250 460 C-6 "Old Green"
'93 Mustang 5.0 AOD
'88 Jeep Cherokee 4.0

 

With some interesting views brought up about IRS, I have some food for thought. Have you ever seen what happens to IRS when it is loaded or towing or even plowing? It compresses. Thats why they make suspensions locks for ATV's that have fully independent suspension. Sure its fun on a 4 wheeler becuase it makes climbing bumpy hills easier and does soften up the ride. But when you need to use it for some work the suspension flattens like a tire. Thats why I think the new Explorer's are so funny. I have yet to see one pulling a 3000 pound trailer, or yet pulling any trailer. I don't know what these things are rated at, nor do I care, but whenever I see one with a hitch it is always the small class 1 or 2. And I don't care what anybody says. To me they still look like a minivan from behind. Now if they have managed to engineer independent rear suspension to handle loads and work like a solid live axle then more power to them. I still think it's wrong on a truck.

 

The IRS thing hear is very interesting here. Less you forget the Superduties use a twin-I-beam front suspension on 2 wheel drive models. Now i don't know if this changes its load capabilities but its used in a one ton truck. Now people should take a look at the TIB and the TTB for IFS and IRS(i don't think the TTB is a true IFS cause the differential isn't fixed) if they truely want it they should look at the TIB and the TTB because they are a proven design maybe not one the trail as much as a solid axle but as a daily driver.


Cody, Coutts Alberta

82' Flareside: zoom zoom doesn't even begin to describe it, 2/4 Drop, Soon to have 325hp 351 Clevo (maybe more,in a 3600lb truck)Backed by a C6 with a 2000 rpm stall and a 3.50 9 incher, American Racing AR-23 (series 23) wheels, Upgraded interior, Sony Xplod stereo

 

too much styling on the side for my taste, but the front looks good.

 

I think Ford is starting to get a chevy influence at least on the looks of the truck because it looks too fragile with all the plastic and thin metal. Ford had it right when they built the 70's fords they were for the most part kept simple sturdy and reliable and the look of the 78-79 is unbeatable. If you ask me they should go back to making the older trucks.

 

i have to a agree with theonlybull ford really screwed up in 97 when the came out with that ugly f150 it looked way to sporty like a truck thats been customized, it had none of the characteristics of the old truck the entire thing was diferent, my dad has a 95 f150 and i have a 95f250 and to me they look like real tough working trucks not like some little city boy truck. the change in 97 was just way to far, if it would have still looked somewhat like its predecessors then it wouldn't have been so bad. i've grown to kinda liking the styling of the superduties except they need to dress them up a bit, hardly any chrome at all! they need the chrome around the fender wells and a chrome molding down the side. and whatever happened to that beautiful shiny tailgate with ford spelled out. now all they are is painted with a little ford oval in the lower right corner and a badge in the left of what size truck it is. i just think the new ones look kinda cheap, the xlt lariats look no more fancy on the outside than the old xl's used to. oh and what about that pretty two tone paint with pinstriping that they used to offer now all you can get is the lower accent painted, just like chevy! i have know problem with the performance of the new superduties my brother has a 99 f350 with a v10 it sure as hell keeps up with my 460! and the solid axle in front on the 3/4 tons was an improvement from the IFS on mine. one problem i've found though is that the new ones don't seem to have as stiff of springs as the old. i know they want a smoother ride and my brothers is smooth but i know for a fact my springs can stand a heavier load than my brothers, we pull a 5th wheel trailer around hauling our dozer and when we load the dozer on the trailer we always drive it on and put it in the same spot for weight distribution and with my truck i have about 3to 4 inches from riding the axle my brother is lucky if he has 2inches! and his is a one ton vs. my 3/4ton. i'm not the only one who has noticed the weak springs a friend of mine bought a 2001 superduty 3/4ton and he know his dads 96 3/4 ton can haul more. but over all the superduty is a awesome truck it just needs to dressed up, a little chrome always makes a vehicle look good. and why shouldn't ford dress them up a little they've stripped them down from the old ones but has the price gone down? no way it just keeps getting higher. so like i said i like the old ones i alway get compliments on how nice my truck looks with its black and silver two tone paint and shiny chrome. until ford desides to dress there pickups up and make them worth the money they charge i'll just keep my old '95.

 

I don't understand why alot of you consider the 97 F-150's to be "weak trucks." I think this new F-150 looks sorta weak and whimpy. I think it looks like a doge-chevy hybrid. I like the 97" because the hood was still primarly flat, which is a feature I have always liked on ford. I love my 94 Ranger, and my friend 94 F-150, it had class, but you knew it was a truck. The 97' got a major redesign which did take away some of the meaness in the truck, however this new one sorta looks like a toy. Im not gonna pass a final judgment till I see it. Hopefully on the 10th (at the DIA show).

I am also VERY dissapointed at the Guage Cluster (from photos thus far however), and no Big Six Cylinder, or no Manual.

I love ford's, but it seems sometimes they try to please everyone and sometimes end up forgetting the job of the auto in the first place.