All,

I posted this in the "axle,diff,tranny etc." section, but thought I'd try here too.

I just bought my wife a 2004 F150 Fx4 with the 5.4L motor. She has her eye on some upgrades so she can go wheeling and run down mustangs... What is the current thinking on axle strength with a Roush superchager, 6" Fabtech lift running 35" tires and perhaps a locker in the front?

We are not looking at desert racing or anything of the sort, just a capable off-road rig that'll scoot up the on-ramps. Besides questions about axle strength, how strong are the tranny and transfer case??

Don

 

your still not going to run down mustangs....especially with a 6" lift and 35" tires....

but it should work just fine

 

if you do get the supercharger and a good exhaust and tune, you'll be able to play with Mustangs.

as for the lift, the stock drivetrain is more than strong enough for 35" tires on 6" of lift. You'll wear out tie rod ends and steering knuckle joints, but that is true of any 4x4 that's lifted. just don't do anything truly stupid, and the truck can handle most anything you throw at it.

if you do get a locker in the front, get the trac-loc. it acts as a LS when not engaged, and can still fully lock up. or just put one of their LS in the front.

 

You might be able to play with a six cylinder Mustang. Remember, the more you weigh, the more horsepower is required to move that weight. Twice the weight means you need twice the horsepower!

 

yeah, a friend of mine has a 5.4 F-150 with a supercharger on it....stock tires, 373 gears exc....and he can't stay with any V8 mustang.....a V6 yeah...those are dogs but no V8....

 

Stock Mustangs are pretty slow guys..lol


I would think a supercharged 5.4 F150 should get it into the low 14's if not high 13's at the track, no? If so, it would walk most Stangs all day long.

 

OK OK, forget about the mustang quip, that was offered tongue-in-cheek. What I am after are informed opinions about the durability of the overall driveline given the hp and tq from a supercharged motor applied through a 6" lift and 35" tires.

How strong are the axle components in the front end, especially with a locker. Are the joints strong enough for moderate wheeling over rock. How about the rear-end, are the stock axle shafts breaking on people? How about hubs and transfer cases etc. What are the failure points??

 

people don't play with these things like jeepers do. I don't know about you, but I paid too much money to take my truck into the rocks. Mud...yep, no doubt about it.

as for moderate wheeling on rocks, I'd be more worried about body "art" occuring. these trucks are gigantic, and very prone to centering.

the vacuum actuated front hubs would be a concern for me, as would the IFS. you won't get enough articulation to be any good when rocking, and the front hubs seem like a disaster waiting to happen. if you're serious, I'd say change the front hubs to some nice Warn premium manual hubs, get a better rear diff cover, some serious skid plates.