The size of the truck is only part of the towing "solution." For a travel trailer, sway is the problem, not weight. Yes, weight will play into the equation, but engineering solutions exist to make it less so. Eliminate trailer sway and you can tow with a lighter vehicle. Fivers don't have the same issue, that's why the tow ratings is always higher for 5th wheels than TTs.
I certainly hope that we don't go backwards and continue to buy huge vehicles to tow trailers. That's not progress. Can-Am RV in London, Ontario outfits cars and minivans to tow 30' trailers. No casualties yet and he's been doing it for 30 years.
I love my truck, too, but I'd much rather be getting 30mpg with my tow vehicle. If we continue to count on big, gas sucking engines to do our towing, the RV industry will be dead in 5 years. I don't see that happening. We're smarter than that.
My truck does not get beat around or abused, it has an automatic, A/C, power everything, and only a 5.5' bed. But I tow my 27' travel trailer with it. Is that real truck use? Let's see you do it safely with a car!
People have been using trucks for a variety of things since they were invented --- not just for the farm, but also for transportation, racing, carrying the family around, hauling of heavy items, towing the boat to the lake, towing a recreational trailer, loading the back with items from the store, carrying tools, carry equipment from chain saws to computers, etc. Saying the only real truck owners are those using them for traditional redneck, rural or blue collar income generation is like saying real houses have wheels and metal skirts.
I quess I have to agree with you. Somewhere along the line the target market for trucks shifted from working people who used them to those who wanted them as a status symbol. Why do you think SUVs have exploded in popularity. I have to add one more thing though. How many new truck buyers chose not to buy a manual because Ford only offers it on the gutless v-6. Ford has that figured out. Only offer a manual on a gutless engine. The buyers buy the bigger engine w/ auto. Then Ford can claim theres no market for manuals. Who do they think there fooling. What itv comes down to is FoMoCo what a one size fits all truck. One engine, one tranny, one body configuration etc, And they wonder why they are hurting money wise.
Well, I am still hoping for the manual transmission options. When is the Detroit auto show this year? Also, since were on the subject of drive train here, how about a gear driven transfer case instead of a chain driven one?! Now Im just asking way to much ain't I?
Why would ford trade the old 300-6 for this PIECE OF **** V6? And the tried and true 351 push rod for the problem prone 4.6/5.4 POS. And trade the BRUTE BIG BLOCK 460 for the 6.8L V10? And then they let Navistar kill their And I know this is a truck page but the why drop the 302CI Push rod engine for the Complicated 4.6 in the Mustang? I have my own theory on this but Im going to see what others say first.
what is problem prone about the 4.6 and the 5.4? Only problem I recall on the 5.4 is the sparky's dang near weld themselves in there. Dont no of any with the 4.6? I have a 4.6 its not a beast by no means, but I no it will run till the day I decide to get rid of the truck. If Ford would offer a hand shaker behind either one of those motors and with a driver who knows how to drive you could work it untill the wheels fell off then just replace them and keep on chuggin.
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-Josh
04 F150 4.6l 2wd reg cab XL 3:55 LS SISO Flowmaster S40 NCD Customs 2.5" Leveling Kit Burner High Power Fog Lights
what is problem prone about the 4.6 and the 5.4? Only problem I recall on the 5.4 is the sparky's dang near weld themselves in there. Dont no of any with the 4.6? I have a 4.6 its not a beast by no means, but I no it will run till the day I decide to get rid of the truck. If Ford would offer a hand shaker behind either one of those motors and with a driver who knows how to drive you could work it untill the wheels fell off then just replace them and keep on chuggin.
I know of several guys back in Camp Lejeune with F150s with 5.4 and every time it rained water would get into the plug holes and it would rust the plug in. Some of them even had plugs pop out of the head. The 4.6's had alot of issues with the timing chain tensioner and same moisture problem. Even my damn expy EB with 5.4 I had these very same issues. So I traded it for a new jeep wrangler 4 door 4x4 WITH A 6 SPEED!! I know of several guys with 4.6 DOHC motors with the aluminum blocks and the rods would let go on them and go through the side of the block. These engines were stock. Drivetrain had some mods. News Gears and maby an exhaust. The only good 4.6 was the 03-04 Cobra motors with the Iron Block. If you hit up some of the mustang forums you can even read about these problems all over the country. I will not be buying a new ford anytime soon. Not because I cant, I just wont.
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