In less than a week, I went from telling people "I'm looking for a used F250" to " Find me an F150/7700 with a 4r100 transmission!

I appreciate all the information and advice. It is a good thing Kerry posted pictures of his truck and Chris posted the history because I was pulling my hair out reading all the truck flyers and surfing the net thinking "how the hell do you know if it is a regular F150 or a 7700. Duh, Rookie!!...because it is stamped right on the truck and the tag says GVWR 7700#.

Well, back to the search! Now, if I can find one in CT or RI I'll leave everyone alone...for now!

sp

 

Glad to help

Don't forget the "P" in the 4th position in the VIN. All non 7700's have an R. This is the brake classification letter for 7500-8499 lbs.

The 4R100 trucks will have "E" under the "trans" part of the jamb sticker

Then you have the 7 lugs and the 7700 badge.

Hope you get what you need, but may I recommend a brake upgrade. For some reasons these front discs and pads get eaten alive.

-Kerry

 

Kerry, Thanks! I can't really see this in the photo. Where is located on the sticker? I'm trying to make this easier for the guys trying to help me find one.

Steve

 

When I was looking for mine, since I couldn't do a filter on Autotrader I had to scan all the ads:

1FTP or 2FTP in the first part of the vin.

This is how I learned to read the vin #'s its about the easiest way to narrow down the search. Don't even bother if it doesn't look like above. Then you can look for the 4r100. I mean don't they all have them but Kerry's! ;+)

Good luck Hunting

Chris

 

Funny Chris, Funny I didn't request the 4R100 because I was under the impression that all 7700's had them... now we know otherwise.

Steve-
I know my picture isn't all too clear, especially with a 15" inch monitor or laptop (or reading glasses)
If you look right of center on one of the lowest row of letters you'll see a solitary "U." This "U" is for my trans code, a 4R70W. So right above this "U" is the "tr" label. If you go shopping and find a 7700, open the drivers side door and look at the jamb sticker on the door jamb. It should have all the info mine shows, with some obvious variations (VIN, build date, wheelbase, color, interior,...etc). In that "tr" location should be an "E."

To confuse you even more: If you look at a 2002 and newer, you may find a 4.10 geared truck in the 2 wheel drive models. This is the "B" option truck with a 1500 pound towing advantage over the 3.73 geared "A" option (13,500 lbs vs. 15,000 lbs). The axle codes are also found on the jamb sticker down there to the right of the trans code. I know a "B6" axle code are 3.73 gears and all stock 7700's from 2000 and 2001 should have that gear ratio and a limited slip. Info just to broaden your options...

Find one you like and you've got some questions, you know who to ask....

-Kerry

 

One more thing. Mine didn't come with a limited slip. When I was looking through the 2003 catalog, I noticed that you only get limited slip standard IF you get the trailer package. I don't remember if it was different for the B package or not, but with the A package you definitely had to get the trailer tow for LS.

 

Just got off the phone with a dealer about the truck pictured in my profile. It is a 1999 F250 LD vin # 2FTPX28L7XCA68 with 43K, 5.4L, 4 Speed automatic code E, tow package, 7 lug wheels, and new brakes all the way around for $17,995.

He said the GVWR is only 7200# instead of 7700# ??? Is this possible?

Also, why would you need brakes with only 43K on the truck especially since it has the "P" code classification for "heavier" brakes in the vin #? Going back to Kerry's comment about brakes: "Don't forget the "P" in the 4th position in the VIN. This is the brake classification letter for 7500-8499 lbs. ...may I recommend a brake upgrade. For some reasons these front discs and pads get eaten alive." Why would this "heavier" brake system have issues at all?

Can you translate anymore useful info from the vin?

I wish I could have seen the guys face when I asked which tranny was in it.
He said," the 4 Speed automatic". - which one? - they only made one! - no they didn't, can you do me a favor and look at the jamb sticker and tell me what letter is under the "tr" for tranny code? - sure, it's E. - thanks, that's the one I wanted, the 4r100 - how did you know that?? - my friends are good at this stuff, they told me!!!

Haha!! That was Priceless!

Thanks for the help, Steve:

 

Uh, just because the brakes are "bigger" doesn't mean they don't wear out like any other vehicle. 43k miles is decent for a set of brakes. I just did mine at 60k, figuring they probably wore out at 30k the first time. Besides, they don't feel bigger like the bigger brakes on an F350 do.

The master cylinder is bigger, and the pads and rotors are bigger. Incidentally they are the same as a lightning of the same year (master cylinder and pads, rotors are different because Ls don't have 7 lugs)

Not a whole lot else to say from the vin.
2- mexico
f- ford
t- truck
p- you know!
x- eXtended cab
2- 2wd (i think)
8-
L-5.4
7-?
x-1999 model

rest is a serialized number with a check digit

 

aldridgec you're close but no cigar
hmm I wonder how that saying ever came about?
anyway.....

2FT — Ford Motor Company, Canada, truck, completed vehicle
P — 7,001-8,000 pounds with second generation air bags
X28 — F-250 SuperCab, 4x4 (Styleside)
L — 5.4L, 2V, SOHC, EFI, V8, Gas
7 is a check digit
X — 1999
C — Ontario Truck (Oakville, Ontario)
The last six VIN positions are an alphanumeric code for the vehicle build sequence. This is also the vehicle serial and warranty number.

A00000-E99999 — Ford Division

 

Chris: You lost me (lightning of the same year) can you run that by me again? Also, the "99" F250 Light Duty does not have 7 lugs??

I'm still wondering about the GVWR. 7200 or 7700 on the "99". What have you seen? What causes the difference?

Talk real slow...I'm still learning!!

Thanks
sep

 

Whoops!

3 is Mexico. Anyone know what 4 is? I haven't figured that one out yet.

So I guess 2 is for 250? I could swear I saw some 7700's with 2's, but maybe they had 7 instead of 8 for 2wd. Oh well. I did pretty good for no real info.

Glad someone has the real info! Most of the vin decoding is what I had matched up to the real truck from looking at so many different vins! That and some scan tool info (now enter 3rd vin # and so on)

What I was saying about the brakes

I think the normal master cylinder is a 1.125 bore and the 7700 is 1.25 (1 1/8 to 1 1/4). The Lightning uses the 1.25 bore cylinder and the same pads. However, the Lighting doesn't use the same rotors, because they have 5 lugs instead of 7 like the 250/7700. This was just a quick observation, so there may be some differences details I missed.

 

A "4" at the beginning is something that is used on Villager vans and maybe other cars too but I dont know which ones off hand. The Villager is a Nissan made in the USA, a joint venture between Ford and Nissan basically. Not sure why they went with the number 4 though. I guess just to distinguish between a real Ford and a wannabe Ford
This is a breakdown of the 5th through 7th digit in the VIN of a 1999 F150/250LD. An F is always a regular cab, X is a Supercab, W is a Crewcab....which of course wont show up in a 1999 F150.
F07 — F-150 Regular Cab, 4x2 (Flareside)
F08 — F-150 Regular Cab, 4x4 (Flareside)
F17 — F-150 Regular Cab, 4x2 (Styleside)
F18 — F-150 Regular Cab, 4x4 (Styleside)
F27 — F-250 Regular Cab, 4x2 (Styleside)
F28 — F-250 Regular Cab, 4x4 (Styleside)
X07 — F-150 SuperCab, 4x2 (Flareside)
X08 — F-150 SuperCab, 4x4 (Flareside)
X17 — F-150 SuperCab, 4x2 (Styleside)
X18 — F-150 SuperCab, 4x4 (Styleside)
X27 — F-250 SuperCab, 4x2 (Styleside)
X28 — F-250 SuperCab, 4x4 (Styleside)

 

Great price, but he could probably go about $1500 lower if you talked him down.

Yeah it possible, it's those durned 250's... it could be due to a lower axle ratio, possibly a 3.31 or 3.55, or the springs are rated at a lower capacity. Snow plow prep was an option and not standard, so the front springs may be lighter duty. 250LD's had a much wider range of options than the 7700's, like a 4.6 and manual tranny IIRC. The 7700 is strictly a 5.4 with auto and snow plow prep all standard. You get a choice on some of the interior gizmos, and standard (8ft bed) or supercab (6 1/2 ft bed) models with any trim package (work, XL, XLT, Lariat), and a few exterior gadgets (towing package, steps, bug guards....)

Whoops... my numbers were off, thanks Dave- that brake classification was 7001-8000 lbs as he stated. Ford, as does any vehicle manufacturer, wants to make money. They make things to wear out. Forntunately, the brake system can handle a heavy load, but the pads and rotors just wear a little faster than I'd like. My truck needs new rotors and I installed the second set of pads the truck's seen in under 50k miles. I've had older vehicles last into the 40k mile range on a front set.... with towing involved.

Looks like the others have done a pretty good job. I'll leave it alone.

Good for you, I think the sales people need to learn about/from the customer every once in a while. We aren't idiots and we know what we want. I'll never forget the look on one salesman's face when I showed up with my new truck from a competing dealership. This guy argued with me about, of all things, the manual shifted transfer case option (which still showed up as a standard item in the marketing books for 2003). Told me Ford didn't offer them after '99 on F150's. I opened the door and said "what's that?" pointing to the shifter... He just stared like a moron with his lower jaw open for the flies, so I hopped into the truck and left ... priceless.

I'm glad we can all help each other out.
-Kerry

 

Kerry,

Went to look at that truck, It was JUNK!! The guy could have said he'd trade me that one for my older F150 and I would have laughed at him.

The whole under carriage was a rust pit, almost like it had sat on the beach for an extended period of time. I say this because it was fresh rust. I crawled under 3 others to see if I was crazy or being too picky. As I had said earlier, they had just put on new brakes but the rotors were pitted and still rusty. The rear end housing had a been leaking pretty good. The engine ran good till I hit 55/60 then she was hacking and coughing. Big swirls in paint on passenger door and more scratches down the same side. Hood was a bit out of whack or maybe it was the whole nose piece but I was too disgusted by then to even care.

Well, the search continues.
Steve

 

Search on my friend... you'll find one eventually.

My truck is rusting pretty good underneath as well. I'll need a new exhaust (and this one is only a year old ) soon, the rust is so bad. I haven't put it through salt, but maybe BC's highway dept uses it (Dave?). I've put most of the scratches in the truck myself on my trips through the woods.

-Kerry