One thing worth a mention is if you engage the rear locker on 2WD and the rear tires break loose the back end of the truck will slide out to the side. It can happen pretty quick if you aren't aware.

Bob

 

Before I say anything about my trucks 4x4 abilities... I will say, this is the best truck I have ever owned... Now having said that, the instant I put it in 4x4 or lock the rear diff, it becomes the worst truck I have ever owned... I jerks, it wiggles, it hops, it falls flat on it's face compared to any other 4x4 truck I have ever driven/owned..

 

Exactly;

Every Superduty I've seen on the lot here has the E-locker but only about half or so have FX4. I would (and did) make sure I got the E-locker but didn't feel the FX4 offered me anything I really needed for our usage. FX4 also includes "better" shocks and different tires.......but since those are wear items that get replaced anyhow and the hill decent would never get used, I didn't bother with it.

Cheers,
Dave

 

I'm guessing you come from light duty trucks and/or GM's?

Dave

 

You're describing typical behavior of solid axle trucks with leaf springs in the rear. When in 4wd they tend to have axle hop/wrap that can get exaggerated by loose ground as the tires gain/lose traction.

The 'falls flat on its face' is more likely user error, where you stepped on it too hard, had too much wheel spin, and the traction control took over, pulling power until you had no forward momentum. I had this happen once climbing a snow-covered mud trail on a hill this last spring, because I thought I'd try to climb it in 2wd (it was pretty steep). Half way up, truck pulled all power because the back tires were spinning too much. Put it in 4wd, turned off traction control, and walked right up it.

 

Yep, well said; his issue sounds like a combination of the solid front axle (which is a trade-off I'm happy to make) and the traction control. I turn my traction control off often in low traction conditions to avoid the computer deciding to pull power.

Dave

 

GM;s

I have driven 2WD 3/4 tons with posi-trac that do "better", and 4x4 3/4 tons that do much much "better"... JMO with 50+ years of driving on snow, ice, muddy trails...

 

I had an LSD installed in the front axle to reduce/eliminate front axle hop.

 

FX4 does include "better" (described as off road tuned) shocks but it does not include different tires. Like the E-locker, specific tires are required for the FX4 package.

 

If you're coming from GM's, you're used to IFS front suspensions that they went to in 1988, 1992 for crew cab trucks. Those didn't have front axle 'hop' anymore because of the completely different suspension. If you haven't driven a SFA truck since that time frame, you're looking at not having been in one for 40 years or so...this is normal behavior for a SFA truck, and eliminating the front axle 'hop' is mostly on the user. If it's hopping, you're doing something wrong.

 

Dual rear wheel trucks only have a limited slip option. No locker.

 

I guess I was not supposed to pull a trailer up a slight grade on dirt with 12”-18” of snow.

 

2 words...boat ramps

 

Shawnee1 nailed it. It seems that the FX4 package seems to be the most misunderstood package... The FX4 package only includes 4 things:

1. Skid plates (the only thing worth anything in this package).
2. "Off-road tuned" shocks, which many folks seem to think is really no different from the standard shocks, both of which should just be replaced.
3. A downhill descent button, which can be added for $15 and a free Forscan trial.
4. A fancy sticker that says FX4 instead of 4X4.

All of that for only $600! Haha...

But, as with most of Ford's packages now, you must add other things first, before you can add the FX4 package. On a SRW truck, you must first add 4X4, lockers and the AT tires (all at normal cost), and then you can add the FX4 package. But, those things are not part of the FX4 package. And unfortunately, starting in 2023, they took away the $100 skid plate ala-carte add on, so now if you want the factory skid plate, you must add the FX4 package since that is the only way it is offered. However, the FX4 may help with private sales later down the road as everyone thinks that it has added something special over a regular 4X4... lol!

 

I, the user must be doing something "wrong"... Like expecting the truck to go around a slight turn without it hopping, & bucking in 4x4 in situations where 2 Wheel drive becomes "iffy", thus I put it in 4x4... and... "normal", yea, in 1980 and older...