I bought the STX 4.6 today. The only towing I'll ever do will be my 5x8 cargo trailer. Will it be able to handle that?

Looks like those of us with 4.6 bought worthless underpowered pieces of junk that will have absolutely no resale value in four years when it's time to trade again.

 

You're exaggerating but it will be quite a bit less in the end. I found when I bought my XLT 3 weeks ago that the free $1245 "Tow and Go" package was just about impossible to pass up. It made it possible for me to get a bunch of other options I would have otherwise had to pass on. The difference between my 98 4.6L and this 06 5.4 L is night and day. But even with the 4.6 I towed my 24' Shasta 5th wheel all over Arizona even up to over 6,500ft altitude on the east side of the state, although it was huffing and puffing and had absolutely no guts there. I can't wait to get the hitch mounted in the new one and try the same trip again this summer for a comparison.

 

no prob hauling the 5x8 trailer. been there done that.

 

is300 has a good point...depends what your use is. Just as a truck...the 4.6 goes fine. Any access you add only adds to it. With my 4.6 I towed a 27' 7,000 lb. camper through the hills of PA. and up and down the east coast. I died on the hills even at 75mph from the bottom. The access. I put on it helped somewhat, but my gas mileage suffered at 9mpg and less while towing. The step up to the 5.4 was a noticeable an improvement at stock. Has great off-the-start go, and the passing is excellent as well. I just put a K&N unit on it and now since you guys are talking about the Evolution unit, I think that will be my next investment. I think I am sold on it and at $340...you can't beat the price. The only thing that catches my eye as a potential problem is the mounting location; right by the drivers window. What about theft...smash and grab? Can it be mounted out of the way? I haven't really checked them out yet for other than a pier/dash mount. And Sean...I don't know of a Ford that will ever become a piece of junk, mate. Don't be so hard on yourself. Towing your 5x8 with it...you won't even know it is behind you! With the 4.6 I pulled a twin axle 4 position sled tailer with 4 Arties on it to Canada with no problem. Just the dead weight of the 27' trailer killed me.

 

The difference between the 2V 5.4L and 2V 4.6L in the 97-03 F150's was like night and day.

The difference between the 3V 5.4L and the same 2V 4.6L in a heavier F150 is closer to insanity.

 

Sean,

Enjoy that truck!

Also, don't get snippy with the guys who strongly suggested you buy the 5.4L. YOU asked the questions here so you're getting honest answers from all. Nobody said the 4.6 was junk, but all of the feedback sighting significant power increases and resale of the 5.4 over the 4.6 is perfectly valid - and good advice.

Enjoy

CMOS

 

Sean dont laugh just yet. i've never really used my head and thought the whole picture out. all this time i'm been using a 1/2 truck to farm with with the thoughts that it would keep me in a lower hauling bracket and keep me under Dot #'s and all that stuff. any Ala. farmers here know all to well whats going on right now. to make it short any truck grossing over 10,000 lbs now not being used for recreational use has to have dot #'s and a nam,e of the company "farm" on the side of the truck by july 1 06. so since this effect i figured i would trade my 05 FX4 4x4 scab in on a f250. the saleman came back with an offer of $18000 for my truck. i hit the roof, was walking out of the dealership and he stops me asks whats up i told he was'nt getting my truck for that much. after talking i saw the problem he had the appraiser appraise a 05 stx. after getting this straight he came back with an offer of $25000.
i'm still using a 1/2 ton for now, but as soon as they get their price right on their f250 i will be stepping up.

 

I have mentioned my 04 STX 4.6 here before, I from time to time pull my 6600lb camper to the mountains and back 3 or 4 times a year. True the hills are only 100 miles away too. The 4.6 pulls it OK at the speed limit. Wouldn't want to pull it cross country, but for going to the mountains a few times a year it works just fine for me. I have an Edge and Flomasters/true duals for now, maybe an intake is in the future.

 

I just tried to haul a loaf of bread while pulling a kids toy wagon with my 4.6 STX and it just wouldn't handle it. I sure wish I had the pulling power of the 5.4 not to mention that the resale would be thousands and thousands more. Then again, the 5.4 also gets 23-24 mpg. What a mistake I made........

 

Dream on,Dream on. Ok forget what everbody else has said. If your happy with your truck. Whocares what anybody else thinks. Your driving the truck others arnt. I have had a 302 in my 150 an it was plenty off power for me. If Im not mistaken the 4.6 has more power. An as far as beating the next truck to the light. Who cares there not dragsters. Good Luck with your truck. If the 150 had 900 HP an the next brand truck had 1000 hp. They would say the 150 is a dog. Do we ever have enough. We probaly never will.

 

Please let this thread die.

 

i I wouldn't trade my 5.4 for any 4.6! Resale is definately one big difference but over all the 5.4 gets my vote ! Money well spent! I had a shop and used to listnen to people complain about lack of power on 4.6's and want me to wake them up! guess what they spent more than $900.00 getting everything done and they still had a 4.6!! Buy the 5.4

 

The funny part of this is that I bet most of you 5.4 lovers never haul anything but yourselves..

Yeah, you really "need" all that power.

Another thing is that the STX trucks look better than the over-priced XLTs that you're forced to pay for just to get your beloved 5.4s. You XLT fans get chrome bumpers which get pitted and rusted two weeks after you get home from your dealership. You also have to pay extra to add chrome wheels because the standard wheel is steel which will start to rust before you get home. Aluminum wheels come standard on the STX. Another funny thing is that I hear 5.4 owners talk about their 12 mpg "gas hogs" and 4.6 owners tell of 17-19 mpg. Yet on this board the 5.4 owners magically get "close to the same as the 4.6" hahaha Yeah, good one.

Yeah, I guess it's the STX owners who are idiots.

 

Okay, I don't ever do this but - Sean, this thread has turned out to be a joke - on you, by you.

You came on this site to ask a question and you got honest answers from the members.

Then you turn around and mock them because they don't give the answer that you wanted to hear. Why even bother to ask for input when you really never wanted it in the first place?

Moderators, I hope you will lock this thread and save the bandwith for someone who is genuinely interested in the knowledge and experience that the members have to offer.


CMOS

 

Hey, don't get me wrong here. I appreciate all the help and advice here.

My comments were more tongue-in-cheek than anything. (Plus I had a couple already before I posted in celebration of the weekend).

The 4.6 will handle what I want it to do with ease and I can understand others wanting or needing the power of the 5.4. They may also get only a couple MPGs less than a 4.6. I guess all that matters is that we all got Fords and not junks like Chevys.