I would like to introduce myself, My name is Rik, and I recently moved over here from England. I have just this week bought an F140-7700 (2003) with 60,000 miles on the clock for 13, 900, is this a good deal? Being from England I have not really grown up around a lot of Pick-ups, as seems to be the case here! Just wondering what the specs were on my truck? I know it is the lt version of the F250 with a greater towing capacity than a standard F150, but not too much about the other technical sides to it. I am mechanically minded and have always played around with cars, so I have a bit of knowledge about certain things (bit being the correct term!!) I have looked and checked all my fluids under the hood, and they all seem fine, I know the coolant needs to be changed as it is getting a bit brown and cloudy, which coolant is the best to use? Also I have noticed a gurgling (for the want of a better term!)type sound coming from behind the dash/under the hood on the passenger side after I stop my truck, (doesn't seem to happen all the time) what is this? is it a 'normal' thing? Also it seems to run at about 2,500 revs at about 70-75 MPH is this too high? The truck seems to run really well and I love it! Any other mod's or issues I should be aware of to better my truck, and maybe the MPG? I am sorry if I am repeating a lot of things that have been done to death already, but like I said I am a complete Newby, so please go easy!!
Thank You in adavnce for any help or information!
Rik

 

Did I miss it, or what year did you say your truck is?

 

You missed it, its a 2003. As for the gurgling sound, my truck does the same thing, never paid much attention to it after I heard several others do the same. The 7700 is indeed a light version of the 250, so to speak, it is an F150 with beefed up springs and shocks, eight lug wheels and maybe a transmission cooler. Congratulations on your truck and good luck to you.

 

For pricing go here and plug all your numbers in and you'll get an ideal
http://www.kbb.com/

As for gurgling it's just the AC bleeding down from the high to low side....it's normal

As for the rpm make sure the truck is getting into overdrive, if not the rpm's would be about 400-500 higher.

I remember visiting England (fun place) back when I was station in Germany. What was really strange was trying to cross any street, never got use to looking in the other direction while using a cross walk either. Most of the time I'd just start running as fast as I could not knowing what side of the street a car was coming.

 

Welcome to the U.S. And welcome to . 2500 R's is no problem. Is your truck a 4x4? If so I'd say you got a good price. Rob

 

Welcome to the forum Rik

 

Congrats on the purchase - anytime you need the exact specs for the 7700, let me know. I tend to specialize in the technical side of this particular truck.

As far as the RPMs, check your door jamb sticker for the axle code. On regular cab, long bed 4x2s, a deeper gear was available in that 2002 & 2003. I usually experience my truck running at 2000-2200 rpm at 70mph. The 3.73s had 26 or B6 for a code. The 4.10 trucks had a 25 or B5, I believe... but I can't confirm those codes.

-Kerry

 

Thank you all for the replies! I should have been more specific I guess! It is a white 2003, 7700 extended cab 5.4L Triton XLT 4x2, with 60,000 on the clock. it has 7 lug nuts on the rims? (they have a Ford logo on the Hubcaps, so I am guessing they are original?) the tires are Wrangler LT245/75R16D and the rims (as listed on door jam label) are 16x7.0J? At the bottom of the door jam sticker are the following set of figures:

WB=139, BRK=B, INT TR=M2, TP/PS= (nothing listed underneath), R=5, Axle=B5, TR=E, SPR=R6, 2F5514=HOA.
I don't know what all these mean, but one of the replies referred to something off the door jam sticker? It also says on the label that the date is 11/02 so does that make it an 02?? The "gurgling" is more of a sucking noise is noticed upon further investigation, and it does seem to only happen when the AC has been running, is this still the normal sound mentioned in the replies? (just sounds a bit strange! I have never noticed anything like it on my wifes cars AC!) I am just worried the AC is on its way out or something? how do I know if it has a transmission cooler or not? (like I said to begin with, I am a complete newby to all this!) As for the over drive thing, I don't really know, I don't turn off the over drive with the button on the gear shift (am I correct in assuming this is for when you are hauling a heavy load?) and don't drive it hard, never really gets abouve 2,500 RPM before it changes gear, how many times should i see it change gear normally? Sorry about all the questions, like I said I am just trying to find my way around the thing, and make sure nothing seems to be on its way out until its maybe too late and cost me an arm and a leg to repair! Are there any common problems with this year or model that I should watch out for?
Thank You all in advance again for the answers!!
Rik

 

If it weren't in O/D at 75, she'd be turning more like 3500+. It's a 4 speed, but it mite feel like more than that because the torque converter locks between shifts too. You have 4:10's, which I think is good, but if you do a lot of highway travel not towing something, it's kind of not useful. Yup, 7 lugs, it's fun to get correct brake parts for. If you find a competent person behind the parts counter, they'll figure it out. Always specify that it's a 7700, or tell them it has 7 mounting bolts. And always look at the parts before you leave the store!! I got out to the truck last week when I bought rotors, opened the rears and they were fine. I decided to look at the fronts just be sure, and of course!! They were 5 luggers! Went to a different place to get ceramic pads, same thing, not only were they wrong, but they were used. You got a nice heavy pickup. Rob

 

Hi Rik,

You have the original parts as far as wheels and tires.

I suggested the door jamb sticker since you were giving what I felt to be higher than normal rpms at 70-75mph. It looks like my intuition is correct... you have a deeper gearing than most 7700s. For instance, I have a 3.73 gear, indicated by the B6 code on my door jamb sticker. You have the 4.10 gear with a limited slip differential, as indicated by the B5 code. I was under the impression that this code/gear was only available in the regular cab 4x2s... looks like I need to re-read the book. This is why your truck runs at a higher rpm than most... it's fine, but it will hurt your mileage by about a 1/2mpg over my truck in similar instances.

As far as the rest of the door codes -
WB=139 - actually it's 138.5," 4x4s have 138.8" wheelbase. I guess 139" covers them both.
BRK=B brake classification - hydraulic 4 wheel discs w/ abs (not 100% sure on this)
INT TR=M2 - 'M'-40/60 cloth front bench '2'-medium graphite on color
TP/PS=nothing - pinstripe and paint codes for graphics - you don't have one, that's fine - you don't have stripes.
R=5 radio code - I'm gonna guess it came from the factory with an AM/FM radio w/ single CD. I have a 5 code on mine, and that's what I have.
Axle=B5 10.25" Sterling (Visteon) w/4.10 gears & limited slip, 5300lb max rated, rear axle
TR=E transmission 4 speed auto aka 4R100 . same transmission found in SuperDutys and the Lightning.
SPR=R6 5310lb up front, 5560lb in back. These are the springs' static weight ratings the rear axle rating is actually lower, and the GAWR (gross axle weight rating) is even lower at 4800lb
Not sure about the 2F5 514 HOA, looks like an order code. I have a similar code.

The 7700s all came with transmission coolers, 4R100 equipped trucks have a 22 fin cooler, non-7700s with the 4R100 and a trailer towing package have a 14 fin. Those 4R100 equipped trucks without a towing package have no cooler.

Turning the button on the gear shift lever is more for towing and hauling, I use it for forced downshifting, as well. It's a four speed automatic, but most of the time it takes off in 2nd gear, the torque converter locks and unlocks in "3rd" and OD and feels like the truck is shifting, when it's not. I'd say if it feels like it's shifting four times from a dead stop to 65, then you're fine.

My opinion of the coolant and gurgling is, if you think it needs to be changed - then a good 50/50 mix (yellow/green, no dexcool) after a flushing of the system is fine. If you hear a gurgling and you do not a drop in coolant level, then you don't have a leak... it's your AC condensing. Drive without your air on and see if the sound goes away (kinda hard with weather as hot as it is).

Your truck, being a stock 4.10 truck, is even rarer than the rest of the 7700s. Like I said in a previous post, those gears were only available in 2002-2003 on what were called the payload option 'B' models.

Keep the question coming, we're glad to help.

-Kerry

 

Just take a look under your front bumber and if you see this, it's the power steering cooler




If you see this below, then it's a trans cooler

 

Sure 'nuff - we'll welcome a Brit to the group. There is a lot of info and a bit of opinion listed here - and all the help a person could want. From the hills of Tennessee > pull a plug, have a sip and enjoy.

 

Sounds like a party at George's place tonight....no bowtie's allowed

 

It locks in 2nd too, if you really get on it, or if you're pulling a heavy load. Very inconvenient as far as I'm concerned.

 

Thank you all for the responses! A nice warm welcome to the forum I must say! So what does the fact I have 4.10 axle mean? Can I haul more?? just wondering what the pros and cons are! One more questio! (for right now any way!) How much (Roughly) is a set of tires for my truck, and what are the best ones to get (best compromise between cost, traction, durability and MPG!) Thank you all again for the warm welcome! Special thanks to kspilkinton,7700Rob and racingjake for all the info!!!