I am looking into purchasing a new truck (ford f150 or 250 supercrew) but I want an off-road package.

From my little automotive knowledge I have come to find that there are two, maybe three, types of off-road packages:
4x4
Fx4
STX or Sx4 (one of the two)

Regardless, what is the significant differences between 4x4 and Fx4 and any other ford offroad packages?
I was told something about skid plates???? is one of them.

Please help me out and let me know which package will be best for me for a new ford off-road truck.

thanks,

Andrew

 

F-150:
Well normal 4x4 you can order with any trim package (i.e. XL. STX, XLT, lariat, king ranch) Harley Davidson is all wheel drive, not 4x4. Also the STX in the F-150 is 4.6l engine only. The FX4 package gives you a different interior, skid plates, 3.73 Limited Slip rear end, off road shocks (i.e ride rougher), Electronic Shift On the Fly (ESOF) 4x4 and FX4 decal. In a F-150 3.55 is smallest and standard axel. And the FX4 can only be added if you have the 5.4L engine, so it's not available with the STX.

F-250:
Same as above except you can order 4x4 in any of the packages. The FX4 package in a super duty only gives you skid plates, off road shocks, and decals. You also need to add the 3.73, 4.10, or 4.30 Limited Slip rear axel. But in a super duty the smallest axel you can get is a 3.73. If you get a super duty I would suggest getting one with manual hubs and manual transfer case. Many of the super duties have problems with there ESOF 4 wheel drive. (i.e. vacuum lines, solenoids, electric transfer case) If you do get an F-250 and plan to jack it up and use it off-road get the V-10 and the biggest rear gears you can get. Avoid the diesel if you plan to use it off-road they sink in soft soil, due to there extra weight.

But what you get all depends on what you do if you pull a lot of heavy loads (5000+lbs) get a super duty. Other wise and F-150 should be fine. Not saying that an F-150 can pull heavy loads, it’s just that the F-250 was made for it. Also realize that and f-250 weight almost 1500lbs more than a F-150. So a f-150 with 5.4 is a lot faster and has more get up and go than a F-250 with a 5.4L with the same 3.73 axel. F-250 IMHO is little better suited for off road than an F-150, due to more axel ratio choices, more power V10, and solid front axel, rather than IFS of the F-150.

 

i agree with you, Rogue, about f250 bein better suited than 150 for off-roading.

however, with my family we have come to terms that a 150 will be what i will have to get for now...so that makes it an easier choice. now what is your recomended suggestion in the 150 series for off-roading?

 

I understand your cost needs, you may still want to look at an older F-250 with a v10 they are great motors and there are many of them out there, pretty cheap too. There have been a lot of rumors about them getting bad gas mileage, but most of them get near the same as the 5.4v8 F-250.


As far as F-150's go if money is a concern, I would get an XLT and either add the factory skid plates as an option or just add after market ones later. The Fx4 Package is about $4000-5000 more than an XLT. I personally prefer the column shift over the floor shift of the FX4 if added. Most FX4 are floor shift some are not. I would defiantly add the 3.73 limit slip rear end. The FX4 shocks are a lot stiffer than the XLT ones. I like the ride of the XLT better than the FX4. Other than the FX4 only adds a little nicer interior and stickers. You can always add the stickers if you choose too. I was looking at the same truck you are about 6 months ago. I originally wanted an 04 FX4, but I couldn't afford one with low miles, so I stated I wanted a 04,05 XLT with the 3.73LS and figured I'd add the skid plates and stickers later. After test driving a FX4 and the XLT I liked the XLT better especially on rough gravel roads. The differences in interiors didn't make it worth the $4K-5K premium. Also get the FFV(Flex Fuel Vehicle) motor in the F-150 if you buy new, while ethonol doesn't make a differance now it may in the future, when the fuel is cheaper.


I eventually settled on my 99 F-350 PSD and I will never go back to half ton again. My dad currently has and 05 F-150 Lariat, it's a nice truck, but it's not for me. I find the seats of the new F-150's not near as comfortable as the older F-150's or the super duties. I love my super duty; there is a night and day difference between F-150 and the super duty. If you have a family, you will defiantly enjoy the extra room of the super duty. If you like to off-road I would seriously look at a used V10 over a new F-150. I have also heard the the 00-04 v10 are 2 valve and actually get better MPG than the new 3 valve motors. The 2000 V-10's have increase HP/TQ over the 1999's.

 

wow. haha. that's a lot of information. i am not quite as automotively inclined as i'd like to be so i'll give this a shot. You're telling me (aside from interior, shocks, plates, valves, etc, etc) the order in which "off-road" FORD trucks falls in is:
XLT
STX
4x4
FX4

To answer your questions, No, I don't have a family (of my own) yet, but I'm thinking ahead. Life gets rough working 45-50 hours a week and not having time for yourself so I figured I'd learn to (and hopefully enjoy) off-roading. I've never done it and I just have a perfectionistic flaw against getting a truck THAT dirty...so maybe offroad wont be my best option...BUT If i decided to get one I want one thats "worth" the money I'm putting into it but not super expensive that I cant afford it nor will fully use it. I dont need anything fancy like Fx4 with different (or better) ratios, stronger shocks, or more skid plates because I'm not planning on climbing a dirt version of mt. everest...maybe a mudd puddle here or there...so XLT will probably be my best bet.
I THINK my truck is a Lariot XLT [or XL]...I'm not sure, I may be wrong but i'll check and reply later if so. but i thought XLT was only a trim pkg. feature/option...which you also referrenced to in your previous post. How is that an off-road feature as well?

 

Ford has several packages and go in this order:
XL
STX
XLT
FX4
Lariat
King Ranch

They even started makeing a FX2(a waste if you ask me)

You can get any one of these in 4x4, but the FX4 comes standard with it(FX2 is only 2wd).
Noticed you mentioned F250s also. You can get a Lariat FX4 in the superdutys, but I'm not sure how they do that.

A good truck to look far would have the 5.4L V8, 4x4(either a regular 4x4, off road 4x4, or FX4) with 3.73 gears w/ limited slip(towing package).

The XLT would be mid grade, and works for just about anyone.

Also, don't look to spend a couple grand more just to get the FX4, b/c basicaly the only thing they have stock that other don't is skid plates(and you can get a XLT and optional skid plates). Suposedly they have better shocks, but the new models only have painted shocks w/ stickers(same shock), and a older model might have a slightly better shock, but they prolly need to be replaced anyway(don't last more than 50k miles).

 

I understand the order of which you can get the packages (also a Harley Davidson pkg is one,too)

Where you lost me was at this line:
You can get any one of these in 4x4, but the FX4 comes standard with it
As I'm typing this reply, haha, I just got what you meant that the FX4 "package" is 4wheel drive by default regardless of which FX4 you buy...haha ok.

However, It seems more (good looking) and cost effective for me to get the same truck I have 2003 F150 V8 Triton Lariot 5.4L SuperCab (ext. cab) ............but in a 4X4 model. HOPEFULLY, that's what you're saying that I can do.

 

You said you would like a 4wd, and I'm saying 4wds are great, and your current truck sounds like a good truck, just add 4wd, and you wouldn't need to get rid of it.

 

hmm...thats not a bad idea...one of which i didnt think of. i do think it'd cost more money to convert mine from a 2wd to 4wd b/c I'd have to add suitable shocks, add skid plates, get a new rear-end to have a different ratio, add an on-the-fly shifter, and no telling what else.

 

What truck do you currently have?

 

I have a 2003 F150 V8 Triton Lariot 5.4L SuperCab (ext. cab)

 

I guess of you like your lariat that's fine, an XLT is less money, the lariat, usually just give you leather seats, exterior looks, (i.e. different grill, power, heated mirrors, rear defroster glass, A/c automatic temperature controls) and the lariat package there again is usually 4-5K more than the a XLT. I guess if were me I would just add what I wanted to a XLT and be done with it.

 

Well, I guess this is LOTS more information than I bargained for...haha. Thanks all for your input, help and suggestions.

Andrew