They're not lining up around the block to buy tacomas, frontiers, canyons, and rangers.....they're still buying tundra's, silverado's, rams, and titans....not to mention F-150's


Watch this link.....then tell me you don't need it to be tough... The All-New 2009 Ford F-150 Pickup Truck | Ford Vehicles


Ford's never offered 19 inch wheels on an F150.....but you do need 17 inch wheels to clear the brakes....although i suppose you want smaller breaks to help with that 1500 lb diet....



Again....take a look at the link above...toytoa does hydroform their rails....and toyota does darn good engineerring (usually) if they can't do it, what makes you think ford can build the same strength frame without boxing or going to a much heavier c channel?

Actually you think they're way off base with what YOU want.....maybe you need to be hanging out in the new F100 forum....that sounds much closer to what you're looking for.....


PS....i'm still waiting for that active politician who is calling for 5 dollar a gallon gas.....

 

Dude, this is where the F-100 would really shine, but it appears based on a post from a person close to FMC that the F-100 is a dead issue. Ford is going to take a bath on the Raptor and it's decision not to expedite a different power plant for the F-150 and base engine for the SD. I don't believe the 6.2L is the answer. A version of the Cobra 5.4L would more than meet the competetors head on.

The F-150 is Ford's bread and butter, they cannot afford to go cheap on this truck.

Tim

 

Somewhere I saw that a reg cab 4x4 weighed in a 5K. Correct me if Im wrong about that. Yeah, its too heavy but trimming 1500 lbs off is not realistic. For Gods sake my Mustang weighs 3450!

I was a supporter of the F100 but apparently there is not enough difference in fuel economy to justify it at this time. Other than buying a 4 cylinder ranger or something similar there is no real world gain in FE over a full size. 25 mpg just seems unrealistic at this time. If it was, somebody would be making one.
I guess a 4 banger ranger might fit the bill if you dont need the room or extra power. They will do a lot of work cheap no doubt but dont try to hook up a travel trailer or something like that to one of those little guys. What Im saying is that the technology does not exist just yet. Just my opinion of course.

 

so you need a truck bigger than the ranger but you want it to weigh as much as the ranger?

 

Is that why the ranger is getting discontinued?

 

What I don't understand is why fonefiddy seems to think that a downsized F150 would sell so much better.

I mean, lots of us have mentioned the fact that the "mid-size" truck he's looking for is already manufactured by other automakers, such as Dodge, GM, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda. The only thing they DON'T offer that he wants is an 8' bed, which would probably sell about as fast as a Double Quarter Pounder with cheese at a vegan convention. People that want a mid-size truck are often turned off by the size and maneuverability of a full-size...hence the shorter beds.

And NONE OF THEM WILL GET 25 MPG!!!!

How 'bout this...a 4 cylinder Ranger, while they still make 'em, and THIS! Carry-On Trailer 5'x8' 2000 LB GVWR Steel Floor Utility Trailer

25 MPG...8' bed...NO POWER...seems like right up your alley!

 

How do You figure the can't get 25 MPG? If they claim 20, now. Lose some weight, and wind tunnel the thing. 25 MPG should be relatively easy. Hell, the 80's trucks could just about do it.

Times are achanging, If Ford is to ignorant to see it, I doubt they'll be in business much longer. Why offer 2 F250's? Stoopid, if You ask Me.

 

I don't see anyway they can get a 25% increase in MPG's with this current engine. They don't even get close to 20 MPG now for starters. The truck isn't aerodynamic and to make it more so you would have to alter the front end and lower the cab eliminating space.
How do you suggest Ford goes about trying to take weight off the F150?

The frame needs to stay like it is.( Fully Boxed) Maybe a lighter metal could shave off a few pounds.
Where can weight be eliminated and just how much do you think they can cut out before it has the frame/body build quality of the current Tundra? Maybe a lighter metal for the engine block?



What it really needs is a better engine.

I think the Ecobooost will help. It will be much more effiecient than the 5.4 and it will have 30-60 more HP and get a few more MPG's.
Bring on the 5.0 Ecoboost.

 

weight saves Mpg at lower speeds, and has less of an impact at high speeds. the opposite is true for aerodynamics.

Look at a crown vic. those barely get 25-26mpg hwy; and they're about 4000lbs. Essentially, if you want the F150 to get the mpg of a crown vic, with a v8, you're looking at a ranchero/elcamino style truck. Hate to say it, but the 4cyl ranger is more of a truck than that.

And they have wind tunnel'ed the 09 to the point it's got the best coeficient of drag out of the half tons already. Any more and it'll look like an egg... Do you have anymore suggestions for Ford that their engineers didn't think about yet?

 

Have You seen the Ausie Falcon? It can tow quite a load.

Heck, David down in the IDI section claims 20MPG @ 70 MPH with his 85 F250 IDI turbo.

If a shadetree'er can accomplish that, why in the heck shouldn't a multi billion dollar corporation be able to accomplish more?

 

Wow...Excaliber and I actually agree on something!


I don't think the EcoBoost engines will be the huge improvement that some are expecting. Don't get me wrong, I expect that you WILL see definite gains, mainly due to the smaller displacement engine. Remember, though...you'll still be spinning two turbos, which in and of itself is inefficient. A twin turbo 5.0 V8 would likely see NO efficiency gains from the current gen 5.4...but it would be one heck of a motor.

He gets it! We're dealing with hundred year old technology, people! The gasoline powered internal combustion engine has been around for LONGER than any of us has been alive. It is one of the most INEFFICIENT forms of power on this earth...and it's not getting better any time soon. Oh, they have done really amazing things with this technology...but the one thing it'll NEVER be is efficient. When you lose over 60% of your energy due to HEAT, it truly is amazing that you can move a 6,000 lb truck down the road for 20 miles on one gallon of fuel.

And what's wrong with your Ranger/trailer combo?

Let's go down the list, shall we?

Dodge Dakota: 4790 lbs curb weight; 7,000 lbs towing;...14/19 MPGs

Honda Ridgeline: 4540 lbs curb weight; 5,000 lbs towing; 15/20 MPGs

Toyota Tacoma: 4115 lbs curb weight; 6,000 lbs towing; 16/20 MPGs

Chevy Colorado: 4270 lbs curb weight; 4,000 lbs towing; 15/21 MPGs.

The only one here that got over 20 was the Chevy, which happens to tow the least. Here's your half ton of the future...the problem is that it WON'T DO ANYTHING WELL. Can't tow much, can't haul much, is SLOW(17.3 sec. 1/4 mile)....and will NOT achieve your magical 25 MPG figure.

And what do you call these shining examples of mediocrity???

 

I get 22 out of mine on the highway. Thats getting mighty close

 

Ok I give up. All of You naysayers are right. The new Ford F150 is the best that Ford can, and will ever do. I guess I'll just get in line with all of the other lemmings.

Thanks for converting Me into thinking that the New F150 is the best new truck available.

Now, I'll shut up and go out and build my OWN truck. Heck, in order to get a fuel efficient 1/2 ton truck that's what I'm going to have to do, anyways.

 

That's a GREAT idea! Seriously!

A few months ago, we were going at this same subject, and I believe you stated you could build a 1/2 ton that would get 25 MPGs and still tow 7,000 lbs.

If you can build it...hell, I'd buy one!

Just tell me where, when, and how much!

On edit: Maybe not such a good idea...you'd be the much-loathed, lampooned and ridiculed multi-millionaire CEO of a company....

 

You complain about the ranger having a too short of a bed and you use the Falcon to make your point? I think the question is have YOU seen it?

There are a few things a shadetree'er can do that multi billion dollar corporations cannot. Like get rid of emissions and junk. Like not worry about safety ratings, comfort, and the rest of the world that in the year 2008 expects to have air conditioning, power windows and a headliner.

Write to you congressman, tell them you think the EPA is horsedung, and when those ridiculous restrictions are lifted, esp for diesels, maybe we'll get more efficient engines out here...

Keep us updated, let us know how it passes NHTSA and EPA tests, and how it competes with the current half tons.