Since your word isn't good enough...
I checked out Edmunds myself. Did a model to model comparison. A 1995 F150 Reg Cab XL SB weighs in at 3886, while the 2002 F150 Reg Cab XL SB weighs in at 3990. So for 9.8 more inches you get a little over 100 pounds.

By the way, the 4.6 gets the 8.8, the 5.4 gets a 9.75 and the 7700 F150's/F250 LD's get a 10.25. There is no 9.25 inch rear unless you're driving a Chrysler from the 70's.

Apple to apples, oranges to oranges. If you had the trucks stripped to bare metal, I'd bet the older models would weigh a heckuva lot more.

Edit- Ford never produced a 96 F150 model, you were reading the curb weight for the 95, checked all three myself... I have no idea where you got that weight from for the '99 unless it was the 4x4 Lariat. Gotta love Edmunds. The '95 was the last of the square nosed half tons. The 1997 models were produced from January 1996 until September 1997.

Can we move on now?

-Kerry

 

im a little confused. so ford never made a 96 f-150...interesting concept since there are so many around. not startin a pissin match here but maybe u made a type or something. i would believe the newer ones to be heavier due to more creature comforts, sound deading material, etc...

 

You know, I just figured that Ford wouldn't have produced the '96 since they introduced the '97 so early in the production year (January vice September). So, yeah, I typed something without knowing the true facts.

Many manufacturers have done this (skip a year) when they came out with a new model. Perhaps Ford over produced and rebadged '95s? I know it takes some doing to change out tooling for the next model year when it's a complete make over of the previous. I've heard of manufacturers stopping production in May or June to redo the lines for the next year. That's only with minor changes or if they over produced.

I can't tell you how many '96s were produced, but it couldn't have been many.

So, what is this? I was wrong twice in the same thread.... The newer trucks do weigh (only slightly) more than the older ones and they did produce a '96 F150. Man, I should quit typing while I'm still reading this.

At least I admit it... I hate those that don't

-Kerry

 

its all good, dont sweat it. i been wrong a lotta times...learn from ya mistakes...i still say the 300 is a better truck engine than a 4.6L

 

Ok guys, I have all three!

My truck is a reg cab long bed 300 with 3.55 rear end and a 5 speed. My step dad has a 5.4L auto with an extended cab and a short bed. My father has a 4.6L expedition. The expedition is obviously a lot heavier than both pick ups. But that thing is a dog. I can sort of rule that out of the comparison cuz when you're going down a hill it feels like you're in a loaded dump truck. The 5.4L has some nice pull. It goes fast. It also pulls well when its loaded. I've loaded up my 300 with crap when i was moving into a new house. It doesn't really mind having a lot of stuff in the back.

The 5.4L suffers from gearing. You can feel it bog down when there's a lot of stuff in the back. It cruises down the highway with ease though.

I will agree with most everyone else. The 300 is the better truck engine. It's engineered to be a truck engine, and in some cases overengineered. The intake is choked like crazy.

The 4.6L is better suited to be in a stang or crown vic.

The 5.4L contends with the 300 for a truck engine, maybe not longevity, but in power. The 5.4L has horsepower though, and that makes it better for driving around.

Its great to know that the 300 will go forever, and pull anything, but when you're goin down the highway with nothing in the back and wanna pass someone... well its kinda sloppy.

 

thats why ya gotta help it out a bit and add some bolt ons...mine has no trouble goin from 45 to 75 to pass...

 

Since your word isn't good enough...
I checked out Edmunds myself. Did a model to model comparison. A 1995 F150 Reg Cab XL SB weighs in at 3886, while the 2002 F150 Reg Cab XL SB weighs in at 3990. So for 9.8 more inches you get a little over 100 pounds.

I compared the two most heavily optioned models, a 96 Eddie Bauer and a Lightning. The numbers I posted are correct for those models. I picked the Lightning because I knew it off the top of my head and it shouldn't be that much heavier than a loaded F150. Regardless of what edmunds says, there's 700 lbs difference between my two trucks. The base 02 also has a 4.2 V6 instead of the 4.6. The comparison here is with the 4.6, which is probably at least 100 lbs heavier than the 4.2 with all the extra hardware. In any case the new trucks are heavier than the old ones, even if only by 100 lbs.

By the way, the 4.6 gets the 8.8, the 5.4 gets a 9.75 and the 7700 F150's/F250 LD's get a 10.25. There is no 9.25 inch rear unless you're driving a Chrysler from the 70's.

Oops, my bad.

Apple to apples, oranges to oranges. If you had the trucks stripped to bare metal, I'd bet the older models would weigh a heckuva lot more.

I don't like apples or oranges. Comparing the two trucks in my driveway, which are both the most heavily optioned available, my new truck weighs a lot more.

Edit- Ford never produced a 96 F150 model, you were reading the curb weight for the 95, checked all three myself...


You must not have checked very carefully. I know it's confusing, but if you go to their site and click on 1996 F-150, specs for a 96 F-150 pop up. Damndest thing I ever did see.

Regardless of what the book says the trucks weigh, the average 97-present truck probably has more options that the average 96 and earlier truck.

 

If you read my the post after the one you quoted, and since we've continued it this far, I did admit I was WRONG about which truck was heavier and the fact there was a '96 F150. As you have done with the rear end comment, I do own up to my shortcomings, too. I see your points, but I still hold my opinions about the 300 and 4.6... which was posted near the start of this thread.

-Kerry

 

TW, what kind of probs did you ever have out of a 5.8? I have had 3 and would not buy a truck that didn't have a 5.8 or a 4.9 in it, I can OUTRUN a Z28! and tow a house if I want. So I dont see where you can say tje 5.4 is in any way comparable to a 5.8 Oh and btw I drive a 92 1/2 ton van, wieghs about 3500 pounds..

 

I find that the OHC engines are all lacking in the low end department, I'm not saying pushrod engines are superior, I'm saying that the OHC engines need to be better tuned for low end power than they are. Saturday, I drove a 03 S-Crew 4x4 with a 5.4/auto, which probably weighs close to the same, or less than my F250(which is probably close to pushing 3 tons)... The truck was sporting a chip, cold air intake, exhaust etc..... Stock to stock, it has 15 HP more than my 460, with a 500 rpm higher peak, and, only 30 less ft/lbs at a 300 rpm lower peak(yes, the 86 460's torque peak was 2800 rpm), my 460 is stock other than an Edelbrock 750 that needs tuning, so, a modified 5.4 should be a pretty even comparison, even with the 130 cube displacement difference. I don't know if it was the slushbox talking or not, but, that 5.4 didn't seem to do much other than make noise when you stood on the skinny pedal at low revs, and, I've found that with all the 4.6's and 5.4's I've driven, but, I've never driven a 4.6 with a manual. My far from stock 300 powered 82 F100(reg cab short box 2wd, NP435/2.75 gears, 31x10.50's) probably would hang with it without a problem.
Evan

 

half of the get up and go feeling could be demolished by the springs and interior of the new trucks.

Going fast in a civic is a lot different than going fast in a porsche... if you know what i mean..?

 

HEY EVERYONE, SINCE I GOT MY NEW TRUCK I'VE BEEN HANGING OUT IN THE V10 FORUM BUT I DECIDED TO CHECK OUT THIS ONE JUST FOR KICKS. THAT'S WHEN I CAME ACROSS THIS THREAD COMPARING THE 300I6 TO THE 4.6 TRITON. THE ONE THING I NOTICED(AFTER READING ALL FORTY SOMETHING REPLIES) IS THAT NO ONE IS COMPARING EQUAL TRUCKS WHEN THEY SAY THIS DOES THIS BETTER OR THAT BETTER. I GREW UP ON THE 300, MY FATHER HAS OWNED SEVERAL AND SWEARS BY THEM. I TOOK MY DRIVERS TEST IN HIS '77 F250 WITH A 300 AND 4-SPEED. SINCE THEN I HAVE OWNED A FEW OF MY OWN AND I BELIEVE THEY HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES AS ONE OF IF NOT THE BEST MOTOR EVER PRODUCED SO FAR SO HERE'S MY IMPUT. IN APRIL OF '96 I BOUGHT A NEW '96 F150 XLT 4X4 REG. CAB SB 300I6 AND 5-SPEED WITH 3:55 GEARS. IN FEB. OF '98 I TRADED IT FOR A NEW '98 F150 XLT 4X4 REG. CAB SB 4.6L AND 5-SPEED WITH 3:55 GEARS. AS YOU CAN SEE THESE TWO TRUCKS WERE IDENTICAL IN EVERY ASPECT EXCEPT YEAR OF MAKE. YES THEY HAD THE SAME HEIGHT TIRES ON THEM AND I ALSO USED THEM VERY MUCH "AS A TRUCK". I REGULARLY PULLED 7000LBS AND AS MUCH AS 11,000LBS ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS.(YES I KNOW THAT IS WAY OVER RATED TOWING CAPACITY BUT ON THE FARM FACTORY RATINGS ARE ONLY USED IN MAGAZINE ADS) I LOVE THAT 300 BUT IN THIS COMPARISON THE 4.6 WINS HANDS DOWN IN EVERY CATEGORY. THE 300 GOT 15 MPG RUNNING EMPTY AND THE 4.6 GOT 18 GOING THE SAME SPEED ON THE SAME ROADS. THE 4.6 WOULD OUT PULL IT ANYDAY WITH ANY AMOUNT OF WEIGHT EVEN IF I KEPT IT BELOW 3000RPM. DRAG RACING THE TWO IN THE 1/4 MILE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY UGLY FOR THE 300. I ALSO EXPERIENCED BETTER OFF IDLE TORQUE WITH THE 4.6 AND STARTING THE TRUCK MOVING FROM A DEAD STOP TOOK MUCH LESS EFFORT BY THE V-8. THE 4.6 WOULD OUT DO THE 300 IN ANY SITUATION EVEN WHEN I WAS RUNNING 1000-2000RPM. YOU GUYS WHO THINK THE 4.6 IS GUTTLESS NEED TO TRY ONE WITH A MANUAL TRANNY. THOSE FORD AUTOS MAY BE GREAT FOR LASTING A LONG TIME AND NOT TEARING UP U'JOINTS AND REARENDS BUT IF IT'S PERFORMANCE YOU WANT EITHER PLAYING OR WORKING THEY ARE JUNK.
I USED TO DRAG RACE THAT '98 4.6 ALL THE TIME AND I NEVER LOST TO A TRUCK WITH AN AUTOMATIC. I COULD BEAT Z71'S WITH VORTEC 350'S AND F150'S WITH 5.4 AUTOS ALL DAY LONG IN THE 1/4 MILE. I'M NOT BULL$@#*!# YOU AT ALL. THOSE OHC V-8S MAKE A TON OF LOW-END TORQUE BUT FORDS JUNK AUTOS ARE TUNED SO THEY DON'T PUT IT ON THE GROUND. THAT'S WHY WE KEEP LOSING FORD DRIVERS WHO WANT PERFORMANCE TO THE GM TRUCKS. WISH THEY'D PUT A 5-SPEED BEHIND THAT 5.4 THEN WE COULD SEE WHAT TORQUE REALLY IS. YOU COULD FEEL IT SQUISHING YOU INTO THE SEAT FROM 2000-5000RPM IN MY TRUCK BUT THE SAME TRUCK WITH AN AUTOMATIC WAS STILL JUST MAKING NOISE AT 3000.

P.S. I HAVE NEVER DONE ANY ROCK CRAWLING SO I CAN'T COMMENT ON THAT .

 

considering the 300 I6 was over 30 years old by the time it was starting its demise and the 4.6 v-8 was only around for 4 or 5 years the technology factor takes a big part in it all also. if ford would have redesigned the 300 and added the same tech the newer motors have it will certainly be capable of outperforming most v-8s as a truck engine IMO if ford kept the basic idea of low end grunt and better fuel milage in the equation. they should have redesigned the head on it allowing for a better flow and some little others here. also i have to agree newer ford autos are just geared towards daily drivers and they really need to add a 5 or 6 speed in as an option for the 5.4s.