F150 questions

[rickyp]

I just got a 08 F-150  4x4 4 door cab, and right now it has less then 200 miles on it.
I have some questions about my truck and thought I would look here first.

I have a XLT but under the plate it has Triton. What does the Triton mean?

how do you know what side engine is in the truck? The window sticker showes a 4.6 ltr EFI V8

My front grill is the black honey comb style I really like my friends grill it is a chrome grill with 3 smaller panels.Is it passable to just buy a grill like his and use the same factory bolts from mine to mount it?

when I went under the hood I saw a Little radiator that sat about 7" in front of the big one. Is this an oiler cooler or just part of the truck cooling system?

I want chrome tow hooks, how hard will it to replace my black ones with chrome ones?

Thanks for the answers I am sure more will come soon.

[Graybeard]

I claim no expert status on trucks and for sure not new Ford trucks but I do know some of the answers.

Triton is the name of the engine line in current Ford trucks and has been for quite some while. I've heard more bad than good on them really but am not sure how much of it to believe.

If the sticker on the window said 4.6 litre that's the engine size. That's likely the base engine size these days so unless yours has an optional larger engine that's it. But on all new trucks all the needed info is on that sticker on the window it lists both what is base and whatever options are added.

As to the grill is your buddy's truck is same year model then likely you could buy the grill and have it added but is it really worth that much to you to change it out? It ain't likely to be cheap. I'm sure there are lots of after market grill options available for any newer model Ford truck.

That smaller radiator is most likely a transmission oil cooler included with most towing packages.

Tow hooks just bolt on if ya just gotta have chrome then yeah it's a bolt on option just remove the black and bolt on a chrome replacement but make sure you use the grade 8 hardware that comes with them or the same hardware that's on your truck now which should be grade 8.

[rickyp]

thanks bill,

My friend's truck is the same as mine but he has the chrome package, fog lights and the big motor.

If I do replace the tow hooks I will be using the same bolts that came on my truck.

I really like the style of grill he has. I have seen then for salle for about $100. I am thinking about going to a salvage yard and see what I can find in the way of tow hooks and grill.

[30-30man]

My Word! The first thing I ask when I buy a truck is what's under the hood and what's the rear end ratio.  I've always loved Ford trucks because they are well built.  It's just the engines that come in them.  They are weak compared to the competition and don't offer any better gas mileage...The 4.6 is basically a good engine but it has limits. 

Most of these are in towing, it will struggle greatly in that heavy truck with a load.  I hope you got one with a lower rear end, that will make a huge difference.  The Toyota only comes with a 4:10 or something like that to give better towing performance.  Dodge and the others are special order to get a gear ratio that small.  Most of them come with a 3:55 or close to it to save gas mileage.

I've seen 4.6s that had 200,000+ miles on them with little issues though. 
 Don't expect it to tow large campers/trailers over 5000lbs and you are fine.  The 4.6 uses about as much gas as the 5.4, so that is why most people just buy the 5.4.  Often the dealer will give you a better deal on the 4.6 because most people don't want it except for a work truck/fleet vehicle. 

 The word triton is nothing more than a name..The 5.4 and the 4.6 are good engines, they just fall short of the gas engines the others make but are dependable.  I think the 2009 Ford finally got 310 hp while Toyota and Dodge are close to 400. I still think Ford offers the strongest frame though.  The frame on a F150 is much larger than the others I've seen.  The ideal Ford would be an f150 with a Hemi.

[rickyp]

thanks for the information
The biggest thing I plain on towing is right now a 4 wheeler on and a 61/2' x12'  landscaping style trailer and in a  few years maybe an aluminum bass boat.
My trailer is rated for 3500 pounds. then maybe during the summer a few front in loader buckets of mulch at a time.

I did ask the engine size but I just want to make sure I didn't ask for the rear. but it looks like I have the 3.73 and the 6900 GVWR package what ever that means

[Graybeard]

My new Toy a Sequoia has I think a 5.8 litre engine with 382 HP so yeah not far from 400. It is powerful for sure. The other day I pulled out in front of an 18 wheeler and needed to get on up to speed quickly so put the pedal down much harder than I normally do. My wife commented that it sounded like a hot rod and I said yeah it kinda sorta is with nearly 400 HP. When you open up the throttle that big V8 definitely lets you know it has the power.

[Skunk]

My wife commented that it sounded like a hot rod and I said yeah it kinda sorta is with nearly 400 HP. When you open up the throttle that big V8 definitely lets you know it has the power.

Write him up for 125
Post his face, wanted dead or alive
Take his license, all that jive
Graybeard can't drive 55!
Oh, yea!

 

[kyelkhunter3006]

Man, give the guy a couple of AR15's and now he thinks he can hotrod everything!  Sheesh....   

[Graybeard]

My wife commented that it sounded like a hot rod and I said yeah it kinda sorta is with nearly 400 HP. When you open up the throttle that big V8 definitely lets you know it has the power.

Write him up for 125
Post his face, wanted dead or alive
Take his license, all that jive
Graybeard can't drive 55!
Oh, yea!

 

Actually the highway I pulled out onto (US431) has a speed limit of 65mph. At no time did I exceed that speed limit. I do not speed ask anyone who knows me personally or has ridden with me. I set my cruise control at the speed limit and use it all the time unless I happen to catch up to another vehicle going slower than me and can't pass. Folks who actually know me know that not many go slower than me. Ask Matt.

Just cuz I got nearly 400HP don't mean I exceed the speed limit.

Long long ago when I was perhaps 17 at most I had to help my dad replace a rotten out floor in our bathroom and it threw me late for a game of football with my cousin and some friends. Knowing I was late I put the pedal to the metal in my '58 Chevy running truck mufflers. It was LOUD. Around a quarter mile later I topped a hill to see a then State Highway Patrol (now called State Trooper) at a traffic light ahead writting a ticket. I hit the brakes big time.

He walked out into the road pointed his finger and me and motioned for me to pull over. When he finished writing the ticket to the other guy he called me over and asked me did I know what the speed limit was on that road. I told him honestly no but I thought it was likely around 45 or so. He said it was 35. I said well then I was sure enough speeding. He began writing and I asked him if he was gonna ticket me.

He asked me if he only gave me a warning would I slow down. I made him a promise that if he'd write me only a warning with no fine I'd NEVER get another speeding ticket the rest of my life. I'm 63 and to this day have never had a speeding ticket or even paid a parking fine.

Getting up to speed RAT NOW when you need to and exceeding the speed limit are two totally different things. I do know the difference and don't speed ever.

[Skunk]

Just cuz I got nearly 400HP don't mean I exceed the speed limit.

I'm 63 and to this day have never had a speeding ticket or even paid a parking fine.

Getting up to speed RAT NOW when you need to and exceeding the speed limit are two totally different things. I do know the difference and don't speed ever.

Well that's just it Graybeard. The idea of you speeding around the country side is just ridiculous. You speeding around seems about as likely as you saying that you get down to rap music (we all know you are much more of a Charlie Daniels kind of a guy ). Those words (lyrics) that I wrote in the above post come from a song called, "I can't drive 55," by a guy named Sammy Hagar. I just sort of adjusted the words a little to include you. I'm sorry if it offended you.

I guess it's just the great way you write up your stories that inspired me. In the original story, all that talk about horsepower and acceleration must have gotten to me. For just a moment my mind was there watching and I was seeing your foot pushed to the metal, that Toyota hunched back on its rear suspension, big billowy puffs of smoke rolling out the wheel wells, tires squealing in sheer agony, Mrs. Graybeard pinned back in the seat from the g-forces - hands clutching the Oh My God handle, and hats being sucked out the windows from the wind right about the time you power shift into overdrive.

But I'm over it now and I've come back to reality. Congratulations for your excellent driving record. That's way more than I can say about my driving record. I've manage to earn two speeding tickets in my lifetime.

[no guns here]

Dang... I get about one a quarter here in Germany.  Always from those danged radar camera's.  Never more than about 10-15 km/h over.  That's 6-10 mph over.  Usually where they have a sudden slow down and the camera hidden back in the trees.  I'm usually already on the brakes, just 100 feet too late...


ngh

[Simple Man]

I have an 06 Ford F150 4x4 4-door and I also have the 4.6 Triton V8. I pull a 3500# camper and haul firewood without any problems at all. The 4.6 has plenty of power and is well known to be a very reliable and long lasting engine. Be thankful you don't have one of the earlier 5.4 because they have been plagued with issues (bad fuel injectors and sparkplugs being broken off in the heads -$$$$). You can swap out many different models of stock and custom grills on the truck so look around and see what you like. The cooling radiator you seen is for the tranny, you should also have a rear receiver and light hook-ups too. The front hooks are very easy to swap and you actually have to remove them to install some bull bars/grill guards.

It's very simple to install a front leveling kit in these trucks and makes a set of 33" tires very usable and nice looking. I use my truck for work and hunting and get into some nasty places so it's setup for offroad use but still makes for a comfortable daily driver. I've only got 27K on mine but haven't had a single issue yet (except for a few marks from driving down overgrown logging trails and rocks being thrown by my aggressive mud tires.) .

[rex6666]

I've had 3 triton engines 1 230k+ miles 289k 1 5200 so far in a 08 never had problems,
just keep your oil changed, and use a good air cleaner.
i have never been a synthetic oil user but the dealer says the recommend
half and half syn. and real, some mix they have, guess that is so i have to
come to them. Never heard this story about ford engines being weak, unless
it was the guy that was so far back he thought he was leading. Never
even thought about towing 5-6000lb trailer with a 1/2 ton truck, maybe that
was the problem.

[rickyp]

My 08 has about 2000 miles on it now. and I had it since about 12-08-08
I am thinking about looking at a tracker bass boat and single axle trailer.
Right now I have a 3000 LB single axle open utility trailer that sees a 4 wheeler on it quite often

SO I doubt I will have much trouble towing what I have or plain to get.