Ford and Dodge full size truck questions...

[Desert Dan]

I don't know if this has been posted on this site but this is a good comparison..

Part 1 - What's the Diff? Ford F-150 SVT Raptor vs. Dodge Ram Power Wagon

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/1...f150-svt-raptor-vs-dodge-ram-power-wagon.html

 

[bronconut]

The three valve heads were redesigned in 08' to do away with the spark plugs that tend to break during removal.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

If you're willing to come over to Utah I noticed plenty of Tundras under $15K recently on www.ksl.com I think either the Ford or the Toyota and you'll be happy. I love my used powerstroke also but it is a lot of truck and they also hold a premium and it takes significant maintenance to bring even something with 150K miles up to snuff unless its been very well maintained with lot of big bills paid (injectors, turbo, transmission, etc -- it all adds up quickly).. I am working on moving up from 15 and 16 mpg to 18 or 19 if possible also via some expensive methods that add up (chip, etc).

 

[Martinjmpr]

Keep in mind he is definitely buying used and his budget is under $15k so any new Power Wagon or similar vehicle is not under consideration.

Brianjwilson (Not the Beach Boy I take it? Sorry, I'll bet you get that a lot.): I thought for sure that when the Supercrew F150 first came out around 1999 or 2000 it had a plastic bed like the Explorer Sport Track? I'd be happy to be wrong, though, because otherwise I'm a big fan of Ford trucks (the only domestic vehicle I've owned in 25 years was a 1999 Ford Ranger that I bought new and then put 93,000 + trouble-free miles on in less than 4 years.)

Anyway, quick question, if you've got a minute, what is the usable width of the bed across the top of the bed rails? Is it 6' wide?

Also, what did you pay for the ARE Topper? I presume around $1200 - $1500 or so? I know they're not cheap but they seem to have a good reputation.

Otherwise, I have to say it's a nice looking truck. What does your MPG work out to? Any problems with the electric T-case?

Thanks again for the input. We'll probably start truck shopping in the new year.

 

[T.Low]

My '96 1/2-ton Ram has been a dream. Currently 205,000 miles on the original 5.9l V-8. The big difference for me...with the SFA, my Ram doesn't ride as well as the F-150. I guess it depends on what you're going to use it most for...higher speed runs on dirt roads, go Ford. Rough unimproved trails and roads, can't beat the Dodge SFA. My cab is the "extended" cab with no suicide doors...Dodge was late to the game with rear seat access. A full 6.5' bed, decent after market, you know where I stand.

Unless...I could find a Gen. 1 Tundra with 4X4...in Expo white. :sombrero:

I was able to pick out my own new company truck back in June '06, as long as it was off the Ford lot. I picked an '06 F-150 Super Crew Cab (full 4dr) , bright red with factory 20" wheels and a 6'3" bed.

I just now changed employment to a different company (doing the same job) and my new boss/ owner gave me his personal Dodge Ram 1500-'06 bright red 4dr with factory 20" wheels. Ha! Same exact set up but a Dodge. Oh, and its a Hemi.




The first thing i noticed was how incredibly fast the Dodge is. Wow. Great throttle response off the line from a light: just barely touch the pedal and it zooms away effortlessly. The torgue is always there at any rpm level. Its amazing how it gets out of those 65 mph traffic clusters. (My wife raced me in her '04 Nissan Murano - a little performance machine in its own right- She jumped me on the freeway from 70, getting the Murano's midpoint to the Dodge's front bumper, but the Ram quickly caught up and pulled its midsection to the Murano's front bumper by the time we hit 100- for research purposes only of course.:ylsmoke

The 300hp Ford makes a good sound when you punch it but just didn't respond. With a quick glance at F-150 forums, I'm sure there is a ton of aftermarket performance available if thats your thing. We have a 4500lb camper trailer and the 5.7 F-150 hauled it over the mountain pass comfortably with no problems. (A racing acquaintance happenned to be behind me on the mountain pass in his Powerstroke Sportsmobile and later commented on how my rig was moving along at a nice clip.)

The second thing I noticed is how bumpy the ride is. The F-150 ride is smooth and soft, great for going over the mountain pass. I haven't driven the Dodge with anything more than my GasGas 450 (250lb enduro) in the back, but its a stiff bouncy ride.

The Ford seating position was slightly more comfortable for me (5'11, long torso, short inseam).

The F-150 had a ton of room in the back seat for adults; my friends where pleased on road trips. The Dodge not as much.

The Dodge reminds me of my '98 Dakota in the fact that you always feel like you're driving a muscle truck; fast and responsive, and I'm going to get a ticket if I'm not careful. When the Ford was shiney new, a realtor acquaintance approached me at a jobsite and commented he had just read in Forbes magazine that more millionaires drive Ford F-Series than any other vehicle by far (random factoid for whatever it's worth).

I turned the Ford in with 50k miles. Problems in that time were a power window, catalytic converter, surging brakes (felt like warped rotors), all warranteed.

The Dodge has 40k on it now and I'm not familiar with its history as I just took it over at Thanksgiving. It seems fine.

Traction: We live on a very steep hill and Bellingham does not know how to clear their streets like the midwest towns I've lived in. (Of course I rather enjoy that little fact about Bellingham:wings The Ford came with Pirelli Scorpian ATRs. I was amazed at how well they did on ice and snow, and at muddy jobsites. The Dodge has Goodyear Wranglers and all I know is, at 40kmiles, the don't look too bad, but it spins at the bottom of my street when its wet out. Maybe its the combination of 40k miles, and the torguey Hemi, but I actually don't fell safe pulling out in traffic on wet days. (I've shifted into 4 hi twice at stop signs to be able to pll out safely, then back into 2 hi on the fly)

The Murano has 18" Toyo Proxy ST's with 30k on them. It will get Pirelli's when the time comes.

Oh, and if you are going to hual a small fifth wheel camper, make sure that you check to see that the bed walls on the Ford are not actually too high.

Overall, I don't have a clear preference. Maybe because I don't have to make a choice and pay the bill; it's been decided for me. Both trucks are more than fine. I suppose if i did have to make a choice, it would come down to finding a better deal on one of them, to save money for spending on my van, my bikes, and our trips.

Edit:

Ford F-150 Electric Transfer case experience: I pulled into a jobsite once and an inspector pulled in rihgt behind me so I drove down a slope of compacted ABC (dirt/ gravel mix for driveway sublayer prep material ) a little further than I thought I should, but it is a 4x4 so i didn't worry too much. I was the last to leave and no matter how easy I was on the throttle, I could not reverse up the incline without digging down into the ABC mix. While stuck, I could not get the electric t case to engage. I was there for about 20 minutes going back and forth just a little further each time gently making my own trench out. I finally got out without ever getting the front axle to engage, trying both in neutral and in park, (even driving forward to satisfy the 15' needed to engage rumour). Later, the dealer said it was fine and I just didn't know how to engage it-even though after the first ten minutes I actually got out the manual to see how the heck I was turning the plastic dial wrong. Nothing like having almost $40k of 4x4 capital sitting there and not being able to use it because of an electronic malfunction of something or other that doesn't seem to be broken until you actually need it.

 

[FROADER]

Anyway, quick question, if you've got a minute, what is the usable width of the bed across the top of the bed rails? Is it 6' wide?

I just measured mine and it's 5'2" (62") wide.

What does your MPG work out to? Any problems with the electric T-case?

My average mpg (w/33s not regeared) is about 15.5. On my last trip to Mammoth (5 hour drive) The best I got was 18.

With 92k miles on mine, I haven't had any problems with the t-case.

 

[David_in_TX]

The 5 1/2 foot beds were never made of plastic, I have no idea where you got that from. And, as a previous poster pointed out, you can get a super crew with a 6 1/2 foot bed.

Now, here is my experience. I own a 2007 F150 Super Crew, which presently has 45,00 miles. All I have ever had to do is change the oil and fix a leaky tire. The first set of tires are just needing to be replaced and have the most even wear pattern I have ever seen across all 4 treads. And I have never rotated them. This is by far the most trouble free vehicle I have owned in my 30 years of owning vehicles, including the venerable Toyota Tacoma (2003), whick I had numerous problems with. The Tacoma had some electrical problems, poor quality interior plastic parts that fell off and broke, misaligned doors, leaking transmission, and the front tires were cupped very badly after 20,000 miles (I rotated those per Toyota requirements) and I neeeded to get it aligned. And no, I never hit anything to cause misalignment.

Oh, I also must give Ford kudos to the truck before the Toyota, a 1993 Frod Ranger, I put 278,000 miles on that and all I have ever had to do is change the oil and buy new tires. I sold it in 2003 for $3,500!

Just wanted to tell you my experience with Toyota vs. Ford.

I pointed out to him that the SuperCrew only has a 5.5' bed, and IIRC the bed is made of plastic, not steel.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Very very good comparison, thank you for the info..

I was able to pick out my own new company truck back in June '06, as long as it was off the Ford lot. I picked an '06 F-150 Super Crew Cab (full 4dr) , bright red with factory 20" wheels and a 6'3" bed.

I just now changed employment to a different company (doing the same job) and my new boss/ owner gave me his personal Dodge Ram 1500-'06 bright red 4dr with factory 20" wheels. Ha! Same exact set up but a Dodge. Oh, and its a Hemi.




The first thing i noticed was how incredibly fast the Dodge is. Wow. Great throttle response off the line from a light: just barely touch the pedal and it zooms away effortlessly. The torgue is always there at any rpm level. Its amazing how it gets out of those 65 mph traffic clusters. (My wife raced me in her '04 Nissan Murano - a little performance machine in its own right- She jumped me on the freeway from 70, getting the Murano's midpoint to the Dodge's front bumper, but the Ram quickly caught up and pulled its midsection to the Murano's front bumper by the time we hit 100- for research purposes only of course.:ylsmoke

The 300hp Ford makes a good sound when you punch it but just didn't respond. With a quick glance at F-150 forums, I'm sure there is a ton of aftermarket performance available if thats your thing. We have a 4500lb camper trailer and the 5.7 F-150 hauled it over the mountain pass comfortably with no problems. (A racing acquaintance happenned to be behind me on the mountain pass in his Powerstroke Sportsmobile and later commented on how my rig was moving along at a nice clip.)

The second thing I noticed is how bumpy the ride is. The F-150 ride is smooth and soft, great for going over the mountain pass. I haven't driven the Dodge with anything more than my GasGas 450 (250lb enduro) in the back, but its a stiff bouncy ride.

The Ford seating position was slightly more comfortable for me (5'11, long torso, short inseam).

The F-150 had a ton of room in the back seat for adults; my friends where pleased on road trips. The Dodge not as much.

The Dodge reminds me of my '98 Dakota in the fact that you always feel like you're driving a muscle truck; fast and responsive, and I'm going to get a ticket if I'm not careful. When the Ford was shiney new, a realtor acquaintance approached me at a jobsite and commented he had just read in Forbes magazine that more millionaires drive Ford F-Series than any other vehicle by far (random factoid for whatever it's worth).

I turned the Ford in with 50k miles. Problems in that time were a power window, catalytic converter, surging brakes (felt like warped rotors), all warranteed.

The Dodge has 40k on it now and I'm not familiar with its history as I just took it over at Thanksgiving. It seems fine.

Traction: We live on a very steep hill and Bellingham does not know how to clear their streets like the midwest towns I've lived in. (Of course I rather enjoy that little fact about Bellingham:wings The Ford came with Pirelli Scorpian ATRs. I was amazed at how well they did on ice and snow, and at muddy jobsites. The Dodge has Goodyear Wranglers and all I know is, at 40kmiles, the don't look too bad, but it spins at the bottom of my street when its wet out. Maybe its the combination of 40k miles, and the torguey Hemi, but I actually don't fell safe pulling out in traffic on wet days. (I've shifted into 4 hi twice at stop signs to be able to pll out safely, then back into 2 hi on the fly)

The Murano has 18" Toyo Proxy ST's with 30k on them. It will get Pirelli's when the time comes.

Oh, and if you are going to hual a small fifth wheel camper, make sure that you check to see that the bed walls on the Ford are not actually too high.

Overall, I don't have a clear preference. Maybe because I don't have to make a choice and pay the bill; it's been decided for me. Both trucks are more than fine. I suppose if i did have to make a choice, it would come down to finding a better deal on one of them, to save money for spending on my van, my bikes, and our trips.

Edit:

Ford F-150 Electric Transfer case experience: I pulled into a jobsite once and an inspector pulled in rihgt behind me so I drove down a slope of compacted ABC (dirt/ gravel mix for driveway sublayer prep material ) a little further than I thought I should, but it is a 4x4 so i didn't worry too much. I was the last to leave and no matter how easy I was on the throttle, I could not reverse up the incline without digging down into the ABC mix. While stuck, I could not get the electric t case to engage. I was there for about 20 minutes going back and forth just a little further each time gently making my own trench out. I finally got out without ever getting the front axle to engage, trying both in neutral and in park, (even driving forward to satisfy the 15' needed to engage rumour). Later, the dealer said it was fine and I just didn't know how to engage it-even though after the first ten minutes I actually got out the manual to see how the heck I was turning the plastic dial wrong. Nothing like having almost $40k of 4x4 capital sitting there and not being able to use it because of an electronic malfunction of something or other that doesn't seem to be broken until you actually need it.

 

[Martinjmpr]

The 5 1/2 foot beds were never made of plastic, I have no idea where you got that from.

From: http://www.elepent.com/autos/2009/07/13/2001-ford-f150-supercrew/

The look is basic F-150; rounded, bull-terrier styling up front is accented with heavy-duty tow hooks and a big chrome bumper. The bed is slightly sculpted, to make it look like something more than just a big soulless power tool. And in between, there’s the four-door cab which makes the SuperCrew what it is. The shortened bed is made of SMC plastic, with greater durability and lighter weight than steel. 4X8 sheets of plywood will lay flat, and the bed won’t dent or rust. An optional flip-out cargo extender allows for larger loads. Like the rest of the F-Series lineup, the SuperCrew is first and foremost a truck.

From: http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt1924a.shtml

And, like all F150s, there's still 50 inches between the wheel wells to accommodate the ubiquitous 4X8 sheet of plywood. While the floor is steel, the SuperCrew's cargo box outer panels are made of the same tough rustproof composite construction found on the F150 Flareside.

The above linked articles refer only to the 1st of the Supercrew F150s (2000 - 2004.) I presume the later ones were all-steel?

 

[David_in_TX]

Yes, mine is all steel, inside and outside.

I now see what you're talking about. The earlier ones were plastic on the outside for the stepside beds as shown below, the "styleside" beds were all steel inside and outside.

From: http://www.elepent.com/autos/2009/07/13/2001-ford-f150-supercrew/



From: http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt1924a.shtml



The above linked articles refer only to the 1st of the Supercrew F150s (2000 - 2004.) I presume the later ones were all-steel?

 

[T.Low]

Thanks, Andre.

I agree with Forerunner Rescue; the dashboard on the '06 is astonishingly...wrong! I'm just talking about the dashboard top (deck) not the face or layout.

The top is made up of 9 peices that all look like they must have been leftovers from different projects because they do not fit together. ******?!? It looks like an art project gone awry. There are huge gaps in them. Ralph Nader has requested that there be a label warning retired folks NOT to let their lap dogs ride on the dash as they could fall thru the gaps and get lost or harmed! (I've lost more cheeseburgers that way...) And there seems to be three different shades of gray throught the 9 peices.

The Dodge dashboard is made up of three different peices and the fit is fine, and the gray color is actually consistant.

Today I parked the Dogde in the mud at a jobsite. When I tried to reverse out, the open diff rear spun one rear without moving the truck an inch. I clicked the dial into 4Lock and it engaged immediately (unlike the Ford did in my earlier post) and the truck eased right out without any effort. -FWIW.

 

[bftank]

i would suggest ford crewcab diesel, with manual tranny and dana 60, the older you get it the cheaper and easier to work on. can get decent mpg. better power than the gm diesel although that is a crew cab solid axle option too. plenty of support for either of these rigs, and when the motor finally goes swing in a cummins.

 

[brianjwilson]

Keep in mind he is definitely buying used and his budget is under $15k so any new Power Wagon or similar vehicle is not under consideration.

Brianjwilson (Not the Beach Boy I take it? Sorry, I'll bet you get that a lot.): I thought for sure that when the Supercrew F150 first came out around 1999 or 2000 it had a plastic bed like the Explorer Sport Track? I'd be happy to be wrong, though, because otherwise I'm a big fan of Ford trucks (the only domestic vehicle I've owned in 25 years was a 1999 Ford Ranger that I bought new and then put 93,000 + trouble-free miles on in less than 4 years.)

Anyway, quick question, if you've got a minute, what is the usable width of the bed across the top of the bed rails? Is it 6' wide?

Also, what did you pay for the ARE Topper? I presume around $1200 - $1500 or so? I know they're not cheap but they seem to have a good reputation.

Otherwise, I have to say it's a nice looking truck. What does your MPG work out to? Any problems with the electric T-case?

Thanks again for the input. We'll probably start truck shopping in the new year.

Hah, yeah never heard the beach boy joke....

I don't recall the F150 ever having a composite bed, even the earlier years. The outside of the stepside beds was a fiberglass bedside. The inside was steel, same way on the ranger stepside. I will say, though, that the 2004+ F150s have much better crash ratings and are much better trucks all around.

Between the bed rails is around 60-62" (going by memory), and the outside edge of the rails in the front is about 72", which narrows slightly toward the back.

I picked up the topper used for $650, by watching craigslist in three states for about 6 months. I bought a brand new leer once for around $1600 and told myself I should never buy a new one again.

Mileage now is 13-15mpg. The tires are 35's with stock gearing (3.73s), with an AEM intake and I'm running a 93 octane performance tune. Mileage could be better with a different tune, different gearing or a light right foot I'm sure.

No problems with the transfer case so far. My experience with Fords electronic cases tells me that they need to be used often. Most people who have problems don't use 4x4 for months at a time. The only thing I'm slightly concerned about is the automatic hubs, though they work fine. I have considered swapping in live-axle hub/bearings from an Expedition (pretty sure it will work), since I was much happier with live-axles on my Sport Trac than I was with automatic hubs on my Ranger. My old Ranger's electric transfer sometimes worked slow when snow got packed around it, but it also had 145k miles and the shift motor probably needed cleaned. Never failed on me though.
I would love to have a manual transfer case but only the base model F150 could be purchased with a manual shifter. Maybe a project for the future?



EDIT: I forgot to mention... The F150 is a completely different animal once you get a good aftermarket tune. No more electric throttle lag. The engine makes considerably more power and it comes alive much quicker. The shifts are faster and firmer, and it downshifts quicker when you get on it. No sluggish starts, it just goes and puts power to the ground much better, like it should have from the factory. Power Hungry Performance sells the "Gryphon" which is an Edge programmer with custom tunes. Their custom tunes are phenomenal from what everyone says. I had another company (VMP tunes) tune an xcal 2 for me which I am very happy with as well. A tuner is the best single thing you can do for the F150 in my opinion.

 

[brianjwilson]

I don't mind the dash. It would look better all black, but they were just trying to blend it with the face. Doesn't bother me a bit personally.

 

[JRH_PowerWagon_06]

I will say the same thing I tell people who ask me which truck to buy...

Go drive them and buy the one that you can afford and gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling. If you don't like on the first test drive, you probably aren't going to grow to like it either. And I would suggest driving all of them (Ford, Dodge, Chevy, Toyota). Like others on here, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the modern 1/2 ton trucks.

Jack

:iagree:That's the best advice you're going to get here...

Check out the interior layout. Do you want it to be "truck like" or "car like".

Compare the specs. Engine horsepower and drive train features are tops in priority.

And while you are at it, Take a good look at the engine compartments, and see how it's going to be performing regular maintenance.
Are the spark plugs, alternator, starter, power steering, and water pumps easy to get at?

Those are some of the things I used when I chose the Dodge.
I also wanted a manual shift transfer case, front locking and rear locking/limited slip differentials, 4:56 gear ratio, 33" tires
and extensive underbody protection/skids.


Having 30 years experience with Fords also was a major reason...:Mechanic: