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View Full Version : FORD F150 7700 Sagas, is this normal???



mphatc
10-24-2005, 08:41 PM
Guys,

I've spent my life building fast cars, boats and playing with mechanical stuff . . . lots of it has offered challenges, but none of my vehicles has ever challenged me like this Ford truck. It's always something!
It's a Ford F150 7700 4x4. This is the 3/4 ton package in the small chassis.

It's a 2000 with 63000 miles, 5.4 liter . . .
In the past 30k miles I've had to:
Replace the exhaust manifolds as the first set rusted away $1700
The radio lighting has died $200.
Four wheel drive solenoid will not engage on front axle (failed three times) 150.00 x 3
Ashtray spring has broken annoying BS at $25.00
Shocks have all needed replacement $400.00
Rear Diff input shaft seal failed $125.00
Headlight switch has broken $45.00
2 lower ball joints needed replacemtent $52.00 ea plus labor
1 Tie rod end replaced
Presently the bottoms of all 4 doors are rusty on the inside as is the tailgate.
Limited slip differential chirps around turns regardless of lubrication type, to the extent that I need a rear tire every 12000 miles!
ABS is non functional

Now I am debating . . what to do . . the vehicle needs $1500.00 invested before winter . . . tires, rust repair and a radio.

I need a vehicle that can tow 7500 lbs .. . but mostly tows 4500
in a very hilly area
It needs to plow snow as well.
Those of you with the F250/350 . . . . have you experienced similar problems?

Anyone here using a Chevrolet?

When I've towed with my brother in laws F350 PSD fuel mileage is terrible in comparison . . but does a 250/350 need the V10 or the PSD?

I want a truck that can run like my BMWs . . . to 150K with nothing but maintenance . . am I going to find this? Friends with Chevies seem to say this, but none of them tow nor plow snow . . . .???

Thoughts please!
Mario L.

gold-n-rod
10-24-2005, 08:50 PM
Mario, don't think you'll find a domestic that will do all that without repairs to the miles you desire. The Tundra will go to 100-150K without nickel and diming you, but the towing and plowing is not the Tundra's forte'.

The Ford/Chevy/Dodge will do the plowing/hauling chores without a problem, but will cost you to get to 150K miles.

I'd say in order from costliest to cheapest, it will be Dodge, Ford and then GM. Of course, the reactions to this opinion will be great.

Good luck.

Cuda
10-24-2005, 09:05 PM
I put 122,000 miles on my 99 F150 4x4 and only changed the oil and filters in that period. Nothing else except an alternator at 111,000. Best truck I ever owned. I also pulled my Formula 242 with twins without any issues.

Rootsy
10-25-2005, 06:43 AM
Guys,

I've spent my life building fast cars, boats and playing with mechanical stuff . . . lots of it has offered challenges, but none of my vehicles has ever challenged me like this Ford truck. It's always something!
It's a Ford F150 7700 4x4. This is the 3/4 ton package in the small chassis.

It's a 2000 with 63000 miles, 5.4 liter . . .
In the past 30k miles I've had to:
Replace the exhaust manifolds as the first set rusted away $1700
The radio lighting has died $200.
Four wheel drive solenoid will not engage on front axle (failed three times) 150.00 x 3
Ashtray spring has broken annoying BS at $25.00
Shocks have all needed replacement $400.00
Rear Diff input shaft seal failed $125.00
Headlight switch has broken $45.00
2 lower ball joints needed replacemtent $52.00 ea plus labor
1 Tie rod end replaced
Presently the bottoms of all 4 doors are rusty on the inside as is the tailgate.
Limited slip differential chirps around turns regardless of lubrication type, to the extent that I need a rear tire every 12000 miles!
ABS is non functional

Now I am debating . . what to do . . the vehicle needs $1500.00 invested before winter . . . tires, rust repair and a radio.

I need a vehicle that can tow 7500 lbs .. . but mostly tows 4500
in a very hilly area
It needs to plow snow as well.
Those of you with the F250/350 . . . . have you experienced similar problems?

Anyone here using a Chevrolet?

When I've towed with my brother in laws F350 PSD fuel mileage is terrible in comparison . . but does a 250/350 need the V10 or the PSD?

I want a truck that can run like my BMWs . . . to 150K with nothing but maintenance . . am I going to find this? Friends with Chevies seem to say this, but none of them tow nor plow snow . . . .???

Thoughts please!
Mario L.


my 98 F150 4x4 w/ 4.6 has or IS suffereing from some of your issues... the rusty inner doors, etc... but i chalk that up to living in michigan where we use more salt on the roads than smokers use on their steak...

had the pinion seal leak.. pinion nut was loose... fixed that then seal leaked.. fixed that

shocks... my truck has 196K miles on it... i've had roughly 5 pairs of shocks on it... shocks go bad about every 25K or so... i worked for MAECO for a bit in aftermarket engineering... yes they do wear out...

i am afraid to so much as touch my exhaust manifolds... the rest f the exhaust is holding up very well... but my exhaust manifolds look like they've set at the bottom of the ocean for years and may crumble with one little tap...

my ABS was not working... the dufus who originally plugged the harness into the control solenoid forgot to see if the rubber grommet was in there... so a pin rotted off... please see reference to michigan, winter and road salt... 40 bucks for a used one from a junk yard and a new grommet and some dielectric grease... love watching the abs light flash to tell ya what is wrong when you ground the wire... the rear abs setup is still worthless as tits on a bore hog

brakes altogether suck... replaced calipers on both sides in front.. and they still grab and chatter..feels like you have a wheel bearing going bad... sometimes it shudders and shakes... keep working on it.. it keeps getting better...

lower left balljoint and inner tie rod end replaced...

rebuilt transmission... think i KNOW WHY it failed now... :rolleyes:

have one dash light out.. but the rest illuminate enough to see the gauges, etc...

i've replaced the rear window and frame 3 times.. the frame cracks and water leaks into the cab...

replaced windshield 3 times... one stone chip and that big mother of a piece of glass just goes to cracking at th nearest hint of sunshine...

brake multiswitch in column went out while still under warranty.. now that has to be a G Rank defect... gee no brake lights.. heavy traffic.. lovely

then the blinkers quit working... clips holding the wires in the connector broke and wires pulled out and the connector itself was not clipped in all of the way.. this ahppened one day after i put the tilt wheel up... 5 years after the multiswitch was replaced...

AC compressor clutch grenaded...

balancing button fell off of the front driveshaft.. please see exhaust manifold section...

guess i cannot totally complain bout the truck it has served me well for 7 years BUT if i had to do it over again i would have gotten a silverado... don't get me started on why... there is a reason i reckon it is FIXED OR REPAIRED DAILY...

if i bought a new truck it'd be a silverado... been in em for many miles.. like em... buddy has one with well over 100K... has not had much of an issue cept regular maintenance and he just put a lift under it and went through the front end eventhough it dind't really need it...

buton the other hand.. lets not get into the length of stuff my dads 97 GMC sierra 6.5 turbo diesel has gone through... but then again it resides most days on the streets of detroit or in front of a heavy trailer...

Mac
10-25-2005, 06:45 AM
35k on my '03 1 ton 4X4 Dodge diesel, so far has never been back to the dealer with any problems, still rattle free as well. I had a '97 GMC that gave me nothing but problems, much like your truck, after 6 years it had to go.
If I was getting a truck today it would be a Ford F350 with the new 3 valve V10, torqueshift auto, 4X4, crew cab, short bed, I would also get every HD option there is except the dual altenators.
To me diesel has lost alot of the stuff that made it so great, number 1 diesel is now more than gas, number 2 the engines are so complicated now and also with the big power numbers they are getting out of them there is no way they can hold up as long as previous lower powered versions, also with the high presure common rail fuel systems operating in the 20,000 psi plus range they cannot tollerate any contamination with the fuel.

gcarter
10-25-2005, 07:59 AM
It must be something of a climate thing. They seem to better down here.

Ed Donnelly
10-25-2005, 08:45 AM
Rootsy; Tell us what made your tranny go. My tranny grenaded in July(2000 F150 H.D.) at 40,000 miles. Rebuilder said a thrust bearing was installed crooked. Dealer wanted $3,200 and Ford offered to pay $500. Got it rebuilt with a 1 yr. warranty for $1,800............Ed

Rootsy
10-25-2005, 08:53 AM
4R70W... seal deteriorated and came apart on the forward clutch piston... i think this was due to the use of SeaFoam cleaner in the ATF a few times... after i had the parts in the parts washer for a few days the solvent made the seals all swell and become very soft and easily damaged... on the seal that went a few keystone shaped pieces broke out and basically the oil bypassed instead of pushing on the piston.. which then allowed the forward clutch pack to burn up... i now believe in a complete tranny flush as there was a lot of friction and steel buildup in the tranny from 200K worth of driving, towing, etc... and i now understand exactly WHY YOU DO NOT tow in OD... EVER...

i rebuilt it myself.. took longer to get it out of the truck than it did to rebuild the tranny... only special tools required are a LOT OF PATIENCE... some finesse, a few C-clamps and snap ring pliers... i have about 300 dollars in the rebuild... that included the COMPLETE rebuild kit... and a new set of bearings... (both from FORD)... and the proper amount of Valvoline Mercon V... now have about 3000 miles on the rebuild without any issues...

18FOOTER
10-25-2005, 09:32 AM
I sell Ford trucks and see most of them trouble free. My last personal one ('98 F150 4.6L 3:55) I sold this summer with 150k on it, to a COWORKER! Was and still is trouble free. But I didn't treat it like a 1 ton. 7700# package was only rated at 200# over the standard F150. If I was pulling 7000-8000 pound loads I would not have bought that truck... I would have bought an F250 or F350. Have you ever noticed what pulls most GIANT fifth wheel travel trailers?....a Ford! Ask one of them how much trouble he's had. Lastly, if you want to puke a tranny, pull in overdrive. Even on the flat, that's a stupid mistake. By the way, I was a Ford service manager for several years.

olredalert
10-25-2005, 10:15 AM
Rootsy,

-------I have app. 184,000 miles on my suburban and 110,000 of those have a 502 ahead of the 4L80. Tons of torque. At least 65% of those miles are towing and a high percentage of those towing miles have been pulling around an 8 to 10,000 load in a 26 ft. Pace enclosed trailer. To date, every last mile has been spent "in" OD with the lock-up activated. I do change the fluid a bunch and have a very good trans cooler, and to date the trans has never been out or serviced in any way. The changed fluid has never been anything other than clean and unburned and there is never any clutch dust in the bottom of the pan. I guess Im saying that I believe its worth buying a GM tow vehicle based purely on the transmissions.
-------I have done a bunch of maintanence to the old girl (93) but I guess thats to be expected. I would say that brakes have been a sore spot. The fronts dont last long pulling down that kind of weight and warp easily. I have vented and cross-drilled rotors and good pads but the brakes are still a bit less than one would like.
-------If you are wondering about the original engine (454), it came out running well but anemically at 73,000 and GM performance gave the 502 to me to do an article in a truck magazine about the performance gains. The 502 makes towing a joy.
-------I have had no direct contact with the new Allison transmissions, but they should be very durable although I cant comment on what gear to run them in. May all your towing miles be trouble free!!!!!...........Bill S

Rootsy
10-25-2005, 10:24 AM
I sell Ford trucks and see most of them trouble free. My last personal one ('98 F150 4.6L 3:55) I sold this summer with 150k on it, to a COWORKER! Was and still is trouble free. But I didn't treat it like a 1 ton. 7700# package was only rated at 200# over the standard F150. If I was pulling 7000-8000 pound loads I would not have bought that truck... I would have bought an F250 or F350. Have you ever noticed what pulls most GIANT fifth wheel travel trailers?....a Ford! Ask one of them how much trouble he's had. Lastly, if you want to puke a tranny, pull in overdrive. Even on the flat, that's a stupid mistake. By the way, I was a Ford service manager for several years.

i wasn't bitching bout my Ford.. it's been a good truck short of a few "known" issues ford has not decided to take care of... i was just stating that years, climate and miles will put wear and tear on a vehicle.. and it'll have failures.. it is statistically so... and not uncommon... but around here... i find almost equal numbers of powerstrokes and duramax's towing the big fifthwheels... AND i feel that GM has ford beat hands down when it comes to powertrains... I find ford interiors more comfortable...

in a nutshell... for everyone wondering why towing in OD (with a ford AODE - 4R70W) is a BIG NO NO (i don't and never have towed in OD with my truck btw)... when you put your ford AODE into forward the forward clutch assy engages... when it shifts to 2nd the intermediate clutch engages on top of the forward clutch.. when shifting to 3rd the direct clutch engages on top of the first two.. so you are now coupled by 3 clutch packs... when you shift into OD the forward clutch assy disengages and the OD BAND engages...when you downshift the OD band must disengage and the forward clutch must reengage... this puts huge strain on these components and causes slippage and overheating.. and eventually it's just like riding the clutch in a manual tranny... you'll burn em up... plus the OD band does not have sufficient holding power to pull heavy loads and will slip on the drum... this is in a nutshell.. there are other things going on with one way clutches and stuff (mechanical diodes)

if there is ONE fault i have with my truck it is the ford engineering teams desire to "please" car folk with the soft spongy shifting of the AODE... this is almost as bad as towing in OD... one of the BEST investments i can recommend to anyone with an F150 with the AODE (4R70W) is to do a shift kit.. put it on the lowest setting so it does not jar your teeth out or do a replacement aftermarket valve body in the tranny... best hundred or two you'll spend on your truck... it;ll give you firm quick direct shifts and it'll reduce wear and slippage and it'll reduce heat buildup due to them... also if you are towing you should have an external oil cooler... period... and change your tranny oil with the CORRECT oil at specified intervals unless you are always hooked to a trailer then do it more often...

actually i like the GM tow/haul mode which changes shift points, lockups and line pressure... i've been in a few half ton silverado's with 5.3's and trans-go shift kits and they are immensely better, plus towing in OD is nice, especially on long trips... the black silverado in the video drag racing also runs a trans-go kit...

jmho

JR

turbo2256
10-25-2005, 11:18 AM
Realy like my 86 Ford dually with a 460 and a ZF 5speed conversion

DonziJon
10-25-2005, 01:43 PM
Back in fall of '95 I bought a '95 Tacoma in anticipation of getting a Donzi that would need towing. Stick shift 3.4 litre V-6, 190 HP. Now has 135,500 miles on it. It gets 22 mpg with the Minx on the back driving from Lake Winni over to Lake George, or up to the Thousand Islands. I drive in 5th gear (OD) all the time. Long upgrades being an exception. It sometimes gets 27 mpg on the highway without the boat. This truck has never been in the home garage since the Donzi arrived shortly after the truck. There is NO rust.

This summer I replaced the front brake pads. (First time) The original rear shoes are still good. I change the oil every 3000 or so. I replaced the plugs a couple of times as well as tires. That's it. Oh wait, replaced the winshield once for stone damage and had to descale the aftermarket "Draw-Tite" hitch and repaint it cause the paint was falling off and it was getting rusty.

I'd like to get a New Tacoma V-6 (245 HP), but can't justify it. I don't need it. This one works fine and it's paid for.

With all the previous posts, I Feel Guilty. Maybe I shouldn't even post. :bonk:

mphatc
10-25-2005, 04:41 PM
18footer,

I tow 4500 lbs most of the time, rarely have I pulled more, but occasionally I need to tow an enclosed race car trailer 20 miles from NHIS to my shop . .

That said, this truck came with a DOT R Transmission when I bought it, I immediatley swapped tranny fluid to Redline D4 ATF , and whenever I've towed I am always either out of overdrive, or fully conscious of my throttle application / engine revs, shift points, torque curve. I guess that comes from years of racing cars.

To date I have not experienced any tranny problems. I bought the F150 because the light duty F150 can not carry a snow plow, and the F250/350 is too big for my daily use and winter needs. I have a winding 600 foot long driveway to plow in a major local snow belt!

My frustration comes from the constant BS quality issues that I see with this truck. IMHO NO vehicle built today should show any rust after 4-5 years regardless of use region, ie; snow belt and southern sunny dry areas. That's purely the selection of the materials used. Solenoids shouldn't fail 3X in 15K miles, shocks should last 60K, switches shouldn't fall apart.

I can understand normal maintenance issues, brakes, maybe an exhaust system if you run it in snow and salt, but all these other problems for a vehicle that does not see abuse, nor bumpy pot holed roads, has oversize mudflaps to keep the **** off . . . ARRRGGGHH Yes I'm frustrated :beer:

Mario L.

Cuda
10-25-2005, 05:34 PM
Just for the record, I bought a brand new Chevy diesel dually in 1996, with all the bells and whistles. It was a great looking truck, but after 17 months of fighting with it, GM bought it back from me. That's when I bought my first Ford truck, and never looked back.