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red5_02
red5_02 Reader
7/13/12 2:04 p.m.

I just picked this up.

It was my grandfather's. He's gotten too old to drive it and so I have taken possession. 1995 F-150 with the 5.0 and an automatic. 70k miles. I'm planning on using it to tow the Civic in the background. That being said I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing with the beast.

So any tips or tricks? Planning on picking up a closed deck trailer. I know it'll have no problem pulling it and the trailer I'm looking at has electric brakes (picking up a brake controller). Anything I'll need to make this a reliable puller?

A/C blows cold. I can't wait to drive something comfortable home from autocrosses.

81cpcamaro
81cpcamaro Reader
7/13/12 2:09 p.m.

A bigger transmission cooler would be a very good idea. Other than that, it should pull the Civic with no problems. Basic maintenance items would be a good idea as well, stuff like plugs, cap, rotor, wires, fuel filter, etc...

nocones
nocones GRM+ Memberand Dork
7/13/12 2:11 p.m.

That looks minty!

Strizzo
Strizzo UberDork
7/13/12 2:15 p.m.

needs more mud tire

xflowgolf
xflowgolf Reader
7/13/12 2:15 p.m.

looks very nice!!

dculberson
dculberson Dork
7/13/12 2:19 p.m.

VERY nice! Where are you located? In Ohio, it's hard to find a truck that nice even if it's a one owner babied one. Rust never sleeps.

And it does not need more mud tire, those things are evil. The tires on it are perfect, unless you like noisy rough riding piss poor handling and bad rain traction then you could give mud tires a shot. (Can you tell my truck came with mud tires? yuck)

N Sperlo
N Sperlo PowerDork
7/13/12 2:21 p.m.

What transmission does it have? (Either way, if it doesn't have a transmission cooler, you need one and maybe a temp gage.)

yamaha
yamaha Reader
7/13/12 2:22 p.m.

Should be the AOD-E 4sp

Good looking truck

red5_02
red5_02 Reader
7/13/12 2:26 p.m.

I need to check and see what all the options are. I do have all the tune-up parts sitting on the work bench. It does have the cooler in the radiator, which I know might not be enough. Planning on buying the full battery of gauges.

N Sperlo
N Sperlo PowerDork
7/13/12 2:40 p.m.
yamaha wrote: Should be the AOD-E 4sp

You'd think, but that year came with two transmissions, E4OD and 4R70W.
My bet is this truck has an E4OD.

Either way, good looking truck. I love mine. 1995 302 Eddie Bauer. Shes sitting in the driveway awaiting a new driveline.

red5_02
red5_02 Reader
7/13/12 2:48 p.m.

Thanks for all the compliments.

yamaha
yamaha Reader
7/13/12 2:52 p.m.
red5_02 wrote: I need to check and see what all the options are. I do have all the tune-up parts sitting on the work bench. It does have the cooler in the radiator, which I know might not be enough. Planning on buying the full battery of gauges.

Buy a larger external to mount up front instead of the radiator one.....it adds capacity and it will keep stuff cooler.

Sperlo, I thought only the 5.8L was offered with the 4r......

tpwalsh
tpwalsh Reader
7/13/12 3:05 p.m.

Look for a Prodigy controller. IHMO it's the best controller on the market. Not cheap, but worth it. It's accelerometer based to make your braking much more smooth.

N Sperlo
N Sperlo PowerDork
7/13/12 4:04 p.m.
yamaha wrote: Buy a larger external to mount up front instead of the radiator one.....it adds capacity and it will keep stuff cooler. Sperlo, I thought only the 5.8L was offered with the 4r......

My 302 EB has the 4r and came stock with the external cooler, but its tiny and I want a bigger one. I may put it in after the driveline is fresh.

iceracer
iceracer UltraDork
7/13/12 5:51 p.m.

I drove my 2002 Liberty all over the NE towing 4K lb. trailer.for 73K miles. Not all towing though. It had a warning light for transmission overheat. I never saw it.

Stock cooler, always towed in overdrive, let the transmission do the shifting.

red5_02
red5_02 Reader
7/13/12 6:17 p.m.

Actually Pappy changed the tranny fluid at 60K. So how much money do ya got . This truck has been taken care of. Garage kept its entire life. Driven only on the weekends. Never driven in the snow. 4x4 works flawless. Interior is in stupid good condition. I just love the thing.

Toyman01
Toyman01 GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
7/13/12 6:33 p.m.
tpwalsh wrote: Look for a Prodigy controller. IHMO it's the best controller on the market. Not cheap, but worth it. It's accelerometer based to make your braking much more smooth.

+1000. The best ever IMHO.

Nice truck, take care of it and it should last forever.

N Sperlo
N Sperlo PowerDork
7/13/12 6:46 p.m.

Their easy to fall in love with. Mine had two owners before me. The first took care of her like your pappy did yours. The second dogged her around with a trailer and didn't take care. When it was overheating, the best thing they could do was fold some heat shielding to push air through the radiator. I guess they didn't know there was a fan for that. That's why I suggest going with a health sized cooler. Their not expensive and can really keep the temp down when stock can't.

This one has the same tranny as the P71 and a heater about 10 inch by four inch. The P71 makes it look like... it makes it look small.

red5_02
red5_02 Reader
7/13/12 8:27 p.m.

The shocks feel a bit...squishy for my tastes. Any suggestions that won't break the bank?

Trans_Maro
Trans_Maro SuperDork
7/13/12 10:40 p.m.
mguar wrote: Now I'm not in favor of an aftermarket trans cooler. Here's why.. the stock trans cooler is in the radiator. That means it quickly warms up the transmission fluid so it flows at the proper viscosity. Aftermarket transcoolers typically don't do that. That same radiator also takes heat away from the transmission fluid so the engine shows it's getting hot.

Umm WTF??

Aftermarket coolers are supposed to be installed in-line with and ahead of the factory built-in cooler.

This way it takes the trans cooling load off of the cooling system but the cooler in the rad ensures that the fluid stays at operating temperature.

nicksta43
nicksta43 HalfDork
7/13/12 10:59 p.m.
Trans_Maro wrote:
mguar wrote: Now I'm not in favor of an aftermarket trans cooler. Here's why.. the stock trans cooler is in the radiator. That means it quickly warms up the transmission fluid so it flows at the proper viscosity. Aftermarket transcoolers typically don't do that. That same radiator also takes heat away from the transmission fluid so the engine shows it's getting hot.
Umm WTF?? Aftermarket coolers are supposed to be installed in-line with and ahead of the factory built-in cooler. This way it takes the trans cooling load off of the cooling system but the cooler in the rad ensures that the fluid stays at operating temperature.

+1

ebonyandivory
ebonyandivory Reader
7/14/12 11:32 a.m.

Sixlitre tune up... http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63592

Plus: http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum28/

Flight Service
Flight Service SuperDork
7/14/12 11:35 a.m.

Very, very nice truck, my favorite model of the newer Fords.

Maintain the trans. Change the fluid and install the trailer towing package or equivalent auxiliary cooler (when it comes to towing equipment, unless I am going over the top, I prefer to stick with the OEM stuff. Trans maro is right, trans out, auxiliary cooler, radiator cooler, and back to trans in.) mguar also has listed the trailer towing gospel-Cliff's notes edition there.

Other than that, enjoy!

tpwalsh
tpwalsh Reader
7/14/12 1:29 p.m.

I'm a fan of the Bilstein shocks I put on my 97 f150. Made a big difference in body motion control and were cheap on sale at rock auto.

fasted58
fasted58 UltraDork
7/14/12 1:40 p.m.

Rancho RS5000

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