Josh Sherer

I'm looking to do some small stuff to my 1997 ford f150 xlt 2wd pickup and I need a little I've been around rock crawlers from polaris rzr,s to rock bouncers so I no the limitations to 2wd I just don't know if it stupid to do what I want to do

My truck is a 1997 ford f150 2door 8FT bed with a 4.6 liter v8....the motor is my consern I'm not sure if it's to heavy or something it's a cast iron block with aluminium heads so I just need help

Josh Sherer

And my transmission I've heard mixed opinions trophy truck drivers say a good automatic transmission is better than a stick shift then some people say the automatics just don't do well in the offroad terrain

Josh Sherer

I could see a automatic would be good for high speed like I want to do and a manual would be good for slow paced crawling but I'm goin for high speed

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

First, I think you might be just a little lost... This is a TOYOTA forum.

Second, your truck is no where near a trophy truck so, what those drivers say is irrelevant but with a v8 an auto is fine in the desert. Either style will get torn up and break eventually anyway.

Lastly, if you are looking and building a high speed desert truck, Dezertrangers.com and Race-dezert.com will be the sites you are looking for. I would highly suggest you do a lot of research before joining either, or you will get flamed.

Chris_McCartney

Hi Josh, welcome to the forum! I have just joined also, jealous you have a v8 to play with for your build! As Robert said, this is a Toyota forum so you will see a lot less replies than you're looking for, but many of us welcome variation! Post up a few pics of your truck. Few questions, will you be using it as a prerunner, or just a prerunner themed build?

Prerunner's cost mega $$$ and usually have very long travel suspension, tube subframes, engine cages and full roll/crash protection, with a fibreglass/frp body thrown on top, those things put out 700+ horsepower!

If it's a prerunner themed build and you want minor offroading, then by all means throw on some offroad tyres and make sure you have adequate clearance, if they rub on full lock then it won't stand a chance offroad, so you will need a body or suspension lift.

I currently drive a 2wd Hilux but have driven my own previous 4wd's (Mitsubishi Pajero's) and a few Landcruisers, and I have to say the only time I have needed 4wd is when the truck is going slow and losing traction, such as snow or wet mud. 2wd's can be very very capable with offroad tyres and a winch as a backup!!

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

This is posted in the Other Makes and Models so it is good. If you were talking about cubic inches, I know those motors a little better, but when they changed over to liters, they changed the motors as well and I don't know those anymore. I have always preferred a manual transmission over an automatic, you just have more control of what the truck in my opinion.

Josh Sherer

Ok cool well I understand that this is a toyota fourm but I can't find anything els useful..
But ya thanks for the advice and I was already on the hunt for a whinch and like I said I still need this as a daily drive I'm 17 so I'm on a budget iv talked to a lot of people my age and most of the guys say you could easily put a prerunner together with $2000 I have the money to get started a and thank god my dog she's about to have puppies so that a easily $800 plus my $450...oh and I will post my pic of my truck sadly I'm not were I live I'm in Florida but il fans a pic of my truck online

Josh Sherer

Ok well I can't find how to post a pic but. It is completly stock 1997 ford f150 xlt 8foot bed with the 4.6L v8 triton with a 4sp automatic and it's red if that made any difference haha

rworegon

Hey, it sounds like your buddies have you covered on the advice front.

Hope you gets lots of feedback on a Ford forum. Feedback around here will likely be skimpy as we are mostly using Toyota's as our platforms.

Good luck.

Josh Sherer

Ok well you really haven't tryed to find a GOOD prerunner ford fourm so I'm sorry if that was a dig on me but I'm sure one ford owner won't mess up you comunity that bad

rworegon

Josh, cool the jets!!!! Do you care to take the word out of your post that is an attempt to bypass the language censor YT has in place?

All I'm trying to do is lower your expectations of what the members here may provide you.

EDIT: Josh, thanks for making the edit above.

Josh Sherer

I realize that thank you for your advice I just can't find help anywhere that has to do with ford prerunner a I have found help on changing the rear axel and such but if it has anything to do with ford prerunners I can't find it

rworegon

Have you considered that the lack of info on Ford Prerunners may indicate that the Ford in not a very workable platform for such a project?

What type of parts are available for the Ford?

It seems to me there is plenty of research yet to be done.

Josh Sherer

Ya I have been worried about that but I do see a lot of fords built up like that most of them in the 2000 to 2004 range but between 1996 and 2003 f150,s are generally the same

Josh Sherer

I have been around off-roaders all my life I have been around stuff from a dinky 110HP polaris rzr to 800HP rock bouncers so I know my limitations with 2wd with that being said I'm still not sure if I want to do my truck I know the benefits of 2wd light weight and cheapER to build as Chris said up their a whinch would do me good

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

If you cant find any good offraod ford forums then you didnt check out either one of the other forums I suggested in the 4th post above. I can tell you right off the bat though that on DR you have to be 18+ to join but you have to have thick skin and R-D is less about building DD friendly vehicles and more about building full race stuff but on both you will find LOTS of info there if you just search the forms.
Many people have build up that body f150 and there are decent suspension setups out there but they are not as popular as they used to be so finding stuff on a budget will take some effort. And speaking of budget, it will not be easy to put a setup together for $2000 (I have $2k just in my front end kit, not counting shocks). You might be able to lift it with a bolt on shock upgrade and do rims and tires but that wont make a capable "prerunner".

Josh Sherer

Yes you are right I have not looked at tho,s sites Because believe it or not I have got a lot of info on this site manly because lots of people are slightly agervated with me for talking about a ford on a toyota site and I understand that but untill I get banned I will continue to get info from this site Negitve or positive so THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Josh Sherer

And Robert I'm not doing Sirius stuff with this truck if I were I would get a 4wd but u just want to have something to do for the summer besides work and have so thing to play with and looks good and I have grown up to believe if it's not functional and just fashinable then it's useless but I do want it to be in the middle of tho,s two

Josh Sherer

And one more thing if it's not to racist against toyota is the standard I beam suspension ok to use for what I'm doing just with mid to high range shocks??

Josh Sherer

I agree with the manual vs automatic I feel I can get more power out of a manual but I also think with a automatic you would never have to be bothered with the task of shifting in for instance the king of the hammers flying over the whopdy doo,s and being Jared around trying to shift but I won't be in the king of the hammers or be Jared around so I think a manual will be better