Ford F150... Need some truck help

I have had my eyes out for a truck for a couple months now and drove my one I have some questions about. Went out to the see 22 Jump St with the wife tonight and it was on the way there. I cant seem to pinpoint a hauling capacity for it though... So many different models!



This one is a 1995 F150 XLT Super Cab (4x4) 5.8L(not the 5.0) v8 w/ 160,000 miles. Body is in pretty darn good condition. KBB seems to be around 4k if I am using that site correctly?

Thanks guys!

I have the same truck with about the same mileage. Not knowing the area of the country you are in, I do not know the value. In my part of the country it is only worth about $ 1,500. The best part about a truck like this is that parts are easy to come by and usually cheap around here. The hauling capacity of the truck using the bed alone is only a half of a ton. Hauling capacity of mine is about 7 tons with a goose neck trailer, heavy duty suspension, correct weight distribution, 10 ply tires, and slow speeds. Weight distribution is a science the engineers on the site can explain. For me it is trial and error. Good luck.

This might help in regard to towing capacity:

1995 Ford F-Series Tow Ratings - Brochure Scan

The most important number is the Gross Combined Weight Rating. Here's an explanation of how that works:

HowStuffWorks "How Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) Works"

These are the numbers for when the truck was new. I would reduce them by 40 - 50% for a twenty year old truck w/ 150 K.

Ex had a red one I used to drive all the time, not sure of weight cap, but it did pretty well...4k is a bit high even here, unless it was garage kept and only driven to church on Sunday.

Check the dual tanks, everyone around here had problems with them leaking...ours was no exception.

Thanks for all of the info! I believe it does have one of the bumper mount hitches. I would want to be replacing that, correct? As for trailer I do plan to get a bigger dual wheel with independent brakes. It looks like the rating is around 7,300 towing cap, but sounds like you guys are pulling more than that?..? Do the upgraded suspension and tires add that much? Or is it just a combination of all the above. I will need to find out a bit more about the truck I guess. He is asking 2.6k, and I would hope to get it down to 2k, but even then sounds like it might be a bit high still.

Once again, the price depends on your location. A 4x4 truck in the south does not increase it's value much, but a two wheel drive in the north is worthless without chains and weights four months of the year. As far as KBB you want to look at a private sale price.

There has been some great insight here and without taking the time to give proper credit, my experience will be summarized. Yes each element is important because a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. If the truck has it's original suspension system, use it until it breaks and then replace it with a heavier system. If you load 2 tons in an old half ton truck, it will not take long to have an excuse to replace the springs. Vehicle ratings are conservative and based on liability. When you start to flatten the springs, you start to lift up the front end and steering becomes a problem. Trailer breaks are important for large loads and learning how to drive as if you did not have brakes will extend their life. I run the maximum ply tire I can because blowouts with full loads can be nerve racking. Someone else mentioned air pressure and I am a big believer in running my tires at the max to reduce blowouts. Most of the time I run at 82 psi when hauling.

A bumper hitch trailer cannot haul as much as a gooseneck because it is harder to distribute the weight. All the weight from the trailer is behind the back bumper making it easier to lift the front end while a gooseneck distributes the weight directly over the back axle. Imagine a teeter totter. The example of weight hauled given earlier was with a 10 ton gooseneck trailer and a 1/2 ton truck. With the one ton diesel and this same trailer over 12 tons has been hauled 60 miles going 60 mph during 90 degree days. This was documented in the water tank post. Good luck.

Good luck.

i had a 95 f150 drove it four years still ran good when i made the mistake of trading for a newer one. had 325000 miles on it

had to replace tranny twice cant take the abuse i put on it

Originally Posted by Patriot76

Once again, the price depends on your location. A 4x4 truck in the south does not increase it's value much, but a two wheel drive in the north is worthless without chains and weights four months of the year. As far as KBB you want to look at a private sale price.

There has been some great insight here and without taking the time to give proper credit, my experience will be summarized. Yes each element is important because a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. If the truck has it's original suspension system, use it until it breaks and then replace it with a heavier system. If you load 2 tons in an old half ton truck, it will not take long to have an excuse to replace the springs. Vehicle ratings are conservative and based on liability. When you start to flatten the springs, you start to lift up the front end and steering becomes a problem. Trailer breaks are important for large loads and learning how to drive as if you did not have brakes will extend their life. I run the maximum ply tire I can because blowouts with full loads can be nerve racking. Someone else mentioned air pressure and I am a big believer in running my tires at the max to reduce blowouts. Most of the time I run at 82 psi when hauling.

A bumper hitch trailer cannot haul as much as a gooseneck because it is harder to distribute the weight. All the weight from the trailer is behind the back bumper making it easier to lift the front end while a gooseneck distributes the weight directly over the back axle. Imagine a teeter totter. The example of weight hauled given earlier was with a 10 ton gooseneck trailer and a 1/2 ton truck. With the one ton diesel and this same trailer over 12 tons has been hauled 60 miles going 60 mph during 90 degree days. This was documented in the water tank post. Good luck.

Good luck.

Thanks a bunch Patriot! 2WD is ABSOLUTELY useless here for at least 4 months haha! Especially because this vehicle will also be used to get me on and off the frozen lakes for ice fishing... need the 4x4! There is a 1999 F250 with 160k miles here in VERY nice condition with the topper ($2,900), but its only 2wd! That thing has a GCWR @ 10,000 and has a nicer hitch. I debated it for a while but the 4x4 just has to be there! I think I will go check the 95 out again today and maybe throw him a lower offer. The wife is going to switch to a crossover this summer as well, so if she ends up with 4WD on that thing I might put a bit more thought into the F250


Odd question.. but.. am I able to take pictures of peoples car and post them on here? I will throw a pic of that F150 up after I go look at it again today.

I would recommend the "99" F-250 2 wd for heavy hauling work. There's quite a difference between the f-150 and f-250. The other advantage is that the drive train is simpler. You're not funneling all that torque through a transfer case. The four wheel drive is nice to have sometimes but it's also quite a bit more expensive to own.

Have you thought about airbags ? They're really nice for leveling out an uneven load not to mention beefing up your weight carrying capacity.

This is a link to the F250. Im really torn!
1999 Ford F-250 XL - Delano, MN 55328 | CarSoup.com

Here is a pic of the 95. Its some special edition with the paint job... I was confused as to why it didn't say 4x4 on it, but it is indeed 4x4. Tires look to have over 50% tread. Are they a decent brand? It does just have the trailer mount hitch, but the guy offered to cut his mounted hitch off a 3/4 ton he was piecing out and using to upgrade his current 3/4 ton and give it to me free. I am going to test drive it tmr. There is just rust in the few spots.

You really can't go by the looks. Could be a "painted lady". Get it up on the lift and check out the rust situation. A good mechanic will know what to look for.

Just some things to consider:

1: Date of manufacture. One is a lot closer to the twenty year mark than the other. It could be a problem to get critical repair parts that are only available through Ford.

2: Previous owner: Is that person hard on equipment ?

3: Who has been doing the repair work ? Was it someone ASE certified or a shade tree mechanic ?

4: < you're gonna shoot me > Have the emissions been messed with ? The emissions are every bit a part of the motor as the push rods or oil pump. You can't take em' off without messing up the motor. Something like the exhaust gas recirculation unit actually improves gas mileage and cools combustion temperatures on a hot day. If the thermactor system has been messed with it will cause incorrect readings at the O2 sensor and the ECU will either run the engine too rich or too lean thus possibly damaging the cat.

Complicated much ? That's a hassle you don't want. If it's all there that's good. If parts n pieces are missing it can take a really good mechanic and lotsa money to straighten it all out again.

5: Is it showing a CEL ( check engine light ) If so ... the on board diagnostic feature of the ECU will throw a trouble code and give you some insight as to whether or not there are and problems with the motor or transmission.

6: Used car salesmen don't have the best reputation for integrity but a reputable dealership has certain quality standards that it adheres to. If a trade in doesn't meet spec they either fix it or wholesale it out. Watch the prices ... if it's too good to be true then it might not be.

7: A VIN # report on a vehicle you're interested in might set you back 30 bucks but save you thousands later on.

Scrappah, thanks for all the information. I will take every piece of that into consideration. A VIN report will definitely be done. The guy seems quite genuine so I feel he will answer most questions honestly. I will ask about the previous owner as well as any work performed to it.

While searching to see if the vehicle was listed online I did another search of F150 and the same city and this turned up O.O! Called, and after about 15 minutes of convo I found out it has 165,00 miles, 1999 F150 with 5.4 V8, 4x4, topper and brush guard included, A/C BROKEN, and hole in muffler. Listed almost the exact same as the 1995. I will be going for a test drive in this one right after the 95. OH! Also, this 1999 has a frame mounted hitch already! One thing he said which I wasnt sure was positive or negative... "over the past 4 years it has pretty much sat and only been used for hunting and ice fishing". Is it a good thing that no major work has been performed in 4 years? He has owned the vehicle sine 2002.

Gee ... you're making me jealous. Good used trucks are hard to find here in Maine and you're looking at a minimum bid of six grand for something that will pass state inspection.

It's better to get somebody's " daily driver " as opposed to one that's been sitting for awhile. Here's why:

1: They rust out a lot faster underneath when they're sitting idle on bare soil. All of the moisture comes up and condenses on the metal.

2: We're in a little bit of a fix because these trucks weren't designed to run on the ethanol blended fuel that we have to use these days. The EPA mandate of a 10% blend didn't come out till sometime in 2004 ?

The fuel only has a reliable shelf life of 30 days. After that it's apt to undergo phase separation. The high octane alcohol is blended with something like a 70 octane gasoline to make a fuel that is around 87 octane. When they separate the alcohol absorbs moisture from the air and becomes worthless. What you're left with is a low octane gasoline that has no anti-knock additive. Bad things happen when you turn the key !

This blended fuel is also a lot more corrosive than regular gasoline. It's bad for fuel fill pipes and fuel tanks and fuel pumps.

3: Nature has a way of moving in and taking over when a truck sits. Mice nest in the heating ducts, air filters,seat cushions, and anywhere else they can set up housekeeping. They nibble on wires and poop all over the place .... naaaaasty !

4: It's really common for brake calipers to lock up once a truck has been sitting. That's a couple of hundred bucks in repairs right off the bat.

Anyway ... i hope this is helpful. It's a lot to take in.