1999 Ford F150

Monkey · Mar 25, 2010

I'll be honest--this isn't completely about writing.

Yes, my MC drives an old, as of yet undefined pickup, and I've been trying to determine what make/model would work best in the story...but I'm also looking to buy a pickup truck, and have seen one that I like that the seller calls a 1999 F150, Sport edition, supercab, with two-wheel drive. If possible, I want to have the same truck as my MC--that way I can include little details and quirks without being off-base, even though I'm absolutely not mechanically inclined.

Through internet research, I found all kinds of info about 1999 F150's, and stuff about "sport" trucks...but for the life of me I can't manage to find a 1999 F150 that calls itself a "sport" truck, has an extended cab, AND is two-wheel drive.

I'm looking for anything, opinions, info, experience, google help (this may just be a big Google FAIL on my part). But specifically, I need to know:

*Can this truck haul a round bale?
*Can it haul a horse trailer?
*How loud is it, compared to other trucks?
*Can my MC take it off-road?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

CDaniel · Mar 25, 2010

Well I don't know a lot, but I can answer a few things.

the 1999 F-150 can haul a round bail and pull a horse trailer. But what kind of horse trailer are we talking about here. Is it a regular two horse bumper hitch kinda of trailer or is it a long or short goose neck. If a Goose neck and F-250 would have more power to pull it over an F-150.

As far as off road, a two wheel drive can go off road, but a 4 wheel drive would be better.

In comparison to say a Dodge, the ford is much quieter running and in my opinion a much better pick-up than a Dodge.

Hope this helps some.

Monkey · Mar 25, 2010

Thanks.

The bed did look a little short, but it's not officially a short bed, I don't think. The seller says it can carry a whole sheet of plywood, laying flat, but I don't know how big that is in comparison to a round bale. Gah. My cluelessness is showing.

The off-road and quiet aspects both matter more to my MC, who uses the truck to pull a few covert operations. Sounds like it's good enough for the needs of the story.

The trailer question matters more to me, but I haven't actually purchased the trailer yet; until now, I've always had cars and had to bum rides for the horses.

Thank you, thank you...and such a quick reply, too.

CDaniel · Mar 25, 2010

No problem, anytime

Puma · Mar 25, 2010

On some trucks, the super, or extended cab cuts down the bed length - at least on the short bed models. You can probably find that information by looking at dealer sites on line or even a Ford site.

On your 2 wheel versus 4 wheel drive, a lot of the answer is going to depend on kind of terrain and roads and season of the year. If you're not going to get into anything more major than driving across grass, 2 wheel should work fine, but if you've got a lot of snow, mud, even rocky terrain, I'd go for the 4 wheel. Puma

Fenika · Mar 25, 2010

Check the axle weight (my 2500 Silverado is 6,500lbs to give you an idea) for what you can haul in the bed. Round bales aren't absurdly heavy, so you should have no trouble.

For hauling- very very limited. Aside from numbers, you have to consider breaking. Go to the chronicle of the horse forums and you will find A TON about this. There's also a mantra there: It's the breaking! (you might search that term to find more trailer/hauling threads).

If you have to park in a soggy field with that truck and trailer you may find yourself SOL at the end of the day.

Lastly, look at Benderups- the lightest (as far as I know) horse trailers on the market.

Fenika · Mar 25, 2010

Also, you admit to your own cluelessness. Do a TON of research and consider safety first. I've been in a few scary situations with my Diesel (2500 Chevy, as above) and a moderate weight loaded trailer to make me cringe. I've also been in someone else's rig and had some cringe moments. Factor in rain, sudden light changes on 60mph highways, horses jigging in the back, etc. You do not want a truck that's hauling something almost too heavy for it.

(Also, I once made my friend weigh her draft horse and pay to have my trailer weighed before I agreed to take the draft and a second horse on a long trip. The second horse's weight was easy to guess, and we were approaching my truck's limit but well within. I insisted on this after partially sliding into an intersection hauling just the draft in the rain. I had Already been slowing down in the event that the light would change (it did) but couldn't quite stop the small slides and I'm not an idiot braker)

On a related note, just before you get that trailer, read up on hauling safety. It's simple stuff but VERY important. Stuff like constant anticipation. And when that AHOLE cuts you off in traffic and slams on the breaks, no you can not go plowing through him and damn was I he lucky I could throw my rig onto the shoulder)

I'm rambling

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Mar 25, 2010

I'm thinking 'sport edition' is the seller's attempt to make it seem more desirable. I'm pretty good at googlefoo and I couldn't find one with a 'sport' anything designation. I found this one called a 'Flareside' that sounds close to what you're describing. Flareside just means it doesn't have that step in front of the rear wheel (according to Ol' Boy it's a fancier way to say 'Fleetside'.

jclarkdawe · Mar 25, 2010

Monkey said:
I'll be honest--this isn't completely about writing.

Yes, my MC drives an old, as of yet undefined pickup, To be an old pickup, ten years won't cut it. I have a '97 and I wouldn't consider it old. and I've been trying to determine what make/model would work best in the story...but I'm also looking to buy a pickup truck, and have seen one that I like that the seller calls a 1999 F150, Sport edition, supercab, with two-wheel drive. Is this the SVT Lightning? Or is the sport describing a trim package. If possible, I want to have the same truck as my MC--that way I can include little details and quirks without being off-base, even though I'm absolutely not mechanically inclined.

Through internet research, I found all kinds of info about 1999 F150's, and stuff about "sport" trucks...but for the life of me I can't manage to find a 1999 F150 that calls itself a "sport" truck, has an extended cab, AND is two-wheel drive. I think, but I'm not sure, that Ford had the regular cab, an extended cab, and the super cab. Regular cab is one row of seats, an extended cab is a row and a half and one door, while the super cab is two seats and two doors. There's also short and long bed. Long bed is eight foot. Two and four wheel drive don't have much difference until you get off road. Which engine is it running?

1999 is about when Ford started beefing up its trucks, and going to the new body design.

I'm looking for anything, opinions, info, experience, google help (this may just be a big Google FAIL on my part). But specifically, I need to know:

*Can this truck haul a round bale? Depending upon the weight of the hay, should be able to haul two if it's a long bed. Watch your rear tailgate because with two bales it will take a beating. If your horse trailer is clear at the rear, you can also haul a bale in your trailer. I've got a three quarter ton with a stock trailer and haul four in the trailer and three in the bed. If this is cattle hay, however, be aware that some of those bales can weigh 1,000 lbs + which makes a difference.
*Can it haul a horse trailer? A two horse trailer without problem. I'd avoid living quarters. A goose neck with a short bed trailer can take out your rear window. Make sure on a use trailer that the tires are the right load rating. Many non-truck users don't buy heavy enough tires for their trucks and SUVs. Also, understand that tires make a lot of difference to a truck.
*How loud is it, compared to other trucks? It's gas, so it's fairly quiet. The noisy ones are diesel. I would have to shut my truck off if I ever used drive-through.
*Can my MC take it off-road? Yes, with qualifications. You need four-wheel drive, skid plates, and off-road tires to really go off road. Also, a pickup is fairly wide, although not as bad as a Hummer. Fords also need a one acre field to make a turn, and a super cab with a long bed takes at least a two acre field to make a turn.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have an extended cab F-250 with long bed and extended mirrors. I usually take four parking spaces and get lots of walking in.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

Monkey · Mar 25, 2010

Thanks for all the info!

Puma-
I tried finding the bed length, but I'm having a hard time pinning down exactly what the dern thing is. Apparently, Ford went crazy with the add-ons, editions, and extras on the '99 model; you can even get the "Harley Davidson" edition, or the "King Ranch" one. Special thanks for the clarification about off-road conditions.

Fenika-
My husband has hauled things behind a truck before, so at least he has some experience there. I'm more comfortable on horseback and not big on driving cars/trucks; I'm 31 come April first and have only had my license a little over a year. There's no way I'd put my babies in a trailer and try to haul them myself!
Very useful information. This means I could probably haul my husband's horse alone (Friesian/Thoroughbred, almost 17 hands), or two of the smaller horses. I have a dainty Arabian, roughly 14-15 hands, and we also raise Caspians, about 11 hands each (my two youngest each ride one). This truck wouldn't be near big enough for a gooseneck carrying all four of our riding horses, but then, I'm not up for that kind of investment right now, anyway. And anyway, it'll be a while before the whole family can trail ride together; my daughter is three and my son is five!

Ol' Fashioned Girl-
I'm glad to know that it wasn't just me. This one isn't a Flareside; it has the little step. The "Sport" thing comes from the truck itself: "Sport" is written on the side of it. It's a one-owner vehicle, so we know that the designation was there when it was new and not just some decal or something. It's weird that neither of us could find anything about it, though.

Monkey · Mar 25, 2010

JClarkDawe-
Thank you! From what you've said, this is a short bed, but it should still be able to carry one round bale of horse-quality hay, which is what I need. Yay! And your estimation of its towing ability is pretty much in line with what I got from Fenika, so double-yay, I feel like I'm getting a good idea of what this truck can/can't do, assuming it's in good condition (haven't had it looked at by anyone knowledgeable yet). Glad to know that it's quiet. The seller told me what kind of engine it had, but not being mechanically minded, that info slipped right out the other ear. *sigh* I will have it looked over before I purchase it.

Thanks again!

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Mar 25, 2010

I found it.

Sometimes it pays to google for less than for more.

This is F150online.com... they're an online F150 lover's AW. They say it's a 'Sport' if it says 'Sport' on the side! LOL! I don't know if these guys can help you, but they're likely better at it than we are. Good luck!

benbradley · Mar 25, 2010

Ol' Fashioned Girl said:
I found it. Sometimes it pays to google for less than for more.

This is F150online.com... they're an online F150 lover's AW. They say it's a 'Sport' if it says 'Sport' on the side! LOL! I don't know if these guys can help you, but they're likely better at it than we are. Good luck!

Oh yeah, "Sport" is probably like "GT" or "EX" or whatever else added onto car models as a designation that it comes from the factory with a "package," a certain combination of options as "standard" for the "Sport" model.

My brother has a '99 F150, manual shift and 2-4WD, and 220,000 miles on it. I'm amazed it still runs.

GeorgeK · Mar 26, 2010

I have a 96 F150 with an extended cab (a 3 door, not a king cab which is 4 door). I can fit 6 people and has a 6 foot bed (short bed). It could haul a large round bale if it is a trailer, but could not handle the weight if it were put into the bed. Note that there are a couple sizes of round bales. Small ones are about 600 pounds. Large ones are about 2000 pounds. I have an off road package, which if you are a farmer you really want. when mechanics work on the vehicle they always comment, "Hey, you actually do go off road!" as they pull weeds out of the undercarriage. When you go into the fields the flowers and weed tops get stuck in the bumper and if you leave it there because theschedule was tight (as it often is on a farm) and go to the "Big Lots" for various sundries, people see this funny looking bouquet sticking out of the front of the truck and often applaud.

I can flip it to 4 wheel while in the cab by stopping, putting it in neutral and then turning a switch on the dash. It takes a couple seconds to switch and you hear a clunk. It gets about 14 mpg if it matters and turning on the air condition makes no difference on mileage.

Fenika · Mar 26, 2010

Btw, I don't think anyone has mentioned this- I would NOT haul with any 150 that did not have a towing packaged installed when manufactured. I'm not sure if I would tow with a 250(0) w/o a towing package (aside from short trips within the vehicle's ability ofc).

CDaniel · Mar 27, 2010

Puma said:
On some trucks, the super, or extended cab cuts down the bed length - at least on the short bed models. You can probably find that information by looking at dealer sites on line or even a Ford site.

On your 2 wheel versus 4 wheel drive, a lot of the answer is going to depend on kind of terrain and roads and season of the year. If you're not going to get into anything more major than driving across grass, 2 wheel should work fine, but if you've got a lot of snow, mud, even rocky terrain, I'd go for the 4 wheel. Puma

The terrain and roads and season of the year are not really major reasons for choosing a 4 wheel drive over a 2 wheel drive. A 4 wheel drive is more convent to have in a lot of those cases, but its not absolutely necessary. I have a 2 wheel drive myself and I have no problem with off road terrain to a degree. I've seen more big 4 wheel drive pick-ups being pullout of the ditch during the winter, simply because of driver error. Just because you have 4 wheel drive doesn't mean your going to be able to drive off road or in bad weather any better then with a 2 wheel drive.

I mean no offense to anyone, its just my opinion.

CDaniel · Mar 27, 2010

Fenika said:
Check the axle weight (my 2500 Silverado is 6,500lbs to give you an idea) for what you can haul in the bed. Round bales aren't absurdly heavy, so you should have no trouble.

For hauling- very very limited. Aside from numbers, you have to consider breaking. Go to the chronicle of the horse forums and you will find A TON about this. There's also a mantra there: It's the breaking! (you might search that term to find more trailer/hauling threads).

If you have to park in a soggy field with that truck and trailer you may find yourself SOL at the end of the day.

Lastly, look at Benderups- the lightest (as far as I know) horse trailers on the market.

I don't know much about horse trailers myself. Stock trailers though, now that's a different matter. Anyway, I know Featherlite trailers are a real lite stock trailer and Barret's are a more sturdier stock trailer.

Fenika · Mar 27, 2010

Stock trailers are a good option as long as they are horse safe (edges to catch on, high enough roof, etc). Also, I was told that aluminum trailers are not always lighter due to the reinforcement. Always get the numbers, and know that they may be off a bit (particularly with custom mades, which may have a guestimate on the official trailer 'plaque'. This is why I insisted my trailer get weighed in the above post. Turns out it was about 300lbs lighter than the sticker claimed, which is better than the alternative.)

Also, in general, keep in mind that the well advertised company is spending a ton on that advertising, and so will you when you buy their trailer. But a good reputation is worth its weight in gold.

(I dream of owning a fancy Hawk one day...)

Monkey · Mar 28, 2010

Thanks again, everyone.

This particular truck has only been used for city driving--a guy wanted a "manly" ride, and here in South Texas, that means "truck" to a lot of people. It's in great shape, and I'm driving up to buy it tomorrow, so any more info from here on out is just gravy.

Twinwillowsfarm · Mar 29, 2010

I drive a 1998 F-150 pushing 200k miles. It's not as quiet as it once was. It's an extended cab, 3 door. We do pull the bumper pull 2 horse trailer with it, but it has a towing package and the trailer has it's own brakes. Mine is 2 wheel drive and I don't take it off road, other than in a flat field, that is. I've never hauled round bales, but I've piled 25 squares on it before.

I've also hauled a hay wagon down the road with it and a gravity feed wagon. It's been a great truck, I hope to run it for another couple of years. Love my Ford!

hammerklavier · Mar 29, 2010

Go to Kelly Blue Book: kbb.com and search by year, model, etc. Some of the other auto websites are good too. They'll tell you what options are available, and usually have photos and original reviews.

GeorgeK · Mar 31, 2010

CDaniel said:
The terrain and roads and season of the year are not really major reasons for choosing a 4 wheel drive over a 2 wheel drive. A 4 wheel drive is more convent to have in a lot of those cases, but its not absolutely necessary..

It might not make a difference where you are in the Cascades, but here in the foothills of the Appalacians it does make a difference where the seasons are short spring, long summer, short fall and very cold MUD. When the mud is frozen then yes a 2WD would be fine. When it isn't, then the 2WD will get stuck in the field. As far as roads go, here the county is very slow to salt the roads and 4WD can make the difference of being able to get up the big hills or not. However, I do have to agree that most of the people going off the road into ditches are the result of driver error.

1999 Ford F150

Monkey

Is me.

CDaniel

Writing for the brand

Monkey

Is me.

CDaniel

Writing for the brand

Puma

Retired and loving it!

Fenika

Fenika

Ol' Fashioned Girl

Hand? What hand?

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?

Monkey

Is me.

Monkey

Is me.

Ol' Fashioned Girl

Hand? What hand?

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world

GeorgeK

ever seeking

Fenika

CDaniel

Writing for the brand

CDaniel

Writing for the brand

Fenika

Monkey

Is me.

Twinwillowsfarm

hammerklavier

It was a dark and stormy night

GeorgeK

ever seeking