tzolk

Have an XLT 4x4 with off road package and wondering if any of you know what specifically "Off road tuned suspension" means compared to a normal 4x4 XLT's suspension.

2010f150fx4

off road package on an xlt??? it might be a dealership extra modification... did your dealership modify your truck like a special edition or something because some dealers modify their new trucks in order to sell them faster maybe they modified your suspension??.

Mike Up

2011 trucks have an off road package option so you don't have to buy the FX4. Don't know the reasoning of this, but I guess not everybody likes the black plastic look of the grill and color matching bumpers. I know I don't care for it all that much. XLT is what looks best to me, a bit of Chrome but not to much. Plus many what the luxury truck like the Lariats and Platinums so they can now have the Off Road Enhancements.

tzolk

What Mike Up said. Its a 2011 XLT Eco with the off road package(Factory option). Skid plates, "off road tuned suspension" just like the FX4. Maybe the Damping is different, not sure really.

NorCal-09

Yes. The XLT, Lariat, and King Ranch, each are offered with the 'Off Road Package' which you can pull up on the truck 'build' aspect of the Ford F150 webpage.

You must first select the Electronic Locking Rear Diff for it to show up as an option on the build and price page.

It includes the E-Locker Diff, the Skid Plates (3), what they call the Off-Road Tuned Shocks, which must be the same shock that the FX-4 gets, which most likely has more control than the basic shocks, then there are three tire options depending on what truck and if you select the chrome pkg; and then last but not least, you get the 4X4 Off-Road decals on the sides of the box...and we all know that adding the words [Off-Road] to the truck, will make it perform much better on the trail!!

bb37

Per the brochure and order guide, the Off-Road Package (55A) is new for 2011.

OFF-ROAD PACKAGE (55A)
Availability:
• Optional on XLT, Lariat and King Ranch® 4x4
Not Available with:
• 3.7L V6 or 6.2L V8 engine
• Heavy-Duty Payload Package (627)
Includes:
• 3.73 electronic-locking rear-axle
• Skid plates: fuel tank, transfer case and front differential
• Off-Road tuned shock absorbers (front and rear)
• 4x4 "Off-Road" decal
• P265/70R17 OWL A/T tires (XLT only)
Optional Equipment:
• P275/55R20 OWL A/T tires (T2E)
• LT245/75R17E BSW A/T tires (T7E) (XLT only)
• LT275/65R18C OWL A/T tires (T8C) (Lariat and King Ranch®; or XLT w/XLT Chrome Pkg. – 86X)

Note, this package is the only way to get the 3.73 electronic-locking rear axle on an XLT.

From my point view, I didn't want the floor shifter which put the FX4 out of my consideration. So, I ordered an XLT with the Off-Road Package. What I can't understand is why a couple of local dealers keep ordering XLTs with the Off-Road Package and the 20" wheels. The 20" wheels come with 55 series tires that have relatively short sidewalls. That's not what you want for off-roading. Maybe I'm just too practical.

NorCal-09

I have offered this observation often before!

Just look at the wheel size offered on the Raptor!

Also look at the wheel sizes on most serious and competitive off-road vehicles prepared by professionals for the Baja and also on the (nearby to me) the Rubicon Trail.

Granted, 20's are pretty, but they are not practical and will not hold up in off-road environments where large rocks and other objects can come in contact with the tires and wheels (large exposed wheels and skinny low profile tire sidewalls) regardless of the tread pattern. Of course, if you only run on dirt roads, then you may get away with them.

While I do not run the Baja or the Rubicon in my fairly stock truck, I do get off deep into the boonies in the local deserts and mountains and this is why I have the large sidewall (75's) on my truck which has the factory 18" wheels and are as large a wheel size as I care to go; and I would have even preferred 17" wheels but I opted for the Chrome pkg.

Mike Up

Yep, that's why I wanted 17" wheels to get a higher sidewall for off road excursions. A higher sidewall also makes for a more cushioned ride on road as well as off.

I didn't want the FX4 for several reasons. It's not the type of off road vehicle I've come to like. I like simple, not a lot of fluff/bells/whistles that offer little to no functionality.

I would not own a full size truck without a center seat and open floor for a bit of legroom. I found I do sometimes have 6 people in my truck. I also love the conversion seat storage. It offers more storage options than many storage consoles.

I also didn't care for the black plastic grill, looks to cheap for me, but I know many that like it.

Also, there's many standard features that I thought were to luxury for my needs. I had a fully loaded 2005 Pathfinder SE 4WD (added skid plates) and it had so many worthless options, they just didn't get used. I had backseat heating/cooling (aux, not pass thru), separate heat/cool controls for front seat, automatic (set at a temp) climate control, adjustable pedals, power seat, auto headlights, expensive(cheap sounding) Bose system, and the grand daddy of everything I hate, a MOON ROOF! That thing sucked! Made the ceiling low where I was always hitting my head, and the bright sun always blinded me where I needed to shut shade. In the winter, it was to cold and covered with snow, so the shade was shut again. Very expensive and a hassle!

The truck I have now has the power seat I don't care for. Manual seats I can always find a setting that I'm comfortable with. Power seats have so many different types of positioning, I find it difficult to get comfortable without spending 15 minutes searching for a position. Adjustable pedals are worthless. We lived 30 years without them, I sure don't need or use them today. Auto headlamps are useless. I find they don't come on in the rain which is a law in almost any state, and they'll stay on after I park which shines into my neighbors front window. The features that I love are the self dimming rear view mirror and the sync package. Most options are for function. The wife needs the side steps and I need the tow package, limited slip, and the larger displacement V8 for greater low end torque.

Don't get me wrong, the FX4 is a fine truck, it's just fluff for me and I don't care to pay for fluff.

Now this doesn't pertain to the Off road vs FX4 but I would rather have a limited slip than an E-locker. I've always need the limited slip and never needed a locker. Besides the locker is open over 25 mph and in 2WD, where I need a limited slip for our scattered snow patches. I've had skid plates on all my 4WD vehicles except the 2 Fords I've owned. I skipped them because I don't crawl over logs or rocks so they never were needed. I mainly need 4WD for mud, snow, slippery grass, ditches, and holes.

I think with the Off Road package, you now can get a back to basics truck that you won't worry about when you do go off road.

My disclaimer, all my comments were about my personal needs so please don't be offended if you have a higher featured truck. I wasn't trying to bash, just siting reasons why those other trucks didn't fit me.

tzolk

I agree. We have the 20" chrome clad on our XLT Off Road, why the dealer ordered that? For the bling factor only. Did not want them or the Off Road/Max tow package but I took what they had. Ive been stuck once and had to get pulled out of the wet clay by a John Deere. Not my intention to go off roading, was just pulling off the road into a muddy two track. A rim got a bit scratched up but no biggie. Would love some 18 inch wheels. The 20's handle great on the street though!

6wendys

I have recently ordered a F150 Lariat supercrew, short bed, ecoboost with the "off road package" bacause i wanted the 3.73 differential. You can't get the 3.73 diff with the ecoboost without ordering either the "off road package" or the max tow package. So i chose the "off road package". But i do almost 100% of my driving on pavement. Has anyone been able to tell whether the "tuned" shocks on the "off road package" make for a rougher ride roads than the standard shocks? And if so, can the shocks be changed out to the standard F150 shocks with little ease?