last5oh_302

Agreed, and it's not that difficult to flip a switch. My last truck didn't have it and to be honest I'd rather not have it after some of the issues I've read on here.

Axxion89

To all the people saying just flip the switch. It sounds easy but when your driving and you need to accelerate quick (merge onto a busy street) or you hit a patch of ice, you won't be able to flip the switch. Point being, you can live without 4A but its damn nice to have for the piece of mind if you can afford the jump to Lariat

stringer

I've never had 4A either. If I found a truck that was optioned out the way I wanted it and just so happened to have 4A, I would take it but it wouldn't be a deal breaker. If the roads are covered with snow, I just put the truck into 4X4 High and take it out when the roads are clear. Sure it would be nice to have the luxury of having 4A kicking in as soon as the truck detects wheel slip but it isn't a necessity.

Since your from Pittsburgh, where are you specifically? I live in Washington County right on the Monongahela River near Cal U.

Indy2015

Except for a subbie with all time all wheel drive, I've never had a vehicle with 4 auto. The current truck, a 2015 XLT has just normal 4x4, and I've never felt that working with the system to be a drag.

I leave for work early in the morning, long before other drivers hit the road, and this morning we had about 4-5 inches of fresh snow. I used 4x4 hi at first, and when I reached the roads with more traffic with some concrete and snow mixed, I put the truck back into 2wd. Even with the roads primarily covered in snow and ice with only occasional patches of pavement, I find that I use 2wd most of the time. 4wd isn't needed unless traction from just 2 wheels just won't keep you going.

However, I've never tried 4 auto, so I just may not know what I'm missing. :-)

LMT2424

Nice to meet you! I am from Whitehall, live right by Caste Village. The 4x4A thing isnt a necessity, it is a peace of mind thing like some of you have said.

I travel 19 and 79 regularly. The roads may be clear, but when you cross lanes, that slush in the middle can be a big hazard.

Ricktwuhk

No, it is easy. Been doing it forever. F-150, before that Explorer. Before that CJ-7 where I had to stop and shift into 4x4. Couch potato society.

Livoniabob

Suicide doors are the best thing about the supercab... Love them!! Even better now that they fold back 170 degrees..

Also love the auto 4X4...

sunofabeach

so here's something that has happened to me this year. driving out to the mountains with my family to go skiing and the roads are fairly dry so i put her in 2H and just started driving. 20 minutes into the drive, the wind started to pick up really badly. blowing snow across the road, visibility getting a little bad. i tried to accelerate from 95kph and i started to fishtail. lucky for me, i saved it. this was on a straight stretch of the highway as well. i put it into 4A and it never happened again.

would i pay extra for 4A? i did because i've lived with manually changing it from 2H to 4H and no matter how good of a driver you are, there are times when you need help from the computer because it can detect wheelspin and redirect power to the wheels with grip way, way faster than any human.

MNgopher

For me, I don't have the 4A and quite honestly didn't care. None of my F150's have had it. My Explorers have a type of 4A, and honestly I prefer to drive them in regular 4x4 High when conditions warrant versus the automatic option.

It isn't as if this is an old school truck with the short shifter on the floor and manual hubs... Just turn the ****... It is that easy!

As others have pointed out, in most cases with snow and ice, the road generally isn't all snow and ice for a short stretch and then perfectly dry... usually its wet and there is no harm when driving in 4x4 in those conditions with a mish mash of surfaces...

And if you start to fishtail at 60 mph, probably a hint you need to slow down a bit, 4A or not... 4A can't overcome the physics of stopping and steering...

End of the day - you have to decide - is it a must have or a nice to have... For me, it would be the latter. Others think otherwise and I'm OK with that.

stringer

I am very familiar with that, especially on those two roads in particular. Usually when its nasty out on 70 & 79 I stay in the slow lanes. The only time I go in the passing lane is if there is someone that absolutely can not drive in snow in front of me and I am on a straight away while in 4H. I have seen and been to way too many accidents from people not being able to keep their vehicles under control in the passing lane.

Best of luck on the vehicle search! I just picked up a leftover 2016. The truck was originally at #1 Cochran Ford but I had my dealer (Ford of Uniontown) do a dealer trade to get it for me. You were saying the truck your looking at is out of state?