First week with my new 19 King Ranch
05-10-2019, 10:50 PM
#1
First week with my new 19 King Ranch
It’s been just a week since I took delivery of my new 2019 F150 KR 3.5 V6 EcoBoost.
Candidly, it’s exceeded all expectations. I bought it through a broker and was so confident in the truck I bought it sight unseen, without even a test drive.
Honestly there’s almost nothing I can complain about. If I’m picking nits I could cite the small amount of wind noise which I believe is “dirty air” from the big side rearview mirrors, and the choice of relatively low profile tires (mine has the 20 inch cast aluminum wheels) which give the truck a harsher ride than it would have with a slightly taller sidewall tire. More on that later.
I bought the truck with the intent of towing a few cars from California to Colorado and so opted for the tow package. I also chose a few other upgrades, some of which I didn’t even realize I had for the first few days of ownership (Park Assist, Massage seats, etc.). I’m hoping this truck will last me many years so I went big when I chose the truck I wanted.
Aside from the power, seamless transmission, comfort, compliant ride, and overall adaptability depending on conditions, I’m amazed at the driver aids. In a car that I wanted to really drive I’d find them annoying and unnecessary, but for a tool for chewing up miles, hauling stuff, and handling a wide variety of weather, the King Ranch is king. The adaptive cruise control is fantastic once you learn to trust it...I can see how on a long trip it would reduce mental stress significantly.
I am perplexed why Ford chose the low profile tires....I think they’re 75 series tires, and a taller sidewall would surely fit and offer a more comfortable ride.
I love the autostop/start feature and use the Eco Mode for most driving. It would be neat to have it default to that mode upon startup. Is that possible?
I do appreciate that aesthetic upgrade of leveling the rake out of the stance but I’m more about function than form. For those who tow under 6K pounds, have you leveled your truck and found that the trailer unweights the front end at all? It would seem not to be an issue unless the tow weight was much higher.
In any event, for now she needs nothing other than miles under her belt.
-the ChiefGearhead
Candidly, it’s exceeded all expectations. I bought it through a broker and was so confident in the truck I bought it sight unseen, without even a test drive.
Honestly there’s almost nothing I can complain about. If I’m picking nits I could cite the small amount of wind noise which I believe is “dirty air” from the big side rearview mirrors, and the choice of relatively low profile tires (mine has the 20 inch cast aluminum wheels) which give the truck a harsher ride than it would have with a slightly taller sidewall tire. More on that later.
I bought the truck with the intent of towing a few cars from California to Colorado and so opted for the tow package. I also chose a few other upgrades, some of which I didn’t even realize I had for the first few days of ownership (Park Assist, Massage seats, etc.). I’m hoping this truck will last me many years so I went big when I chose the truck I wanted.
Aside from the power, seamless transmission, comfort, compliant ride, and overall adaptability depending on conditions, I’m amazed at the driver aids. In a car that I wanted to really drive I’d find them annoying and unnecessary, but for a tool for chewing up miles, hauling stuff, and handling a wide variety of weather, the King Ranch is king. The adaptive cruise control is fantastic once you learn to trust it...I can see how on a long trip it would reduce mental stress significantly.
I am perplexed why Ford chose the low profile tires....I think they’re 75 series tires, and a taller sidewall would surely fit and offer a more comfortable ride.
I love the autostop/start feature and use the Eco Mode for most driving. It would be neat to have it default to that mode upon startup. Is that possible?
I do appreciate that aesthetic upgrade of leveling the rake out of the stance but I’m more about function than form. For those who tow under 6K pounds, have you leveled your truck and found that the trailer unweights the front end at all? It would seem not to be an issue unless the tow weight was much higher.
In any event, for now she needs nothing other than miles under her belt.
-the ChiefGearhead
The following users liked this post:
Gbosin (05-11-2019)
The following users liked this post:
Apples (05-11-2019)
05-11-2019, 11:39 AM
#3
5.0 DOHC V8
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: The southern California sardine can
Posts: 3,354
Received 1,587 Likes
on
974 Posts
I am perplexed why Ford chose the low profile tires....I think they’re 75 series tires, and a taller sidewall would surely fit and offer a more comfortable ride.
Welcome aboard. Perhaps you mis-typed, but a 75-series tire is not a low profile in the traditional sense. 55 series might be.
I do appreciate that aesthetic upgrade of leveling the rake out of the stance but I’m more about function than form. For those who tow under 6K pounds, have you leveled your truck and found that the trailer unweights the front end at all? It would seem not to be an issue unless the tow weight was much higher.
The rear spring rates on anything other than maybe the HDPP trucks are pretty soft, and as soon as you hang 200 lbs on the hitch or 400 lbs over the axle the ride height drops over an inch. What I recommend is one of several rear spring "helpers" but one where initial ride height is only minimally affected, and where ride quality is actually improved: the Roadmaster Active Suspension.
)
If you wish to raise the front of your truck by whichever means (I prefer to do it with a good damper with provisions for spring saddle height adjustment such as the Bilstein 5100 or 6112), then you may control the rear suspension drop from added weight with the RAS.
In any event, for now she needs nothing other than miles under her belt.
While I did have a rental '18 for a few days where it's dampers (shocks) seemed a big improvement over my factory '16, your truck will need new dampers sooner than the typical 40,000 miles. Good luck!
The following users liked this post:
ChiefGearhead (05-12-2019)
05-12-2019, 09:38 AM
#6
Welcome aboard. Perhaps you mis-typed, but a 75-series tire is not a low profile in the traditional sense. 55 series might be.
Typo indeed! Would that they were 75 series tires.
The rear spring rates on anything other than maybe the HDPP trucks are pretty soft, and as soon as you hang 200 lbs on the hitch or 400 lbs over the axle the ride height drops over an inch. What I recommend is one of several rear spring "helpers" but one where initial ride height is only minimally affected, and where ride quality is actually improved: the Roadmaster Active Suspension.
If you wish to raise the front of your truck by whichever means (I prefer to do it with a good damper with provisions for spring saddle height adjustment such as the Bilstein 5100 or 6112), then you may control the rear suspension drop from added weight with the RAS.
Thanks for the reference. My truck has the “tow package” which I would hope would be able to tow a few thousand pounds without any additional mods. I’ll see how things go with some short test runs.
While I did have a rental '18 for a few days where it's dampers (shocks) seemed a big improvement over my factory '16, your truck will need new dampers sooner than the typical 40,000 miles. Good luck!
Typo indeed! Would that they were 75 series tires.
The rear spring rates on anything other than maybe the HDPP trucks are pretty soft, and as soon as you hang 200 lbs on the hitch or 400 lbs over the axle the ride height drops over an inch. What I recommend is one of several rear spring "helpers" but one where initial ride height is only minimally affected, and where ride quality is actually improved: the Roadmaster Active Suspension.
If you wish to raise the front of your truck by whichever means (I prefer to do it with a good damper with provisions for spring saddle height adjustment such as the Bilstein 5100 or 6112), then you may control the rear suspension drop from added weight with the RAS.
Thanks for the reference. My truck has the “tow package” which I would hope would be able to tow a few thousand pounds without any additional mods. I’ll see how things go with some short test runs.
While I did have a rental '18 for a few days where it's dampers (shocks) seemed a big improvement over my factory '16, your truck will need new dampers sooner than the typical 40,000 miles. Good luck!
-the ChiefGearhead
05-12-2019, 09:42 AM
#7
Senior Member
Oh man.....
It’s been just a week since I took delivery of my new 2019 F150 KR 3.5 V6 EcoBoost.
Candidly, it’s exceeded all expectations. I bought it through a broker and was so confident in the truck I bought it sight unseen, without even a test drive.
Honestly there’s almost nothing I can complain about. If I’m picking nits I could cite the small amount of wind noise which I believe is “dirty air” from the big side rearview mirrors, and the choice of relatively low profile tires (mine has the 20 inch cast aluminum wheels) which give the truck a harsher ride than it would have with a slightly taller sidewall tire. More on that later.
I bought the truck with the intent of towing a few cars from California to Colorado and so opted for the tow package. I also chose a few other upgrades, some of which I didn’t even realize I had for the first few days of ownership (Park Assist, Massage seats, etc.). I’m hoping this truck will last me many years so I went big when I chose the truck I wanted.
Aside from the power, seamless transmission, comfort, compliant ride, and overall adaptability depending on conditions, I’m amazed at the driver aids. In a car that I wanted to really drive I’d find them annoying and unnecessary, but for a tool for chewing up miles, hauling stuff, and handling a wide variety of weather, the King Ranch is king. The adaptive cruise control is fantastic once you learn to trust it...I can see how on a long trip it would reduce mental stress significantly.
I am perplexed why Ford chose the low profile tires....I think they’re 75 series tires, and a taller sidewall would surely fit and offer a more comfortable ride.
I love the autostop/start feature and use the Eco Mode for most driving. It would be neat to have it default to that mode upon startup. Is that possible?
I do appreciate that aesthetic upgrade of leveling the rake out of the stance but I’m more about function than form. For those who tow under 6K pounds, have you leveled your truck and found that the trailer unweights the front end at all? It would seem not to be an issue unless the tow weight was much higher.
In any event, for now she needs nothing other than miles under her belt.
-the ChiefGearhead
Candidly, it’s exceeded all expectations. I bought it through a broker and was so confident in the truck I bought it sight unseen, without even a test drive.
Honestly there’s almost nothing I can complain about. If I’m picking nits I could cite the small amount of wind noise which I believe is “dirty air” from the big side rearview mirrors, and the choice of relatively low profile tires (mine has the 20 inch cast aluminum wheels) which give the truck a harsher ride than it would have with a slightly taller sidewall tire. More on that later.
I bought the truck with the intent of towing a few cars from California to Colorado and so opted for the tow package. I also chose a few other upgrades, some of which I didn’t even realize I had for the first few days of ownership (Park Assist, Massage seats, etc.). I’m hoping this truck will last me many years so I went big when I chose the truck I wanted.
Aside from the power, seamless transmission, comfort, compliant ride, and overall adaptability depending on conditions, I’m amazed at the driver aids. In a car that I wanted to really drive I’d find them annoying and unnecessary, but for a tool for chewing up miles, hauling stuff, and handling a wide variety of weather, the King Ranch is king. The adaptive cruise control is fantastic once you learn to trust it...I can see how on a long trip it would reduce mental stress significantly.
I am perplexed why Ford chose the low profile tires....I think they’re 75 series tires, and a taller sidewall would surely fit and offer a more comfortable ride.
I love the autostop/start feature and use the Eco Mode for most driving. It would be neat to have it default to that mode upon startup. Is that possible?
I do appreciate that aesthetic upgrade of leveling the rake out of the stance but I’m more about function than form. For those who tow under 6K pounds, have you leveled your truck and found that the trailer unweights the front end at all? It would seem not to be an issue unless the tow weight was much higher.
In any event, for now she needs nothing other than miles under her belt.
-the ChiefGearhead
