More power for 2005 Ford 5.4

jcramsey

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Location
Marion, NC
My buddy just picked up a 2005 F250 for his landscaping company. I think he got it to mainly pull his dump trailer. He said its a dog when's he trying to go across the Ravenel bridge and the trailer is loaded down. Any suggestions for adding a little more grunt besides "sell it and get a diesel". Tuner? Gears? Get a diesel?
 
Gears are probably the best bang for the buck but it may kill highway milage if that's a concern. Those motors want to be reved up to make power so make sure he's not trying to lug it like a Cummins at 1500 rpm, LOL.

I think but not sure that most guys with those trucks pulling regularly back in the day were running 4.30 or 4.56 gears even. I think stock they were 3.73 or possibly 4.10

Short of that the only other way is to get more power, supercharger, turbo, etc. But those bring on their own issues especially trying to use them towing on a motor not built for it.
 
Oilburner. Problem solved. An 05 5.4 F250 can't be that much cheaper than an 05 6.0.
 
Had a few 5.4 superduty’s hooked up to my enclosed trailers (8-10k fully loaded) over the years. I know that pain. Re-gearing definitely made things better, he’ll still see his foot through the floor at times, but better. I wouldn’t go too crazy with gears and power adders though, he’d be time and money ahead selling the truck and going with a similar vintage diesel. Been a while, but I wanna say my 5.4 and my 6.0 Trucks were within $3k-ish of eachother.
 
Jody Treadway said:
Gears. Period.
They will benefit him at all speeds and conditions as opposed to performance doo dads at higher RPMs.
Click to expand...
Not as much fun as hearing a supercharger whine.
 
Sell sell sell! That is the worst 5.4 ever made. Be prepared to do a timing job because the cam phasers will come out of that thing, especially if he doesn't change the pull regularly.
 
Thanks fellas. I'll pass this info along to him. What's a reasonable cost per axle to regear including parts?

The bridge is literally the only hill around here and it's only a mile to the top from either direction. It might not be worth the time and money if 99% of the time he's pulling on flat ground. Of course, it could be a dog then too, and he just didn't mention it.
 
jcramsey said:
Thanks fellas. I'll pass this info along to him. What's a reasonable cost per axle to regear including parts?

The bridge is literally the only hill around here and it's only a mile to the top from either direction. It might not be worth the time and money if 99% of the time he's pulling on flat ground. Of course, it could be a dog then too, and he just didn't mention it.
Click to expand...

If that’s the only place it struggles I wouldn’t worry about it. My truck slows down on just a few hills but does excellent for the most part.

Gears and install for both axles would probably run $1000. Lot of money for it to do better on one hill that’s 1 mile long. But if it’s a dog all the way around it may be worth it.
 
77GreenMachine said:
If that’s the only place it struggles I wouldn’t worry about it. My truck slows down on just a few hills but does excellent for the most part.

Gears and install for both axles would probably run $1000. Lot of money for it to do better on one hill that’s 1 mile long. But if it’s a dog all the way around it may be worth it.
Click to expand...

Uh, no.
Ain't nobody touching anything with IFS front for $1000 for a pair.

Edit: I missed the Super Duty part
Please beat me within an inch of my life. I deserve it.
 
Last edited:
Jody Treadway said:
Uh, no.
Ain't nobody touching anything with IFS front for $1000 for a pair.

Edit: I missed the Super Duty part
Please beat me within an inch of my life. I deserve it.
Click to expand...

Get your act together...who would tow with a half ton anyway...
 
77GreenMachine said:
I know right. Certainly can’t tow one rig well, much less 2 so why even own one :flipoff2:
Click to expand...

True story and kinda relatable since this is a lawn company hauler thread...my first ‘company truck’ for my landscape business was a Dodge Dakota...only had one zero turn, a weed whacker or two and a leaf blower in an enclosed trailer. But if you wanna talk about a dog that had no business hauling weight that it shouldn’t...even I had second thoughts on that...but did it for a year before the truck got upgraded.
 
Rev the shit out of it :lol: That's what I have to do with my 06 5.4 f150 when I have to pull more than maybe 3k. Towed a 8k lb generator maybe 20miles a while back and it pulled OK other than having to put it to the floor to get up hills. Those 5.4s love the higher rpms
 
I acquired an 08 f250 2wd 5.4, 5r110 with 300k (3.73) on the ticker about a 18 months ago. I tow with it on the weekly, 16-20k gross with a 16' 14k trailer. Paid $2500, (old pike electric supervisor truck).

It's certainly not a rocket, but I'd by 3 more if I could find then, (anyone that knows me, knows I am finished with diesels...)

If its turning 3k rpm, it'll pull most hills (with minimal loss in mph) on I77 and I40 and 321, between gastonia, marion, and mt. airy. Avg 8.5-9 mpg.... but oddly enough, only 9.5-11 without being hooked.

I also have a '00 f450 v10 2wd 5sp (4.88) and it's honestly just not as good on the hills in topping speed. But it weighs 10k vs 6k on the 250. And it also must spin over 3k rpm. Also only 7 mpg anytime...
Biggest advantage it has is chassis and brakes obviously. It would buy another v10 as well... but frankly, as good as the 5.4-5r110 perform for me... love to find a 1 ton econoline with same drivetrain, cuz my '16 1 ton Chevy Express with 6.0-6l80 just damn works too.

My only gripe with the f250, it rides like a donkey, empty or loaded. I have occasionally left a 3000lb pallet of batteries in the bed, only to go out and buy more scrap... just to save my back for a day or two.


Screw oil burners... gasser for life.
The money I spent to keep diesels on the road since my first in 2002...I could double the size of my shop with money to spare...

CutlerFab

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top