I did want to mention/ask:
Gritdog:
I tried to do my homework thoroughly on reliability, but trucks are new to me. I definitely see mixed reviews when I look at the 04-08 generation overall, but it seems to me the problem is when you zoom out to the generation itself. The big Triton seems to be full of little design problems, and the 4.6 isn't incredible, but it's better. When it comes to reliability, though, the 4.2 (which nobody buying a truck seems to want, because everyone buying a truck lives by bigger is better it seems) in that generation supposedly is the only truck from an American manufacturer to get the "green Dot". That said, I also know there were some other small issues with 04/05 (like the windows dropping, etc.–first year kinks), and so I target 06-08 from that gen.
Likewise, I skip 97/98, because the 4.2 was first released with a design flaw that they didn't correct until 99. After that, though, that engine really hit its stride. The 11th gen (04-08) got an even better version of that upgrade that was 'industrial application' approved.
The consumer reports view after 2008 dropped back to 'average', and supposedly has never come back since then. The complexity of those new fancy engines just seems to come at a cost; the 4.2L is just a regular simple pushrod engine, and it seems they'd mastered it by that year from what I can tell.
This is what I read online, I haven't paid to look at consumer reports myself, but I am tempted to confirm.
Does any of that track more with your experience?
JRscooby:
As for towing, the truck has a tow capacity of _at least_ 5000lbs--and with a WDH, it's 9900 lbs. If I do load enough to reach 4000 pounds, I'd still be at under 80% tow capacity. And while it doesn't currently have trailer brakes, that's definitely a project I hope to tackle. I'm just not optimistic about the axle having brackets and think I may have to get someone to weld mounting plates on (or perhaps hunt down an axle I suppose, more research needed once I get the trailer here). Still, I will only be doing the long trip back here with the trailer empty. I'll get a feel for what it handles and brakes like in that condition, and prioritize adding trailer brakes accordingly.
