For many years it has been both a massive industry affecting automobile manufacturers and engineers, as well as enthusiasts that are simply interested in a fascinating hobby. Modifying your truck with Ford performance chips is something that for years has been done to increase the ability of the automobile in its power and handling. But it has also been used to help with the performance of its ability to have sufficient gas efficiency as well as clean up the existing emissions that it produces.
The idea of being able to utilize a powerful and beneficial tool such as Ford performance chips has been something that has fascinated and attracted many people to use this easy to install component. By adding it to your engine control unit (ECU) you can take the blind automation out of systems such the fuel injection and spark timing, and alter them to better suit your needs.
In addition to these systems you can also modify items such as the automatic transmission or the boost control, and gain significantly in horsepower and gas economy.
Although the concept is as old as the first computer system installed in a vehicle, these remarkable devices did not rise in popularity until the 1980s and 90s, making them more mainstream and catching the serious notice of the established automobile industry.
Now, as more and more of these devices find their way in to the hands of the average consumer you are finding performancechips for just about any kind of car or truck you can imagine. All that is needed is an on board computer and you can gain access and control nearly any part necessary.
There are many car and truck owners that now swear by these devices, claiming that Ford performance chips are capable, if used properly, of allowing the user to gain as much as 60 horsepower. In addition to these remarkable claims, there are others who say that they have also been able to get approximately seven miles to the gallon more in fuel efficiency.
It is good to understand that when making changes to any existing vehicle system, in this nature, in order for you to have the desired results it may be necessary to use a better octane of fuel than you currently use. This is important because with out doing so, should you make the wrong kind of changes, you may actually find that you have highly undesirable results.
In the end using Ford performance chips are a great way, when done correctly, to get better control over your vehicle. This can make it run cleaner, stronger, and ultimately save you money with better efficiency.

Whilst the vehicle is in park it can be shifted away without having to use the brake pedal.
This seriously can effect a vehicle if knocked whilst in park, but more importantly kids playing with gear shifts (as they do) could easily knock out and cause a roll away.

Knocking the gear shift is simply done. If you are getting out of the vehicle and you accidentally knock it the vehicle could be in a neutral status , should the vehicle be on a slight decline or gets bumped the inhibit switch does not protect the vehicle from rolling away, This doesn’t occur in all vehicle.

Torque news reported earlier today:

The cause for this new Ford F Series recall is that the brake shift interlock switch, which prevents the truck from being shifted out of Park, may not be functioning properly. This means that the driver (or passenger) could unintentionally shift the truck into a drive gear and cause a rollaway situation – obviously increasing the likelihood of an accident while also risking the safety of pedestrians nearby. The actual stated cause for the recall is that “these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle .

The new Ford truck transmission recall pertains to select 2011 F150 pickups built between September 9th, 2011 and September 22nd, 2011; as well as some 2012 F250, F350, F450 and F550 trucks built between September 12th, 2011 and September 22nd, 2011 – with 16,091 trucks possibly affected by this problem. If you own a 2011 Ford F150 or a 2012 Ford Super Duty (F250, F350, F450, F550), you can check your build date to see if your truck might be included in the new F Series recall. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can also test for this problem yourself by parking the truck on very level ground, engaging the emergency brake, turning the key to the “on” position and without pushing the brake pedal – see if you can shift the truck out of park. Keep in mind that it is important to do this test without the truck running, on level ground and with the emergency brake engaged as to prevent the truck from rolling away on its own…in just case the truck shifts without the brake pedal being depressed. The other way to check to see if your truck is included in this recall is to call the Ford Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332

Ford F250 Australia

The Executives at Ford seem to think that the Ford Ranger, a light commercial vehicle available in RHD and in countries like Thailand and Australia just might compete with its own brand if released in the US.

Look at one closely and you have a well defined ute with good capabilities on and off road. Next to a Ford F150 the two are really in a separate world however in countries were the Ford F150 is not available and should be like Australia the Ranger tends to compete more with the Japanese and Asian manufacturers like Toyota Hilux, Mazda BT-50 Isuzu Rodeo and others.

The ford Ranger is 18 ft long and 6 ft wide, maneuverability in the urban environment is amazing, payload wise look towards 3300 lbs and ground clearance is very good. Off road its no Raptor but produced good results , it may not win a Paris to Dakar but will offer some weekend enjoyment for some light off road work.
Diesel usage seems to offer just over the 600 miles per tank, the small 2.2 petrol offer towards 900 miles per tank , not bad going if you are zipping around with a load of ladders or other light object. Under load and fuel usage will increase.

Safety wise this commercial truck has been through the mill and back with a huge amount of testing. Ford can see this as the big alternative to the F series in the world but maybe not in the US. Old habits die hard.

Ford option longer fuel tank for 2012 F150

Ford F150 fuel carrying now in 2012 have the option of a bigger tank. Great news this means less fill ups, more fuel  that you can purchase when prices are lower and more importantly a longer range.

Larger tanks or long range fuel tanks have been a popular option for decades and ussually its the 4×4 or commercial style vehicle that benifits from this. The 2012 F150 with the push on Eco Boost have included this option.

Here is what real Media have said about the 2012 addition to the Ford  accessory option list.:

Ford is ensuring its truck owners get where they want to go by extending the cruising range of its 2012 F150 Light commercial trucks,   EcoBoost pickup with a new 36-gallon fuel tank. Now capable of traveling 756 miles between stops, the F-150 EcoBoost could take Boston drivers all the way Detroit without fueling up. On the same trip, a V6 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4×4 would have to stop around Buffalo, N.Y.

While the larger gas tank in EcoBoost models will help Massachusetts Ford owners get more work done, the new Hill Start Assist feature on 2012 F-150s that arrive at soon will make sure work is done efficiently. The system detects when the truck is on a slope and maintains enough brake pressure to hold the vehicle stationary for up to two seconds after the brake pedal has been released, making starting off an incline an easier endeavor.

“The changes for the 2012 F-150 are all about allowing more work to get done while you’re on the job and enjoying your drive when you’re not,” said Alan Melkonian, owner and general manager  Stoneham Ford. “A pickup truck with a range of more than 700 miles is almost unheard of, and features like Hill Start Assist make your job that much easier. Ford refuses to take the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ approach to its F-150 and the result is new capability that was unheard of a few years ago.”

As winter approaches, the 2012 Ford F-150 is even better-equipped for slick conditions with a two-speed automatic 4×4 system available on the Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trim levels. The system preserves the driver’s ability to select four-high and four-low modes, but adds a 4×4 auto setting to the mix, allowing the truck to engage the front wheels on its own when it detects the rear tires slipping.

In the video below you will see what can happen in a head on  with a Ford F150 and a typical quality car like the Honda.

This clip is not set out to make the Honda unsafe, it has in fact shown the value of a quality vehicle but shows that size  is important as a contributing factor to the outcome should a vehicle accident occur.

h2>Ford F150 v Honda Sedan

Thanks again to Chris Chinn for this latest news on the Ford F150 FX.

Expect better Mileage and better looks.

Ford F150 FX Truck

Ford has just unveiled a new mid-cycle refresh for its F150 full-sized truck. The update includes a new appearance FX package as well as some new driveline updates and technologies to help the F150 become more versatile and achieve 750 miles on one tank.

“The new FX package delivers a distinctive style that truck buyers are looking for without compromising on any of the F-150′s rugged qualities,” said Raj Sarkar, F-150 Marketing manager. “It expands our range of specialty vehicles with custom elements that customers previously could find only in the aftermarket.”

The new FX package is available on both FX4 and FX2 variants and feature lots of black coloring to give the F150 a very stealthy look. The interior receives updates too including brushed-metal surfaces, black leather seats with red perforations and piping and much more. New 20-inch wheels complement the exterior with other visual appointments such as updated light designs.

The 4×4 system on the F150 gets updated for all trim levels. Out goes the electronic “shift-on-the-fly” for a two-speed automatic system for a total of nine modes: four high and four low and 4×4 .

A new Hill Start Assist system is equipped to keep the F150 from rolling backward at a stop. The F150 also receives a new neutral tow capability, which means customers can now flat-tow their F150.

“These changes are centered around making F-150 an even more useful tool for our customers,” said Jackie DiMarco, F-150 chief engineer. “We’re continuously raising the bar when it comes to capability, and these upgrades and new technologies push us even further.”

- By: Chris Chin

Ford Have this right and the Raptor in the F150  not a stone get left unturned.

MR. Raj Sarkar, Ford F-150 Marketing manager. “We always aim to keep the product fresh and exciting, and all of our changes for 2012 reflect that.”He said.

Going into 2012, the Ford F150 Raptor features a new Torsen front differential that increases grip for the front axle allowing for more versatility.

“This system is key for letting Raptor customers tackle new ground in their truck ,” said Kerry Baldori, Ford SVT Global Performance Vehicle chief functional engineer. “Its extreme capability lends itself well to rock climbing situations.”

In addition to the new diff, the SVT Raptor also receives a unique off-road front camera system, the first of its kind in the segment. Using an eight section portion of the 4.2-inch LCD infotainment screen, the camera appears with a series of dynamic and static overlays to aid drivers.

Other updates include new exterior and interior visual appointments. A new Raptor logo makes its way on the F150 as well as more options of graphics for buyers to customize from. A matte anodized blue interior color was also added to replace the outgoing blue interior and is available on all colors except the new exterior Race Red.

Power still comes from the standard 6.2-liter V8 engine, which produces 411 horsepower and 434 lb.-ft. of torque – making the F-150 SVT Raptor the most powerful half-ton pickup on the market.

- By: Chris Chin

2012 Model, the badging continues and complements the 22′ high polish aluminium wheels. Extras you will notice compared to the 2011 is the grill, lower facia now has altered giving a fuller effect, polished exhaust ends, color coded bumpers and handle. To top off the look of the F150 is a flame decal down the side.

2012 and a white Platinum  Tri-coat has been added to the color range.

Only available in super crew cab like the previous model has the 5.5 foot style-side tray.

Interior its Leather and more leather, just love the snakeskin and the usual logo into the seats trims, and black is the finish.

Now come down down to what is special and the 6.2 L V8 Engine. Just Like the Raptor this is special. 434 lb-ft Torque, 411 HP this little devil is fabulous and a breeze for towing to 7500 LBs.

6 Speed Transmission with a tow/haul mode, 4×4 option, 2012 Harley F150 is a special truck.

Note for 2011* As quoted by TorqueNews

*Ford’s announcement of the 2012 F150 Harley Davidson Edition did not include pricing details but with new features added over what was standard in 2011, we can expect the HD F150 to maintain its place atop the pricing charts for the 2012 F150 lineup. The 2011 models started at $48,505 for RWD and $51,770 for 4WD so we can expect the price to be in that range with the actual prices to be available closer to the release date of the new Harley Davidson Edition Ford F150.

Turbo lag may now be a thing of the past as this little package  will deliver the torque, handling and power needed.

Although  its not a V8 the V6 off road has tested well, torque is good for the off road situations and handling is impressive. The overheating issues seemed to not exsists and performance overall was very good.

The button or knob in the 2011 model is easy to use and the 4×4 application is very user friendly.

Ford seemed to have it right. , lets face it 4-5 years ago did we really think we would all be driving a Hybrid truck? Did we really think that the days of power and the performance we have learnt to expect would disappear?.

Ford are on track with this package.

Ford F250 & F150

Patrick Nall of Torque News commented  on his test of the Ford F150 FX4

“The 2011 Ford F150 FX4 trimline is an off-road package, featuring push button 4WD (it’s actually a knob) and Ford’s all wheel drive system is very user friendly and very capable. While the Detroit area isn’t chock full of places to test the off-roading capabilities of the EcoBoost F150; the area has had enough rain lately to turn some of the area’s unpaved roads into inches of mud with huge puddles – literally impassable to some smaller cars. There were very few situations where 4WD was needed but in some of the deeper, sloppier areas 4-high was more than enough to easily get out of the situation. As was the case during the on-road testing, the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 provided instant torque to dig through the ruts of the rough roads and the massive amounts of mud that we had to deal with had no impact on the engine as it ran ice cold through all of the mud. I have heard people question the ability of the EcoBoost to properly cool itself once that intercooler (which is mounted low behind the front fascia opening) or the radiator get muddy but the EcoBoost never missed a beat and none of the temperature gauges ever crept passed the midpoint”

Check your straps on your fuel tank.

Here is the latest from Torque News:

The 1.1 Ford and Lincoln trucks being recalled include certain 1997-2004 F150 pickups, 1997 -1999 F250 models with a gross vehicle weight rating less than 8,500lbs, 2004 F150 Heritage models and 2002-2003 Lincoln Blackwood pickups. Not only does this recall specifically apply to those trucks built between June 20th 1995 and August 4th, 2004, but it also specifies that this new Ford truck recall applies to trucks originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachussetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington DC.

If you live in one of the other 29 US states and your truck has never been to any of those states – your truck might be ok and it will be excluded from the recall. However, in those states mentioned above, testing has found that prolonged exposure to road de-icing chemicals (presumably the dreaded road salt) causes these metal straps to rust excessively fast and when they get bad enough – they will break. When one strap breaks, your gas tank will hang much lower than usual and when the second strap breaks from similar corrosion complicated by the extra stress added by the first strap breaking…it is also likely to break.

Once both fuel tank straps of your F150, F250 or Lincoln Blackwood break, the fuel tank is free to drop to the ground with only the fuel lines holding the tank to the vehicle.

When this happens, the impact of the tank to the ground can cause the tank to crack and leak and the amount of friction between the tank, the broken straps and the road can lead to sparks. A fuel tank leak plus sparks equals a clear safety issue so Ford is getting these 1.1 million vehicles back to dealerships for repairs.

This recall is expected to begin on or around September 12th.

Image via Wikipedia