Fast Lane Truck guys get all contused about J Braces

[BrrRaptor]

Just installed mine. Not bad, do yourself a favor and remove the tire. Otherwise you can't drill out the rivet because it gets in the way and the rivet is the hardest part of the install. The small part of metal that gets cut out is easy with good tin snips.
Ford could have installed these at the factory in 1min. Dealer could have installed them on a lift in 15 mins top. Me on the ground 2 1/2 hrs and 150.00 lighter in my wallet. Thanks FORD!

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[Arsenall11]

I love how Ford comments on many threads as that looks great and good looking truck but won’t touch this one!

 

[jedadiah]

I love how Ford comments on many threads as that looks great and good looking truck but won’t touch this one!

I bet making compliments and linking to Ford Customer Care for certain problems is what they are paid to do. Ford hasn't provided any enlightening language about the J-Braces, so there's no way their social media employees will touch the issue. TFL received the same non-answer that we've all seen here.

I'd like to think Ford is coming up with a solution, but I don't think the other markets where they sell the Ranger feel any differently about the issue than we do and they haven't updated the trucks there or issued any recalls to install them that I know of.

 

[Rw6735]

I landed in this forum this week while researching this problem. I’ve had my Ranger less than a month and wish to add lo-rise bed-mounted toolboxes on both of the side rails. Between the toolbox weight and the equipment I’ll put in them, I guess that about 250 lbs will be added that I’ll carry all the time, right on the bed rails like a proper pickup should for tool accessibility.

The cost to me, the delay in getting parts, the delay in setting up my truck to do what I need it to do, makes me a little disappointed that I spent $60k on a mid-size truck.

Admittedly, I like the truck overall, but this added on top of the sky-high price tag stings.

 

[Jason B]

Now y'all got me wondering. Were the J-Braces always an option or were they a solution to a problem that arose after people reported bed problems.
If they were always an option from day 1 delivery, that tells me Ford knew of the weak bed points and should have informed the owners that they may be needed.
If they were developed as a solution after the problems arose, Ford should eat the costs and issue a recall for a retrofit. Somebody not on this forum is going to be buying a truck that's going to have future problems.
Let's hope Job-2 corrects this at manufacturing.

 

[Hootbro]

I love how Ford comments on many threads as that looks great and good looking truck but won’t touch this one!

If they are anything like the ones on the Jeep forums, the company social media engagement teams are usually contractors and really do not drill down on problems for anybody. They are just a thin veneer of customer service.

 

[Wayfaring Ranger]

The vast majority of people that are up in arms about this j-brace issue would never have their trucks in a scenario that it would even matter. They specifically say "improve the structural performance of the bed when used in extreme off-road conditions".

https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/attachments/2024-ranger-j-bracket-memo-pdf.42920/

The youtube comments keep bringing up workers with tool racks for their day-to-day jobs..what tradesmen is taking their fleet truck "extreme offroading"? Even most people going "offroad" are taking well groomed forest roads which also wouldn't be what Ford is talking about. Unless you plan to really test the articulation of this truck on some crazy trails, you aren't in the small subgroup of owners who this applies to.

Don't get me wrong, this is egg on Ford's face. But i think most of the people complaining the loudest have never been "extreme off-roading" in their lives and have no future plans to do so.

 

[Peter949]

The vast majority of people that are up in arms about this j-brace issue would never have their trucks in a scenario that it would even matter. They specifically say "improve the structural performance of the bed when used in extreme off-road conditions".

https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/attachments/2024-ranger-j-bracket-memo-pdf.42920/

The youtube comments keep bringing up workers with tool racks for their day-to-day jobs..what tradesmen is taking their fleet truck "extreme offroading"? Even most people going "offroad" are taking well groomed forest roads which also wouldn't be what Ford is talking about. Unless you plan to really test the articulation of this truck on some crazy trails, you aren't in the small subgroup of owners who this applies to.

Don't get me wrong, this is egg on Ford's face. But i think most of the people complaining the loudest have never been "extreme off-roading" in their lives and have no future plans to do so.

It's a extreme specialty vehicle and supposed engineered so. I don't disagree with your last statement and I say I would agree. Myself as example but does not mean I don't expect the RR to be engineered for it. But if you are only referring to vanilla Rangers. You still want them to have peace of mind.

 

[Wayfaring Ranger]

It's a extreme specialty vehicle and supposed engineered so. I don't disagree with your last statement and I say I would agree. Myself as example but does not mean I don't expect the RR to be engineered for it.

I agree this never should have been an issue from the start, especially on the RR. It looks bad on Ford regardless.

I'm just saying for the average Joe who adds a topper on his parking lot princess or blue collar guy just using the truck for work, this is a non-issue.

 

[Velociraptor]

The vast majority of people that are up in arms about this j-brace issue would never have their trucks in a scenario that it would even matter. They specifically say "improve the structural performance of the bed when used in extreme off-road conditions".

https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/attachments/2024-ranger-j-bracket-memo-pdf.42920/

The youtube comments keep bringing up workers with tool racks for their day-to-day jobs..what tradesmen is taking their fleet truck "extreme offroading"? Even most people going "offroad" are taking well groomed forest roads which also wouldn't be what Ford is talking about. Unless you plan to really test the articulation of this truck on some crazy trails, you aren't in the small subgroup of owners who this applies to.

Don't get me wrong, this is egg on Ford's face. But i think most of the people complaining the loudest have never been "extreme off-roading" in their lives and have no future plans to do so.

There’s a lot of international Rangers that have been getting bed cracks that don’t off road at all outside of some dirt roads driving to job sites.

 

[Wayfaring Ranger]

There’s a lot of international Rangers that have been getting bed cracks that don’t off road at all outside of some dirt roads driving to job sites.

Where are you seeing that? The only possible case of this I've seen was this thread and the original poster never confirmed that was the cause of the issue, we just assumed it was.

 

[greaserman]

Could you please provide examples of bed cracks? The only place I've heard of this is on this forum. There's either going to be a recall, class a cation law suit, or everyone is over reacting

 

[NASSTY]

Maybe they're added in Job2???

If so it will probably delay Job2. They are unobtanium right now. I ordered some over 3 months ago and there is no ETA in sight.

 

[BriSco]

If so it will probably delay Job2. They are unobtanium right now. I ordered some over 3 months ago and there is no ETA in sight.

It appears that the Job2 trucks have been redesigned with no need for the braces.

https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/threads/job-2-builds-eliminate-need-for-j-braces.12163/

My Job 2 truck is In Production as of last week. Some have already been received.

 

[Wayfaring Ranger]

It appears that the Job2 trucks have been redesigned with no need for the braces.

https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/threads/job-2-builds-eliminate-need-for-j-braces.12163/

My Job 2 truck is In Production as of last week. Some have already been received.

If you scroll down in that thread it looks like what you're saying is incorrect and the box is no different from the earlier builds.

The image in the first post is from a different angle, when Davco provides a new image you can see there's no difference than the early ranger builds and the 2.7's will still require the reinforcement brackets.

https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/threads/job-2-builds-eliminate-need-for-j-braces.12163/post-188679

Further replies from users Whyoming & GManGeno who installed their own j-braces confirms that it looks no different to them.

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