Bigmess
Active Member
- First Name
- Tim
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2024
- Threads
- 5
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- 42
- Reaction score
- 96
- Location
- Mt. Washington, KY
- Vehicle(s)
- 2024 Ranger Raptor
Retrax bed cover is pretty heavy not taking a chance going a different route.
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Load Box Reinforcement Brackets... What the Heck, Ford Accessories?
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SubaruRaptor
Well-Known Member
Ok, but its fine.
Wayfaring Ranger
Well-Known Member
adding onto this...if you don't have a camper shell and never installed j-braces and your bed cracks from going offroading, that would be covered under warranty if the bed did fail this way since you didn't meet the criteria for requiring the brace.
further, if you have a camper shell, no brace installed and it cracks because of a pothole in the road, you would still be covered. ford's telemetry can see everywhere you drive the truck. they can tell if you've been driving offroad or onroad. if you get a stress crack and your truck hasn't been offroading, they will know and you would be able to seek compensation.
ford has used specific language to address this problem. incidents that exist outside of the conditions they specify (extreme offroad conditions AND exceeding the weight limit above the bed rails) mean you would be entitled to a warranty repair or in worst cases, legal compensation if you had to go that route.
it's on ford to prove that you violated the conditions that outline the j-brace requirement, not on you to prove that you didn't. if you aren't violating those conditions and something happens, it becomes ford's liability and problem to fix.
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MTN_WZRD
Well-Known Member
You have no clue. I live here and drive the roads every day. I’m not saying Ford should build based off of Colorado alone but it’s a good footprint for usage. Are you also saying campers, golfers, soccer parents and any other demographic doesn’t use their Rangers for this stuff? All I’m saying is “why remove the standard?”. Make it make sense. A bed toolbox weighs more than the allowed weight. Do you work for Ford? Why are you so against keeping the truck usable as a truck? Not removing standard Engineering features that make a truck a truck. I could understand a mustang not having that available.
MTN_WZRD
Well-Known Member
That’s what it’s built for. Truck stuff. It’s a standard if you’ve been able to do it with trucks and Rangers themselves for 30 plus years. What about that doesn’t make it a standard? Standard equipment includes a steering wheel for a car. If I buy a car and they tell me I need to buy the steering wheel for it in order to steer it…why even bother building the vehicle? There are classes of vehicles that serve different purposes. A very basic purpose for a truck is to be able to add a topper, tool box, bike rack, etc… without needing a reinforcement for the bed. lol.
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Wayfaring Ranger
Well-Known Member
And you have no clue how much of my life I've spent in colorado so trying to assume things about me is a bit strange.
It really doesn't change the fact that the majority of truck owners aren't going offroad or buying camper shells. I don't know what golfers and soccer parents have to do with the conversation.
A bed toolbox that sits under the rails doesn't matter (such as the ford swing-out toolboxes). Sure, a bed toolbox that distributes the weight above the rails might need j-braces, but why would someone who uses the truck for work be going to "extreme offroad conditions"? I don't know any plumbers or electricians who are going rock crawling with their fleet truck that has a toolbox, do you? Do these people only exist in colorado as well?
J-braces haven't prevented me from "using my truck as a truck". I went offroading for 2 hours in the ozarks with a bed full of camping gear and a tonneau cover and I didn't get any stress cracks or feel like my truck was inhibited in any way from performing the job i bought it for.
Instead of crying on the forums about something you probably don't need, why not just use your truck like I am? And if you really feel the need to install the j-brace, no one is stopping you. I saved $200 and my truck works just fine. You and all these hypothetical colorado residents can pay $200 for the part that suits your use-case. Sounds like a win-win to me.
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SubaruRaptor
Well-Known Member
There is no standard once again. Not sure how many times we have to say that.
SubaruRaptor
Well-Known Member
But its not. That is what you are projecting on to it. I will not be installing any of that on my truck because I didnt buy it for any of those reasons. Just because you want something to work a specific way doesnt suddenly make it a standard or true or anything else.
MTN_WZRD
Well-Known Member
lol.
Golfers and soccer parents usually use toppers to hold gear and keep it secured. If you go to a topper website to order a topper it states that you have to get the braces installed. Nothing about off-roading. Where does it say for off-road conditions only? And…how much off-roading is too much if it was a thing? 3/10, 5/10, 8/10? Trail rating?
you realize the mountains are in our backyards and we are in them every weekend? Right?! Trying to play down everyone that lives in Colorado seems like you are just jealous. really weird comments to make. Those that go out all the time take a bunch of tools, recovery gear, spare parts, and water, snacks etc..with us when we off-road. It’s called being prepared. That easily is over your weight limit if you are using pelican cases on your racks/topper with rack..etc… it also has nothing to do with how it “feels” when off-roading. You do what the manufacturer suggests so when a warranty claim comes up you are covered. The braces shouldn’t be needed
It’s $200 plus install price for those that don’t have the tools and or time to do it.
MTN_WZRD
Well-Known Member
I’m not projecting anything. The strength in the vehicles has been there for 30 plus years. No need for braces. Why all of the sudden. Inferior product? Seems like Ford is trying to cover their asses because they knew they messed up and needed a way to pass the blame to the customer. Or they could just recall and install the $200 part.
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Wayfaring Ranger
Well-Known Member
"Extreme offroad conditions" is the official language ford used on the TSB they sent out to all service departments. No way you are spending this much time arguing about something when you don't even know the full story, which has been mentioned in the other 9 threads on this exact topic.
Typical colorado resident "holier than thou" attitude no different than everyone else I know that moved out there. This is exactly why I prefer visiting and not living there as this condescending attitude is widespread on the front range.
let me guess, you live in or near boulder don't you?
no, i'm not jealous of the cost of living and overcrowded & trashed hiking trails and rampant homelss problem.yes, i've spent plenty of time wheeling bunce school rd and other areas around estes. no, most colorado truck owners aren't doing that.
Okay so if you feel the need to have those items above the rails on your truck (which the vast majority of truck owners dont) and if you feel the need to go offroading (which the vast majority of truck owners dont), then pay the money for the added reinforcement. This really isn't that difficult.
I go offroading around the ozarks and all my camping + recovery gear fits in the bed of the truck. I don't have a need for this bed reinforcement. If I don't need it, I'd rather save the money and I know I'm not alone here by the amount of people who say this truck is too expensive as-is.
No one is talking about how it "feels" when offroading. The manufacturer themselves (Ford) say you only risk problems if you're in "extreme offroad conditions" with significant weight above the bed rails.
The great thing is Ford already gave you a free $220 accessories credit (via fordpass points) when you bought the vehicle AND if you buy a ford topper they completely subsidize the braces and install them for free. So you already get these j-braces for free via multiple avenues if you really feel that you need them.
As stated above, myself and the majority of truck owners don't need them. I'd much rather save $200 and spend that on stuff my truck does need, rather than have some random colorado resident tell me that I need to spend more money on my truck so that it can accomodate his use-case.
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SubaruRaptor
Well-Known Member
Zangor
Active Member
If you really want to be a lawyer here,"Extreme offroad conditions" is the official language ford used on the TSB they sent out to all service departments. No way you are spending this much time arguing about something when you don't even know the full story, which has been mentioned in the other 9 threads on this exact topic.
Typical colorado resident "holier than thou" attitude no different than everyone else I know that moved out there. This is exactly why I prefer visiting and not living there as this condescending attitude is widespread on the front range.
let me guess, you live in or near boulder don't you?
yes, i've spent plenty of time wheeling bunce school rd and other areas around estes. no, most colorado truck owners aren't doing that.
Okay so if you feel the need to have those items above the rails on your truck (which the vast majority of truck owners dont) and if you feel the need to go offroading (which the vast majority of truck owners dont), then pay the money for the added reinforcement. This really isn't that difficult.
I go offroading around the ozarks and all my camping + recovery gear fits in the bed of the truck. I don't have a need for this bed reinforcement. If I don't need it, I'd rather save the money and I know I'm not alone here by the amount of people who say this truck is too expensive as-is.
No one is talking about how it "feels" when offroading. The manufacturer themselves (Ford) say you only risk problems if you're in "extreme offroad conditions" with significant weight above the bed rails.
The great thing is Ford already gave you a free $220 accessories credit (via fordpass points) when you bought the vehicle AND if you buy a ford topper they completely subsidize the braces and install them for free. So you already get these j-braces for free via multiple avenues if you really feel that you need them.
As stated above, myself and the majority of truck owners don't need them. I'd much rather save $200 and spend that on stuff my truck does need, rather than have some random colorado resident tell me that I need to spend more money on my truck so that it can accomodate his use-case.
The TSB is thrown out in a. Legal dispute as Ford has publicly posted the below product description on their website stating that it “must” be installed if you intend to install a topper of more than 88lbs. That clause does not include any off-road language which would be required in a legal argument to clarify the intended use. My driveway is “offroad”. A gravel lot is “off road”. It is not a legally defined term and that is exactly why they use it. It is a legal ‘catch all’ for any situation with no specificity.
Regardless of your lack of concern for the need of this j-brace as the average person won’t encounter any issues or need to install a topper, I would wager that you (myself included) also don’t NEED a truck PERIOD. A Prius with snow tires would probably suffice for 99% of your drives and get you wherever you needed in one piece, yet you bought a truck. You bought a truck because of the implications of what it CAN do and for the prospect of being able to do those things sometimes. Not because you always need it to do those things. I don’t need a topper, but I’d like the possibility of getting one without needing to get braces welded to my frame professionally.
There are pictures of other forum members with their beds with stress fractures. It’s clearly an issue hence why they sell these.
This is a product that corrects an issue, it doesn’t increase capability
The product clearly states the following on the ford accessories site:
“These brackets have been developed by Ford to brace the floor to the wall of the load box to ensure that the off-road durability performance of the load box is maintained with the installation of load-bearing elevated accessories.
- When installing accessories extending above the load box side rail and weighing more than 88lb (40kg) must have load box reinforcement brackets installed”
This is for both the Raptor and non Raptor…
the argument that everyone in this thread is making is not that they NEED the braces, it’s that Ford should have designed the truck to not need them in the first place.
Wayfaring Ranger
Well-Known Member
The TSB holds more weight as official internal documentation than a product description does if you would seek arbitration. Further if you were truly at risk of cracking your bed from normal operation such as "entering a driveway" or a "gravel lot", that would fall even more on Ford's legal team as that actually is "normal operation" for almost all truck owners.
If you were risking stress cracks just from entering your driveway, then ford would need to recall and install these on trucks. You aren't at risk from doing that, nor are you at risk for driving in a gravel parking lot. Otherwise we would actually have more than 0 confirmed cases of this being an issue.
Given the rare circumstances ("extreme offroad conditions") it is acceptable for ford to not issue a recall because most truck owners aren't risking stress fractures.
It's great that you think you can assume what i need and don't need, but the truck isn't my daily driver. It exists as a vehicle to haul my camping gear, to tow a camper, and to go offroading on camping trips.
My daily driver is a ford focus, and yes, I do have snow tires.
My ford focus doesn't hold my camping equipment, it doesn't tow a camper, nor is it suited for offroad, primitive camping sites.
Therefore, yes, I do need the truck to do the things that my focus can't do.
Completely wrong. There is one thread from one user in the middle east that had their bed compromised 2 years ago. The user never posted afterwards to tell us what the official diagnosis was, nor to tell us what caused the issue. They didn't even tell us what activities they were doing when it occurred. All they did was post an image and then disappear.
Not a single other person has encountered this problem and not a single person on the forum has had a confirmed case of this happening.
An issue that 95% of ranger owners will never even come close to seeing happen.
Yeah, ford should have also designed this truck to haul 10,000 lbs, have secure lockable storage for gun owners, have a sway bar disconnect and have a sunroof.
They didn't do those things. Should we also spend time crying about that across 9 different threads too?
Maybe instead of crying, you could research what the truck offers prior to spending money and then deciding later that you aren't satisfied. And if you do decide you need this reinforced bracket which most won't need, use your free $220 from Ford to get it installed. This really isn't a difficult concept: get it if you need it with free money from ford or spend that money elsewhere if you don't need it.
Wayfaring Ranger
Well-Known Member
I've been offroading, hauling and camping with my truck so clearly it is doing truck things just fine.
Imagine if someone was on the forum saying that since Ford didn't install a fifth wheel hitch, the ranger is clearly incapable of doing truck things. After all, some users haul fifth wheels so clearly it needs to be standard equipment. This is how you sound.
I don't need them so I won't be wasting money on it.
If you need the part, spend the $200 that ford gave you and install the part. Instead you're busy creating highschool drama on a forum for trucks.
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