Broken Tailgate Bolt for Strut

[Ranger43931]

anyone else had the bolt holding strut to tailgate snap in half? Is this something you think ford covers under warranty? It seems strut is fine, but I’ll need to try to extract bolt and get replacement. Any tips appreciated on exact bolt or removal.

2024 Ranger (raptor), 15k miles.

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[NM Mike]

I don’t know what the part number is on the bolt. You might be able to get the bolt out with a small chisel and hammer. The failure spot left a ridge that you could try to use to work the bolt out with. An easy out might work as well.

 

[superj]

wow. thats a fairly new bolt to have break during removal

 

[Ranger43931]

I wasn’t removing bolt. It snapped when I opened the tailgate during normal use.

 

[CaptAngry]

Seems like that should squarely fall in the bumper to bumper warranty

 

[Jason B]

Looks like someone over torqued it. It should be warrantied. But do you want your truck sitting at the dealership waiting to fix a broken bolt?

 

[Ranger43931]

Looks like someone over torqued it. It should be warrantied. But do you want your truck sitting at the dealership waiting to fix a broken bolt?

I don't but may consider if extraction of the snapped bolt is tougher then expected. I just ordered the bolt myself for $7. In case this happens to anyone else down the road, part is 2024-2025 Ford Ranger Tailgate Lift Support Stud N1WZ-26404A42-A.

 

[stuartmunto]

100% warranty fix

 

[EdCay]

anyone else had the bolt holding strut to tailgate snap in half? Is this something you think ford covers under warranty? It seems strut is fine, but I’ll need to try to extract bolt and get replacement. Any tips appreciated on exact bolt or removal.

2024 Ranger (raptor), 15k miles.

Mine also broke 5000 miles. The dealer replaced it

 

[superj]

i guess it gets frozen into the cable and when the tailgate drops down and pulls the cable taught, it snaps that sucker right off?

we should probably all verify that our cables move freely around that bolt so we don't have the same issue

 

[got3fords]

I would just wait for the next oil change and have the dealer do it then. Unless you do your own oil changes.

 

[Ranger43931]

i guess it gets frozen into the cable and when the tailgate drops down and pulls the cable taught, it snaps that sucker right off?

we should probably all verify that our cables move freely around that bolt so we don't have the same issue

Good insight, didn't think of that. I do see the orange cable sticking out sometimes with tailgate closed so something seems wonky.

 

[superj]

next time i lower the tailgate, i will put some grease around that bolt so the cable end doesn't corroded and get stuck

 

[purdyd]

i guess it gets frozen into the cable and when the tailgate drops down and pulls the cable taught, it snaps that sucker right off?

we should probably all verify that our cables move freely around that bolt so we don't have the same issue

‘it’s not the cable, it’s the gas strut bolt.

And I can’t see how there is any real load on that bolt. The strut ends which are plastic would fail first.

i think it was over torqued during assembly and just barely holding on.

 

[EdCay]

Good insight, didn't think of that. I do see the orange cable sticking out sometimes with tailgate closed so something seems wonky.

I live in Southern Arizona, no freezing here, still broke

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