Pissed at Ford Engineers!!!

[lancerdood]

So I did the 2:1 spacer lift on my 2025 Ranger Raptor. I did the front myself and all came out fine. I was too busy with work to do the back so I paid someone to do it. I then got new 35" K03's mounted on Bronco Sasquatch wheels I picked up. All good so far.....I then went to set the new ride height VDM in FORScan. When I went to do this it showed some crazy settings for the rear (see photo) and threw a bunch of errors and now I have a service error on the dash. Long story short, I found the culprit. The right rear ride height sensor got broken somewhere between the guy I paid to do the rear spacers and Costco mounting the new wheels/tires. Not sure who to blame. So. I am stuck buying a new sensor (Pt# MB3Z5A967G) at a cost of $180. My anger at Ford stems from the fact that the FU*KING arm on the sensor is made out of PLASTIC!!!! WTF!?!?!?!?!?! This thing hangs pretty low on the truck and is susceptible to damage and being plastic sure doesn't help (see photo). I just got back from the Ranger Raptor Assault in Utah and even asked those guys "why the hell is this made out of plastic"? They simply said, "those Ford Engineers can be a little crazy"

What a nightmare.! Hopefully the part will be here by Friday and I can get back on the road with the VDM set and all working.

Truck looks great though

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[pablo94sc]

Looks nice. What size tires are those 35s? Crash bar issues?

 

[ATestBishop]

So did you extract what remains of the "ball post" joint plastic extrusion thing that snapped in half? I'm wondering if it possible to replace that piece with a metal ball post after drilling a thru hole in the "drive arm"?

 

[lancerdood]

So did you extract what remains of the "ball post" joint plastic extrusion thing that snapped in half? I'm wondering if it possible to replace that piece with a metal ball post after drilling a thru hole in the "drive arm"?

The ball thingy snapped off the plastic arm, so not only is the ball part plastic but so is the arm that it broke off of.
I’m just scratching my head on HOW it broke. There’s not a mark on anything….its just broke. I wish I knew who to blame it on and how the F they did it.

 

[ATestBishop]

Yes I see the plastic material. I was just thinking of the idea that the part would be made whole to be reused, although I understand it's being replaced. Based on how the arms move relative to each other it would seem that any racking force between the arms could instantly snap that ball hinge post, though it would be hard to say if that was what actually happened

 

[ATestBishop]

And of course if the broken section actually a sphere shaped joint, it's hard to see it as it's still stuck in the secondary arm, would be cool to see that piece and it's diameter

 

[stuartmunto]

As an engineer this 100% is not an engineering fault. It’s the bean counters. An engineer would always prefer to over engineer something rather than design something to a price

So please go easy on us engineers. Blame the board room wankers instead please

 

[ATestBishop]

It's interesting that you reference certain considerations that a designer or design team may recon with. Could you possibly touch on why it may be what seems to be a ball and socket type joint and if a straddle type hinge joint might be more durable. Does the ball there to allow for a certain amount of racking at the joint possibly?

 

[lancerdood]

Yes I see the plastic material. I was just thinking of the idea that the part would be made whole to be reused, although I understand it's being replaced. Based on how the arms move relative to each other it would seem that any racking force between the arms could instantly snap that ball hinge post, though it would be hard to say if that was what actually happened

I just got back from putting the Ranger Raptor through some serious off roading, rock crawling, hill climbs, Baja courses at high speed - in Utah at Wheelhouse with their trucks. Those trucks took a beating in 100 degree weather and not a one out of the 20 had any kind of issue. My truck has 3000 miles on it and has yet to be taken on any serious off roading and yet I’ve got a broken ride height sensor. Someone did something stupid like ram a floor jack into it from the side or something - it’s crazy!!!
Im heading for a weekend of off road and camping on the 15th for its first real 4x4 event. Anyway - I just think that piece was a poor design. It would have made more sense to be made of metal with a screw or rivet attached to a metal ball. IDK

 

[ATestBishop]

Indeed, I'm glad your getting it sorted out certainly. I was possibly over analyzing in regards to the broken part. If a mechanic did that and knew but didn't inform you that would be very wrong certainly

 

[sikedsyko]

Its a sensor linking massive suspension components that see enormous forces. Even if it was metal it would break if you put any of the suspension's forces into it.

I'm surprised it gave you errors, my front sensor was broken for who knows how long and never gave me any codes.

 

[ATestBishop]

I believe it links between a solid non-moving component such as the frame and a moving component and as the angle of the linkage changes calculation is made

 

[lancerdood]

Its a sensor linking massive suspension components that see enormous forces. Even if it was metal it would break if you put any of the suspension's forces into it.

I'm surprised it gave you errors, my front sensor was broken for who knows how long and never gave me any codes.

It didn't give me errors UNTIL I ran FORScan to tell the truck it's new ride height after the spacer lift and 35" tires.....that's when it checked itself and realized something was FUBAR. I might have driven on it broken forever not knowing. When you run FORScan and try the VDM ride height it will then realize something isn't right.....like in the picture. Then it throws errors.

 

[lancerdood]

I believe it links between a solid non-moving component such as the frame and a moving component and as the angle of the linkage changes calculation is made

Its the 5A967 part and bolts to the frame & trailing arm just in front of the rear tires and moves/measures the suspension height in real time.

 

[lancerdood]

Its the 5A967 part and bolts to the frame & trailing arm just in front of the rear tires and moves/measures the suspension height in real time.

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