Rocker Panel Gap

[NE_SHADOWRANGER]

No sure if I am going crazy at this point, I seem to be finding "issues" every time I look at the truck.
Are the these gaps within spec? I am aware that the gaps exists just not sure if they are suppose to be like 6.5mm wide on the driver size and ~5mm wide on the passenger size

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[Geo8866]

Probably not what you want to hear, but stop looking. I found a few things like that in the beginning. They did not affect the vehicle's operation and were not safety issues. I now say to myself, "Will anyone notice this but me?" If the answer is no, I let it go.

 

[emjay24l]

I agree with @Geo8866. Fixating on things like this will just cause unnecessary dissatisfaction with your vehicle. I have noticed a few things with my Ranger but they mean nothing in how it functions or looks. Overall, so far I am very impressed with my Ranger's build quality.

 

[ATestBishop]

Sometimes you just can't unsee things though, usually there's a reasonable solution. Sent you a DM

 

[alrashid2]

Ya I'm with @Geo8866 on this one. I made myself stop looking because I just keep finding issues.

Now I'm only paying attention to things that are safety or mechanical, like currently watching my coolant level slowly drop lol...

Just looked at my panels and they look exactly the same

 

[bgn]

Agree, don't look too closely. I say that as a two-time Ford owner that didn't learn his lesson with the Ranger either.

 

[emjay24l]

I'll also add that if people think that it is bad now, buying a new vehicle in the 70s, 80s and early 90s would have driven themselves insane over over build quality for many vehicles.

 

[ATestBishop]

I get the stop looking thing but just look at it's atrocious. It's not agricultural heavy equipment, Ford can do better, it would be difficult to not see that each and every time someone approaches the vehicle to enter. Here is the best angle I could find of a promotional photo which could be assumed to be the best it gets for comparison.

 

[gtomike60]

I understand that people have OCD,BUT...It is a mass produced vehicle built on an assembly line,with several different people doing the assembling.There can also be slight variations in panel stampings.
You could start loosening bolts and adjusting your panel gaps until you're happier with them.
You'll never get them absolutely perfect without metal work and paint,but you can probably get them better.

 

[NE_SHADOWRANGER]

I understand that people have OCD,BUT...It is a mass produced vehicle built on an assembly line,with several different people doing the assembling.There can also be slight variations in panel stampings.
You could start loosening bolts and adjusting your panel gaps until you're happier with them.
You'll never get them absolutely perfect without metal work and paint,but you can probably get them better.

Yeah I think I’m still in that honeymoon phase, but I guess I just expected too much since it was a raptor. This is my first American brand that so maybe I am just nitpicking comparing my other cars (GR Corolla and GR Supra)

 

[some_guy]

Probably not what you want to hear, but stop looking. I found a few things like that in the beginning. They did not affect the vehicle's operation and were not safety issues. I now say to myself, "Will anyone notice this but me?" If the answer is no, I let it go.

What an awful way to say quality doesn't matter. Just don't look at to lit, bro.

 

[some_guy]

I'll also add that if people think that it is bad now, buying a new vehicle in the 70s, 80s and early 90s would have driven themselves insane over over build quality for many vehicles.

But it's not the 70s 80s or 90s.

 

[emjay24l]

What an awful way to say quality doesn't matter. Just don't look at to lit, bro.

In this situation probably 99.9% of people would not notice the difference in the gaps. I would bet a person could find small differences in any vehicle that is produced in higher volumes. I would also bet that every chassis has deviations to some degree where some can be seen and others can't.

One area where I would be somewhat picky is regarding panel gaps for doors, hood, etc. One reason panel gaps are adjusted throughout to production cycle is due to slight dimensional variations in chassis, and outer skin panels during their construction. As I said in my previous post, precision in the manufacturing of today's vehicles are light years ahead of some vehicles manufactured just a couple of decades ago and especially those built before then. Even with these advancements perfection for every vehicle built is never going to be possible.

 

[Geo8866]

What an awful way to say quality doesn't matter. Just don't look at to lit, bro.

Not exactly what I meant but I get your point. I meant a mass produced vehicle is always going to have imperfections. If you obsess over them, you won't enjoy your new truck.

 

[some_guy]

In this situation probably 99.9% of people would not notice the difference in the gaps. I would bet a person could find small differences in any vehicle that is produced in higher volumes. I would also bet that every chassis has deviations to some degree where some can be seen and others can't.

One area where I would be somewhat picky is regarding panel gaps for doors, hood, etc. One reason panel gaps are adjusted throughout to production cycle is due to slight dimensional variations in chassis, and outer skin panels during their construction. As I said in my previous post, precision in the manufacturing of today's vehicles are light years ahead of some vehicles manufactured just a couple of decades ago and especially those built before then. Even with these advancements perfection for every vehicle built is never going to be possible.

awful follow up: "all vehicles are like that". No they arent.

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