2020 ranger. Less than 9k miles. Driveshaft bolts missing

[AdamHarris]

Hi Mel,

Provocative questions... The short answer to can the line operator be id'd...most likely the answer is yes...the plant could probably id the operator on duty at that station. That said it is unlikely this is a systemic issue, done on purpose, operation is not allotted enough time, it was the relief operator on the line so the operator could take a piss...and so on. Line went down for shift change or end of the day and so it goes. The plant is likely not going to do anything to something that is very likely a OneZee.

So lets get rid of the inflammatory remarks like this "catastrophic failure" There is a piloted joint and three fasteners likely would be shown to be adequate up until one more loosens up and a vibration or rattle etc occurs such that the dealer or customer would investigate. If critical, the Ford CCRG (Critical Concern Review Group) would get involved but not on something like this.

These forums are but a small part of the Ranger Population and this is the first time a driveshaft bolt has been flagged as I can remember.

For critical systems, there are measures taken to insure integrity. Example of which I am familiar, The 4G Ranger single point crash sensor.... This critical sensor is bolted to the transmission tunnel under the dash. It is held in place by three fasteners. It is critical these three fasteners are torqued to spec. Now on the trim line an operator through the passenger door opening, places the crash sensor on the tunnel and installs two right side fasteners. A few stations down the line on the left another operator installs the left fastener. A few more stations down a third operator hits all three fasteners with a COUNTING electric torque wrench...this is where if the count each time is not 3, the portion of the line shuts down and believe me, there is a scramble to correct and get the line running....

My take is that the driveshaft attachment is not deemed critical and of need of this type of system. This is not a systemic problem. Now, on a non critical operation where the operator continually misses, the plant will send plant engineering out to study the problem, which may necessitate a time study and in many instances the process is revised to give the operator time to complete the task. This usually occurs during new model launch...

Yikes...looks like I started writing War & Peace...

best,
Phil

Now Phil this is no time for level-headedness and reason. Folks want some new thang to be scared shitless about on their trucks!

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[Mrmonk7663]

Stuff happens. That’s life. It’s fixed so all good. The only thing that really upset me about this whole ordeal was this…”we can’t give you the bolts to install yourself because what if you installed them wrong and in a court of law we could be liable for giving them to you”……ok so youare worried about liability but you want me to drive the truck to you with a known defect that could have catastrophic consequences and that’s not a liability? I told them if they are worried about out liability to have it towed in. They ignored me and wouldn’t even comment on it. They didn’t want to spend the money. Probably a dealership issue more so than Ford regarding that, but my expectation from management, who was involved, that they have the training and competence to make decisions in the best interest of the company and the customer….which they clearly did not. Their fix was in their best interest.

Now I didn’t want my truck towed. But they should have offered due to the nature of the problem.

Anyway whatever it’s done now and behind me. Onward we go.

 

[evoaire]

I'd replace them ASAP with something rated for 10.9 or better...those bolts from ace are likely 8.8 - that is the grade of bolt.
Driveline components are really needing the higher grade.

Years ago bolts were rated by stamping a number, or using hash marks on the head, 8 hashes mean it’s a grade 8 bolt.

 

[Big Blue]

Years ago bolts were rated by stamping a number, or using hash marks on the head, 8 hashes mean it’s a grade 8 bolt.

The marking are different for imperial and metric bolts.

 

[seanellaz]

Threads are fine. No scarring. Other 2 bolts do not show signs of removal. Just went to ace. Flange bolts to match original. I will use blue loctite. I’m aggrieved.

Smart solution. Silly scary problem.

Looked under truck and found this today. This is insane.

Loco indeed. Get ratchet socket and box end of proper size. Drive to Ace (whatever hardware store you favor) , remove one remaining bolt. Take inside. Match length diameter and thread w/ another bolt (maybe grade 8 maybe not as might need to shear) . Cant tell from picture if there is a nut on backsided.

 

[seanellaz]

Years ago bolts were rated by stamping a number, or using hash marks on the head, 8 hashes mean it’s a grade 8 bolt.

Hard to say if Grade 8 is spec. The bolts may need to shear under extreme duress. Grade 8 might not shear.

 

[Trigganometry]

Hard to say if Grade 8 is spec. The bolts may need to shear under extreme duress. Grade 8 might not shear.

To sheer off grade 8 bolts something else in the rear end would implode long before you saw that happen.

 

[AdamHarris]

Just to clarify the SAE and metric grades.

 

[Mrmonk7663]

The stock are 10.9/Grade 8. 100 percent verified

 

[rbenne17]

Looked under truck and found this today. This is insane.

I had a similar problem on my 2021 Ranger Lariat FX4. I lost an upper ball joint nut that connects it to the steering knuckle on the passenger side. Luckily for me, they disconnected from each other when I was making a left turn. It made an terrible noise that a new vehicle should not make. When I pulled over and looked, the right tire was leaning in at the top and the upper ball joint was sitting on top of the tire. I had 938 miles on the odometer. This was, without a doubt, a factory oversight. It should NEVER have happened. Had it come off on the highway, I may not be here to type this. It was towed to the nearest Ford dealership at 10 o'clock at night. The next day, they reconnected it, put a new nut on it and I was on my way. He showed me a copy of a report that was sent to the NTSB, I think it said. I was not happy and I'm still disturbed by it. You should be too.

 

[Mrmonk7663]

The Ford dealer called me an hour ago. “Hi sir I just wanted to make sure that the driveshaft did not fall off and you haven’t had any weird vibrations”. Nice gesture but poor taste.

 

[rbenne17]

The Ford dealer called me an hour ago. “Hi sir I just wanted to make sure that the driveshaft did not fall off and you haven’t had any weird vibrations”. Nice gesture but poor taste.

The pictures you took, are they looking forward or back? Forward, I think. I never heard a word from anyone about my incident.

 

[Mrmonk7663]

The pictures you took, are they looking forward or back? Forward, I think. I never heard a word from anyone about my incident.

Looking forward.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Threads are fine. No scarring. Other 2 bolts do not show signs of removal. Just went to ace. Flange bolts to match original. I will use blue loctite. I’m aggrieved.

Hi Michael,

Ford rarely uses zinc coated fasteners, so likely not an exact match...S2 finish is phosphate and oil for example...blackish gray. The joint integrity tested with the OEM finish...all bets off for hardware finish... I had a fastener group for a bit of time when in Design Analysis, an analytical area, but it was what it was. My fastener engineer, Steve M was top drawer and I learned a lot...No idea if loctite and zinc finish would hold up as well as the OEM which may have included an aheasive patch which is far more tenacious than loctite. Please consider having the dealer do a proper repair as this also needs to be documented to show lousy Ford Assembly Plant quality.

Bet I crapped in your lunch box.... Oh well....go ahead and vent on me...I am sorry you experienced this but not sorry to explain critical fastener concerns.

Best,
Phil

 

[Mrmonk7663]

Ford installed oem bolts and documented it as I stated elsewhere in this thread.

Hi Michael,

Ford rarely uses zinc coated fasteners, so likely not an exact match...S2 finish is phosphate and oil for example...blackish gray. The joint integrity tested with the OEM finish...all bets off for hardware finish... I had a fastener group for a bit of time when in Design Analysis, an analytical area, but it was what it was. My fastener engineer, Steve M was top drawer and I learned a lot...No idea if loctite and zinc finish would hold up as well as the OEM which may have included an aheasive patch which is far more tenacious than loctite. Please consider having the dealer do a proper repair as this also needs to be documented to show lousy Ford Assembly Plant quality.

Bet I crapped in your lunch box.... Oh well....go ahead and vent on me...I am sorry you experienced this but not sorry to explain critical fastener concerns.

Best,
Phil

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