Tie rod bolt bent from the factory?

[AZ_Tremor]

Ford dealership goes to install my leveling kit and send me this picture..

Anyone else experience anything like this?
Bought the truck 2 weeks ago today and the tech at the custom shop says he pulled off the tire to begin the work and notices this….

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[JasonTremor]

Interesting. Two notes, witness marks on nut indicate possible removal and reinstall prior to this. Second, I see what appears to be an impact mark on the small hex area above the threads which coincides with bend direction. Something had to impact that hard to bend that!

 

[AZ_Tremor]

Well.. I don’t own an impact wrench, hence is why I brought it to them to install the leveling kit..
I could see if it was a downward facing bolt I could have hit something but it’s not and I haven’t taken it anywhere but the lake in some mild terrain conditions..

 

[JasonTremor]

Was the truck new when you got it? I'd look for other signs of impact marks around the front suspension. Not sure how something could hit that without leaving other marks.

 

[rcairflr]

Doesn't look bent to me, it looks cross threaded.

 

[AZ_Tremor]

Was the truck new when you got it? I'd look for other signs of impact marks around the front suspension. Not sure how something could hit that without leaving other marks.

Truck had 3 miles when I picked it… literally came off the truck the salesman called me and I drove it off the lot the next day…

 

[AZ_Tremor]

Doesn't look bent to me, it looks cross threaded.

Ow that you say that I zoomed I. On the picture and you can see the threads are not symmetrical

 

[JasonTremor]

If cross threaded, there would be lots of carnage on the exposed threads. They look clean. The plastic thread locking ring on the nut is only destroyed on the one area which supports bent after nut installation. Only thing I can think of in the absence of impact is the torquing device used to tighten that on the assembly line snagged it post torquing?

 

[AZ_Tremor]

If cross threaded, there would be lots of carnage on the exposed threads. They look clean. The plastic thread locking ring on the nut is only destroyed on the one area which supports bent after nut installation. Only thing I can think of in the absence of impact is the torquing device used to tighten that on the assembly line snagged it post torquing?

I honestly just hope they cover it under warranty… also hoping it wasn’t a “bad robot” day at the factory and more stuff is damaged..
??

 

[JasonTremor]

I honestly just hope they cover it under warranty… also hoping it wasn’t a “bad robot” day at the factory and more stuff is damaged..
??

Hopefully all will work out.

As I zoom in on that picture and examine the witness marks, I would argue that was done on the assembly line by the torquing device being removed at an angle as opposed to straight up off the fastener.

 

[Apples]

One thing is for sure, it is a warranty item.

 

[awd.nv]

Ford dealership goes to install my leveling kit and send me this picture..

Anyone else experience anything like this?
Bought the truck 2 weeks ago today and the tech at the custom shop says he pulled off the tire to begin the work and notices this….

Well, if you take it to them stock, I am sure they will take care of it but wit the level kit, if it is a shady Ford dealer they will just blame the level kit installer.

It is not easy to bend one of those, It had to happen during assembly.

 

[AZ_Tremor]

Well, if you take it to them stock, I am sure they will take care of it but wit the level kit, if it is a shady Ford dealer they will just blame the level kit installer.

It is not easy to bend one of those, It had to happen during assembly.

Shady isn’t a word I would use to describe this dealership at all.. I’ve purchased (2)2019 mustangs and now this tremor in the last 3 years from this place…
The custom shop is directly tied to the dealership and he never got as far as taking the wheel off when he discovered this and immediately contacted me and the sales rep… ??‍

 

[Trigganometry]

I would definitely have them replace that and the nut that goes with it. Seeing witness marks of damaged area isn’t new I would suspect they will warranty cover that. Let us know how it goes!

 

[JasonTremor]

heres a quizzical question....might be nothing though

whats the mechanic hiding by putting his hand there?
its not like anyone needed a backdrop to see that this part was buggered?
he coulda took the pic from the other side of the room and we would have seen the bend....

Trying to get the camera auto focus to focus in on the bolt most likely. I do the same thing sometimes.

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