Bed tie downs

[Danager]

What are length of those cap screws? Did you chase the threads because of the bed liner?

The screws are 25mm about an inch.
Yes, I ran that tap through to clean the bed liner material out of the holes. They are terrible taps otherwise.

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[Radioman]

Nothing says "thank you for spending $55K on a new Ranger" quite like 800% mark-up on factory add-ons, they they once included but since cut for cost savings. I don't know the word to describe how vulgar I find it.

It's not like someone who bought a taco is coming in to buy these bolts/brackets and Ford is sticking it to them. It's literally only the people who have bought a Ranger already. Disgusting business practice and has definitely lessened my chances of buying another Ford.

Well said, I agree totally. Ford should be ashamed.

 

[Delirious]

The parts guy actually laughed when he saw the total cost of everything. Not sure why they want to loose money to cheaper after market options. I also agree on the bad business practice statement .

Some people just feel like they have to have genuine manufacturer's parts. They don't want to even hear suggestions of aftermarket competitive parts because they think they're getting inferior stuff.

 

[Delirious]

Well said, I agree totally. Ford should be ashamed.

What do you expect of a company that charges us $50 for eliminating the start/stop switch when you're already saving them money on the switch by not having it installed?
What do you expect of a company that makes all their cheesy little cutbacks and deleting items in these vehicles after paying what we pay?
The same company that expects dishonest surveys after purchasing a new vehicle or having your vehicle serviced in their service departments? I wrote a nice letter to them telling them what I thought about that practice.
If the dealership has a dirty bathroom and you give them a bad mark on the survey, the business loses their holdback money and the sales person loses their bonus money.
If you mark a bad survey for the service department, they take it out of their service advisor's ass. I told them to send me a genuine survey line by line questioning and I'll answer it but I refuse to do their dishonest surveys. I have not heard from them, of course.

 

[Iowa Guy]

Getting similar bolts from a hardware store (e.g. Lowes, Home Depot) will save some money.

not really "the same" they are exterior coated, and grade 10.9, you can buy the grade 10.9 but you will probably only find them as SHCS, not hex bolts

 

[Iowa Guy]

What do you expect of a company that charges us $50 for eliminating the start/stop switch when you're already saving them money on the switch by not having it installed?
What do you expect of a company that makes all their cheesy little cutbacks and deleting items in these vehicles after paying what we pay?
The same company that expects dishonest surveys after purchasing a new vehicle or having your vehicle serviced in their service departments? I wrote a nice letter to them telling them what I thought about that practice.
If the dealership has a dirty bathroom and you give them a bad mark on the survey, the business loses their holdback money and the sales person loses their bonus money.
If you mark a bad survey for the service department, they take it out of their service advisor's ass. I told them to send me a genuine survey line by line questioning and I'll answer it but I refuse to do their dishonest surveys. I have not heard from them, of course.

I totally agree with your comments on the surveys.. as for the "Cheesy cutbacks deleting items", all the OEM's discontent vehicles in order to reduce cost and stay profitable. Not saying it is right, but it is common practice, especially from the Big 3

 

[Grumpaw]

not really "the same" they are exterior coated, and grade 10.9, you can buy the grade 10.9 but you will probably only find them as SHCS, not hex bolts

Granted, they may not be the high strength bolts, but unless ypur going to tie down some real heavy or movable items, the standard stuff will work for 99% of what is needed to "tie down".
As for color, get a simple can of bed spray, spray em down and they will match the rest of the factory stuff...Coat it with a few swipes of a black marker. It's a bolt...what does the color/finish matter ?
I replaced all of the bolts in my bed with stainless button head stuff, and so far no one has called me out on them !

 

[got3fords]

This website has some options, plus you can find almost any kind of hardware.
https://www.mcmaster.com/tie-downs/
Otherwise, go to your local dealer after hours with a wrench.

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

it might help if you flip your thinking and consider it a "profit generating" decision, rather than a "cost savings"
they werent hurting for cash and needed to make payroll....

Are you trying to justify the removal of 2 tie-downs or ridiculous mark-up when the same customer visits the parts department?

I don't like the removal, but I do understand it. Business is business and compromises are needed. Increase the vehicle price, or make cuts to what comes with it.

The mark-up on the other hand, well, refer to my previous post, I can't make it any more clear how I feel about that business practice.

They may profit an extra $7-10 on my vehicle by removing the 2 tie-downs. Not a bid deal, happy to go buy another Ford later.

500, 700, 1000% mark-up in the parts department has lost them my business on those parts already, and soured me from not only other Ford add-ons parts, but also going to be a big factor in whether I buy another Ford.

YMMV

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

Granted, they may not be the high strength bolts, but unless ypur going to tie down some real heavy or movable items, the standard stuff will work for 99% of what is needed to "tie down".
As for color, get a simple can of bed spray, spray em down and they will match the rest of the factory stuff...Coat it with a few swipes of a black marker. It's a bolt...what does the color/finish matter ?
I replaced all of the bolts in my bed with stainless button head stuff, and so far no one has called me out on them !

They bolt into pressed, punched and tapped sheet metal. Grade 10.9 is overkill. Even grade 3 bolts would rip the treads out of the panel before breaking the bolt.

 

[VAMike]

They bolt into pressed, punched and tapped sheet metal. Grade 10.9 is overkill. Even grade 3 bolts would rip the treads out of the panel before breaking the bolt.

they are not in the sheet metal. if you try to put a tie down in the sheet metal rather than an actual tie down bolt location it'll rip right out. the OEM parts were designed and tested for a (from memory, check manual) 600# working load. if you buy random stuff from amazon it's rated and tested for ?‍ if you're using the tie-downs for a tarp over mulch that'll be fine. if you're using the tie downs to secure something weighing several hundred pounds, I'd personally make sure to use the specified fasteners.

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

they are not in the sheet metal. if you try to put a tie down in the sheet metal rather than an actual tie down bolt location it'll rip right out. the OEM parts were designed and tested for a (from memory, check manual) 600# working load. if you buy random stuff from amazon it's rated and tested for ?‍ if you're using the tie-downs for a tarp over mulch that'll be fine. if you're using the tie downs to secure something weighing several hundred pounds, I'd personally make sure to use the specified fasteners.

What are they in? Is there a nut welded to the back of the inner box?

I haven't looked in from the back, but did take a good look from the front, I'm pretty sure it is a punched hole. The punching process produces a sleeve, which is then tapped. It is a fairly strong design for limited use, but still sheet metal.

Again, I may be wrong about that, but fairly certain.

 

[VAMike]

What are they in? Is there a nut welded to the back of the inner box?

I haven't looked in from the back, but did take a good look from the front, I'm pretty sure it is a punched hole. The punching process produces a sleeve, which is then tapped. It is a fairly strong design for limited use, but still sheet metal.

Again, I may be wrong about that, but fairly certain.

Pick a random spot on the flat bed wall and push on it. See how much it moves? That's the sheet metal. Do the same at the tie down locations--it doesn't move. If you crawl under the truck and look up (e.g., just behind the wheel well) you'll see that the tie down locations are backed by structural members, not just the sheet metal. It's possible that you were looking at one of the holes that isn't for a rated tie-down point.

 

[Iowa Guy]

they are not in the sheet metal. if you try to put a tie down in the sheet metal rather than an actual tie down bolt location it'll rip right out. the OEM parts were designed and tested for a (from memory, check manual) 600# working load. if you buy random stuff from amazon it's rated and tested for ?‍ if you're using the tie-downs for a tarp over mulch that'll be fine. if you're using the tie downs to secure something weighing several hundred pounds, I'd personally make sure to use the specified fasteners.

It is a punched hole with a projection welded fastener behind it . We make Automotive stampings and assemblies for the OEMs, so lot's of experience with these

 

[jsphlynch]

Nothing says "thank you for spending $55K on a new Ranger" quite like 800% mark-up on factory add-ons, they they once included but since cut for cost savings.

Back when the middle tie-downs were eliminated from the builds, they were listed as backordered at many dealers, suggesting there was a shortage of these parts from the suppliers. So was the decision to eliminate the tiedowns due strictly to costcutting? Or did a shortage force a choice between either (a) eliminating the tiedowns, or (b) cutting production over the fact that there just wasn't enough tiedowns available to produce trucks with 6 at the current production rate?

And if the decision to eliminate the tiedowns stems from a supply shortage, then Ford really wouldn't want the factory shortage to be exacerbated by selling what little stock there was through parts departments, hence an crazy markup.

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