Cracked a 2017 F-150 frame rail today and nobody warns you about the cab mount bolts

I had a 2017 F-150 come into my shop in Tulsa last week with a bent frame rail from a curb hit. Straightened it out on the frame rack after about 4 hours of measuring and pulling. What caught me off guard was how rusted the cab mount bolts were even on a 7 year old truck from down here. Broke two extractors before I gave in and hit them with a torch and some PB Blaster. Finally got all 6 out without snapping any studs. Has anyone else noticed these newer trucks rusting faster in the cab mount areas?

2 comments

2 Comments

seth_martinez2123d ago

My buddy in Ohio snapped three cab mount bolts on a 2018 F-150 last month.

xenan648d ago

Actually, that sounds more like a 2015-2017 issue than a 2018 one. Ford changed the cab mount bolt design in 2018 to fix the snapping problem, so your buddy's truck might be a late 2017 model or someone misread the year (it happens more than you'd think). I've seen guys in Michigan snap those bolts on 2015s pretty often, especially if they live in salt country (which Ohio definitely is, you know, winter roads and all). The 2018s got a different coating and a slightly thicker shaft, so they hold up way better unless you're off-roading hard. Your buddy should double-check the door jamb sticker - the tenth character on the VIN tells you the model year for sure. If it really is a 2018, then he might have gotten a weird fluke, but chances are it's a 2017 with a repainted title or something.