Bed rattle and crack

[Helena-disappointed]

comical or not the owner's manual specifically calls it out as something you need to do.

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[Helena-disappointed]

Hi Wayfaring,
You wrote that the owner's manual specifically calls out the low (88 lb) capacity of the bed rails. I looked at the printed starter guide that came w/ my truck (2024 XL), & the online manual, & didn't see anything about that weight limit. Would you please tell me where you found it? I heard about it not from Ford, but from a topper dealer/installer who told me that he didn't stock them because mfrs weren't distributing them until Ford & they agreed who would pay for the J-brace retrofit .

Yours,

Disappointed

 

[Wayfaring Ranger]

Hi Wayfaring,
You wrote that the owner's manual specifically calls out the low (88 lb) capacity of the bed rails. I looked at the printed starter guide that came w/ my truck (2024 XL), & the online manual, & didn't see anything about that weight limit. Would you please tell me where you found it? I heard about it not from Ford, but from a topper dealer/installer who told me that he didn't stock them because mfrs weren't distributing them until Ford & they agreed who would pay for the J-brace retrofit .

Yours,

Disappointed

Hey, in this "Ford Ranger Body and Equipment Mounting Manual" document on page 148.

https://www.ford.co.nz/content/dam/.../2022-ranger-tra-trb-global-bemm-13122022.pdf

 

[Helena-disappointed]

Thank you. I would have liked to have learned about this from the dealer from which I bought my Ranger, Ford's product info, or owners' manual, not after-the-fact from a 2-year old NZ manual disclised to me in a non-Ford forum. To their credit, the dealer is paying for the braces & installation. That dealer's salespeople & the service dept at my local dealer knew nothing until I told them

 

[Critical Habitat]

If they are out of stock, why do they still let you order them and not tell you on their site they are out of stock (like the Ranger Raptor T-shirt which has been out of stock for months now).
Ranger Raptor 2024 Load Box Reinforcement Kit | Accessories.Ford.com

Ford Trucks Ranger Raptor Men's T-Shirt - Official Ford Merchandise

 

[Velociraptor]

Is it needed for a tonneau cover?

 

[olefordguy]

Is it needed for a tonneau cover?

(See attached) It doesn't mention tonneau covers specifically, but anything 88 pounds and above. IMO, why risk it, install them for peace of mind.

 

[dfritz]

This is common in virtually every pickup made. If you put a lumber rack, headache rack, crossbed tool box that stresses the sides out or down, you'll get cracks there. I've seen it many times. The newer pickups have very thin steel beds, I don't care what the engineers say about exotic materials, it's weak when stressed off road or under load.

You have to have a stringer across a rack or other accessory that is the just right length, not pushing or pulling the bed apart. This keeps the bed from spreading apart. Typically, a tube across under the rear window for racks is the best bet. An angle iron over the front bed rail, which is very flimsy on Gen6 Rangers protects it from bending and can work as well for applications like toppers.

You have to reinforce the "up" part of the bed rails near the cab, and the J-brace is step 1, but may not be all that is needed. You may need to go up from the bed floor to the accessory to transfer some weight off the bed rail .

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