EGR J BRACES

[fordgt]

I got mine today, $101 including tax. They look like a pretty decent product, fairly straightforward instructions. My kid the body tech is going to help me put them on. (Who am I kidding, I am going to help him.)
The necessity of even having to do this pisses me off though, FORD should have put them on from the factory. First time I’ve heard that you have to remove the upper tie down bolts and use the new ones supplied with the kit. I am guessing maybe they are longer but they have a regular hex head instead of a torx. Plus I have to “disturb” the factory spray in bed liner.

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[MulchBags2]

Only required if I plan to have a bed topper right?

 

[fordgt]

Only required if I plan to have a bed topper right?

I think they say anything over 88 lbs above the rails.

 

[MulchBags2]

I think they say anything over 88 lbs above the rails.

That’s embarrassingly low. Would carrying a heavy piece of furniture I’m traveling be an issue? What type of things do people carry or install above the rail? Not sure if I’m missing something super obvious.

 

[fordgt]

That’s embarrassingly low. Would carrying a heavy piece of furniture I’m traveling be an issue? What type of things do people carry or install above the rail? Not sure if I’m missing something super obvious.

Not sure, but I bought my truck to do truck things although I don’t go off roading. There is lots of info on this site about j-braces and lots of opinions on whether you need them or not. They have been in and out of stock at FORD and EGR so I figured I would get them.

 

[Alaska Steve]

I got mine today, $101 including tax. They look like a pretty decent product, fairly straightforward instructions. My kid the body tech is going to help me put them on. (Who am I kidding, I am going to help him.)
The necessity of even having to do this pisses me off though, FORD should have put them on from the factory. First time I’ve heard that you have to remove the upper tie down bolts and use the new ones supplied with the kit. I am guessing maybe they are longer but they have a regular hex head instead of a torx. Plus I have to “disturb” the factory spray in bed liner.

Please post the installation instructions; EGRs website doesn’t have any.

 

[jedadiah]

Please post the installation instructions; EGRs website doesn’t have any.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0..._Tub_Reinforcement_KIT040146.pdf?v=1724041837

You can loosen the connectors in step 3 from behind by placing an 8mm socket over them. The trick is mentioned in the Ford J-brace instructions, but I didn't see it in the EGR ones, so I thought I'd mention it.

 

[Hootbro]

I bought the same EGR kit and attempted to install it and had to abandon it to try again another day. The rivets you have to drill out are a bit of a pisser and I went through three drill bits on one rivet.

The outer fender moulding you have to pull out is also pretty thin where the panel clips ride in and would say it is 50/50 you will break off one or more of the tabs on the fender moulding.

I have wrenched on aircraft for over 35 years and do not consider myself hamfisted on such things, but one will need to be patient and take your time.

 

[SubaruRaptor]

That’s embarrassingly low. Would carrying a heavy piece of furniture I’m traveling be an issue? What type of things do people carry or install above the rail? Not sure if I’m missing something super obvious.

No. Ford only requires these for extreme off roading use only.

 

[SubaruRaptor]

I bought the same EGR kit and attempted to install it and had to abandon it to try again another day. The rivets you have to drill out are a bit of a pisser and I went through three drill bits on one rivet.

The outer fender moulding you have to pull out is also pretty thin where the panel clips ride in and would say it is 50/50 you will break off one or more of the tabs on the fender moulding.

I have wrenched on aircraft for over 35 years and do not consider myself hamfisted on such things, but one will need to be patient and take your time.

That sounds more like you have the wrong drill then anything. Rivets arent made out of adamantium.

 

[Hootbro]

Rivets arent made out of adamantium.

You sure about that?

 

[jeffers]

I bought the same EGR kit and attempted to install it and had to abandon it to try again another day. The rivets you have to drill out are a bit of a pisser and I went through three drill bits on one rivet.

The outer fender moulding you have to pull out is also pretty thin where the panel clips ride in and would say it is 50/50 you will break off one or more of the tabs on the fender moulding.

I have wrenched on aircraft for over 35 years and do not consider myself hamfisted on such things, but one will need to be patient and take your time.

You have some cheepo drill bits. Did you keep putting a drop of oil on the rivet as you were drilling? If its hardened steel you have to do that and go kind of slow so you don't overheat the drill bit. I though rivets are normally a pretty soft metal though.

 

[Hootbro]

You have some cheepo drill bits. Did you keep putting a drop of oil on the rivet as you were drilling? If its hardened steel you have to do that and go kind of slow so you don't overheat the drill bit. I though rivets are normally a pretty soft metal though.

They were Bosch Cobalt drill bits and I used drill wax for a lubricant. Not my first rodeo drilling a rivet out.

Another thing to note, the rivets go into a tab that hangs down and there is not much support to put purchase on when drilling into it.

Just relaying my experience. YMMV

 

[FreezingFlatlander]

I too had a hard time drilling out the rivets and had used cobolt bits too but those rivets are of a hard material. After managing to drill the rivet head off I then resorted to using a sawsall to cut the rivet off. I'm just sharing my experience and not wanting to get in an argument with anyone about how easy or difficult this task is. I had removed the wheel to make access easier. I have a well equipped shop, have drilled out a lot of rivets over the years but these rivets gave me fits.

 

[jedadiah]

I used two drill bits. I drilled out the center with an oiled 1/4" bit. Once I had drilled the center past the "head," a bigger bit was able to cut the rest off pretty easily. Once the head was gone, I used a punch to knock the rivet back out of the hole. The center is hard and does take a bit to drill. The aluminum outer part is no problem once the center is out of the way.

Its would have been easier if I had an actual center punch to center my drill bit in. I used a nail-set and it worked okay.

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