Joelhunter

Ok I don't buy them new. Can't afford the new price. All of my adult life I've had Ford trucks. Chevy bit me early. Fords have always got me home. Now I feel bit again. Some one please tell me there have been changes made. I find my self looking for a truck again this time a lot earlier than I should. My currant truck is a 04 F150 lariat With just 140k.
First. 1. Cam phasers. 2. Rear main seal(ok any motor could have this) 3. Rear end clutches. 4. Front four wheel drive axils. 5. Four wheel drive activators. 6. Front wheel bearings. 6. Tailgate rotted completely. 7. Body rot around gas filler. 8. And worse of all, complete frame rot large enough to put your hand through the frame. In all my life I've never seen that on a truck this young. I'm told it's due to the box frame design. They used to be wax/tar coated. Now it looks like only powder coating. Done cheaply.
Can anyone tell me that this was just a bad run and these trucks have been improved. Or do I have start looking at Chevy again.
Anybody?

HeathMc

Where the heck do you live? Do that salt the roads year round.

Summers22

iTrader: (2)

My 07 with the 5.4 and 145K? None of the issues you listed. I live in Kansas, plenty of brine and salt in the winter. Not a 4WD though. You went wrong buying an 04, first year for new body-style. Get a 06-08 with the 4.6 and you will be fine. Or a late build 08 5.4.

Joelhunter

I live in near chicago(land of fender solvent)
Prior to this truck was a 97 f250 7.3L. That truck had less rust than this with almost 0 rust on the frame. That truck had 330k on it. Mid western truck it's whole life.
Are the powder coated box frames this vulnerable?

69587

I'd be honest with you, this is the last F150 I'll ever buy. I've got an 06 with 80 thousand miles on it. At 50 thousand and it was only five years old at the time. I had to spend 2500 dollars to have the passenger cab corner and rocker replaced. It rotted out completely, I've owned the truck since 2008 and it only 23 thousand miles on when I bought it. I called Ford and they told me that it's normal and they would pass my information along. I've got the fuel door issue where the paint flakes off around the filler neck bezel. My bottom on my bed side started to rot out, I pulled the bed and clean it up. Painted it with por 15. Installed inner fender wells at that time. Now that's just the body issues. I had exhaust manifolds break off at 40 some thousand. I just recently replaced my rear main seal. Now it's a ten year old truck so I get it with the rear main seal. I've changed the plugs twice in it and only two break each change. I would never get a 4.6 in these trucks because it's way underpowered. Don't get me wrong it's been an OK truck but nothing to write home about. Ford really screwd over its loyal truck buyers with this gen and the next. It's very common here in Ohio to see cab corners/rockers and bed sides rusted out on 04-13 model years. I would dump the f150 and move up to a super duty. That's my game plan when this one bites the bullet.

TOPGLOCK

Fluid Film! It's a must if you live in the salt belt. My 07' has zero rust on the body and minimal amount on the frame and I live in Michigan. I bought the fluid film spray gun and gallon of FF. Every fall I coat everything on the underside and inside the frame. Also I wash it top to bottom every time it snowed. Drive-through carwashes don't count. I have since bought another car so my truck will never see another winter.

To address the rear wheel well rust you have to dig out the factory caulk that shrunk and let's moisture in and rust. Then por-15 it. The cab corners I cut out from the backside and treated the entire cavity with POR 15 and made a patch panel to cover the hole.