STEAMKING

Sorry Ford truck owners, but my new ford truck, and your's is MADE OF TIN!!! I loaded up my motorcycle for a drive/ride week with the wife. The trip was great until i unloaded my cycle and found that the tailgate on my truck cracked! This from having the TIRE sit on the tailgate!! I went to the dealer for the picture and inspection process. I was contacted by Ford, letter below. the motorcycle was secured properly and wasn't bouncing at all, regardless Ford is saying basically you can't put a motorcycle in the back of a ford truck!

I don't know about you, but this isn't "BUILT FORD TOUGH" to me!!



From: Hendricks, Leonard (L.) [mailto:lhendr27@ford.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 9:24 AM
To: Mitch Altman
Cc: Cruz, Melissa (M.)
Subject: Tailgate Issue

Dear Sir,

We have reviewed with both the dealer and Ford Motor Company’s claims experts and found that the damage was caused by an outside influence of the motorcycle bouncing on the tailgate and is not a manufactures defect .We will be unable to assist under warranty.

Thanks you for contacting the Ford Motor Company Assistance Center

Lenny Hendricks
Customer Operations Manager
Ford Motor Company Customer Service Division
West Region
lhendr27@ford.com
We must find a way or make one

gone postal

Sorry, but the tailgate isn't designed to hold loads like that over distance. If you put that kind of weight/vibration on an area that isn't designed to take it, you're going to break it. They're not saying you can't put a motorcycle in the truck, they're saying you have to put the motorcycle in the bed properly. A piece of wood probably would have gone a long way to avoiding that issue.

It wasn't just the tire riding on there, it was a fair piece of the weight of the motorcycle.

pfbz

Was the tire sitting directly on the failure point? One of the reasons to get a 6.5' bed....

Augster

Hmm, interesting.

Sympathize about the damage, but I'm pretty sure my truck is not made of tin (and I have photos from a recent front-end collision to my truck that bears this out). And I would never put that much weight on my open tailgate unless I drive real slow and avoid bumps as much as possible. The open tailgate is not mean to handle the same load weight (or extend the load weight) as the bed, and certainly not across its width. And judging from your photo it appears that the rear tire of the motorcycle is probably resting at least midway up the tailgate, if not more, meaning there is tremendous torsional load being placed on it.

Apologize if I come off somewhat indifferent to your case, but from a legal perspective, it may be difficult to prove manufacturer's defect is at fault here. You are obviously furious, but to extend your situation out as an all out warning to people never to buy a Ford truck is a bit of a stretch.

I bought a motorcycle hitch hauler and transported a GSXR750 about 500 miles up the California coast, and when I got to my destination, it seemed the bed of "heavy duty" carrier had bent slightly from all the stress. I know this is not the same as your situation with hauling it in the bed, but it does illustrate how heavy motorcycles really are and the stress they can put on any component they are transported on.

TheKurgan

stfu.

CACRanger

How much does that bike weigh?

I drive with multiple dirtbikes rear wheels sitting on the open tailgate. I have done this in many trucks and have never had a problem. But dirtbikes, I would assume are much lighter.

Chris

superccs

You got owned. I can't seem to figure out why that part of the truck bed would fail though, unless a lot of weight was focused on that (potentially un-reinforced) surface. Guess that is a really fat bike.

CACRanger

Even then, shouldn't it dent and not crack?

Hennigan

Wow, I didn't realize my truck was made of tin, I'm trading it in immediately! LOL get serious bud.

I agree with the 6.5' bed comment. It really sucks what happened but you should be blaming yourself for the damage, not ford for their "tin" trucks. Invest in some sort of carrier/trailer to prevent messing your truck up more.

gone postal

Full dressers like that easily tip the scales at 600 pounds and up, which when moving is a lot of weight to have sitting on one unsupported piece of sheet metal.

Spread that same weight over a foot (By, I dunno, maybe put a plank under the tire) and you'd more than likely have a completely different result.