Adam1150

Ok so after spending literally hours on the phone trying to save myself some money I have gotten no where until I found this forum site. I bought a 2017 F150 2 weeks ago and found out about the box link system after the fact. So this is what I want to know. According to the Ford website it says you can install the plates yourself. However I looked and found that the holes for the screws are not tapped yet so I'm at an crossroad. Are the screws that come with the plate self tapping or do I need to tap the holes myself or do I suck it up and buy them from the dealership and let them install them for $120. I found the plates online for $50 but the dealership wants $20 per plate plus $40 to install them. Every dealership o have talked to has said they have to install them.

Also if there is something better let me know.

Thanks for any help.

acdii

IIRC the inserts used are soft aluminum, so the screws will make their own threads.

Adam1150

What does IIRC mean?

mountaintruck

IIRC = If I Remember Correctly

Like you I shopped around for a better deal on the plates and cleats. I found both on ebay for over $100 less for everything then the dealer wanted. The plates came with the screws. I haven't installed yet, but I did quickly line up a plate to ensure it fit and started turning in a screw. The screw seemed too big for the pre drilled hole in the bed. At that point I stopped and wanted ensure I had the correct screws. Now that I read this, it makes a bit more sense. The pre drilled hole isn't tapped. I'm not too familiar with self tapping screws. The screws are tapered at the end. Are these self tapping?

Adam1150

I just ordered the entire kit, plates and cleats for $84 bucks on eBay. From what everyone has said is the screws will make its own threads on the inserts when you screw them in and they are not self tapping screws.

acdii

Yes those are self tapping. I PITA to get in, but once started they dig in and hold fast.

Ness

2018 F-150 SUPERCREW XLT Series w/ Equipment Group 300A bought in Toronto, Canada
Window Sticker Description advised "Pickup Box Tie Down Hooks" and "Tow Hooks". I received the truck with a package of four (4) uninstalled "Locking BoxLink Cleats" (HL3J-99286D62-AA; CLT RL P/U BOX TIE DOWN; J025L). The salesman advised that they were not part of the package, and the cleats were mistakenly included with the truck, but I could keep them. The Ford Accessories website http://accessories.ford.ca/bed-produ...own-11854.html shows an Suggested Retail Price of CAD$70.03 for a "4-Piece Kit".

Upon attempting to install the cleats myself, I became aware that they required the four reinforcement plates http://accessories.ford.ca/bed-produ...-bodyside.html, so I ordered them from the dealership believing that it was CAD$81.75 for the four... Wrong. It's each. After some negotiation, I was able to get them for CAD$30.64 each, plus tax, BUT THEY DID NOT COME WITH THE SCREWS. I then went to a hardware store to buy the 16 M6 x 25mm screws, since the original screws were quoted at a pricey CAD$3.75 each. Not realizing the box mounting holes weren't tapped, I bought the wrong screws (as they need to be of a self-tapping variety), I decided to go back to the dealer and buy the original parts, but was able to again negotiate them down to what was "presumably" cost at CAD$2.50 each.

Thanks to this thread, at least I now have some direction on how to proceed, but lessons learned.

First, the price for the system with cleats by my calculations (dealer uninstalled) would have been, CAD$457.03 before tax. Add Adam1150's installation quote of CAD$40, and you're in for over CAD$500 SRP. I paid CAD$162.56 before tax for the original Ford parts (4 plates & 16 screws), but spent hours running around procuring them, and still have to install them adequately. I estimate the cost-benefit to doing this myself with no experience is saving around 30%, so if the dealer can install them for anything less than CAD$350, I suppose one would be doing alright by saving themselves the effort. Although judging from the previous posts, I'm sure I still could have done a lot better.

Second, I question Ford's practice here. Including the cleats but not the including the mounting plates or hardware is misleading. Also, selling each part separately, when they are integral as a presumable "kit" as Ford stated in the website, is also a cheat - especially when the parts are part of a multi-faceted system such as this... there's no obvious reason to buy just one, and the plates are independently useless without the screws or some other fastener like the cleats.

Any advice or thoughts welcome...
Ford F-150 BoxLink Cleat included with package?

acdii

Boxlink is a separate line item, top line under Exterior, or under options depending on model.

James Willman

First....I want to say that after spending this much for a truck the so called cleats should be included. That said my XLT super crew did not come with the cleats, but when I went to pick up my truck... I noticed that there were four unsightly holes for the box links system so... I ordered the cleats. Everything with this goofy links system is sold separately to include the screws which cost me $26.00 (ouch). The screws are not self taping,but do screw into the soft aluminum no problem. You will need a trox 30 which I put on my 3/8 drive (worked well). I had to remove the bed liner because the holes would not line up and needed more room to work. It was easy to do...but mad at Ford for being so cheap and the dealer should have told me about the bed liner issue...unsightly holes. Hope this helps

Sawdust102

I think the line tie down hooks is referring to the 4 d shaped tie down points in the lower 4 corners of the bed.

Where boxlink cleats are the square plates you had to buy.