Hi everyone! Just a quick question I'm hoping someone might be able to help me out with. I was at the Ford dealership tonight drooling over the trucks...which is becoming a habit... Anyway, my question is: what are the pros and cons to not having an enclosed wheel well? i.e. under the truck it is all completely open. I would have thought it would be better to have an enclosed wheel well so that mud and whatever else wouldn't be flung all over the place down there.

Just wondering what the reasoning for building it this way is. Thanks in advance!

Cheers.

 

Good Question..... Perhaps it's your garden variety cost cutting measure. Or maybe, it's to save on weight, since the trucks have gained so much over the last generation.

 

I put it down to cost cutting as well. You made a good point about it saving some weight, I hadn't thought of that. The next time I'm there (not sure when that will be) I think I'll ask someone there to give me a reason for there not being an enclosed wheel well...not that I really think a salesman would really know, but I'm going to be curious to hear what they have to say.

To all with the new trucks: is the lack of an enclosed wheel well of concern at all to any of you? Do you prefer it the way it is? Because of it, do you feel a greater need to pay more attention to the cleanliness under the truck? I'm thinking that I may end up possibly having to get a pressure washer or something when I do get a truck.

Cheers.

 

I'm concerned about it a great deal. I live in Southern Michigan where the use of SALT in the winter is rampant, not to mention the idea of some tree limb ripping up things under there while I'm off roading up north. Does anyone know if Ford or anyone is going to offer an underbody wheel well cover for the rears? I'm going to get see if I can get it sprayed with the same **** as the bed liners if not.

 

I don't ever recall seeing a truck with an enclosed rear wheel well from the factory. I have seen trucks w/ body lifts that have plate like things that cover the gap between the frame and body.

 

Okay, I've had my truck for 6 days, but I don't like the rear wells either. In addition to the exposed metal and all the risks from that, I don't care for seeing the bed color from the side - just draws attention to the size of the opening. So, I got Herculiner and went to work. See it in my Mod album at:

https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=3301

 

I'm impressed with your rear wheel well mod even though I don"t off-road. Is the liner molded to fit or did you modify some item to fit.

 

I was concerned about this, but am not anymore. I checked out my cousin's Ram and he has pretty much the same situation under his wheel wells. Plus I figure if it was a major problem, Ford would know about it and would not have designed it that way.

 

It seems to me one of the reasons for not having wheel wells is the external mounting of the rear shocks. Perhaps that took up some room to put something else there?

 

To Curmugeon

I just applied Herculiner liquid bed liner using a brush and roller per directions. Followed preparation directions to the letter per other posts in this forum to avoid problems.

 

Structurally, just about everything has an "exposed wheel well." You notice it on your truck because it is not painted and the wheel opening is larger. In my driveway the 911, the MR2, the Ranger and the Taurus are all "exposed."

My guess is that there would be little harm in painting it if it bothered you. I would be careful about some bedliner / undercoating materials that might trap moisture and unwanted corrosives next to your paint. Ford treats their metal to avoid rust and it is likely preferable to leave the area open so that it can dry out.

I go the other extreeme and pull the wheels off the sports cars to get the wheel opening and suspension parts clean like they were when new.