How many failures have we seen on this? I'm thinking of replacing the $60 module as a preventative measure if there is a high enough failure rate on these.

 

just do a quick search on here, there's tons of talk about it.

I think its worse in the Northern states. If it was me, i'd go ahead and get the upgraded hardware kit for it that spaces it off the cross member, and relieves the bending stress on it. I think it will last much longer that way.

 

X2!

If not corroded through and if not broken, I'ld clean it, coat it, space it, and use it.

The failures I've read about are of ones that were severly corroded and opened up, some broken.

 

That's what concerns me, there is lots of talk about it. It leaves you STRANDED when it decides to fail, one of the few parts that has left 2004-2008 owners high and dry. The $60 regulator @ rockauto has the spacers as part of the module/kit. I live in a southern climate and the existing module looks OK, cleaning/coating/spacer may be the way to save $60.

 

Oh yeah, Oklahoma? I'ld drop the spare, unplug it, pull it off, clean it up good and I'ld even clear coat it well, and install with spacers so it's a good 1/4" off the frame.

Paint the frame too. It's what I did, and I fixed a near broke chewed up wire (darn squirrels!).

I know there's lots of deolate roadway out there, but seems to me cell phone coverage was good last I was out there. I've thought of picking one off a wreck and testing it and wrapping it as a spare.

 

Hard to tell the condition until you remove it from the truck.

Few members had modules that looked OK, but the back was gone out of them when they removed them.

I listed the thread size and pitch in the How to Forum ( along with a suggested length when using a 5/16" SS nut as the stand off ).
Get a set of bolts and go under to check it.
If it is OK, install the nuts as stand offs with the longer bolts and you should be good to go.

I cleaned the cross member ( paint was not bad ) and coated it in corrosion protector that I use on the motorcycle in the winter.

Mine was cracked after 4 Chicago winters of salt, and I changed it out for the heck of it ( old one has a cracked case, but still worked ).

 

ive been meaning to drop my spare, make sure theres air in it, and check out my fpdm, i power wash underneath of my truck regularly, i try to do it every couple weeks. is it as simple as getting a couple of washers and putting them between the fpdm and the frame to space it off it? i thought it was something weird where the back of it was the ground that ground itself to the frame or something.

 

Mine wasn't too bad, but it's piece of mind. Some of it was cracked and I bet another winter and mine would have been trashed. My dealer noticed it, but I had already planned on changing it. Takes a few minutes to take care of.

 

Mine went last winter, truck didn't die just threw a code. Dealer changed it out under warranty. If you live anywhere that sees snow and road salt regularly, I would check your FPDM, if it isn't toast yet, it's close.

 

I used a good laquer and coated mine and installed the stand off bolts.....been looking good every since.....then I sold the truck.....so someone might appreciate my extra work.....I still got an OEM one sitting on the shelf at the house.....that part was installed in alot of vehicles......

 

4L3Z9D370A, 5L8Z9D370A used on 04-08 F150's has now become available aftermarket from Dorman products, so they should be out there.

IIRC these things were made out of unobtanium for a while because the aluminum housings corroded and left people stranded.

THE DORMAN PART HAS NEW HARDWARE THAT SPACES THE MODULE OFF THE FRAME TO RESIST CORROSION AND IT IS POWDER COATED

the Dorman part number is 590-001

 

After replacing my fpdm and following the proper proceedures I have noticed the replacement is starting to corrode. Guess its not a permanent fix. If I have to redo it I will coat it as some members have done

 

This is the part they show @ rockauto for $60. Is it a permanent fix?

 

i am really glad I sprayed mine with some rustoleum paint when i replaced mine. Checked it this morning and it still looks like it did when I put it on there.

 

Yeah, I was under mine yesterday for other reasons and took a look, all that clear coating on mine is holding up well too.

When I removed / cleaned / clear coated / painted frame / speced mine out I used longer metric bolts and cut the heads off and smoothed up, installed in the threaded holes in the frame and locked in place with nuts .... themn I slipped washers over the ends on top of the nuts and they spaced the FPDM out and I simply snugged up a pair of nylock nuts on top.

FPDM doesn't need a good ground to work (the wire harness priovides all it needs) , the corrosion was aluminum against steel and a mix of salt / moisture causing a reaction.