I test drove a left-over 2010 that I've been talking to the dealer about for some time, hoping to get a killer end of a model-year-deal, and we are getting close on price, but one thing I noticed after the test drive when I got out and closed the drivers door, the door skin, visibly flapped, (or wobbled) a lot.

Do they all do that? or has this truck been wrecked and incorrectly repaired? If I have time this week, I'm going to drive another truck, (at a different dealer) just to see if it does it too. It reminds me of my old rusted out GMC I drove in H.S. that had the bottom of the door rotted-off, it was expected then, on a new truck this is very disturbing.

Let me know if you've noticed this, or check it out next time you close your door.

 

My '06, '09 & '11 all did/do it. Never had an issue.

 

Thin metal..reduce weight etc

 

Yep, they all do it. Next time you have someone riding with you and yall are both getting out of the truck, try to get out first and get your door shut before your passenger does. Watch your door when the other one shuts. You'll see it bow out a little. That shows you how air-tight the truck is. It also has to do with just how large these doors with all that flat surface area.

 

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with being air-tight if that was the case it would bow-out and fade in, it literally shakes back-and-forth, I could re-try with the window or other door open to be sure. Others have acknowledged that theirs do it too, so I think it has to do with the size, thin-ness of the metal and lack of support on the back-side and/or body-creases, that give the metal some rigidity.

I know you've all saw the Toyota, GM, Ford bed-shake comparison video, one could argue that is an extreme condition, normally closing the door, however (not even slamming) surly isn't. This might be a deal-breaker for me, as simple/childish as it seems, I am planning on dropping down $35-40 large of my money...... now I have to go drive other brands, just to see if they do or don't do this.......

 

Just keep in mind it's not the sheet metal that keeps you safe during a side impact.

 

My 08 f150 fx4 doors do it a little but my bumpers and tailgate are stronger than 09 and up. And i like the size of my supercrew not everybody needs the bigger cab!! Just for floor space and then its harder to turn and park. I love to get a 2011 or 2012 fx4 screw with new 5.0 and six speed trans. But size maybe deal breaker! For sure if it dont fit in garage!! FORD Quit trying to out do toyota and build what your customers want. The front doors are six inches longer on 09 and up so extra length will help door skin move more.

 

Have you looked at the GM, Toyotas, etc, to see if theirs are any different? I hear what you're saying and it bothered me the first time I saw it, but it's not like it buckles under your hand when you wash it.

 

Checked the others today, 2 at dealerships and one my neighbors truck, I didn't see it on the Ram or GM, the Tundra did a very, very little bit, but I think I only saw it was because I was looking for it, the Ford jumped out at me, so much so, that it made me immediately think something was way wrong with that truck..........

Good to know it doesn't pop in and out when washing, but it still bugs me a lot.

 

ed735. Did you try shutting the door with a window or door open on the other side of the truck?

I believe this "shake" occurs because of how tightly the truck is sealed as others noted already. I noticed the sensation you are talking about and I made it more obvious when I sealed the two vents that lay at the rear of the cab near the floor. You have to fold the seats and tear off the sound deadening to see what I mean.

I took the advice from the experts on the audio forum on this site and taped over one of the vents completely and the other one is about 30% covered. I then added extra sound deadening which further covers these vents. All of this was done to improve sound the quality inside the cab after installing an mild aftermarket compenent/amp/sub setup.

If I have my truck sealed up and the HVAC on full blast I can actually here the air trying to escape from the window seals. It's very hard to hear over the motor idling but there is a slight "hiss". If I turn the HVAC to low it does not do this. So I know first hand that this F150 is tightly sealed.

It doesn't bother me, the truck is silent on the highway if I want it to be, yet it sounds fantastic inside with the stereo cranked up (which it usually is).

I can't speak for the 2011's but the 2009 and 2010 F150's were the most crashworthy vehicles for sale in NA. Check out the crash vids here:
www.iihs.org/
and here:
www.nhtsa.gov

You'll notice the RAM and Chev/GMC's all crumple like a cheap pop can during side impact collisions. No way I would put my family in one of those trucks.

So this flutter in the door has no impact on build quality or safety.

Sorry for the long winded response but I think it will help you understand what you experienced even though you didn't believe Chug.

Good luck!

 

Mine do this, but it's very minor at worst. Guess you never compared to other trucks. This truck is built like a tank. Nissan and Tundra are toys in comparison. I say this after owning a Crew Cab Off Road 4WD Titan. It's sheet metal was such a thin gauge on the cab, you could flex it in and out by pressing on it with your finger. The paint was so poor, I had chips and rust all over the rear wheel wells lips. This is within a couple months of ownership. I got rid of that POS after one year and 22,000 miles. Traded for a Pathfinder and it's paint was crap. Little pimples popped up all over it and rusted. Chevy/GM, I won't even entertain the idea of giving them my hard earned dollar for their junk. There's a reason why the government now owns them! Dodge, well with their redesigned Ram, when I buy a truck, I want a truck, not a car without the truck capabilities, dressed in truck clothes!!

Tundra, well I prefer to drive my vehicles myself instead of them driving themselves into a building, a car, over oversome helpless person while I'm helpless trying to get it to stop!!

Ford is the only way now that they've offered trucks with excellent payload, strength, and now a very very large Crew Cab in '09s ('08 Crew Cabs looked small in comparison) and up!

With the latest 2010 5.4L grunt and the new powerplants performance, it's easy to see why Ford is a leader.

While many may consider the 2007 - 2010 Sport Tracs (w/4.6L 3 Valve) small trucks, they maybe undersized but they have capabilities just under the F150s and equalling many of Ford's Competitors fullsize 1/2 tons. Towing of 7000 lbs and tongue weight handling of 740 lbs, with an actual door jam payload sticker of 1218 lbs on moderately loaded XLT, Ford just knows how to build trucks!

 

The doors certainly do ripple when closed. I noticed it the day I brought it home. it is because the metal is to darn thin. the chevy's dont do it at all. I had my 2007 chev sitting beside it, and you can push the fenders in very easily on this truck and the chevy is much more difficult. Door panels are the same way. They have thinned the metal to absolute minimum. If you take the paint off these things, you could see through the metal.
The cab shutters and flexes so badly when someone closes the door, it makes me cringe. The windshield is chirping at the seal, driving on gravel roads, because the I think the seal has been compromised either from excessive cab flexing or it wasn't sealed correctly to begin with.
I like the truck for the drivetrain, and the way it drives and the room in it, but it seems like they have maybe cut a few corners that they shouldn't have.

 

Sounds like you'd been better off with another Chebby and their piston slap.

Good luck none the less.

 

I thought my SCAB did it because the rear door closes first and acts as the rear jamb or pillar for the front to latch to. I and the wife got used to shutting the rear doors with a firm hand on the door jamb area above window sill level to make sure to get both upper and lower latchjes latched and then the front door shuts much "firmer" ..... but like y'all said ..... with all glass shut ..... that last door to be shut packs in the air.

Never noticed thin metal, but then I realize there is a lot of sheet metal to cover that front door skin. Way more than my '77 and without the stiffening "dent side" or lower ridge .... plus my '77 leaks air.

I hjad never shut the doors of a SCREW 04 & up, always thought they likely shut firmer with a fixed rear jamb for front doors. The SCAB had more than ample room, much more than my buddie's Dodge SCAB.

I do know once the doors are shut and locked, she's one secure feeling truck!

 

What in the heck are talking about Willis? While I agree they have likely thinned the metal, I don't feel it compromised the truck at all. And as far cab shaking - it is stouter than all competitors. I'll take weight savings over a flexible door panel any day even though I still have not seen nor even paid attention to it yet.

Here is a pick of a guy turning into me with his passenger side mirror when it became a point after destroying my front fender:



It put about a 1.5" crease into the sheet metal and there no signs of being able to see thru it.