I've found a few different posts complaining about how the doors on newer F150's open too little or too much, but I was hoping to find something about fixing that situation.

I have a 2010 F150 and the detent that's built into the door's check arm holds the door open at a position where there's no way to get into or out of the truck...it's simply not open far enough. The only other option is to open the door all the way, which doesn't work very well in a parking lot (with cars next to you) or in a garage (with walls next to you). This leads to my door swinging wide open and hitting a car or wall.

I'm not sure why the detent was placed where it is, but what's done is done. I'm trying to find out if there's a way to replace the check arm with one that has a detent in a desirable position or to see if there's a way to modify the stock check arm to have the detent where I want it. My '98 F150 held the door open about half way, which was perfect.

If there's already a thread out there about this I apologize. I looked for one without success. If anyone knows about a way to remedy this issue please reply to let me/us know. Thanks!

 

This is my main complaint with my 2012. I don't know of a fix for it, but when we're down to an issue such as this being the main complaint, you know Ford got it right overall.

 

I thought is was just me. It's a constant annoyance with my 1012 Scab.

 

Wait till the wind tears the door out of your hand and the door 'over extends' the hinge capability and you are left with a dent on the leading edge of the door.

Excellant!!

 

I think the detents are poorly positioned too. Apples and oranges I know, but on really nice luxury cars the door will stop in any position where you leave it (no pre-selected detents, it's infinitely variable and works on hills and resists wind too!). I wish my F150 had this.

 

yeah thanks to that i got a nice little ding in my drivers side door from the wind catching it and hitting the mirror of the truck next to me. and about a month after i first got it too.

 

I took a look at the door check arm on my 2013 FX4.

Take a look at yours...and see if you agree.

With the door in the full open position the first "detent" (the one that stops the door in too close to the truck) is visible as the skinnier part of the arm with the small hole in it.

The full open detent will not be visible as that part of the arm is inside the body of the truck.

It looks to me like there is enough area between the two detents (Too Close in, Too Far Out) to carve out a third (Just Right!) detent.

This will require removing the door check arm and giving it a try.

The cost of a new door check arm assembly is around $40 from what I've been able to find.

Might see if I can locate a used one from a junk yard....and do a little experimenting.

Northlight

 

I agree, it does look like there's room for another detent. I've heard of others suggesting this, but haven't heard of anyone actually trying it.

This makes me wonder how cumbersome it'll be to remove and re-install the arm.

If you give it a try let me know how it goes!

 

Glad I'm not the only one who has this problem. I ended up almost whacking my boss's Mustang with my door one day because the 2nd detent is too far out.

 

This just in, Northlight Labs in R & D phase of the "Just Right Door detent". Mr. Northlight after being captured by Chinese Ninja's, and freed by Seal Team Six StormTroopers (long story) has contracted "ACME" plastics to design a product Ford should have already looked into. In an interview with Mr. Northlight, he said "Ford should have already looked into this", but since they haven't I will. Film at 11......

 

.....but the innovative Door Detent 3.0 is in production....

Check out www.northlightlabs.com for complete product information!

Northlight

 

interesting...

But do I understand correctly that you do not re-paint the brackets? Aren't they going to rust where you machine away the existing paint?

I would think that for 90 bucks they should at least be painted.

 

How hard are these to put in? How about a U-tube video showing installation? One video would eliminate a LOT of calls and E-mails to you with questions!

 

I put these in my '09 about a month ago. Took me 30 minutes to do both sides. You don't need a manual or a long video to show how these are installed. The instructions are straight forward, the only main issue is the not having easy view access. This is a must have mod in my book and work incredibly well and are at the perfect position.

I park on a sloped driveway and am so glad this was designed by Northlight, I would do it again for even more money.

 

The OEM door detents are not painted in any way on my 2013 FX4, nor are the replacement northlight labs detents.