First of all, I got a recall notice in the mail today from Ford/Firestone saying that my spare is faulty. However, I was pretty sure that ours were 16" instead of the 15"ers that Firestone is recalling. Am I wrong, is this a mistake, or is the recall being expanded?

Secondly, While waxing my truck yesterday, I noticed several "spider web" paint cracks in the rain gutters on the roof. By rain gutters, I mean the two channels that are about 4" in (towards the center) from where the door and the roof meet. I wouldn't have noticed had it not been for the black paint and white wax residue. I'm going in to the dealer in a few weeks to get a whole multitude of problems fixed (STILL clunking, seat wear, sway bar damage *I did this at WFC*, and now paint). I'd advise all of y'all to check your "gutters" by visually inspecting them and by feeling for defects with your hands.

DUCK

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November 18, 1999 We will not forget.
The fallen 12 will live in our hearts forever.
Fightin' Texas Aggie Bonfire 1999

 

DUCK,

Same problem here and I work in a body shop. I pointed it out to the painters and it's a very common problem. The "gutters" are filled with a caulking type material and it cracks. Look at the top of an Explorer the next time you get a chance. It's just hairline cracks and unfortunatly it's typical. Repairing it requires blending into the rear cab panel which WILL begin to show after a few years, no matter how good the painter/body man is. We've opted to leave it alone for now unless it begins to open. At this point, it's a hairline crack all the way from the rear to the front of the rain gutter.

One optimistic way to look at it. At least the truck has the gutters. Check out the Durango, it doesn't have them, the water runs right down into the open door when opened.

As for the other complaints: Still clunking here, rattling exhaust even after Ford did their "fix" with hose clamps around converters... LMAO what a joke. The seat is starting to show signs of mashing and the left fog light is broken. But even with it's flaws, I can't down it. It's such an awesome truck and I love it more and more each time I drive it.

Trace
www.nloc.org

 

DUCK,
I think there is an onging thread or 2 over on one of the other F 150 boards about the cracks. It seems to be a very common problem on the F 150. My seat has got the line and so does Jerrods and he ain't even big like us. I told em I wanted a new lower seat cover. No telling where that will lead to.
I pray I will never have to use the spare. If you do I wouldn't drive very fast and if you have to put it on the rear, get it off as soon as possible because it is a different diameter than the F1s and it will ruin your positraction rear fast. Oh, excuse me positraction is a chevy work, well whatever ford calls it, you get my drift.
noelvm


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99.5 Red Ligntning, Mobil 1, PRO-M 80 MM MAF/filter, R2 Superchip, Eldebrock 5512 muffler, MT ET Streets, best time (1/8) 8.59, Bugflector II, G&H Lens covers head & fog, 200 WT Pioneer 4 CH AMP, BOSE 301 SERIES IV SPEAKERS (IN BACK)
70 Vette LS-6 454 (gathering dust in the garage)

 

Trace-
Thanks for the info. I guess that makes sense. I am very leery when it comes to getting cars repainted, but I didn't want this problem to progress. I had the same type of situation with my Bronco. The gutters held water and the ends rusted out once every few years.

As far as the other stuff...it's all minor. I love this truck and wouldn't trade it for anything.

DUCK

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November 18, 1999 We will not forget.
The fallen 12 will live in our hearts forever.
Fightin' Texas Aggie Bonfire 1999

 

Noel-
I'm gonna check on that recall when I get some time. If it turns out to be true, I'm gonna see if I can just take the cash and put it on another F1 (or Comp TA) on a cheap rim. I figure I can haul it around in the back so it's there in the event of a flat, but so I can take it out when I race. Besides, our spare mounting system is screwy with all the sidewall damage and such. Thanks for the tip.

DUCK

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November 18, 1999 We will not forget.
The fallen 12 will live in our hearts forever.
Fightin' Texas Aggie Bonfire 1999

 

So our spares are really recalled?? That sucks. I'm on my spare right now. Someone decided they didn't like my tire and killed it.. Which goes along well with the person that wanted my stereo more than I and stole that. Along with 300+ cds and 200.00 sunglasses. Not to mention the broken window

 

Springfield is the ghetto! HA! HA!

The recall notice came in the mail today at my permenant address (parent's house) and they called me and told me. I'm gonna swing by there tomorrow after class and pick it up. (One of the benefits of going to college 20 minutes from where you grew up). Floyd, I'll let y'all know what I find out.

DUCK

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November 18, 1999 We will not forget.
The fallen 12 will live in our hearts forever.
Fightin' Texas Aggie Bonfire 1999


[This message has been edited by DUCK01 (edited 09-19-2000).]
Am I this big of an idiot or is this thing eating my text?

[This message has been edited by DUCK01 (edited 09-19-2000).]

 

HEY GUYS,

I HAVE LITTLE SPIDER CRACKS ALL ALONE MY RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL. JUST NOTICED THEM A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, MY FRIEND OWNS A BODY SHOP AND TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A PAINT DEFECT. I WILL LET YOU GUYS KNOW HOW IT GOES WITH THE DEALER.

CHRIS

 

Interesting.

I took my spare off on Monday and was very concerned about he four "hash marks" caused by the tire rubbing the frame. I for one am glad it is recalled as I was going to buy another tire anyway and pad the frame so this does not happen again.

[This message has been edited by Speedin Bob (edited 09-20-2000).]

 

I and a few other L owners received a notice from Ford last month stating that our tires were OK. Is this something new?

 

I am curious what color L's are having the spider cracks. Maybe all of them, but it may be more obvious in some colors. For those with black, I know that 3M makes a rubbing compound in dark gray for dark colored cars. Those with black might want to look around for dark colored waxes etc.

 

FordSales-
I too recieved the letter statng that our spare tires are safe. This letter came to my house in Navasota yesterday, and I haven't had a chance to pick it up and see it for myself. However, my dad read it to me over the phone and it definitely said that my spare tire is defective. I don't know if this is a mistake on Ford's part or what, but I'll post this info later on as a new thread (around 8pm CST).

DUCK

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November 18, 1999 We will not forget.
The fallen 12 will live in our hearts forever.
Fightin' Texas Aggie Bonfire 1999




[This message has been edited by DUCK01 (edited 09-20-2000).]

 

Pretty much all F150's have some type of paint cracking in the rain gutters. Does anyone with a Lightning have a door crack yet?

 

I too got the letter from Ford stating that my tires were not part of any recall. Made sense to me since my tires are Goodyear, not Firestone.
It did not; however, state anything about the spare.
I think everyone should check their spares, create a thread specifically for info about the rub wear and or type of tire, and get this info into the hands of the regional dealer reps.
We would probably get a positive response because of the large amount of bad publicity Ford is getting from the Firestone fiasco.
PS...most likely, not everyone even has the same make spare.
Tim

 

Duck, I got the letter from Ford saying my Firestone's were not recalled. I thought "What Firestone's?" since mine came with F1's like every other L. The spare is a Firestone. If you got a different letter please post.

noelvm, although the spare wheel is a 16" versus the stock 18" driving on the spare should not damage the limited slip as long as the overall diameter of the tire/wheel combo is the same. I can't remember what size the spare is, but I expect they chose that size to match the overall diameter of the stock wheels/tires.

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'00 White Lightning
Best run 13.2 @ 103 on F1's.