Broken frame??

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someotherguy

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(in Crocodile Dundee voice) "You call that a broken frame? That's not a broken frame...

THIS.. is a broken frame!"

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With "weight" on the hook (just an F150, nothing in the bed)
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After getting back to the shop with weight off, obvious damage but doesn't look quite so dramatic.. until you stand on the running board, jump up and down, and the truck does the Slinky move :D
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These Fords ain't strong y'all.. I'm sure you're all surprised!! :Big Laugh:

Richard
 

Moparmat2000

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With the internet bringing the world closer I have seen broke back dodges, fords, and chevys. The frames on the newer trucks are either weaker, or they are being tasked with a lot higher payloads than they are designed for.
 

Moparmat2000

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(in Crocodile Dundee voice) "You call that a broken frame? That's not a broken frame...

THIS.. is a broken frame!"

You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


With "weight" on the hook (just an F150, nothing in the bed)
You must be registered for see images attach


After getting back to the shop with weight off, obvious damage but doesn't look quite so dramatic.. until you stand on the running board, jump up and down, and the truck does the Slinky move :D
You must be registered for see images attach


These Fords ain't strong y'all.. I'm sure you're all surprised!! :Big Laugh:

Richard
How are you going to fix that? Make up and weld in reinforcing plates?
 

someotherguy

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How are you going to fix that? Make up and weld in reinforcing plates?
I don't think any amount of makeup will hide that mess. :D

Nah anyway yeah Ford (or aftermarket?) apparently has a kit out for repairing this damage as it happens on their longer wheelbase trucks, typically when used as rollbacks. The shop says once they've patched them they haven't seen them fail again. This truck has been fixed but will be up for sale (with full disclosure) as it broke immediately prior to being retired/sold as its replacement was already being built and is now delivered.

I climbed under it yesterday and tried to get some good pics but you really can't tell the extent of what they did other than a few welds that aren't covered up by the wrecker bed bracketry and such. Looks solid enough, though. It'll make someone a fine truck if they don't have $100K to lay out for a new one..

Richard
 

someotherguy

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With the internet bringing the world closer I have seen broke back dodges, fords, and chevys. The frames on the newer trucks are either weaker, or they are being tasked with a lot higher payloads than they are designed for.
Indeed the wrecker biz is probably a terrible example of truck durability. Bent and broken frames are somewhat common, and always have been. However with people "daily driving" much heavier vehicles than before, it's probably more of an issue now. 20 years ago I wouldn't have imagined I'd load so many ridiculous bro dozer trucks but they're everywhere now.

Sometimes you look at a vehicle and just say nah, I'll let them make it. Other times you don't really have a choice. F450 diesel stakebed loaded down with construction demo debris? Yeah, I put that on the hook and babied it down the road. It made it OK but a couple months later the tilt cylinder on the wrecker unit decided it would spontaneously bend the ram (fatigued and gave up), unscrew the cylinder endcap, and leak hydraulic juice everywhere.

Richard
 

HotWheelsBurban

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(in Crocodile Dundee voice) "You call that a broken frame? That's not a broken frame...

THIS.. is a broken frame!"

You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


With "weight" on the hook (just an F150, nothing in the bed)
You must be registered for see images attach


After getting back to the shop with weight off, obvious damage but doesn't look quite so dramatic.. until you stand on the running board, jump up and down, and the truck does the Slinky move :D
You must be registered for see images attach


These Fords ain't strong y'all.. I'm sure you're all surprised!! :Big Laugh:

Richard
Wow! Even the reinforcement is broken! I knew the late model Ferd's are soda cans up top, but thought they had better metal underneath.
 

smdk2500

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(in Crocodile Dundee voice) "You call that a broken frame? That's not a broken frame...

THIS.. is a broken frame!"



With "weight" on the hook (just an F150, nothing in the bed)


After getting back to the shop with weight off, obvious damage but doesn't look quite so dramatic.. until you stand on the running board, jump up and down, and the truck does the Slinky move :D


These Fords ain't strong y'all.. I'm sure you're all surprised!! :Big Laugh:

Richard
I know ford had a recall for this problem. The 19 f550 I had burn down had the recall. Wonder if that one had it to and the person doing the recall just pencil whipped the paper work.
 

someotherguy

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I know ford had a recall for this problem. The 19 f550 I had burn down had the recall. Wonder if that one had it to and the person doing the recall just pencil whipped the paper work.
Have that recall # handy by any chance? If I had the VIN for that truck I'd run it through the NHTSA website but I don't. It's a 2018 model and the second oldest in the fleet at the previous company I was at; they have one other 2018 and a 2019. All our trucks are 2020 and newer at this point and one of the 2020's just got retired! Challenging to keep up with new equipment when the new vehicle shortage was (and still is, to a lesser degree) very real, even impacting chassis cabs.

Richard
 
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