97up-list-digest Sunday, July 12 1998 Volume 01 : Number 148



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Ford Truck Enthusiasts - 1997 and Newer Trucks and Vans
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In this issue:

FTE 97up - Bedliners
FTE 97up - Claude's New Truck Order
FTE 97up - Recommendations vs Commercial Postings
FTE 97up - Problems with rusty rear bumper!
Re: FTE 97up - Problems with rusty rear bumper!
Re: FTE 97up - Problems with rusty rear bumper!
FTE 97up - Super Duty Leather on Lariat
Re: FTE 97up - ranger oil light
Re: FTE 97up - Re: Powerstroke economy & oil change interval
Re: FTE 97up - Rhino Lining experiences?

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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 08:59:35 -0700
From: "Sohmer"
Subject: FTE 97up - Bedliners

Thought I would throw my 2 cents in about bedliners. Bought my F-150 about
a year ago and had the dealer send it out to have a liner sprayed in. It is
a LINE-X liner and I love it. The reason I love it is because I don't even
know it's there. It doesn't move and rub off paint, no moisture behind it
and nothing slips across it. It is black and is under a tonneau so I don't
know about fading. I have hauled gravel, blocks etc on it w/no problems. If
you in the Jax, FL area I can give you dealer name.

Dave Sohmer
97 F-150 XLT SC Stepside 5.4 AT w/Sherrod Conversion pkg and lots of
goodies.

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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 09:06:48 EDT
From: MRoadarDOJ aol.com
Subject: FTE 97up - Claude's New Truck Order

Claude:

I basically concur with Tekneek. With the truck you have put together, the
Lariat trim package would seem to make sense. Your setup is virtually
identical to mine although I opted for the V-10 and could not justify the
expense/weight penalty/maintenance for 4-wheel drive for my application. One
point I'm curious about, tho. I think that the people I know who have ordered
the diesel because they need it for their application generally paired it with
the dual rear wheels. (Although I may be wrong about that.) I don't know how
you plan to use your truck, so the single rear wheel may work for you.
Remember that if you consider dual rear wheels with your setup (meaning the
PSD, auto, 3.73 axle), you would lose 300 lbs. of maximum loaded trailer
weight capacity if you go to the dual rear wheels. (The literature I have
shows it would drop from 13,100# for the SRW to 12,800# for the DRW.)

Final note. I noticed that you are ordering the captains chairs. Seat
comfort is a truly subjective issue. I've read a few posts where the author
said he thought the new 40/20/40 bench seat was uncomfortable. I started
looking for a truck last year. Before ordering my truck, I made it a point to
sit in as many different seat styles as I could on Ford & Chevy trucks. I
never considered a Dodge because I wanted a crewcab. The Chevy seats were the
pits. The 1997 Ford F-350 seats weren't very comfortable either for me and at
that time you couldn't get a powerseat. I delayed getting a truck and
discovered that new F-350 could be ordered with the 40/20/40 split bench with
six-way power adjust. I found that to be a really comfortable seat for me.
(I'm six feet tall, weigh 170 lbs.) Seat comfort is critical for me as I had
back surgery a few years ago and long trips can be problematic. Also, after
the last thirteen years of captains-style chairs in all my vehicles, it's nice
to have the bench seat and to be able to get my wife right next to me again
for those long and otherwise boring trips. Admittedly, that small center seat
can't/won't be comfortable for most folk, but my wife is 5'2" and will be able
to handle it for at least parts of the trip.

/Mark
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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 09:20:45 EDT
From: MRoadarDOJ aol.com
Subject: FTE 97up - Recommendations vs Commercial Postings

Ken:

Thanks for the clarification. For the record, then, the guy who bailed me out
of trouble when I ran out of gas on Interstate 75 was Jarrod Brannen at Clint
Brannen Motor Company in Unadilla, Georgia (1-800-999-9606). If anybody has
any questions about my experience with these folks, feel free to email me and
I will respond.

Also for the record, before ordering my truck, I checked in with the dealer
who has been so helpful to so many of us on this site. However,
geographically, he and I are at opposite ends of the country and it would have
required me to take at least three days off work to pick up the truck. The
lost pay and travel expenses were just prohibitive. However, if I was
anywhere near him, we would have done business.

/Mark
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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 11:04:04 -0300
From: RCThomson
Subject: FTE 97up - Problems with rusty rear bumper!

I bought my 1998 F150 XLT Supercab 4X4 (off road) in March and have
recently noticed rust on my rear bumper.My dealer agrees that the bumper
needs to be replaced...however as I was waiting for the mechanics to
inspect my truck I ran into another 1998 F150 XLT owner with the same
problem.This is my first Ford truck(in fact my first North American
truck...I'm a T100 fan from way back but switched to Ford because of
thier reputation for durability/reliability and killer styling) and I
love it but my confidence in my purchase has been undermined by this
premature rust.I live in Atlantic Canada a stones throw from the ocean
and the air here is naturally corrosive (salt).I find that I'm slightly
worried that my beautiful truck will be a pile of rust in five years.Has
anyone else had this problem or is it an isolated incident?

Also I've heard that the factory undercoat is minimal at best and that I
should apply another anti-rust coating...any suggestions?
- --
R.C.Thomson
Hillside Mira,N.S.
Canada
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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 10:33:49 -0500
From: "Mike Fairleigh"
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - Problems with rusty rear bumper!

I've noticed that my '98 4x2 SC also has rust in the insides (only) of the
bumpers. I haven't seen any on the outsides yet. I've looked around a
little, and found that nearly every '97 and '98 F-150 I've seen that has
been on the road for more than a month is doing the same thing. Is this
normal? If the insides are rusting, how long can it be until the outsides
start?

BTW, I live in Kansas - about as far from salt water as one can get.

Mike Fairleigh
mikef sky.net
Freedom of the press does not mean freedom to lie and manipulate.

- -----Original Message-----
From: RCThomson
To: Ford Forum
Date: Saturday, July 11, 1998 9:17 AM
Subject: FTE 97up - Problems with rusty rear bumper!


>I bought my 1998 F150 XLT Supercab 4X4 (off road) in March and have
>recently noticed rust on my rear bumper.

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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 12:17:43 EDT
From: RAMWORKER aol.com
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - Problems with rusty rear bumper!

Hi List,

This isn't just a Ford problem, it has also been reported on other
manufacturers lists. It appears to be a quality control or cost control item.
As far as the back of the bumper rusting and spreading to the front, this
shouldn't be a problem for many years, it takes a long time for surface rust
to progress to the point where the steel is actually pitted.
Nobody should have to put up with this type of thing. It's unsightly and
makes the manufacturer look bad.
I recently had my rear bumper rechromed for $130.00. But, if you can't get
your dealer to do anything for you, this could be an option if you're
otherwise happy with your truck. They did an excellent job that looks like
the factory did it the right way. I had it done because I cut holes in it for
Hella fog lights that I'm using for backup lights, not because it was rusting.

Best Regards,
Robert Stout

In a message dated 7/11/98 10:36:10 AM Central Daylight Time, mikef sky.net
writes:


bumpers. I haven't seen any on the outsides yet. I've looked around a
little, and found that nearly every '97 and '98 F-150 I've seen that has
been on the road for more than a month is doing the same thing. Is this
normal? If the insides are rusting, how long can it be until the outsides
start?

BTW, I live in Kansas - about as far from salt water as one can get. >>
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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 13:07:16 EDT
From: LanceLana aol.com
Subject: FTE 97up - Super Duty Leather on Lariat

Does anyone have information on if and when graphite colored leather interior
will be available with the SD Lariat? At the moment the dealers show only
saddle tan with the leather.

Lance (waiting to order SD)
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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 14:24:04 -0500
From: "Mike Smith"
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - ranger oil light

Subject: Re: FTE 97up - ranger oil light

The way that the "low oil light" works is that there is a "float" in the
side of the oil pan and it will sense when the oil level has dropped below
that point.

Mike

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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 14:34:17 -0500
From: "Mike Smith"
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - Re: Powerstroke economy & oil change interval

I just got back from an extended trip with my 250 6spd EC and have
the following observations,
While towing my brothers 18' camper 75 mph we averaged 16 mpg w/AC
running,
without the trailer 75 mph with tailgait down w/AC 18 mpg,
without trailer 65 mph very close to 19.5 mpg,

Another observation was that while towing the trailer, it didn't seem to
affect the
cruise controls ability to hold speed even up the hills from Salt Lake to
Twi Falls.

Mike Smith
"purple" F250 named "Barney"

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Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 15:06:45 -0500
From: "Mike Smith"
Subject: Re: FTE 97up - Rhino Lining experiences?

I had a Rhino liner installed in my truck back in May and it cost
$420.00 for
a short bed F250. It was done in charcoal and it matches the color of the
bed
rail caps within 2 shades. All told it was a very good job. To the poster
that said
his liner looked like it was covered with salt, How long after the liner
was applied
did you install the camper? The reason for this question is that when my
liner
was applied it was raining and the installer said that if the new liner got
wet within
the first 24 hour period it would develop a "whiteish" haze that would
eventualy
cure out of the liner.

Mike Smith

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