Hey, Holyroller here, I posted on my stearing gear box a few weeks back, Ford's replcd. 4 on my truck. This time it's making a clicking noise when turning,The shop that lifted it has re-torqued and checked everything. When the 3 bolts holding the gear box are loosened a bit, the clicking goes away, when torqued back down, click is back (during steering). They say the frame is actually twisting, tweaking, from the gear box when turning. Iv'e seen other posts on re-enforcing the area at the box. I've got the full esp to 100,000, there is 46,200 on truck now. I bought it off the lot new and lifted, so they can't complain about aftermarket, although they are. Thanks for your advice and experience, happy motoring?
2008 F350 6.4 diesel 6" skyjacker lift w/35" nitto grapplers on 18" rims!

 

sorry to be the bear of bad news but,first thing is ford does not make any lifted trucks,dealers lift them before they go on the lot.ford can complain and tell you no cause it was lifted even though you didn't do it,bought it from the dealer new that way.if it is not stock to what the build spec says they don't have to cover anything and probley won't.ford looks at it this way if it is not stock and has been altered in any way they don't have to cover it, they are just going to say the truck has been altered and that is what is causing the problem.i would get a build spec,and with the lift being dealer insalled i would be talking to them about fixing it.i have worked for ford for years,started out as a tech then to parts and to manager and also warr admin.you might want to try call the 800# for esp and talk to them they might beable to help you out.

 

Thanks, I am working with the dealership that sold it lifted to me, they haven't totally shined me, yet. The other dealer closer to my house was the one saying the aftermarket was causing the gear box failures. Can Ford seperate themselves from a dealer sold truck like that? Also with 4 steering gear boxes installed can it go with the lemon law?

 

Unfortunatelly for you, since it had been lifted the warranty for items related to the lift , like your steering box, , is probably void. It is the same situation when the dealer sells a conversion van, or a plow included on a truck, or even a tow truck. They all happen to be modifications installed after it left the factory, so why would they be responsible for something they had no control over?.

As for your gearbox, usually when lifts are installed, usually larger than stock size tires and rims are also. Possibly the truck has seen some off roading, possibly not.Whatever the case, additional forces and stress factors in play where the oem parts sometimes fail after some time. Its very possible your frame has been weakened over time to the point of stress cracks and flexing, to the point of requiring additional bracing or reinforcements to make it rigid once again. I would assume the lift installed was low end price wise so the dealer could maximize profits.

 

Thanks, but I'm still trippin, when you say " why would 'they' be responsible for something 'they' had no control over", Can Ford (the factory) just ditch the dealer and
not warranty stuff, where's the dealers responsibility? Like for example, I got a ticket for no mudflaps, when I told the chp I bought it off the lot new like this, he said that it's illegal for a dealer to sell a vehicle that is not road legal. I see your point that the factory had no control over the lift, but the dealer did, and aren't they Ford?

 

I find it unbelievable that your frame is somehow damaged from the force of the steering box. These frames are VERY heavy.

I think the shop that lifted your truck is blowing smoke up your tailpipe.

 

Technically, I believe the dealer is probably an independant business which has a sales agreement to sell and service Ford products, but they are not owned by ford. Ford would dictate a game plan which they would comply with, such as certain requirements, etc. Ford might even have a financial interest in the dealership, maybe in financing unsold inventory, but the dealership is the one who determines pricing and profit margins. Someone at the dealership would be involved with modified products, like conversion vans, lifted new trucks , special editions, like a roush mustang, etc. Those modified products are also an additional profit center, just like the parts counter, service department, credit dept, used car dept, fleet sales, leasing dept, etc. There are also upsells, undercoating, paint protection, seat protection, upgrades, extended warrantys, etc. Those are all separate profit departments, which on a whole determine the profitability for the entire dealer. The dealer made a markup having a lift installed on a truck and selling it to you. First, the end sales price was higher, second, there were new take off parts remarketed , however there was probably no deductions made off the sticker , third, the financing (unless you paid cash) costs increased also. This all added to their bottom line. Thats why I said ford will not warranty an aftermarket item , even when sold on a new vehicle , that was modified after initial assembly at the plant.

Although frames are very heavy , I have seen stress cracks or flexing in some situations from heavy duty use, accidents, modifications, overloading, etc on trucks in the past and everything needs to be inspected on an individual basis, and possibly by an expert in the lifted truck business who deals with these things on an everyday basis.

 

Thanks for your advice guys, I take the truck in tomorrow. We'll see what the dealer says about it. Holyroller out!