I'm just curious, what, in your mind, would be the difference between a KR bed and an XLT bed?
And in your first post here you said that you would be "terrified" if this was actually an XLT with a KR interior and badges added to it, can you explain the cause of that terror, it seems a strange emotion to have for this situation. Speaking in very basic and general terms, that is pretty much what Ford does, adds on a bunch of interior stuff and badges to base trucks to make the more expensive fancy trucks, it very, very profitable for them.

 

Because to decode a buck tag you would have to know the production codes and allocation at time of production. Ford has used buck tags for 70 years and there is often confusing information on them. Unless you have the original build sheet then can't checked. For example two tone trucks are run through two different paint both so there is a code for re-work on that tag.

 

Just Strokin gave him the entire breakdown. I figured this would have settled it for the OP. Guess not...

 

Ford has been known to do strange things that make no sense to the owners. I would not worry about the XLT "buck tag". If there is NO signs of over spray or repainting of the bed, then you got what Ford put on it back in 2005.

BTW, it is a bit late to worry about if you got a dressed up XLT or KR or Lariat or what ever. The ETIS report shows you got a Lariat with KR dressing. It would take a lot of work to fancy up an XLT to have your VIN and items matching the ETIS report.

 

How would it have settled it for me? The breakdown explicitly states its a Lariat, but no one has been able to tell me if the tag on the bed is the correct one and why it would say the wrong trim. If you guys are correct in saying the beds are all identical, then why are there XLT dies and Lariat dies for the exact same bed?

 

I think there is a very common phrase out there "You get what you pay for".

Well, I want to make sure I got what I paid for, pretty simple.

You can't really say it wouldn't be a little disheartening to figure out that the porche 911 you purchased was really a Chrysler LeBaron with a body kit, regardless of how you purchased it, sight unseen, or just incompetence.

I thought it would just be a good idea to verify the origins of the truck which you guys have been super helpful with so far.

 

Thanks for the insightful replies Strokin, helps the peace of mind a lot.

 

Well not sure how much more clear the breakdown can be to satisfy you. Line two and ten both show the Vin provided is a KR truck.

 

Okay, maybe I wasn't clear enough... Ever since Strokin posted those pictures I never doubted that it was a King Ranch. As our conversation throughout the day has lead me to believe, we were talking about the seemingly mismatched bed... Now it seems you're back to thinking I'm doubting whether or not my truck is indeed a King Ranch.
let me make this clear for you by asking three simple questions instead..


1. Is the bed that is currently on my truck the one my truck had from the factory?

2. If it is the stock bed, why was it made from an XLT die?

3. If it isn't the stock bed, which one would have been stock so I can look for a proper replacement?

These are my only (3) concerns I would like answered at the moment.

 

Your really hung up on this buck tag. The bed looks to be original to the truck. What is a XLT die? These tags only have allocation numbers for assembly. Just because a tag says "XLT" it doesn't mean the truck trim it was destined for is a XLT trim. But unless you have the build sequence for that day you can't decipher it.

 

I'm not sure how any of what you say can be true since I can look at any truck I have available to me and the tag matches its trim reliably.

To add to this, I found another similar "buck tag" behind the passengers side headlight screwed to the front support (under the hood of course). This tag says "LAR DIE". I've already cross checked this with other lariats and it is the same. So at least I know my cab is as it should be...

I'm curious, if you're so sure these tags don't reference a trim, do you happen to have a truck which you can take pictures of some "buck tags" to show me?

This picture I took of my front tag shows all that pesky information I "can't decipher".
It seems low-level thought would be able to decode most of these. Allow me to do it for you to the best of my ability.

Let's assume basic knowledge.
-I can already see an obvious "CAB" designation indicating the assembly the tag is affixed to. (i.e. either "CAB" or "BOX")
-From here I can also see that it is indeed of the "LAR DIE" (presumably describing trim-specific die used)
-I can also see a number to the right of the die, possibly indicating die version.
-I can also see two designations "A" and "B" that match the two-tone color codes for my truck. Presumably primary, and secondary colors.
-I can also see what looks to be a serial number directly to the right of the word "CAB", possibly indicating its production number.
-I can also see the letters "K R L" in the bottom left possibly indicating its a 'King Ranch Lariat base'

It seems I was able to decode more than half of this tag that "Can't be deciphered" in less than 5 minutes, why is that?

 

Still doesn't decipher lot allocation, shift run, re-work or allow you to match the tags together. Without the master these tags don't mean anything. Don't get hung up on some tags on a 17 MY old truck. Put this energy towards the 6.0 under the hood.

 

Wait, did you just correct my translation of what couldn't be deciphered? Is that something you just realized now or was it something you just decided not to tell me until now. In any case, thanks for the info, I don't know if I would have seen that otherwise.

Also, I have a complete understanding of the 6.0. I am very mechanically competent, so no worries there.

 

Go to

https://www.auto-brochures.com/ford.html

look up your vehicle. See what was offered in the brochure.

 

Thanks for the link! However, I think you'll find that the 2005 model year brochure is not there.