Do you have door problems?
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Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,984
Likes: 2,738
From: Virginia
Do you have door problems?
Hey I found out something. I posted a few days ago about my attempts at frame repair.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=432615
In one of the pictures you can see the crossmember where the rear cab mounts sit is eaten away under the mount. The junkyard truck had both areas eaten away. Well I got a nice surprise today when I took off the trash after getting it all back together.
I always had a problem with the driver's door, which didn't seem to want to shut correctly, and was always making a "banging" noise in the latch area when I went over bumps in my driveway and especially on wash-board dirt roads.
When I re-installed the crossmember after painting it, I put two large pieces of metal across the hole to support the body mount. Now no more door banging! And the door shuts so much nicer now. It's hard to believe I have been driving around for so many years, and the driver's side rear cab has had no support at all.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=432615
In one of the pictures you can see the crossmember where the rear cab mounts sit is eaten away under the mount. The junkyard truck had both areas eaten away. Well I got a nice surprise today when I took off the trash after getting it all back together.
I always had a problem with the driver's door, which didn't seem to want to shut correctly, and was always making a "banging" noise in the latch area when I went over bumps in my driveway and especially on wash-board dirt roads.
When I re-installed the crossmember after painting it, I put two large pieces of metal across the hole to support the body mount. Now no more door banging! And the door shuts so much nicer now. It's hard to believe I have been driving around for so many years, and the driver's side rear cab has had no support at all.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
From: Northern California
You can sure tell the frame on your truck is a 1980. 
1980 and 1981 have all the holes like that in the side rails.
Thanks for the tip. It looks like the rubber mount held water over the support and "drilled" a perfect hole in there with rust. Is that correct? Interesting that.
1980 and 1981 have all the holes like that in the side rails. Thanks for the tip. It looks like the rubber mount held water over the support and "drilled" a perfect hole in there with rust. Is that correct? Interesting that.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: Zanesville,Ohio
Originally Posted by 81-F-150-Explorer
You can sure tell the frame on your truck is a 1980. 1980 and 1981 have all the holes like that in the side rails.
Thanks for the tip. It looks like the rubber mount held water over the support and "drilled" a perfect hole in there with rust. Is that correct? Interesting that.
1980 and 1981 have all the holes like that in the side rails. Thanks for the tip. It looks like the rubber mount held water over the support and "drilled" a perfect hole in there with rust. Is that correct? Interesting that.
The frame in other words,has no swiss cheese holes in it,I have heard of this type of frame but do not see it on my f150.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
From: Northern California
Originally Posted by 1981 f150
I beg to differ here a little,my truck 1981 f150 custom, we bought brand new,actually we ordered it was built in June of 1981 and DOES NOT have all the holes in the frame (swiss cheese frame).
The frame in other words,has no swiss cheese holes in it,I have heard of this type of frame but do not see it on my f150.
The frame in other words,has no swiss cheese holes in it,I have heard of this type of frame but do not see it on my f150.
Significant production changes to the 81 model happened in 11/80, 3/81, etc... and there were probably more that I'm not aware of too.
The funny thing, (or not so funny thing depending on your point of view,
), with all this, is I will go to the parts counter at Ford and ask for a part. Then they ask, was your truck built before or after 11/80? I will say it was built ON 11/80, and then after they thump their heads off the counter, they come back with two parts that look close to being the same but different enough that getting the wrong one wouldn't fit or work right for you. Then they ask, "Which one do you think looks right to you? 
"
