Ok, I'm not clear on how the OP was against the guidlines. Because he believed it was a critical issue? Or suggesting to make sure we report such occurences to the NHTSA? I'm not arguing, I'm serious just don't understand where the guideline, er, draws the line and want to know for future reference.

 

I am all about saftey, but I have to say that in my experience with these trucks, the springs like to break when you run the truck empty with too much air in the tires. I had two springs on each side break with in a period of two years. No big deal, I had three under neath them to hold the truck up still. When I had time, I stopped into a spring shop to have the broken ones replaced.


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It's under the "legal action" thing.

Ford Truck Enthusiasts - Discussion Forum Guidelines

Paragraph 8.

 

Huh! I never thought that NHTSA was a "Legal" agency...I thought it was just what it says: The National Highway and Transportation Safety Board where one could simply report what a person considered to be a possible safety problem.

If enough concerns are received involving a certain 'event', that it would investigate if it were a 'real' safety concern. If so, then it would be determined if that was a natural or safety defect. THEN, it MIGHT be brought to the manufacturers attention as a defect or safety concern.

To the individuals that report such 'events', it never became a "LEGAL" issue. Guess I was wrong, eh?

 

I too feel that contacting the NHTSA shouldn't really be considered the same as legal action. Doing that is really not much different than just coming here and posting a thread saying "hey my rear springs are broken, you guys should go check yours", except it gets a larger company to help him look out for that happening, and making sure that not too many people get hurt by it.

It's pretty much like telling people to call the Better Business Bureau, to report a bad transaction with a company. It's not taking legal action, it's just trying to help warn others.

 

The problem here is you have no idea what was originally written in that first post, otherwise you wouldn't be arguing the point

It was a call for everyone who ever broke a leaf spring to contact the NHTSA about it, so, obviously, the original poster was "organizing a legal action".

Many MANY investigations by the NHTSA are started by lawyers. Guess what they become? Class action lawsuits.

Anyway, unless someone wants to discuss broken leaf springs, this thread is just about over

The BBB is a legal action also. I might not have caught it, or the posts were just on the line without a link or otherwise a "call to action".

 

Thanks for the clarification Art! You are right....so a re-wording about his complaint would have not brought your attention to this matter....

BTW, my springs are okay!

 

ILL tell you what ( like anybody cares) but this little thread gonna make me get my spring checked I run 60psi empty all the time

 

Maybe this thread CAN do somebody some good.........everybody should at least take a PEEK at their springs....what's it gonna hurt? lol

 

I got that much, but I still wasn't clear!

The guideline is VERY broad in its scope of what it considers legal action. Perhpas the context or syntax of the OP would have been more evident to the organizing of legal action. Yes it sounded like he was on a bit of a soap box, but I wouldn't consider in and of itself someones concern about a possible safety issue and urging us to do our public duty to report such failures a legal action. Lots of things can lead to a lawsuit. Our CPS issues have lead to a recall because of NHTSA reporting, a more evident defect but none the less the same path of recourse the OP seemed to be pursuing.

It could have been suggested way back for us to report the CPS failures to NHTSA since Ford/Int'l didn't seem too concerned about it. Now we have a better and cheap part to solve the problem (hopefully).

Anytime editorial rights are exercised I just want to be clear on the reasons. If a call to action is a NO NO, that is fine I just want to know.

 

Aldrigec, I was privy to the original post and I would have to agree with FTE staff that it was most definately an attempt to gather support for his cause, which was ultimately to get enough people to complain in an effort to force change which when looked at in its totality, is legal action.

Mods, correct me if I am wrong, but simply passing on that the NHTSA exhists, or that the BBB exhists is not a violation of FTE policy. Informing an individual that is unsatisfied of his rights as a consumer is also not at violation. Complaining about a problem that really upsets you and makes you hopping mad (while possibly somewhat odd) is not prohibited as long as it is tastefull. When it crosses the line is when the forums (public or private), are used as a means to publically organize an effort that may ultimately result in some form of legal undertaking. This could be in the form of locating and assembling additional members for the purpose of acting on a cause. Another inappropriate avenue would be gathering information, when the publicly stated reason for gathering that information is to use it in some form of proceedings to advance a cause.

As was stated earlier, in the original post it was abundantly clear that the poster was not here to search for answers and solutions. His mind was made up, his course of action was clearly stated and that action was to encourage everyone to send off a report to the NHTSA about this problem so that the mulitude of complaints would encourage them (NHTSA and subsequently Ford) to take what he consdered to be a serious issue more seriously.

You are right about the CPS issue. It could have been suggested, but it wasn't and the right thing happened anyway. The bigger picture is that those kind of posts defy they truer purpose of this site and these forums. They are to be an unbiased source of information whos sole purpose is to unite individuals who are looking for helpful information about their favorite topic. If action comittees of any sort were allowed to form, it would tarnish the unbiased nature of the site and ultimately damage its reputation.

 

Basically. There is still room for human error in deciding one way or another, sometimes it's right on the line. It's one of those "I'll know it when I see it" type of things

 

THAT was a great answer. Now I get it. I was taking it more literally to mean direct legal action. Sorry for not understanding initially.

 

Speaking of springs...

I purchased my '03 SD (see sig) back in Nov. '05 with about 87,412 miles. After I purchased it...I was doing a closer inspection...and came to find out that my auxiliary (overload) springs were missing on the aft or rear section. The front section was intact. Now...I don't know if they were broken or physically cut, but if cut...not a pretty cut at that.

I wish I had a picture...but I never thought of taking one. Since then...I have replaced those auxiliary springs with a brand new OEM setup. So...my Camper package is now back in order.


biz

 

I checked and my rears are cracked like some of you guys. I have an older 2000 F350. How about we change the focus of this thread on having a DIY on replacing them and it we should stay with stock springs or go after market. Also, should you replace the fronts at the same time also or just the rear are OK. My fronts are fine