Heated Tailgates on Ford Pickups

Bird · Jul 28, 2002

I never was one to sit an argue vehicles....whatever I can get the best buy on and does what I need is all I care

Me, too. I do a lot of kidding about them, but I've owned Chevrolets, Dodges, Chryslers, Plymouths, Studebaker, Fords, Mercury, Oldsmobiles, Austin Healey, Isuzu, Cadillac, Pontiac, and even a Suzuki; liked'em all or I wouldn't have bought'em.

Scott_in_WVA · Jul 28, 2002

No problems on my paint....although where I work we have several 89 models (I believe they are 89)Chevys that are white and they are pealing very bad....Several years ago I had an 87 LTD Crown Vic LX and it pealed very bad......A guy I work with said Ford was and maybe Chevy was blaming it on pollution,but my response was :my childrens swingset in the front yard (18 years old) the paint does not peel on it...a matter of fact it still looks great...

patrickg · Jul 28, 2002

Sorry, I came in late. Was that electric heat, hot water, or bypassed exhaust? What about cooling? Don't any of those heaps bust in the summer? You can get a first degree burn pushing a solar heated truck.

I have not owned the spread of makes that Bird has. I have had a few pickups, 4 Fords, 1 IH, and 1 Dodge. It was quite a step up when I went from the '64 Ford (propane only, not dual fuel with 3 sp column shift) to the '84 Ford automatic diesel with A/C. Only time the Ford diesel F-250 HD (non-turbo) ever failed me was carrying a large cab-over camper when I wanted to go up a steep dirt road at about 11,000-12,000 feet. Ended up in low gear, foot to the floor, and it just slowed to a stop, maxed out. Had to back down to a turn around, didn't get to see the "other" bristle cone pine grove.

Bought a '97 Ram 3500 with Cummins turbo-diesel because I wanted a diesel with extended cab 4x4 with long bed and no joy with Ford. Put a service bed on it, 65 gal tank, larger heavier cab-over camper and went back to the bristle cone pines. Could literally accelerate up that same steep dirt road (faster than anyone should want/need). Since that I have changed out the injector pump and injectors and have slightly improved my mileage while massively increasing my available HP and torque (had to go with special HD torque converter). I do get off road and I do use/work the truck, it isn't a "hangar queen". I have about 66,000 miles on it and it is in great shape. At about 10,000 miles I changed to 19.5 inch alcoa rims with Michelin mud and snow tires. They sing a bit on the interstate but have 50,000 + miles on them and have well over 1/2 of the tread left. So far I haven't had to push it (not easy task, its BIG and HEAVY) Got stuck in mud 3 times on my place but was able to get a winch line to a tree and perform self rescue. Even with 4x4 and limited slip you got to be careful with heavy toys.

Oh by the way, I suspect Bird's brand list included sedans and was not limited to just pickups. If I am mistaken then here is an "I'm sorry!" in advance.

Patrick

Scott_in_WVA · Jul 28, 2002

We had a Ford 1/2 ton at the plant years ago....straight V-6,it was a sick puppy...rairoad track through the middle of the plant,you had to get a run....to get up and across the railroad tracks.I tell you....when you have 50 different guys driving a pickup it is amazing they hold up as well as they do.

Wingnut · Jul 29, 2002

I understand that there was a problem with the undercoat on Chevy and GMC pickups for a three or four year stretch during the early 90's. It is easy to pick them out on the road -the peeling paint job is a dead give away. 

wasn't just the pickups ... my wife had a '93 Astro minivan that peeled like a grape. They didn't even argue about a replacement paint job when I got in the dealers face.

The paint job on the old Ford was starting to look pretty faded and I try to keep the truck in good shape as it was my father-in-laws and therefore the wife gets sentimental over it .... so I took it and had it painted .... what a difference ... never realized HOW much the paint has faded. Of course, now, everytime I use it for work purposes ... I stratch up the box (tiedowns and the like) ...

And I learned that now only Ford Exploders have tire failures .... had the tread come off and do a number on a rear quarterpanel .... bent those flimsy crossbars all to heck .... one of these days I'll have to try my hand at bending it all beck into shape.

cstocks · Jul 29, 2002

Wingnut,

I never pursued getting a new paint job on my GMC because on top of having a crappy factory paint job I work at a chemical plant that makes sulfuric acid. Every vehicle in the parking lot ends up with tiny white specks on it over a period of time. By the time I had gotten good and disgusted with the paint job it was too late to try to get it re-painted because the dark blue paint had about a billion pinpoint size white dots all over it from acid mist which had spewed from one of the stacks during a unit upset. Even the windshield had tiny little dots etched into the glass. On the upside the company's insurance paid me on two different occasions for acid-related damage. One time I collected $2,600 and the other time I collected $1,700./w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif After the second time we all had to sign a waiver that we would not file anymore claims before they would cut us a check. Then they bought tarps for everyone to cover their vehicles with.

Needless to say when I bought my new F250 the year before last I decided I was going to leave it at home and drive my wife's car to work. Problem is, my wife drives the new Ford most of the time and now she thinks it belongs to her./w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

Oh, well. At least the paint job is staying intact...

Gary_in_Indiana · Jul 29, 2002

"A guy I work with said Ford was and maybe Chevy was blaming it on pollution"

That was the 'company line' in those days: "The paint is not warrantied against failure caused by environmental factors."

The fact of the matter is that virtually EVERY cause for paint failure is environmental.

RalphVa · Dec 26, 2003

Gotta wear gloves in the winter for closing truck gates.

FORD = Fix Or Repair Daily
Chevrolet = Shovel it and let it lay.

My favorite truck was my Dodge Rampage. Could even put 6 bags of groceries behind the seats on it. Blew head gasket at 60k miles and rusted out the floor pans though. Wish they made a FWD one again though.

My Toyota Tacoma is miles better than the 1994 Ford Ranger I had. Wife hated it but loves the Tacoma. Ford was too high up for being a 2wd. Tacoma is car height and is 2wd. Think only 4wd pickup that's car height is the Subaru Baja. It's a bit heavy though, about 1,000 pounds more than my extracab Tacoma.

The higher up ones make your shorts or wife's skirt ride up when exiting. Gotta open the doors and get up on the sills to wash the roof top. Too high to lift stuff into the back.

Ralph

Taylortractornut · Dec 26, 2003

I have a 94 Chevy Silverado that has the paint problem Its my work truck as well as my bar truck so it doesnt mattr the bed baint is falling off. I got it from the company my uncle works for, it had 140 000 miles and was straight except for a little ding in the backby the tail light. I only gave a 1000 for it and have 215 000 on it now. I make my living with a 1975 Ford F600 dump truck. Also pull my hoe arund with Dads 1990 Ford 350 dually. To me trucks are like anything elses theres some good ones and bad ones. And they all beat the shoe leather express.

slowrev · Dec 26, 2003

Fords get you both ways.

Found On Road Dead.

and on the flip side.
Driver Returned On Foot. FORD backwards /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have owned most brands of vehicles. Just spent more time fixing Fords /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif