Frame: Service and Repair

Frame Members - Bed Attachment Bracket

Special Tool(s)







General Equipment
3 Phase Inverter Spot Welder 254-00002
Compuspot 700F Welder 190-50080
I4 Inverter Spot Welder 254-000014
Inverter Welder with MIG Welder 254-00015







WARNING:
- Frame rail crush zones absorb crash energy during a collision and must be replaced if damaged. Prior to replacement of frame rail crush zones, straighten damaged frame rails to correct frame dimensions. Failure to follow these instructions may adversely affect frame rail crush zone performance and may result in serious personal injury to vehicle occupants in a crash.
- Invisible ultraviolet and infrared rays emitted in welding can injure unprotected eyes and skin. Always use protection such as a welder's helmet with dark-colored filter lenses of the correct density. Electric welding will produce intense radiation, therefore, filter plate lenses of the deepest shade providing adequate visibility are recommended. It is strongly recommended that persons working in the weld area wear flash safety goggles. Also wear protective clothing. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.
- Always wear protective equipment including eye protection with side shields, and a dust mask when sanding or grinding. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.

NOTE:
- Observe prescribed welding procedures when carrying out repairs to the frame assembly. For additional information, refer to Welding Precautions - Steel.
- This procedure applies to vehicles with 1.67 m (5.5 ft) pickup bed.







WARNING:
- Collision damage repair must conform to the instructions contained. Replacement components must be new, genuine Ford Motor Company parts. Recycled, salvaged, aftermarket or reconditioned parts (including body parts, wheels or safety restraint components) are not authorized by Ford.
- Departure from the instructions provided, including alternate repair methods or the use of substitute components, risks compromising crash safety. Failure to follow these instructions may adversely affect structural integrity and crash safety performance, which could result in serious personal injury to vehicle occupants in a crash.

1. Remove the rear tailgate assembly and complete pickup bed assembly.
2. Cover the evaporative emissions fuel line, tie back the fuel filler tube and any wire harnesses from the repair area.
3. Grind the welds that retain the attachment bracket and remove the forward bed-to-frame retention bracket from the frame.







4. Using a wire brush or sanding disc, remove E-coat paint from the surrounding frame rail area within approximately 15 mm (0.59 in) of the intended weld location.







5. Using a wire brush or sanding disc, remove the E-coat paint from the replacement bracket edges.
6. Locate the correct mounting position of the new brackets, relative the rear body mount frame bracket and existing hole in the top of the frame rail. Tack weld the brackets in position.







7. NOTE: Using the replacement pickup bed, locate pickup bed holes to the existing frame attachment holes maintaining correct front-of-bed to cab cross car flushness and fore-aft-margins equal from left hand side to right hand side. Check to make sure the character line on the cab and the character line on the bed match on left hand and right hand side. Adjust the bracket as necessary to match cab and bed character lines.

Mark the position of the attachment hole, on the new frame bracket, by inserting a marker through the existing forward bed floor pan hole. Drill an 18 mm (0.708 in) hole into the new frame bracket.







8. Remove the pickup bed and complete welding the new frame bracket to the frame side rail. Use a MIG welding machine capable of producing 200 amps minimum must be used. Use 0.9-1.1 mm (0.035-0.045 in) ER70S-3 or equivalent weld wire that is compatible with mild (Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 1010) steel.
- Dress welds as necessary.







9. Clean exposed metal surfaces with metal surface prep or equivalent.
10. Apply corrosion protection to the repair area as required. For additional information regarding corrosion protection, refer to Restoring Corrosion Protection Following Repair.

11. NOTE: New attachment clips must be installed whenever the pickup bed is removed. Install new attachment clips, part number W708605, before installing the pickup bed. Make sure the anti-squeak pads, part number F0TA-5C036-AA and YL34-5C036-AA, are located in the correct positions before installing the pickup bed.

Reinstall the pickup bed.