Opinion

[blacksnapon]

Rumors have circulated for years on both the 6.0 and the 6.4. Some I think are quite funny (if you modify your drivetrain, and your wiper motor goes bad, Ford won't warranty it.) When the 6.4 was introduced, most people were told cab removal was an absolute must, we are finding now, thats not true. Most stuff you can do without, some, its just a convenience, and some, its mandatory.

 

[Skandocious]

Same way that for some things on my truck it is mandatory to pull the engine... I can't imagine that pulling the cab for a seasoned veteran is much harder than pulling an engine (if at all...)

 

[mrfixit]

I think it's cool to be able to pull the engine or work on it without the cab in the way... and it's a really cool excuse to make the wife let me get a two post lift!!!

 

[Brian_B]

The trans fluid is checked in the same place you drain it. The little plug inside the big plug on the bottom, is how its done. At operating temp, remove the small plug while running. The fluid should dribble out.

Oh thats a wonderful new design. As if enough people can't use a dip stick to check the fluid. Now you have to jack the vehicle up (level I assume-so it all the way around) and crawl under it to check the fluid.

Just how many people are going to do that?


You can't just stop on the highway somewhere (especially when towing) and check the fluid. You can't check the fluid when you are in your good clothes going to and from work.

Totally stupid design move.

Oh wait...it makes more money for ford (somehow)...so its ok. It saves them money in manufacturing too.

If you ask me, ford is heading in the wrong direction with everything. No wonder so many toyotas and hondas are on the road now.

 

[blacksnapon]

That trans is Jaguar engineering, I don't like it either.

 

[Brian_B]

That explains a few things. How many people who own a jag even know how to check their own oil? (rolleyes smilie)

There is a reason both my parents drive Hondas. They are super easy to work on. Well engineered. Relaible. Oh..and moms 04 has a transmission dipstick. Yes...they used to drive fords...no more!

If ford, chevy, and chrysler don't stop being so stupid with designs and increase the reliability..they will disappear for good.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

I've never been under the hood, so I'm speaking from purely a speculative standpoint here. It looks entirely too difficult to get to the spark plugs to even change those. Am I mistaken on how much room is under the hood?

Let's say my fuel pressure regulator goes out. I'm not sure where the positioning is on the new trucks, but on mine it's on the top-back of the engine. If there was any less room, it would be unreachable.

Ryan

 

[6L PWR]

It looks entirely too difficult to get to the spark plugs to even change those.

You think the plugs are hard to change? You should try changing the plugs on my truck!!

 

[Skandocious]

What Todd was trying to explain, Ryan, is that diesels don't have spark plugs

 

[Brian_B]

The rangers and explorers have spark plugs. The back one on the passenger side is easier (still not easy) to change by removing the passenger tire and reaching through a hole in the inner fender. That applies to all of them with a V6 up until 01 at least. I assume the newer you get...the tighter it gets.

I have yet to change mine on the 01, but it looks much worse than the 89.

 

[Brian_B]

....If there was any less room, it would be unreachable.

Ryan

That is why they are removing the cabs now. Its not 100% impossible to change stuff (yeah right!), but it is easier to remove the whole stinking cab....

He asked for opinions...he is getting mine.

 

[blacksnapon]

The rangers and explorers have spark plugs. The back one on the passenger side is easier (still not easy) to change by removing the passenger tire and reaching through a hole in the inner fender. That applies to all of them with a V6 up until 01 at least. I assume the newer you get...the tighter it gets.

I have yet to change mine on the 01, but it looks much worse than the 89.

They're real easy if you remove the body!

 

[Brian_B]

They're real easy if you remove the body!

Exactly my point!

 

[blacksnapon]

Exactly my point!

Mine too, easier, but not necessary. Working on a chevvy, dodge, toyota, nissan, as well, it makes it easier to remove the cab. We've been pulling cabs for a long time, but for some reason, people think we only do it on the 08.

 

[Brian_B]

Oh...I know its not just the 08. I saw one pulled on "the other site" a couple of years ago. I was stunned that they pulled it to remove the heads for something.

 

[Gunner]

Here's my thing. If I'm stuck between Ft Stockton and Ozona Tx, and I can't put a new belt on my truck because I have to remove the cab to do it, or an emergency water pump change, or something like that.........It WILL piss me off. PROFOUNDLY and RAPIDLY.

If I have to spend the night in my truck, pay a towning bill, and then pay the shop to work on my truck because they have to pull the cab to change a water pump, or something like that, I'm GONNA be pissed off, and I WILL be selling said truck for something I might be able to work on.

It WILL happen.

Ford needs to REALLY rethink their strategy for getting people to service their vehicles at Ford dealers. All this is going to do is piss customers off.

This isn't a dig at you Vince, but IMO, this is a BLATANT attempt by Ford to screw their customers.

I'm going to be driving my 06 for QUITE some time, for that reason. While it would be a PITA to work on, it's not quite impossible. But I'd have to think a LONG LONG time before I buy a work truck that I CANNOT work on without a lifting rig. A REAL long time.

Gunner

 

[Skandocious]

UGGGHHH, you've totally missed the point. Correct me if I'm wrong here Vince but I'm going to make this statement once and for all.

Most parts of the 08 trucks are serviceable without removing the cab, although SOME service becomes EASIER once the cab has been removed, while there are some incidents when the cab must be removed. If you're hung up about that last part about SOME instances requiring the cab to come off, then you can pull the engine if you'd like, BUT ITS MORE WORK! Now, I can't imagine the changing the belt or the water pump would warrant a cab removal, but I can imagine that extensive turbo/exhaust routing behind the engine MIGHT be a bit easier if you got the cab out of the way, or pulled the engine, whichever you prefer.

My opinion: it's a nice feature to be able to pull this cab off easily but it's not going to prove very useful for the regular Joe working on his truck. Where it MIGHT prove useful is when regular Joe needs to take the truck in for work and the dealership saves him money on his labor rates since it took an hour less time to pull the cab than it would have to pull the engine.

NOW EVERYONE STOP BITCHING!! Thanks

 

[Gunner]

UGGGHHH, you've totally missed the point. Correct me if I'm wrong here Vince but I'm going to make this statement once and for all.

Most parts of the 08 trucks are serviceable without removing the cab, although SOME service becomes EASIER once the cab has been removed, while there are some incidents when the cab must be removed. If you're hung up about that last part about SOME instances requiring the cab to come off, then you can pull the engine if you'd like, BUT ITS MORE WORK! Now, I can't imagine the changing the belt or the water pump would warrant a cab removal, but I can imagine that extensive turbo/exhaust routing behind the engine MIGHT be a bit easier if you got the cab out of the way, or pulled the engine, whichever you prefer.

My opinion: it's a nice feature to be able to pull this cab off easily but it's not going to prove very useful for the regular Joe working on his truck. Where it MIGHT prove useful is when regular Joe needs to take the truck in for work and the dealership saves him money on his labor rates since it took an hour less time to pull the cab than it would have to pull the engine.

NOW EVERYONE STOP BITCHING!! Thanks

I stand by my above statement.

Gunner

 

[blacksnapon]

The only things requiring cab removal, the customer can't do it anyway. All things in the front and down both sides are accessible with cab on. From the turbo back, on top, the cab needs to be removed. The rumor started when the 08 was first introduced, that nothing can be done without cab removal. That statement is just wrong. If someone doesn't want to purchase one because of that inaccurate assumption, they're missing out on a great truck.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Vince, I'm thinking of it from a standpoint of 10 years from now, when I will be a likely owner of said truck. It's a bad deal to need to pull a cab to do any heavy service because it's no longer under warrenty. I'll be paying a mechanic for an extra "x" number of hours of work to pull the cab.

Chris, your argument sure sounds pretty, but I'm with Gunner. Remember, we don't have to agree it's a good idea. From a DIY standpoint that doesn't have tons of heavy duty equipment in his garage, it's a bad bad move to jam all that stuff under the hood with virtually no room to manuever. If there's a system for a tech at a dealer that's quick and easy, it's nice for that tech. I think you may be changing your mind if you ever get yourself one of these that're so packed in you can't do much yourself.

Ryan