Frame Members - Rear
Frame Members - Rear
WARNING: Frame rail crush zones absorb crash energy during a collision and must be replaced if damaged. Straighten damaged frame rails to correct frame dimensions prior to frame member sectioning. Failure to follow these instructions may adversely affect frame rail performance and may result in serious personal injury to vehicle occupant(s).
WARNING: 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.
WARNING: Never install used or reconditioned parts (as specified below) from pre-owned, salvaged or damaged vehicles. The use of such parts could lead to serious injury.
Never use non-Ford parts or accessories for completing repairs.
Ford Motor Company does not approve or recognize body and structural repair procedures, tools, parts or anything but new genuine Ford equipment. Ford cannot attest to the safety, quality, durability or legality of non-Ford parts or accessories. Use of such parts could lead to serious personal injury as they may contain damage which is not visible.
Ford does not approve use of the following:
- Salvaged or used parts
- Major body clips or assemblies from salvage vehicles
- Aftermarket structural or body components
- Salvaged or reconditioned wheels
- Used supplemental restraint system (SRS) components
- air bags
- restraint system modules
- safety belts, buckles or retractors
- crash sensors
Returning a vehicle to pre-accident condition can only be assured if repair procedures are carried out by skilled technicians using new genuine Ford parts and Ford-approved methods. Structural component repair procedures approved by Ford, using genuine Ford parts, have been validated by Ford Motor Company engineers.
Ford Motor Company does not endorse, cannot attest to, and makes no representations regarding structural repairs (frames, rails, aprons and body panels) carried out using non-genuine Ford Motor Company parts or non-Ford-approved methods. In particular, Ford makes no representations that the vehicle will meet any crash safety or anti-corrosion performance requirement. Such parts and methods have not been tested by Ford, and may not meet Ford's requirements for safety, performance, strength, quality, durability and corrosion protection.
Ford Motor Company bears no responsibility or liability of any kind if repairs are performed using alternative structural component repair procedures and/or parts.
WARNING: 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.
NOTICE: Because of component composition (Dual Phase Steel (DP) 600 steel) a frame rail sectioning kit is not available for this vehicle. Frame rail replacement must be carried out by replacement at the factory seams.
1. Position the vehicle on a frame repair rack following the manufacturer's recommendations. Measure the vehicle to determine if the body requires rough straightening and alignment. For dimensional information, refer to Body Body.
2. Remove the rear bumper cover and reinforcement.
3. Remove the rear wheels.
4. Remove the rear axle.
5. LH side only. Remove the fuel fill assembly.
6. NOTE: Use caution not to drill through the vehicle floor pan when removing spot welds.
NOTE: LH side shown. RH side similar.
Carefully remove the spot welds and the rear frame rail.
Installation
1. Dress all spot weld nuggets on the vehicle mating surfaces.
2. NOTE: Factory spot welds may be substituted with either resistance spot welds or MIG (Metal Inert Gas) plug welds. Spot/plug welds should equal factory welds in both location and quantity. Do not place a new spot weld directly over an original weld location. Plug weld hole should equal 8 mm (0.31 in) diameter.
Drill plug weld holes in the replacement rear frame rail service part.
3. Apply a locally available weld-through primer to the immediate weld location only on the replacement part and vehicle mating surfaces.
4. Install and clamp the service replacement rear frame rail in place and verify correct alignment of the frame rail.
5. Using a MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welder or resistance spot welder, plug weld the service replacement rail.
6. Apply corrosion protection. For additional information, refer to Restoring Corrosion Protection Following Repair .
7. Install a new rear bumper mounting plate.
8. LH side only. Install the fuel fill assembly.
9. Install the rear axle.
10. Install the rear wheels.
11. Install the rear bumper cover and reinforcement.