tasvalowna

sad but true Im hoping they update the utes along with the sedans , hopefully the next work ute will see me through to retirement.Otherwise itll be a poor choice and I may be stuck with another oil burner 4x4

Had a call from ford engineering today. Apparently despite all the other guff ive been told , ford only has 1 set of leaf springs that they use . What the 1 tonne option consists of it 3 flat bar packers about 80mm x 80mm under each side spring that give extra clearance ....that's it ! So I said to the poor dill on the phone , so I paid $500 for $1.50 worth of flat bar, your fkn kidding ! he said he will be sending a letter to clarify the 1 tonne thing , and I said you do that but I will still be complaining because that's as weak as piss. ford australia , we're moving with you ...........ha friggin ha

I cant belive that after the crap ive caused over this that they wouldnt of checked this but anythings possible I guess any idea what the build dates were on the recall ?

im not looking at carrying a full tonne , all I wanted was the factory springs to be able to carry the constant load of about 600kg . How can a ute that's rated at 500 kg and one that's rated to 1 tonne have the same spring fitted ?

Heres a little story about my ute purchases . I own a business that has 2 xr6 utes , 1 turbo , 1 not. I drive the turbo , its 18 months old andwhen new I removed the tub and fitted a flat tray with a canopy/tool box . I also bought a 1 tonne rated leaf spring pack from King springs , and its all good . No sagging and a good ride , it carries about 600kg constant. Ok about a month ago I take delivery of a NA xr6 which I ordered with the optional 1 tonne suspension package comprising of 16'' rated wheels and upgraded springs. Fair enough I thought , this will save me changing the springs over , extra $500 The ute arrives and I look at the springs , they look standard and sure enough when we fit the tray and canopy , it sags in the back and is mushy to drive . I ring the dealership and ask them to double check the build sheet and make sure the springs were fitted , no problems all fitted ok.a week later I ring back and say , im not happy with these springs .What can we do ? they ask for the part number off the 1 tonne spring which is painted on , I gave it to them and they check-all ok Then I remember ive still got the 500kg rated spring at home , check the part number .....same spring! then I advise them of this and engineering from ford has gotten back to them and said its likely both utes have the same spring , its the shock absorber that makes the extra load rating!!!!!!!! bollocks I say , its a damper , not a load carryer ! by this time im getting pissy , and demand something is done . We take the ute back down to get all the VIN numbers taken down. Then today I get this story , that it looks like my XR turbo has accidently had the 1 tonne package fitted at the factory , that's why they are the same . I said that's a crock of sh*t , my after market leaves have 2 extra leafs in them and they are 1 tonne rated , the others are NOT. I asked if they even have different springs or all you get for your 1 tonne rating is a sticker on the tail gate ! anyone else know anything about this? Ben

I might have solved my issue . the other day I drove to work and could get the episode to happen on any left hand bend , at will . Then I checked the tyre pressures and the rhs was on 25 psi , I put 40 back in it and it hasnt played up again . So im hoping this was my error and not a ford problem , so heres hoping it stays fixed . Ben

It is an FG , and its unlikely it was a wheelspin issue as I am carrying half a ton on it all the time. The road was bone dry BUT there are some of them little reflector bumpy jiggers in the middle of the road that I may have hit .Surely this couldnt be enough to upset things , could it?

Gday , just thought I would run this one by you guys before I bother the dealer with it .. On a dual lane highway that I travel every day my ute has done the same thing twice on exactly the same corner 2 months apart. Travelling at 115 on smooth dry hotmix and on a left hand curve , the back end gives a big wobble and the traction control light flashes . Not sure which one happens first .But as both times it was exactly 7.45 am so im still half asleep and it scared the crap out of me the first time and wasnt much better the second.. any ideas?? ben

Gday fellas , im from up the north west and have an FGT ute with a dirty great tool box on it . the badges were removed with the tub so no one really knows whats going on unless they spot the intercooler. that's the way I like it , the boys in blue dont look twice . anyone else from up this way? Ben

I think that's the way to go if the load is in and out , but mine is constant so the ride isnt at all choppy , feels just like standard springs did when it was empty . I had airbags in the last rodeo ute and they were ok so long as you topped up the pressure every month or 2 . but that was a bounct pr1ck of a thing and rolly polly something shocking , but not sure if that was the fault of the airbags or not ben

Hi , I have a stock FG ute and im not at all worried about what the power output might be but I want to run low 12's at the strip .(I have a pb of 13.6 so far) I also use it every day as a work ute so it will need to be very reliable still. Does anyone know what sort of kw rating I will need to run these numbers? thanks Ben

Gday , just a quick update of whats going on with the ute. I unloaded all the tools and had a run at the Tassie dragway yesterday First run out did a 13.8 then the car slowed down until I realised that idling in the staging area put too much heat into the intercooler and ran a couple of 14.2's then was careful with the heat thing and once the air was cooling down ran a pb of 13.6 so Im pretty happy with that as there were a couple of typhoons that were running 13.6's also so it must be lighter than a sedan , even with the big box on it. had a few people wondering what the hells in that ute , especially as theres no turbo badge or anything else on it ben

seems its all pretty well finished . the front section has been finished and fitted today .Im not 100% on how its turned out but itll do the job. fuel economy is 15.3 l/100 , goes to show what a little wind resistance and half a tonne on board does . Hopefully with this bit added it will help a little but im not too optomistic

just a few bolts and 4 blokes , no dramas. its about 180-200kg

I had thought of that , and youre right it would be handy at times , but im hoping that the front section will sort of mould into the cab and help with the aerodynamics and therefore fuel economy . Its going to the sheety tomorrow so I will see what he comes up with , but if it looks retatded then that's always an option ben

yeah well the box is off my previous ute and it was $6000 to get another one built .Its powder coated aluminium so cant really re paint it... and there will be another section added at the front to fill the gap between the box and the cab . We have a fleet of these things and they are all white utes with the grey body and they are the best to work out of so beauty is not part of the reckoniong with them im afraid ben

your right , I hadnt noticed until I put this pic up . when I had changed the springs , there was an alignment issue . I pulled it to bits last night and sorted that out . now the wheel is in the centre of the guard both sides

a bit more progress , the tray was finished off and powder coated. I attempted to hook up the led lights I bought but gave up and got an auto sparky involved - fitted the required resistors. That was last friday , ran it around over the weekend with the empty box on it all was ok weighed it on the way to work monday , tare weight was 1980 kg I then loaded it up with all my stuff and went back to the weighbridge and it was 2200 kg. The tyres were rubbing under the guards every now and then and it just looked too low in the back. Next I jacked it up and fitted the new 1 tonne springs I got from Bursons , no dramas there it now sits pretty well spot on for my likes and with the weight etc still handles ok and doesnt have traction issues as far as I can tell with only 300 km on the odo Not like a sports car but quite well for a work bus I just need to modify the front of the box to fill the tray and act more of a wind diverter and all should be good

heres the progress from today the tray is tacked together and we test fitted my old box , its coming up well so far

aaah yes exept them of course , ive got an information overload . its the 18's that arent one tonne rated in oem wheels ben

from what ive been told none of the oem falcon rims are tonne rated exept for the steel 16'' that's why they offer the mullins range as a dealer option.I have ordered some 17x8 from advanti that are 1 tonne rated they were less than half the price that ford wanted for a mullins equivalent and a better looking wheel in my opinion I have also ordered the suspension parts from Fulcrum Suspension via Bursons and was about $400 less than factory ford springs its all underway , should pick up the ute next week yahoo ben

I didnt really mean gutter jump but you know when youre at a job site and you need to get up over the gutter to get closer to the job or to even get a park? that's all I meant. I ordered the ute today and also ordered some standard size 17x8 rims that are load rated to 880 kg each , so they will be fine at least there will be a fair side wall for potholes and gravel roads. There will be a 2ish week wait but then I will get the tub removed and get the flat tray built,fit the box off my rodeo and get that extended to fit the longer tray. then work out whats the best with the springs after I see how it sits.I need to lodge the paperwork to transport but ideally I would do this and then get the standard springs re set at a local mob who specialises in that sorta thing . that's not what I really told transport but its the way I would prefer as they will set them so the ute sits how I want it.if I put the 1 tonne springs in and it site too high then I will ahve to use lowering blocks to bring it down - seems a bit silly ..... Anyway I will post some pics as I sort it out for those that are interested ben

Tas sensible , never thought I would see the day , but I may even agree this time!! with the paperwork I have filled out apparently I get a mod plate to fit and then shes all legal so I will see. and I guess if theyve led me on and theres a cock up for some reason , itll get the springs and my fingers crossed and that's all ben

I dont imagine it will handle like a stock one but the gear stays in it all the time so if I can get it the right ride height , and legal , that's all I am really after ben

thanks for the replies gutter jumping is probly extreme , what I meant was somethimes I need to go up a gutter to get to a job but I think the 18'' tyre package will sort that out.I Think theres enough side wall to cater for that and so long as the correct rim tyre package is fitted it will be fine I spoke to the transport people in tas and have filled out a vehicle modification application and sent it off. All I have proposed to do is swap the xr6t rear springs for the springs from a 1 tonne ute .Apparentlty the spring locating bolt is a different size , but otherwise should fit. I weighed my ute today and it works out the box including the tray and all the gear is 720 kg so if I can set it up to be 1 tonne rated I will have a bit up my sleeve . and test drove a stock xr6 and then the turbo , and ive gotta say , if I cant have the turbo I wont be bothering , man that thing was FUN ben