Sponsored

wigglysqiggly

Black Diamond
Well-Known Member
First Name
William
Joined
Jun 9, 2023
Threads
1
Messages
186
Reaction score
468
Location
Arizona
Vehicle(s)
2023 Ford Bronco
Your Bronco Model
Black Diamond

Papa Smurf

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Jul 13, 2020
Threads
14
Messages
1,602
Reaction score
4,089
Location
Jax, FL
Vehicle(s)
‘23 Bronco WT. ‘23 Maverick. Hybrid. '23 Rav4
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Clubs
 

DaveInSA

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
David
Joined
Apr 29, 2022
Threads
58
Messages
1,084
Reaction score
1,469
Location
Seguin, Texas
Vehicle(s)
2025 F150 Lightning Flash
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Try TurnOffroad, I found an tailgate stoper on there too

1741121997954-ws.jpg
I don't know if that would work. I'd have to measure. It mounts on the bolts that mount the tailgate to the hinge. Those are covered with this reinforcement installed and the reinforcement uses different bolts. Don't remember if those are same distance apart as the ones this is designed to go in.
Was hoping to find one made for the accessory bolt locations on the upgraded hinges/reinforcement.
 

WildOne23

Wildtrak
Active Member
First Name
James
Joined
Nov 3, 2022
Threads
2
Messages
37
Reaction score
44
Location
Bloomingdale, IL
Vehicle(s)
Lexus GS 350
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Install was pretty easy. I was able to support the tailgate with a ratchet strap hung from a beam in my garage. Along with the spare tire wedged at the end of the tailgate and replacing one hinge at a time, the tailgate required zero realignment. My son was there to "hold" the tailgate still, but mostly watched videos on his phone.

Looks good with Cactus Grey

Ford Bronco Spare tire mount reinforcement kit now available from Ford Performance Parts 20250304_162550
 

Dr. Squatch

Wildtrak
Member
First Name
Rosemarie
Joined
Mar 23, 2024
Threads
1
Messages
17
Reaction score
24
Location
Northwest Florida / Okaloosa
Vehicle(s)
2024 Bronco, 2019 Mustang GT PPL2
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Replaced with no cost to me. The warranty guys were great. You can chat with them on the Performance Parts website and by email.
I am waiting to hear back from Ford. However, I was able to get three of the four fasteners removed. However, the lower right isn't budging and I am afraid of breaking off the fastener. I guess I am going to take it to a local machine shop and see if they have any better luck.

Did the thread locker on your fasteners look like powder?
Ford Bronco Spare tire mount reinforcement kit now available from Ford Performance Parts Pic 1

Thanks for your help.
 

Sponsored

bebrown1075

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Brad
Joined
Jan 29, 2022
Threads
5
Messages
107
Reaction score
171
Location
White Lake, Michigan
Vehicle(s)
2014 Ford Mustang GT, 2022 Bronco, 2025 RAM 1500
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
I am waiting to hear back from Ford. However, I was able to get three of the four fasteners removed. However, the lower right isn't budging and I am afraid of breaking off the fastener. I guess I am going to take it to a local machine shop and see if they have any better luck.

Did the thread locker on your fasteners look like powder?
Pic 1.jpg

Thanks for your help.
I only had trouble with one bolt and was not able to remove it that far. So I never got the thread lock to come off like in your picture. It sure seems like that bolt got cross threaded. Did it go in smooth without much effort? I think I saw you cleaned up the holes. I had to destroy my exoskeleton to get it off. See that metal between the plastic? I had to cut around that. The bolt is still seized in the hinge sitting in the junk pile. With that much bolt sticking out you should be able to cut that off......... I wish you luck removing what you have and also getting new parts. I cannot say a bad word about the warranty process to get my parts replaced.
 

Papa Smurf

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Jul 13, 2020
Threads
14
Messages
1,602
Reaction score
4,089
Location
Jax, FL
Vehicle(s)
‘23 Bronco WT. ‘23 Maverick. Hybrid. '23 Rav4
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Clubs
 
For those that have gotten theirs, how long roughly was shipping? My parts guy and I ordered 2 sets through his dealership at the start of February and we’ve heard nothing.
Did most order and have it shipped to their home or participating dealer?
 

KyTruckPlant

Badlands
Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2020
Threads
29
Messages
796
Reaction score
3,103
Location
Goshen, Ky
Vehicle(s)
05 Mustang, 05 F150, 08 Expedition EL, 23 Bronco
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
Haven’t gotten it, but was start of February for send to dealer. Ordered on 2/9. Still in processing.
I had that same issue, turns out it was at the dealer for about a month and the guy that does those orders was off for that month. It sounded to me like the status of my order was dictated by the dealership. That dude was out, and no one else logged it as having arrived, or some such mess.

ETA: my status was "in route to dealer" for a month, so it may be different on yours
 

Wirenut20

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Jul 7, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
194
Reaction score
243
Location
95112
Vehicle(s)
2020 Explorer ST, 97 F150, 92 Mustang LX 5.0
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Clubs
 
Do any of you plan on having the hinges color matched? I understand that there will only be a small portion of the hinge visible.
Just picked up the hinges from the powder coaters. Hopefully I can get them installed this weekend.

Ford Bronco Spare tire mount reinforcement kit now available from Ford Performance Parts IMG_2921
 

Sponsored

Steve B

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
First Name
Steve
Joined
Jul 3, 2023
Threads
5
Messages
102
Reaction score
177
Location
Lafayette, Louisiana
Vehicle(s)
22, 2 DR WT, 22 4 DR WT, 22 Mustang GT (Stock-ISH)
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Clubs
 
For those that have gotten theirs, how long roughly was shipping? My parts guy and I ordered 2 sets through his dealership at the start of February and we’ve heard nothing.
Did most order and have it shipped to their home or participating dealer?
Both of mine were delivered to my home address within a week of ordering them. I was in the first batch of orders from late January though.
 

Sir915

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Shawn
Joined
Aug 28, 2023
Threads
0
Messages
77
Reaction score
61
Location
El paso
Vehicle(s)
2023 Bronco
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
The exoskeleton is intended to transfer the weight of the spare tire / spare tire carrier (or a good portion of it) directly to the hinges, bypassing the sheet metal of the tailgate itself. Coupled with the heavy duty hinges, you have a much stronger installation.

Many have commented on how thin the metal portion of the exoskeleton is, and having just picked mine up today, I agree. That said, it's intended withstand a torsional or rotational stress with the midpoint of the hinges being the "axis" of rotation, so I don't think it needs to be that thick. Definitely better than just the tailgate sheet metal.
I agree was looking at it and yes it's thin but at the same time it looks like the plastic injection points all throughout the exo help make it more rigid possibly?
 

WildOne23

Wildtrak
Active Member
First Name
James
Joined
Nov 3, 2022
Threads
2
Messages
37
Reaction score
44
Location
Bloomingdale, IL
Vehicle(s)
Lexus GS 350
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
I agree was looking at it and yes it's thin but at the same time it looks like the plastic injection points all throughout the exo help make it more rigid possibly?
I would agree.
 

Dr. Squatch

Wildtrak
Member
First Name
Rosemarie
Joined
Mar 23, 2024
Threads
1
Messages
17
Reaction score
24
Location
Northwest Florida / Okaloosa
Vehicle(s)
2024 Bronco, 2019 Mustang GT PPL2
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
I only had trouble with one bolt and was not able to remove it that far. So I never got the thread lock to come off like in your picture. It sure seems like that bolt got cross threaded. Did it go in smooth without much effort? I think I saw you cleaned up the holes. I had to destroy my exoskeleton to get it off. See that metal between the plastic? I had to cut around that. The bolt is still seized in the hinge sitting in the junk pile. With that much bolt sticking out you should be able to cut that off......... I wish you luck removing what you have and also getting new parts. I cannot say a bad word about the warranty process to get my parts replaced.
The bolt in the picture was just an example of the residue found on all four fasteners. The bolt I had the biggest problem with was the lower-right. It only loosened about 1 turn before the head started to strip. I was able to use an "Impact Bolt Extractor" to remove it. I used a ratchet instead of an impact gun...and went slowly.

The residue was very fine powder and did not feel like material from the hinge. I checked the bolt treads with a Nut and Bolt Thread Checker tool and they were fine. I checked the hinges with both new bolts and a tap and found none of the holes were cross threaded.

Ford responded that the threadlocker used is Precote 80. Here is, in part, the response from Ford.
"Precote 80 is a high strength and high temperature resistant thread locking and sealing
coating designed to be used on all types of external or internal threaded fasteners. When it
comes to pre-applied threadlockers, there is none stronger than precote® 80".

In summary, I managed to removed all four Ford fasteners without damaging anything, except for the 4 bolts, and will utilize APR bolts when I reinstall everything today. Also, you were right. FRPP (Mr. Kot) was great to work with.

Thank you for your inputs!

Ford Bronco Spare tire mount reinforcement kit now available from Ford Performance Parts Bolt Extractor
Sponsored

 
 





Top