I can't believe the repair costs. Watch weight in the rear.

[Thunderanger]

What's significant weight?

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[Dr Obnxs]

Ok, I'm an idiot. My wife tells me that all the time. But $1k to fix that? Crappy design.

Andike I said before, not that significant a weight and a pot hole or the like still will end up with a $1k repair estimate instead of a $15 one.

 

[Neil4Real]

 

[dtbaker61]

Possibly, but that gets rid of the flat load floor and the boxes were longer than the deck. It was all fine till there was a big bump or undulation in the road then BAM.

If I had used the lower position, then all the weight would have been on about 4" of the flooring. Which I guess it ended up being anyway.

But it's still a crappy design. It's an obvious failure point. For it to fail in such a way that the panel needs replacement is brain dead. Make it so the support block shears away under load and just replace the sheared block. Even with a lighter load, a pothole or something could put quite an impulse through it. Then one could still be in my situation.

the suspended cargo floor is bound to have issues with no support in the middle and just two points of contact at the top corners....

A quick fix for supporting the cargo floor in upper position might be adding removable blocks under the crappy plastic to pass the load from rather than put fasteners in shear.

 

[Dr Obnxs]

the suspended cargo floor is bound to have issues with no support in the middle and just two points of contact at the top corners....

A quick fix for supporting the cargo floor in upper position might be adding removable blocks under the crappy plastic to pass the load from rather than put fasteners in shear.

Yup. Good idea.

 

[blink]

Maybe it's just me, but I thought it was common sense to lower the load floor if you're going to put anything of significant weight back there.

I've never dealt with a car where you need to lower the floor for heavy weight (my previous cars have been pretty old). It would never have crossed my mind when loading the car, I'd just throw in whatever I was loading without any second thought. I'm glad I saw another post with this issue, or it probably would've happened to me. (I always keep it at the lowest position now. Can't be bothered to change it all the time)

 

[JamesStew71]

So, I was bringing some flooring home from Home Depot. Loaded it the back. The little thing that holds the rear deck in place pulled out.

Parts cost alone is $650.. Full inner panel must be replaced! What a crap design!. I'll make my own support and attache it in an intelligent way. Anyway, watch what you load in the back. And if it weighs anything at all, watch for bumps.

Its a car, get a small truck- flooring is not light

 

[mkhuffman]

Ok, I'm an idiot. My wife tells me that all the time. But $1k to fix that? Crappy design.

Andike I said before, not that significant a weight and a pot hole or the like still will end up with a $1k repair estimate instead of a $15 one.

Matt, don't feel bad. If I picked up a load right after getting my car, I would have done the same thing. I am also glad you posted about this because it will alert others to the option of lowering the floor.

I knew I could lower the floor, but when I first got the car it was not one of the first things I tried to figure out how to do. And I would have loaded it up, just like you. And broke my brackets, just like you. I guess I am an idiot also.

My floor is always in the lower position. Not for this reason, but because I like how the lower level corrals grocery bags.

 

[67 Stang Convertible]

This is one reason I’ve never taken cars to dealers for repair - they always want to do it “right” which is usually “insanely inefficient and wasteful, and doesn’t actually resolve the root problem”. Of course, under warranty I will do so, but for other repairs there is usually a better way.

This looks like a good opportunity for a few Rivnuts to replace the threaded holes in the side panel, and then drill and thru-bolt the small bracket rather than using the original rivets.

I;m sorry was your opening paragraph referring to Auto Dealers or the Federal Gov't. Can't tell them apart.

 

[generaltso]

It's an obvious failure point.

Yup, it sure is. But I guess it wasn't obvious until it was too late? There have been at least a couple reports of it happening to other members:

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/dont-put-too-much-weight-in-the-trunk.9237/

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/weight-limit-in-trunk.7102/

 

[Cm12]

Yup. Good idea.

Thanks for posting. I must be a complete idiot as well, unlike the vast majority of people on this forum apparently, because I could see myself doing something like this too. The lower position isn’t an option for me because I keep emergency survival gear beneath it and like to car camp. Sleeping in the back requires the upper position to be used. I’ll put some support blocks underneath going forward. You may have helped save me from the same fate by posting your story.

 

[Ride_the_lightning]

Unfortunately my 3D MaxSpider all season liner only fits in the top position. So that was a waste of $100.

 

[generaltso]

Unfortunately my 3D MaxSpider all season liner only fits in the top position. So that was a waste of $100.

The OEM cargo mat only fits well in the lower position. Maybe Ford knew something MaxSpider didn't.

 

[Scooby24]

Let's not be too hard on OP....if you didn't mess around with it yourself or do any prior research/RTFM, you might not even know there is a lower position...it's not a feature found in most SUVs.

It also takes all the weight until it doesn't...mistakes happen. Hindsight is a bitch...no need to add salt to a wound.

 

[RickMachE]

One observation - everyone keeps referencing the plastic brackets failing. Pick up the shelf and push on it. It flexes. That should be the first indication that it's not designed for much weight. I wouldn't step on it in the upper position.

This is a sports car IMO. It is not a truck. I own a truck. You can rent a truck from home stores, or from U-Haul, and not damage your sports car.

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