06/09/2026
Ford update 3 the good the bad and the disappointing!
Let’s start with the disappointing, roof rack failure for the second time. I need to start by saying that I truly hate roof racks and they are something to put on your car if you absolutely have to, try any other option before going down this road. So I did a lot of research into roof racks when I went with the Super Duty, there was though in truth when I was kitting out this Ute limited options. I will always if possible go with an Australian manufacturer and after lots of talking and reassuring I went with the brand I chose. It was said to be the strongest in the market, cost an arm and a leg and then a considerable about to have installed at the same time the bull bar etc was being fitted.
I needed the roof rack to carry my second spare, the beauty in my opinion of the SD is steel wheels again yay so out came the tyre pliers and I have a tyre only on the roof, with my Starlink mini and a UHF aerial, on a space cab so let’s be honest really no significant weight.
So Canning Stock Route trip 2 one of the feet completely sheered causing a trip into to Alice for me to repair, warranty I know right🤣🤣 and yesterday driving into Steep point three of the 4 pop rivets on the passenger side front bracket have hopefully just sheered not pulled through as if it is the latter that will be a very much bigger repair. So tomorrow a run to Geraldton only a 6 hour return trip to Sydney tools to buy a battery pop rivet gun to pull the new stainless rivets through, to be honest I have better things to do than have to repair items that fail.
The bad Ford really? Your regional service network is appalling with multiple calls to multiple dealers with no reply! If you want the SD to overtake Landcruiser my advise is set up proper regional dealers who carry parts, I need rear brake pads and no dealer bar a Perth metro dealer had them in stock and the aftermarket world has not yet caught up with SD. And service and parts departments that do actually offer some level of customer service, and most importantly Ford package your spare parts correctly!! What do I mean by this? Well a drivers side drive shaft was ordered the box was labelled correctly but contained a passenger side shaft, TPMS sensors twice now I have been in to replace one, told the correct part was there and then it was found to be incorrect. Ford you make them you licence people to sell and maintain them you want to take the fight to Toyota and in my opinion you have the product to do this but this is your achilles heal!! You need to do better.
The Good, the little Ute continues to perform well, we have cruised down the West Coast on bitumen, the SD has enough power to overtake road trains, caravans and other slower moving vehicles, it is comfortable, quiet and for a car weighing over 4t in my opinion economical averaging across its life around 15l per hundred remembering please most of its life is off road. So where too next? I will repair the roof rack tomorrow then into the Gold fields before heading East on the Anne Beadell. From here we will run two tours through the Simpson, I am looking forward to seeing the desert in bloom, if anyone would like to join me I do still have places available, I know the SD will perform beautifully on the dunes as it has already traversed the Canning Stock Route twice.
Now over to Ford take a look at your parts chain and your regional centres and then maybe you will have a great chance at doing what you want to do!
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