Well, it's been a minute, so now I have 43,000 miles on it (42,800+). I have had the vehicle for 11 months. Overall, I am actually rather happy with it.
Why is it hard to understand that by your logic, the crack happened before you tightened it down? Then why would the toque spec matter? I am sure your relating the incident as your recount it, but it would be difficult to understand how this happened and how it would be considered warranty? I had a 5G Bronco (that's reason one why I have zero interest in removing my rear top and an 06 LJ with dual tops, reason two I have no desire to remove my rear hardtop). I have also experienced removed Dodge Ramcharger and 4G Bronco Hardtops. In most every case, even with careful use of pulleys and ropes (I had a full garage lift set up for my LJ) it was very easy to ding, crack or misalign the top, causing potential issues like you illustrate. Yours cracking, with no outside influence, it's just hard to get my mind around. Particularly when it's looks as if the gap between the outer edge of the top "flange" and the mating surface has a gap that appears consistent with the crack in the top. Regardless of proper torque spec, if there is a reduce or misaligned mating surface, the top could crack. I understand most of the forums are filled with rants and raves, I am not trying to be difficult, just passing along my observations, experience and obviously opinion. I sincerely hope you find a good solution.
Because he was so close to 36k mileage warranty which ends when the odometer reads 36000.1 no ifs ands or buts. And would have been over when he got vehicle to the dealer. And denied as I suggested because it is not a moving part of the powertrain. You might think an ESP covers everything same as factory just extended but that is rarely the case. YOu get a better "certified pre-owned" warranty than new when buying a used certified vehicle. Most times an additional 2 or 3 years and coverage to 100,000 miles
Yes
Because that's the first thing that someone would suspect happened without video tape. I remember looking at it and lamenting that I didn't film this... because it looks like someone over torqued it and cracked it. That is not the case and it really doesn't matter whether or not you believe it.
So you don't understand what a material defect is?
No gap there, nothing was placed underneath it, it was structurally weak to begin with an the pin caused the stress fracture to finally give way when I rested the top on the 4 pins (still on top of the Bronco).
Ya, I understand where you are coming from... and believe me, a lot of people post half the story not to look bad. I have made plenty of mistakes, but I tell the whole story (just like I did when I replaced the suspension). I even am willing to concede that without having been there, I would not have believed that it would fail like it did.
FFS - This was the first time I have taken this Bronco to the dealer.
First of all, 43,000 miles in only 11 months, you are a road warrior!
More like never remove the top under any circumstances...I was already planning on never removing doors so I guess I'll add the hardtop to the list as well.
Factory 3/36 warranty also would have denied this. Ford released a GSB (General service bulletin) recently that shows multiple pictures and examples of top failures. Cracks like this are considered non-warrantable.
I definitely feel that an aluminum plate bonded across the top of the sill would look great and strengthen it significantly. I am thinking about doing this as part of the repair. I have several 8'x6"x0.25" aluminum plates (yes, 8 foot long) that I could easily use, but 0.25" aluminum is overkill and I don't have any 0.125" lying around.
