10/9/22
- What: Installing an OE Ford Tailgate Liner on a 2022 Ford Maverick
- Cost: $75 plus shipping
- Time: 15-20 minutes
- Disclaimer: I am NOT an expert. I am an amateur car owner with passing experience dealing with minor car modifications.
The liner was delivered in a plastic bag and not in its own box, which is really fine, because it’s a super hard, dense plastic meant for abuse. It must be the same material as the drop-in bedliner. It also comes with small bag labeled Kit Hardware P/U Box Ford Mav BT 2022+ (part number: NZ6J-9928546-AB).
Instead of an instruction sheet, the included paper guides you HERE where you can find the instructions in PDF. Sadly, the instructions for this install aren’t particularly detailed, though initial read seems straightforward enough.
OKAY. Here we go.
Used a T25 screwdriver to remove the 8 screw/washer combos already in in the tailgate.
Here’s a fun look at what’s underneath that plate, there. It’s the lock mechanism and here, I just have the manual lock.
This is where it started getting complicated for me. What is the point of the 4 stickers they have? The instructions look like you just stick them in the corner of the metal? So, I did that. Perhaps it’s to protect the threads from water and rust?
Then the real problem came up: the instructions state that now a T20 socket is needed to replace the screws. It occurred to me that the 2 screws included in the hardware kit are what they’re talking about. Uh oh. Ford’s parts site wasn’t useful, either, because there are no pictures on there.
Well. Okaaay. Sooo. I decided to reuse 4 of the original screws because they seem to fit the 4 middle ports of the liner. The 4 outside ones have a larger hole which means that the original screw’s washers were too small for. I ended up scrounging around in the house for loose washers or possible screws, and miraculously found some black washers slightly larger than the ones on the existing screws. Unfortunately, the washer’s hole was too large. I then doubled them up and it worked, though the screws do stick up more out of the liner.
Since I didn’t have the hex-head screws, I couldn’t torque to the 2.4Nm (1.8lb-ft) as instructed. I tried not to screw it too tightly, but not too loosely either. Hopefully it stays put. Feels good. I tugged on it a few times.
Hurray! 🙂
