Unsatisfactory, Ford !

[Jason]

It's NOT THAT simple, many times parts are subcontracted from the subcontractor!

IMO I work for a automotive subcontractor, We build the parts HERE, for the Factory over in Kentucky, but some sub assemblies we build with come from Japan, China, and France.

I cannot imagine what a electronic part would be like! all those components, a shortage of just one value of a resistor that is needed can stop the whole show.

...even more so if it is a Service Item, lower priority as you are not shutting down million dollar factories, but putting customers on a backorder.

What happens many times is "projected production" and once in a while something does not sell, but more often than not, there is a greater demand(all those dudes in statistics and sales come up with these numbers)

So the Main business tells the subcontractors "we need 60 pcs per hour of this" and that is what the subcontractor goes with. When a line goes into service mode, for service orders, capacity is limited greatly since the "60 pcs per hour" line gets intergreated in another line and they just pump out "5 pcs per hour" and "8 pcs per hour of that, etc".

It is the Law that we provide ten years of service business after end of main production.

If I wanted to explain the whole process, it would be 15 pages and I don't have that kind of time. I illustrated in a basic form how it works.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

While that is true, the SJB isnt one of those modules.

I wasn't for sure if it was, I know one guy that tried to change a module on his own and didn't find that out until after he had thrown his old one away.

It's NOT THAT simple, many times parts are subcontracted from the subcontractor!

IMO I work for a automotive subcontractor, We build the parts HERE, for the Factory over in Kentucky, but some sub assemblies we build with come from Japan, China, and France.

I cannot imagine what a electronic part would be like! all those components, a shortage of just one value of a resistor that is needed can stop the whole show.

...even more so if it is a Service Item, lower priority as you are not shutting down million dollar factories, but putting customers on a backorder.

What happens many times is "projected production" and once in a while something does not sell, but more often than not, there is a greater demand(all those dudes in statistics and sales come up with these numbers)

So the Main business tells the subcontractors "we need 60 pcs per hour of this" and that is what the subcontractor goes with. When a line goes into service mode, for service orders, capacity is limited greatly since the "60 pcs per hour" line gets intergreated in another line and they just pump out "5 pcs per hour" and "8 pcs per hour of that, etc".

It is the Law that we provide ten years of service business after end of main production.

The only thing that really applies to this post is the last line, and that is why it is still available. If there isn't enough demand or some other reason after 10 years it will usually be cut... and you get a big fat NLA.

With production you know how many you will need. Waiting for stuff to break in the field isn't quite so predictable. And nobody wants to be stuck with a million of the dumb things to sit on the shelf until they are slowly sold over the next 50 years.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Why don't you find out where the part is located in the Ranger and go to the junkyard to snag one from. Being a 2004, thats 6 years worth of unused SJB just sitting in the yards, collecting dust.

 

[adsm08]

Why don't you find out where the part is located in the Ranger and go to the junkyard to snag one from. Being a 2004, thats 6 years worth of unused SJB just sitting in the yards, collecting dust.

I'll tell you where it is right now. Its your in-cab fuse block. It has a semi-smart module attached to it that takes over some of the functions of the GEM.

 

[buzzworth]

Thanks, everyone. I know where it is and the thought of a part that is particular to this model year is kinda scary. Since the truck is 6 model years old I wonder how many other parts are going to be hard to find or just pricey due to the exclusivity.
I have a friend that has a yard that is part of the system. I may go that route, but replacing an electrical component and the limited warranty is my concern too.
When I return from a weekend venture I will probably look a little closer and see if saving the cash is worth the effort.

buzz

 

[superds]

It's not a Gem module....I'm told that 2004 was the first year for the smart junction box instead of the Gem. It is proprietary and Ford makes them in Brazil, as many of it's parts are now.

I stand corrected. I didn't realize they switched from the GEM in 2004.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

The usual problem with them has to do with moisture getting at them. Lots of times they have the terrible green disease going on causing all kinds of odd gremlins/issues.