My opinion, the OP has already answered his own question. Happijac won't take a stance. Bed material has changed with the redesign. Chrome bumpers aren't outfitted by the OEM to accept tie-downs...and has anyone looked lately at what a flimsy, non-structural piece an OEM chrome bumper is on a pickup lately? When you're already in doubt, and you've got these additional data points, if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...spend the $600 and do the truck right, after you've already spent $40K+ on the truck itself.
Me, I put frame-mounted tiedowns on my 2017 F-350. That said, my opinion is worth what I've been paid for it. It's absolutely comical how one piece of input without factual justification is utter nonsense, while another is touted as gospel.
