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Old 11-09-2016, 05:04 PM   #1
sourdough
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Ford Aluminum Trucks

We've had a discussion about the ads depicting damage to the aluminum beds in the Fords. Here's a link I just came across that makes you think a little more about all that.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/...cid=spartanntp
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Old 11-10-2016, 05:11 AM   #2
bsmith0404
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Re: Ford Aluminum Trucks

Wow, I've seen antennas get broken in a car wash, but never ripped through the fender. Makes you wonder what other types of problems will eventually surface. I applaud Ford for trying to revolutionize the industry, without changes we stay stagnant with the same old, same old....I just don't want to be part of the guinea pig crowd.
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Old 11-10-2016, 07:04 AM   #3
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Re: Ford Aluminum Trucks

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Originally Posted by bsmith0404 View Post
Wow, I've seen antennas get broken in a car wash, but never ripped through the fender. Makes you wonder what other types of problems will eventually surface. I applaud Ford for trying to revolutionize the industry, without changes we stay stagnant with the same old, same old....I just don't want to be part of the guinea pig crowd.
That' my thinking about aluminum. With in the next few years Chevy will be useing a lot more aluminum with different design and harder nonferrous material.
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Old 11-10-2016, 07:42 AM   #4
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Re: Ford Aluminum Trucks

The push towards new MPG standards in half ton trucks and the payload/towing war in HD trucks makes change necessary. The consumer tends to drive this, but could end up with problems.

I have seen a lot of the new 2017 F250s around my area. Last week I probably saw 10-15.
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Old 11-10-2016, 09:27 AM   #5
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Re: Ford Aluminum Trucks

I'm seeing a lot of the new 2017 SuperDuty trucks on dealership lots but not many on the road yet. That may be caused by the $10,000 + rebates on 2016 models and $1,000 "cash back" offers on the 2017 models. I'm guessing as the supply of 2016's gets lower the number of 2017's we see will increase substantially.

As for the aluminum/steel/other stuff being used in vehicles. Aluminum has been used by Ford and other American manufacturers for at least the past 10 years or so. Many of the hoods on Fords (some as old as 1997) have been aluminum or fiberglass. When we were in Europe, I had an Opal 1900 back in the 70's (when they were built in Germany not Japan) that had an aluminum SW hatch and hood skin. Back then, it seemed "cool" because others had rust problems on their back hatch and mine wouldn't even hold a magnet.

I'd question whether this (antenna problem) is a "trend" developing or if this is an isolated incident? Considering the number of F150's that are on the road with aluminum skins and the frequency of problems being reported, is it a problem or a fluke? In comparison, when was the last time you saw a 1 year old truck with a "rusted out fender"? It's been years and years for me, but if we do find "one example" somewhere, does that cause us to question why the manufacturers are using steel in their body panels?

For me, I'll watch it for future trends, but honestly don't think it's a significant problem (unless, like most people, it happens to a truck I own). Based on the millions on the road with one antenna ripped off a truck, I'll hold judgment until it happens more frequently.

Here's an interesting article on Peterbilt trucks. They've been building aluminum body panels for their "big rigs" since 1945. That's over 70 years ago. http://www.todaysmotorvehicles.com/a...essons-123014/
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Old 11-10-2016, 12:30 PM   #6
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Re: Ford Aluminum Trucks

Recently saw a 2016 Ford Edge being towed behind a motor home that had come loose. Ford had a dealer installed Blue Ox hitch that had pulled the end off the Ford frame. The detached piece looked like 1/4 or 5/16 inch steel but the way it was torn, didn't appear to be steel. The safety chains kept it from coming completely free but there was over $6000 damage. Another rver who was following them said he saw nothing unusual about the way he was driving. Ford surely isn't making frames from aluminum, is it? Motor home and car were both new purchased at same time and Ford dealer assured the buyers that it was appropriate to be towed. Who pays? TBD.
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Old 11-15-2016, 06:48 PM   #7
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Re: Ford Aluminum Trucks

Watch the crash tests. I swear they look like beer cans buckling. The repairs are more costly that will affect insurance rates. One agent told me that the rates would not be as bad a expected. I think the Chevy commercial was not that practical. I decided away from Ford after five great vehicles,
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Old 11-15-2016, 07:23 PM   #8
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Re: Ford Aluminum Trucks

I bought a F150 in 2015, 1st year aluminum body. Towed a TT with it then turned it into a grocery getter. It went through 1 of 2 local car washes weekly and a few different ones on the road. Never a problem. Worked it w/o a bedliner and never a dent after 17 months when it was sold.
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Old 11-15-2016, 07:40 PM   #9
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Re: Ford Aluminum Trucks

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Originally Posted by Model A Driver View Post
Watch the crash tests. I swear they look like beer cans buckling. The repairs are more costly that will affect insurance rates. One agent told me that the rates would not be as bad a expected. I think the Chevy commercial was not that practical. I decided away from Ford after five great vehicles,
According to the technical articles I've read about the "crush zones" in the F150 and the aluminum being thicker than the steel it replaced, the aluminum is less prone to dings and dents, but provides just as much protection. If you've ever gone to U Tube and watched the "crash tests" (with and without the dummies onboard) in the slow motion studies, you can actually see the diamond shapes as the sheet metal deforms, absorbing crash energy. It's "designed into the sheet metal" that they react "like beercans" to absorb the energy of an impact. It's amazing how little deformity occurs to the passenger "cage" in most of the tests.

I don't know that there's much difference (good or bad) in the protection factor between steel body panels and aluminum body panels. Looking back, it's frightening how the fiberglass panels on the early Corvettes "turned to toothpicks" in a head on collision. I suppose any absorption of energy is a good thing so long as the passenger cage remains intact.
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