Ford’s Aluminum truck body

[Mitch]

So doing some underneath observations i see they have put thick pads up inside the bed panels to prevent the thin aluminum from oil canning / noises. These pads are all over the entire truck. There is also a rubber air block between the cab and the bed to prevent the wind from most likely oil canning the front bed panel. In front of and behind, the front tires are metal horns which go to nothing. These are probably to help the sides from caving in on an impact. The entire floor is also aluminum including the support structures.

[Big hammer]

I get it, Aluminum, but don’t
When was the first year they started with the rustless bodies so I can stay away from buying one !
Aluminum and road salt are worse than steel and road salt ! IMO

[BNCHIEF]

You can thank the epa gm is going to more plastic all to meet epa fuel standards I have a 2012 steel truck and would not buy one not surprised at what you saw but then they also have to remove the cab to work on their diesels. The prices are ridiculous.

[Tom Wesenberg]

You can thank the epa gm is going to more plastic all to meet epa fuel standards I have a 2012 steel truck and would not buy one not surprised at what you saw but then they also have to remove the cab to work on their diesels. The prices are ridiculous.

Better off to do like I did in the 80's..............buy a Diesel Rabbit car and use it like a pickup.

[Big-Foot]

According to what I read on the Ford Trucks forum as posted by a body tech, the pads are sound dampers and meant to make the truck more quiet. The ones between the box and cab have been there even on the earlier steel trucks to stop wind noise.

[Mitch]

Yes the pads prevent the flexing of the aluminum

[BNCHIEF]

Mitch remember how bad the dodge bodies were how thin. like say in the late 60's and early 70's.

[Mitch]

Yes don’t lean on them

[BNCHIEF]

Considering how thin the metal is on all these vehicles to day I am sure others use them as well vhb tape is now used to make repairs versus welding because the metal is so thin. All of this has to do with weight and fuel mileage as dictated by the epa. One of the problems is the epa does not seem to understand that trucks are meant for work.

[Mitch]

Well my 15 Sierra does not have any tampons stuck all over the body and they are meeting the fuel requirements..I’ll be getting a 2019 HD when thay come out.
All redesigned body style

[BNCHIEF]

Your 15 won't anymore than my 12 does, I do not know did ford go all aluminum on the bigger trucks f-250 and up? The fuel mileage requirements I would think would be different on 1/2 ton versus diesel powered trucks like you have. I would not buy a ford with a diesel pulling the cab to work on it is crazy.

[Big-Foot]

When was the last time you flew on a steel airplane?

If you want to learn something about the Ford trucks and use of alloy in them ,you should read this article -
https://blog.caranddriver.com/in-dep...d-perspective/

As far as I am aware, all the Ford F Series trucks are alloy body now.
It is actually stronger than steel in many ways and you don’t have to worry about leaning on them etc. anymore than you would a steel body truck.
GM has been shown/proven to have done a setup against the Ford aluminum bed with the toolbox thing. These trucks are proving their metal (no pun intended) every day as they continue to outsell ALL American made vehicles...

Talk to the guys in the shops about the cab-off repairs and you’ll find that they save a significant amount of time with literally no damage to the cab/clip in the process. Ever lift a diesel cylinder head over a fender, then strain your back trying to set it down on the block without effing up the head-gasket? I have. No fun at all. Much safer for the truck and the mechanic to spend less than the hour it takes to lift the cab.

[BNCHIEF]

Big foot I have read that article and I have ridden in the new ford trucks, Pulling a cab I am thinking about the cost of labor, which is why I do not own one. My personal opinion is unless you are going to put a lot of miles on I do not see a diesel myself. The company I worked for ran a lot of gmc diesels and they were quite good, injectors were another story seems to me the cummins diesel would be the best truck engine. I hear the new ford diesels are quite good but I do not know this. Mitch probably gets a chance to look at several makes and models, Me I am happy with my Fords and am not looking to buy anything new.

[Mitch]

I can pull up articles for and against aluminum all day long. My personal preference is good ole steel and most of the body shops i talk to agree. I worked in Ford dealers for over 15 years working on any part of a vehicle. I did mostly automatics because that was where the flat rate money was at. I was always a Ford man, but when it comes to diesels you can't beat the Duramax / Allison combination. They had the same platform for how many years now??ONE . How many different platforms has Ford had on their diesels in that same amount of time? LOST COUNT.How did the 6.0 work out? They should have built a tilt cab around that. youzza.. At this point in time for me to go with a diesel truck other than a GM it's not going to happen. When the time comes that i have to drive a coke can i'll worry about that then.

I am not trying to pick on anyone's preference or what one drives and loves. I am just stating my personal opinion

[BNCHIEF]

Many trucks run an allison transmission and yes ford has done a lot of different diesel platforms, but chevrolet tried to turn their first diesel out from a 350 gas motor it was a disaster, their first 454 gas motors were gas drinking oil burning boat anchors. They have all had good and bad, I mentioned cummins because in large trucks a straight six diesel has always been best no v8 diesel in a large truck has ever worked out. I too prefer steel over aluminum which is why I will not be buying new vehicles, but then I do not need one either. I have seen Mitch's truck it is a nice truck and when I go to buy a truck I go talk to a trusted mechanic first as I did before I bought my 2012 with eco-boost motor. On the other hand my daughter-in-law has a chevy equinox to date there have been 5 recalls on this car and only two fixed because there are no parts so she has been told. There is good and bad with all of them. Toyota's seem to hold value better than any of them altho I am not a toyota guy.

[Mitch]

Again this is my opinion!!!!!

Equinox are junk, they end up burning oil and the timing chains start rattling. Ya cant beat a Japanese made car.. Kia and Hyundai are also good. I work on modern cars day in and day out in the trenches. Yes the old GM dinosaur diesels were junk.

[BNCHIEF]

I can't disagree with you at all about japanese cars I worked on all brands of japanese motorcycles they are better as well, You would know you work on them and that is why I always talked to my friend at the local ford dealer he would tell me what is good and what to stay away from. I had a chevy s-10 had the little v-6 motor in it it was a great little truck. I have not driven any of the newer super duty fords, but I have the gmc 's because that is what the company I worked for bought and they always seemed pretty solid to me. I do not need a diesel because I would never use it enough but GM has got their combination perfected. I heard of a guy recently who has a Volvo class 8 truck it has an automatic transmission he stated it was averaging 11mpg do not know what he is hauling and he claims he has no issues in the mountains. The military has gone also to nothing but automatics. It is your opinion what you buy because you have worked on them and it is your money. Price wise they are all crazy I remember when you could buy a new pick-up for half what a car would cost. They say that they all make a lot more money on trucks than cars. I did look up the 2019 gmc trucks they look pretty nice. They also are bringing back the ranger, too me ford and gm have both lost the concept of a small truck, the old datsun's were good as well.

[George Miller]

As a machinist I have worked with lots of steel and alum. I will take the steel any day. The salt is going to eat the alum unless they have some kind of Finnish on it. Plus alum is going to oil can and bend very easy.

[BNCHIEF]

That is true george which is why I would not buy an aluminum car trailer, they look great when they are new. Steel will rust out quickly if you do not keep the salt washed off of them, you do not deal with that there but Mitch sees plenty of it. Class 8 truck cabs have been all aluminum for many years now and stand up quite well probably has a lot to do with how high up from the road they sit. The only body shop guys familiar with aluminum would be the guys in the big truck shops. I will have to ask my friend about the new aluminum fords and what he thinks since he sees them but he told me he has no desire to work at the other end of the shop on anything bigger than the f-150.

[Big-Foot]

If all you want is steel bodied full size trucks - I suggest you buy them now as they’ll be a thing of the past very soon. Aluminum and composits will be replacing them in a weight reduction effort as well as relief for corrosion rust-through warranty issues.
Ford, et al, has been using aluminum body panels for many years. My 2005 Mustang GT was caught out in a summer hail storm. The hood (aluminum) was fine and had zero damage. The PDR guy spent almost a full day on the roof though. Roof was steel. According to him, that was pretty common.

[George Miller]

I will keep my steel truck

[BNCHIEF]

Considering the thickness of sheet metal on vehicles I am not surprised, they are all going to have to go to lighter vehicles, and with the amount of trucks sold they will have to get the weight down to get the mileage up to meet cafe numbers. It is downright stupid considering they could go to natural gas, trucks are for work especially 3/4 ton. This is exactly why I still have my 85 f-350 and it is not going anywhere, but when it does there is a 12,00 pound tractor or a gooseneck trailer behind it. You are right Gm is working on composite parts for future models as I am sure that the others are as well and not by choice.My first pickup in 1976 was 4000 my last one was 40000 in 2012 actually nowadays cars are a bargain compared to trucks.

[Mitch]

GM is using a high strength, formed rolled steel which is lightweight. I have not heard of any plans to change up what they are using so for me i’ll cross that bridge when it happens. In the meantime i’ll Stick with the power train platform and the steel truck.

http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/chev...silverado.html

[BNCHIEF]

Why is this steel lighter Mitch and what gauge is it. Does it differ from what your present truck has, Ford claims the aluminum has shaved 1200 lbs off their trucks. I built a steel frame trailer for a reason I could have built an all aluminum but did not, it would I think take a very long time to offset the cost in fuel savings at least for me. It does not matter since I do not plan on taking out new payments on anything. But the steel difference is interesting.