2017 Ford Super Duty Review: First Drive

Threebigfords wrote:
"As far as flex goes. You don't need any or want any. That's right, NONE. You want your suspension to work and not the frame."

That's fine if you have the suspension travel of a trophy truck. Stock trucks do not. Boxed frames are better for light duty trucks.

So your saying that all the C channel framed semi truck manufacturers are doing it all wrong? Watch a semi taking off with a load, frame twists due to the torque, and tires stay on the ground so you can steer and get traction. Good luck building a suspension that will carry that weight and travel enough to accommodate a ZERO flex frame.

#1. I don't jump my RV tow vehicle. So a ridged frame works better. If I did jump my TV or have a rock crawler I would want a ridged frame and have the suspension work and not the frame.

#2. No, I'm not saying semi's are doing it all wrong. They are just getting by with what they have to work with. They use C frames for many, many reasons. Cost, ease of adding stuff on the frame itself, weight and many, many, many more reasons. Are you saying Ford is going backwards with a more ridged frame? :R

#3. I have never lifted the tires off of the ground because of torque on my TV and hope I never do. And I never had problems steering problems with a ridged frame either.

#4. My suspension carries my load just fine with more than enough suspension travel without a flexie frame.


Ford saw the error of their ways and fixed the problem. Good for them because people were getting tired of the $2,000 radiator problems!