Aluminum body on F150

down home wrote:
I've been considering a new Pick Up.
One area of concern is strength of the body. I've had pieces of road gator fly up and put minor dent in rear quarter panels, if aluminum they would have been worse and you couldn't just pop them out. Around here we've hauled brush and small trees out of the cove and around the edge, and sizable paving stones and rocks, hay and straw. The 05 F150 has 182,000 miles on it one day last week and runs smooth. I have a few things to address as with any 11 year old truck such a bit of touch up and rhino the bed. She is as bout a dependable thing I've ever had in my life. So I'm keeping her but need another.
So I want to hear about anything that has happened to the F150. I hope they made the seat bottoms longer and softer and shaped?

Here's a Ford commercial that does a good job showing the differences.
VIDEO

I've been considering a new Pick Up.
One area of concern is strength of the body. I've had pieces of road gator fly up and put minor dent in rear quarter panels, if aluminum they would have been worse and you couldn't just pop them out. Around here we've hauled brush and small trees out of the cove and around the edge, and sizable paving stones and rocks, hay and straw. The 05 F150 has 182,000 miles on it one day last week and runs smooth. I have a few things to address as with any 11 year old truck such a bit of touch up and rhino the bed. She is as bout a dependable thing I've ever had in my life. So I'm keeping her but need another.
So I want to hear about anything that has happened to the F150. I hope they made the seat bottoms longer and softer and shaped?

This is of which I mean 'Fashion Statement Crowd'... :R

Notice they are parked in a handicap spot

HummerFashionStatement

Fordlover wrote:

BenK wrote:

Anyone know why only on the half ton and not on the bigger trucks, like
the +8.5K GVWR's ? Because most MPG mandated goals are for vehicles
below that GVWR...because they are considered 'cars'...not 'trucks'

That's because back when the Govt. set the 8,500 GVWR threshold, people didn't buy 10,000 GVWR trucks as fashion statements. Hell, people didn't buy 1/2 tons as fashion statements either. Needless to say, times have changed, now Hummers and 3500's are commonplace in the valet parking.

Some of this you can thank the IRS for. It became popular to purchase/lease the pimped out Hummers and bigger trucks because you could write off the amount easily as a business deduction. Over a certain GVW and you can deduct the entire amount in one year.

Fashion statement crowd....Buddies who are real cowboys call them Drug Store Cowboys

Who stuff their jeans inside the boot tops so folks will know they
are wearing cowboy boots... :R

It is becoming 'acceptable' for gals to do that...much like 20's are
now 'acceptable' on pickups for the non-low rider crowd... :S

Fordlover wrote:

BenK wrote:

Anyone know why only on the half ton and not on the bigger trucks, like
the +8.5K GVWR's ? Because most MPG mandated goals are for vehicles
below that GVWR...because they are considered 'cars'...not 'trucks'

That's because back when the Govt. set the 8,500 GVWR threshold, people didn't buy 10,000 GVWR trucks as fashion statements. Hell, people didn't buy 1/2 tons as fashion statements either. Needless to say, times have changed, now Hummers and 3500's are commonplace in the valet parking.

BenK wrote:

Anyone know why only on the half ton and not on the bigger trucks, like
the +8.5K GVWR's ? Because most MPG mandated goals are for vehicles
below that GVWR...because they are considered 'cars'...not 'trucks'

That's because back when the Govt. set the 8,500 GVWR threshold, people didn't buy 10,000 GVWR trucks as fashion statements. Hell, people didn't buy 1/2 tons as fashion statements either. Needless to say, times have changed, now Hummers and 3500's are commonplace in the valet parking.

Likes to tow wrote:
I'm skeptical of new things. Engineers and marketing experts sometimes make mistakes. I suppose the Ford 6.0 diesel being such a problem makes me this way. It chased me away from Ford trucks when I required diesel power. It's obvious that by taking weight off you can go with smaller engines. The CAFE and EPA regulations require the automotive industry to make drastic design changes in their line.

Aluminum makes this possible. However I overheard a conversation yesterday that makes me wonder about this latest gamble by Ford. A guy was telling his friend that the present CEO of Ford is a previous CEO from ALCOA Aluminum and this accounts for the push to aluminum. Also I heard in the conversation about all the expense and proceedures that reputable body shops must go through to be endorsed by insurance companies. Has anyone purchased insurance yet on these new trucks?? Some of the guys I talk to are already looking at the 2014 models so they can get the "last of the good ones."

When these trucks have been around about 5 years and have a track record that I can verify then and only then will I laydown the cash.

Close, but no cigar. The previous CEO of Ford (Alan Mulally) was the previous CEO of Boeing, which used a bunch of aluminum to make their products, airplanes.

Neither Mulally nor Mark Fields has ever been closely aligned with Alcoa. Not that it would matter if either had been. Whomever you overheard was was wrong.

I really don't give a rats butt what its made out of as long as it pulls my TT to the campsite and back home

Galvanic corrosion can't possibly be a issue ,various yacht builders and navies have had this figured out since Defender

Over time...I've learned to accept many, but it will take much time for me...I even like cup holders....except for any on the dash...tosses
its contents into the dash instruments when stopping HARD or accident...

As for my employees learning on the job...I'm known for that, but these
guys were not truthful and lost $$$$ on that contract (military)
because of them

I understand to allow my staff to learn on the job makes them a better
employee, but not in that circumstance

Don't mix unibody with ladder frame. There is a difference. Ditto mixing
it up with Semi's...there is a difference

Still don't think a good idea for any pickup bed...even grocery getter's
Maybe if they put a Tonneaus cover where it would be difficult to
use it as a pickup

Might see some similarity with the steel stub frames on unibody's for
the engine, but that is just 'close'. Is it close enough? Don't know...yet

Not even a good guinea pig test, as galvanic action takes more time
than the normal 1st ownership period. Wonder how many folks actually
drive golf balls into their beds...ditto hockey puks...

Anyone know why only on the half ton and not on the bigger trucks, like
the +8.5K GVWR's ? Because most MPG mandated goals are for vehicles
below that GVWR...because they are considered 'cars'...not 'trucks'