Beer can pickups

jtallon wrote:
I'm not much in the habit of defending Ford around here, given that we have the Dearborn Irregulars for that...

...but I'd worry a lot less about some dings and divots in my bed if they didn't mean the almost immediate start of rust spots. I'd take the aluminum in my truck.

Actually most aluminum alloys corrode quite rapidly. If it wasn't for all the corrosion problems with aluminum aircraft I would'nt make the money to buy the camping toys. Out of all the maintenance actions I'm involved in corrosion is probably the most costly.

Working at one of the plants that supplies aluminum to both Ford and GM I'd just like to comment that GM's flagship Cadillac line is going to have an all aluminum body coming up.

As far as this puncture test goes, it is absolutely true that aluminum is more brittle and subject to tearing, it is also less prone to dents. I would suggest that if you plan on owning a Ford with an aluminum bed and you plan on dumping **** into your bed that you spend some money on a bed liner, or better yet a dump truck.

Flashman wrote:


Rust? - not in Tucson.

True. I suppose in Tuscon you're better off choosing a truck with the higher melting point, rather than corrosion resistance.

But up here where it rains and snows, rust never sleeps. It's like old age. Some resist longer than others, but it claims everyone in the end.

Whoever is trying to bring you down is already below you.

Retired JSO wrote:
I hope Ford gets their act together. A friend of mine had his new f150 smacked in the bed. Body shop tried to repair it but instead, ordered a new bed. Took from January 18 to March 9th to have a bed shipped to Jacksonville. That way too long for such a major part.

Sounds like they either weren't familiar with aluminum repair or had to wait because it's a brand new product! The same would happen with any manuf with a brand new 1st year product aluminum or steel!

So, am I to assume that GM owners don't know how to load a load of bricks into a pickup?! And GM is keeping the steel bed for the half witted mouth breathers that say " hey joe bob, just dump that load into my new pickup!" Anyone that would do that deserves to have there license (any type) taken away! Not to mention the fact what contractor worth anything would be using a 1/2 ton for HD work. More than likely every single one of those actors will never put anything more than a couple bags of manure in the bed. An who puts a tool box on the edge of their bedside?!

Ford is moving ahead while GM is hanging by its own noose!

I hope Ford gets their act together. A friend of mine had his new f150 smacked in the bed. Body shop tried to repair it but instead, ordered a new bed. Took from January 18 to March 9th to have a bed shipped to Jacksonville. That way too long for such a major part.

K Charles wrote:
I guess I better not drop the Chevy special 17-pound wedge into the bed of my ford pickup.

Or any thing else heavy and edged.

After the aluminum Ford got the highest rating in the front crash test and Chevy got a lower rating, they had to come up with something to try to save face.