Ford Aluminum Body

valhalla360 wrote:

wilber1 wrote:
Pure aluminum is quite corrosion resistant but alloys aren't. Alloy manufacturers often put a thin layer of pure aluminum on top of the alloy for corrosion resistance, called Alclad. Even so, float planes in salt water are a continuous battle against corrosion. Still, more manufacturers will be using more aluminum. Land Rover has been using it for bodies since the forties, believe it or not because there was a steel shortage in post war Britain and they have been using aluminum ever since.

Do you really think they haven't thought of this? The F150 is thier flagship model that brings in the bulk of company profits. They aren't going to risk having to replace several million truck beds if they all fail in 5yrs. Aluminum is not a new material.

Also, "pure" aluminum is virtually unknown for most uses. Just about any time you hear aluminum it's an alloy. Corrosion resistance is one of the key advantages of the switch, right after weight savings.

I wasn't advocating not using aluminum in vehicle bodies, Ford isn't alone in using aluminum, and more will follow. I mentioned, Land Rover has been using them from the get go and newer Jaguars are aluminum bodied. I was just pointing out that aluminum has its own corrosion issues.