Forum Discussion
ksss wrote:
Bird Freak wrote:
WyoTraveler wrote:
if you are waiting to see how they hold up just look at the older class 8 road tractors. When I was in trucking in the 70's and 80's all of our trucks had aluminum cabs and some frames. Never saw one to this day just fall a part or deteriorate like steel and they see more salt and abuse than our little trucks will ever see.
I still wonder how aluminum will hold up. Corrosion, accidents etc. If I recall several years ago another industry went aluminum. Wiring in mobile homes. Lots of mobile homes burned down until they got it right. Aluminum won't rust but have you ever seen aluminum skirting on mobile homes in the AZ desert? It just disappears where it comes close to certain soils. Deteriates faster than rusted steel. Like to see the chassis in 5 years. Take a look at some of the first horse trails built with aluminum. Falling apart. A PU gets used off road where these harsh dirts etc. get up underneath. Not like a Corvet driving down highways. Maybe that is GMs plan. Wait and see. I only buy Fords but I'll wait and watch.
Cracked frames was a common problem with aluminum frames in over the road trucks. Aluminum has a place but it is not in frames, at least not on vehicles that work for a living.
So all those aluminum trailers we see are just one good bump away from breaking in half?
http://www.fontainetrailer.com/revolution_aluminum_flatbed_trailer.htmlthomasmnile wrote:
ksss wrote:
You may want to catch up on current events. Market share is increasing and they are currently putting the wood to Ford in sales.
Um,I do. Read the automotive news in the Detroit Free Press online, probably as good a source of industry news as any. Ford running three shifts at their F-150 plants to meet consumer demand doesn't sound like teetering on the edge of financial ruin to me.........
And, end of the day no fanboy here, just glad to see an American automotive manufacturer doing well, don't care whose name is on the hood.
Um, I did not say they were on the brink of financial ruin. However GM's PU marketshare is increasing and they are currently selling more pickups than FORD. That's what I am saying.Bird Freak wrote:
WyoTraveler wrote:
if you are waiting to see how they hold up just look at the older class 8 road tractors. When I was in trucking in the 70's and 80's all of our trucks had aluminum cabs and some frames. Never saw one to this day just fall a part or deteriorate like steel and they see more salt and abuse than our little trucks will ever see.
I still wonder how aluminum will hold up. Corrosion, accidents etc. If I recall several years ago another industry went aluminum. Wiring in mobile homes. Lots of mobile homes burned down until they got it right. Aluminum won't rust but have you ever seen aluminum skirting on mobile homes in the AZ desert? It just disappears where it comes close to certain soils. Deteriates faster than rusted steel. Like to see the chassis in 5 years. Take a look at some of the first horse trails built with aluminum. Falling apart. A PU gets used off road where these harsh dirts etc. get up underneath. Not like a Corvet driving down highways. Maybe that is GMs plan. Wait and see. I only buy Fords but I'll wait and watch.
Cracked frames was a common problem with aluminum frames in over the road trucks. Aluminum has a place but it is not in frames, at least not on vehicles that work for a living.- It sounds like GM is talking out of both sides of it mouth. If aluminum is so inferior why did they switch the corvette frame and use it for engines, panels, hoods among other things.
Even more funny on a RV forum where a large percent of the trailers use aluminum siding.
I like GM but this is just poor marketing on their part. DirtyOil wrote:
hone eagle wrote:
DirtyOil wrote:
Ford says they use "Military Grade Aluminum"... what grade is it that they use?
6061 T6 I believe , most common in marine applications.
What I should nave asked was, what is military grade aluminum? I guess I would be fooling myself thinking truck buyers wouldn't fall for Ford's advertising sans "Military", or perhaps they're relying on the "Military Grade" actually meaning quality?
No such thing as "Military Grade", Military Spec yes.
exactly - just marketing using catchy words
6061 T6 is as far from 'beer can' as paper and steel.ksss wrote:
You may want to catch up on current events. Market share is increasing and they are currently putting the wood to Ford in sales.
Um,I do. Read the automotive news in the Detroit Free Press online, probably as good a source of industry news as any. Ford running three shifts at their F-150 plants to meet consumer demand doesn't sound like teetering on the edge of financial ruin to me.........
And, end of the day no fanboy here, just glad to see an American automotive manufacturer doing well, don't care whose name is on the hood.hone eagle wrote:
DirtyOil wrote:
Ford says they use "Military Grade Aluminum"... what grade is it that they use?
6061 T6 I believe , most common in marine applications.
What I should nave asked was, what is military grade aluminum? I guess I would be fooling myself thinking truck buyers wouldn't fall for Ford's advertising sans "Military", or perhaps they're relying on the "Military Grade" actually meaning quality?
No such thing as "Military Grade", Military Spec yes.WyoTraveler wrote:
if you are waiting to see how they hold up just look at the older class 8 road tractors. When I was in trucking in the 70's and 80's all of our trucks had aluminum cabs and some frames. Never saw one to this day just fall a part or deteriorate like steel and they see more salt and abuse than our little trucks will ever see.
I still wonder how aluminum will hold up. Corrosion, accidents etc. If I recall several years ago another industry went aluminum. Wiring in mobile homes. Lots of mobile homes burned down until they got it right. Aluminum won't rust but have you ever seen aluminum skirting on mobile homes in the AZ desert? It just disappears where it comes close to certain soils. Deteriates faster than rusted steel. Like to see the chassis in 5 years. Take a look at some of the first horse trails built with aluminum. Falling apart. A PU gets used off road where these harsh dirts etc. get up underneath. Not like a Corvet driving down highways. Maybe that is GMs plan. Wait and see. I only buy Fords but I'll wait and watch.- So, if I understand this correctly GM isn't saying that aluminum is any less durable than steel. In fact, they say NOTHING about the quality and dependability of the aluminum. They are relying on uneducated people making a snap decision based upon zero information.
Now that I think about it... that pretty much captures the brand loyal truck buyer. They don't know anything about the competition and are diehard loyalists based upon feelings.
Its actually a genius commercial for American truck buyers... Cummins12V98 wrote:
In fact my 11 RAM Dually had a very high trade in value. Paid $51,560 and was given 38K with 65K on the clock. So owning my truck for 3.5 years and drove it for 65K and it only cost me 13K+ ain't too shabby.
You put a big smile on my face after I read your post. I sold my 10 year old F250 6.0 PSD with 110K+ miles for $13k less than original purchase price even after tax and license fees (it was not financed). I understand you got a larger percentage back of your purchase than I did (I'm not knocking your resale), but my cost of ownership made this worthwhile purchase for me.
Sorry for the derailment and back to the topic of Alcoa based trucks: Isn't GM insulting their own customers by trying to highlight the inferiority of aluminum over steel cages in their commercial? I've seen plenty of aluminum structures that would prevent the bear from getting to them yet weigh much less than their steel counterpart - Isn't that the real point?
