Military grade aluminum LOL

"Military grade aluminum"??
Methinks that is probably similar to the "Fine Corinthian leather" that used to be advertised.
That is to say, it is an advertising gimmick that does not really exist.

Then there is the famous "Aircraft grade" aluminum. Do they really expect us to believe that the item is made of FAA-PMA certified aluminum? That FAA certification is the only thing that defines aluminum as "aircraft grade". It is the same alloy that is used in other applications.
Yes, I do know a little about aluminum. During my working career I worked in an aluminum smelter, I worked in aircraft manufacturing using various aluminum alloys from 1100 aluminum to 7075-T6-511, and I held an A&P license, doing mostly airframe work.
When aluminum gets stretched and work hardened, it is very difficult to push back into shape, weld the damage, and grind it smooth so it can be refinished. Cutting out the damage and patching it would be much better and easier. Again, welding and grinding would be required (I don't think anybody would want a riveted doubler and patch in their vehicle, as an aircraft would be repaired).
It just might be better to replace the entire assembly, and scrap the damaged part.
I think I'll just keep my old Dodge...

Since last year it has been stated that the Superduty is getting a heavier bed than the F150. They've done plenty of testing, so we'll see how it does in real life verse a choreographed commercial for another brand.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2015/11/ford-tests-2017-ford-super-duty-bed.html

http://www.trucktrend.com/news/1509-2017-ford-f-series-super-duty-first-look/

As far as using a truck for work: I think some people have a difficult time discerning between use and abuse.

1jeep wrote:
part of the reason I bought a 2016 super duty, im just not sold on having an alum truck, not that I plan to drop cinder blocks into the bed.

I agree. Going to look at one tomorrow.

People who drop rocks like that in the bed are too stupid to drive on the road.

Before LineX or plastic bed liners, people used a 1/2" sheet of plywood on the bed to protect it.

Commercials are for idiots anyway. Nobody but stupid people buy a truck because of one commercial. But then, there are a lot of stupid people in the world.

The tool box drop was real-world and I can see that happening. I didn't expect to see a hole punched.

There is good news here, the new battle ground looks to be steel versus aluminium, that means the horsepower/torque wars are over.

jody h wrote:

mich800 wrote:

Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:

jtallon wrote:
Military grade aluminum?

"We get more dents before 9am than most trucks get all day!". :)

That said, I bought my trucks for payload for rving, to haul bikes and lawnmowers, bags of landscaping rock and garden soil, camping gear, and firewood. Aluminum would work fine for me. I'm a weekender guy, not a contractor.

You never buy rock by the bulk? Same with fire wood, I pick up a half cord ever spring and it gets chucked in the bed of the turck. No need to lightly set it in worring if I'm going to knock a hole in the bed.

Again Ford needs to rethink what material they are making their beds out of. Thos is not an opinion it is a fact.

Don

Lets be realistic, as impressive as no damage from mulch is try that with landscape blocks that would normally be loaded via pallet. You cannot honestly think throwing some firewood in the bed of the Ford is going to do great damage? Even GM admitted yes they got punctures in the same tests.

Maybe not fire wood but drop your toolbox empty might l say and ford get a hole.Im sorry but that's bad.

Did you read the article GM said it put holes in their bed also

Most 150 or 2500 owners buy a car with a big trunk. They never haul anything in the back. If they do they put old rug, blankets or cardboard down to protect the bed. Go to Lowes or Home Depot some Saturday and watch the fun.
I had a neighbor who owned a brand new 150 ask to borrow my 2500. When I asked him why he said he was getting a new stove and needed to pick it up at Lowes. I asked what was wrong whit his PU. He was shocked and said "I don't haul anything in my truck, I don't want to scratch it up."
Needless to say after I stopped laughing I turn him down. He had the stove delivered.

Denny & Jami wrote:
That's a stupid test,nobody in their right mind would do that to any truck. I used trucks for work for years and would never load something that way.

I own a F350 SD and a F150 and the F150 is a car truck when compared to F350.

Denny

Yep! That's what I said in the other thread. Stuff only gets loaded like that in a dump truck. Anyone that loads like that deserves what they get! A bedliner will protect some from that kind of damage, but any person with half a brain would never dump a load of bricks into any pickup truck bed. And when you are buying bricks, they are to use for building purposes and you don't want them damaged!

alexleblanc wrote:
You can always find ways to make every brand look bad, just adjust the "test" to suit your strength and their weakness. In all fairness every contractor I know has:
1. Spray in bedliner
2. drop in bedliner
3. a bed mat
4. a piece or plywood

Treating a truck bed like the one from a commercial dump truck will destroy every brand, not jus the aluminum ford beds.

This test is a loser, I give it very little merit because of that.

Some of it isn't realistic but it does bring up some valid considerations. I personally think the F150 is the best half ton by a wide margin compared to the current crop of competitors, but this would certainly give me something to think about. I wouldn't not buy an F150 because of this but I'd sure invest in a bed mat.

The interesting implication here is whether this same issue applies in the new Super Duty, which I believe is also aluminium. It stands to reason that a typical Super Duty is going to take more abuse than a typical F150 so it could be a bigger deal in that application.

The toolbox hole did make the bed look pretty flimsy.

mich800 wrote:

Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:

jtallon wrote:
Military grade aluminum?

"We get more dents before 9am than most trucks get all day!". :)

That said, I bought my trucks for payload for rving, to haul bikes and lawnmowers, bags of landscaping rock and garden soil, camping gear, and firewood. Aluminum would work fine for me. I'm a weekender guy, not a contractor.

You never buy rock by the bulk? Same with fire wood, I pick up a half cord ever spring and it gets chucked in the bed of the turck. No need to lightly set it in worring if I'm going to knock a hole in the bed.

Again Ford needs to rethink what material they are making their beds out of. Thos is not an opinion it is a fact.

Don

Lets be realistic, as impressive as no damage from mulch is try that with landscape blocks that would normally be loaded via pallet. You cannot honestly think throwing some firewood in the bed of the Ford is going to do great damage? Even GM admitted yes they got punctures in the same tests.

Maybe not fire wood but drop your toolbox empty might l say and ford get a hole.Im sorry but that's bad.