Engineering trick or are these aluminum beds that crappy?
#31
06-09-2016, 05:52 PM
Bedliner spray could not possibly prevent the damage shown. All the dents and holes would still be there. A thick corrugated drop-in bed liner probably would prevent most of that damage. A piece of plywood of at least 1/2" would too, except for the side walls. But you have to ask yourself; what kind of idiot would let somebody dump sharp-pointed stone or concrete shapes into the unprotected cargo box of a new expensive pickup truck?
#33
06-09-2016, 09:50 PM
Originally Posted by Frantz
Using a bare bed like that is not the designed use. You need a bedliner. If you disagree, then you would have to say that the 3.5 base motor is defective because it can't tow 12k. You're not buying a commuter car (well, some of you are). Options change what the tool does. Not using the right options and blaming the tool make you look silly.
#34
06-09-2016, 10:30 PM
This. My rule is if it takes machinery to load it'll take machinery of some type to unload, meaning whatever box you dump a pile of rocks/gravel/bricks into better have a dump feature on it because I have no interest in unloading it by hand. So as much as this is good exploitation on GMs part it also simply doesn't matter to a majority of new 1/2 ton truck buyers who will never carry anything more hazardous than a couple baby seats or a set of golf clubs.
#35
06-10-2016, 05:15 AM
Amazing to me that you guys think that test is considered abusive! What do you think happens on job sites and farms across the US!!!
Believe it or not having a tool box fall off the bed of a truck is not uncommon! I have had it happen to my SD. A 40 lb tool box on a bed rail happens all the time!
Believe it or not there are people that actually use their trucks as designed and sure as heck don't expect to have treat the box with kid gloves!
Also GM is not changing their beds to aluminum.
I don't have a problem with body panels being aluminum, but a bed is, was and always will be a terrible design! If Ford stays aluminum they better make the bed a heck a lot thicker!
Clever marketing! Rofl! Pretty sad when real world application is considered clever marketing.
Believe it or not having a tool box fall off the bed of a truck is not uncommon! I have had it happen to my SD. A 40 lb tool box on a bed rail happens all the time!
Believe it or not there are people that actually use their trucks as designed and sure as heck don't expect to have treat the box with kid gloves!
Also GM is not changing their beds to aluminum.
I don't have a problem with body panels being aluminum, but a bed is, was and always will be a terrible design! If Ford stays aluminum they better make the bed a heck a lot thicker!
Clever marketing! Rofl! Pretty sad when real world application is considered clever marketing.
#36
06-10-2016, 05:34 AM
Mountain Pass
#37
06-10-2016, 10:07 AM
I wonder how many Ford trucks GM had to buy before they found this "weakness"? 
And seriously has anyone actually dumped a load of anything of significant size in the bed of their truck????? I don't care what the beds made out if it's going to get damaged, that's what hevy dump beds are for....
And seriously has anyone actually dumped a load of anything of significant size in the bed of their truck????? I don't care what the beds made out if it's going to get damaged, that's what hevy dump beds are for....
#38
06-10-2016, 12:10 PM
I have to say I'm in the group who agree's with this point made. I would never treat my 2011 F-150 that way, but I do have a 1991 F-250 with a spray in bed liner AND rubber bed mat that I would have no issue doing this with, and have in the past. Hauled loads of rock in exceeding the limits of the truck without issue.
#39
06-10-2016, 02:14 PM
I can almost guarantee that the bed is not made of 5000 series aluminum.
First off, 5000 series aluminum is work hardenable. What this means is that via the rolling/stamping process of making a truck bed, the aluminum would become brittle. Stronger, yes, but brittle.
5000 series aluminum is also not easily heat treated, which is done to these aluminum beds after they're formed to relive internal stresses caused by the forming process.
Also, according to this article published on a Ford dealer website, Ford used primarily 6000 series aluminum.
Why The Aluminum F-150 Is Stronger Than Steel | 2015 F-150 | Muzi Ford Boston MA
First off, 5000 series aluminum is work hardenable. What this means is that via the rolling/stamping process of making a truck bed, the aluminum would become brittle. Stronger, yes, but brittle.
5000 series aluminum is also not easily heat treated, which is done to these aluminum beds after they're formed to relive internal stresses caused by the forming process.
Also, according to this article published on a Ford dealer website, Ford used primarily 6000 series aluminum.
Why The Aluminum F-150 Is Stronger Than Steel | 2015 F-150 | Muzi Ford Boston MA
Maybe the aluminum isn't very thick in the bed... But how many people really drop that many concrete blocks in a truck like that? Ford won't disclose what alloy they are using in the trucks...and probably won't if you have to weld a hole in it or weld stuff to the bed. If I had to guess, it's 5000 series Aluminum Alloy.
#40
06-10-2016, 02:17 PM
meaning whatever box you dump a pile of rocks/gravel/bricks into better have a dump feature on it because I have no interest in unloading it by hand.
#42
06-10-2016, 05:52 PM
Maybe it was a really thick toolbox?
I generally take commercials at face value. If they fudged the test, which would be easily proven, they would lose far more than they ever made in the ensuing legal action. Combine that with the bad PR that comes with it and you have quite a risk that I don't think any sane advertiser would take.
I generally take commercials at face value. If they fudged the test, which would be easily proven, they would lose far more than they ever made in the ensuing legal action. Combine that with the bad PR that comes with it and you have quite a risk that I don't think any sane advertiser would take.
#43
06-10-2016, 08:06 PM
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Oops, I missed while reading....13 out 14 resulted in holes in the F150.
#45
06-10-2016, 09:13 PM