'galvanic corrosion' developing where the aluminum cab & bed attach to the steel frame could be a real concern.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion

This could be a serious problem especially for those driving in the snow (salt) belt.

Hopefully Ford has done due diligence.

 

Welcome to FTE!

I'm pretty certain that Ford has taken this into consideration and will likely insulate the metals from each other.

 

I too have faith that Ford has addressed this potential issue.

It is a complicated problem. Let's say you place a nice thick piece of plastic with a bolt hole in it between the aluminum bed and the steel frame. Now, most likely, you use a steel bolt and nut to secure the the two. You would have to insulate the area of the bed where the bolt head contacts the bed and insulate the bolt hole in the bed. As I said, complicated.

 

Use dielectric strips between the dissimilar metals and sleeve the fasteners, just like we do on ships.

 

Sounds like a plan. Hopefully Ford has the same plan

 

Here maybe this video will help relax you a bit. Not quite sure what there full plan to battle this issue is though. However the cab will be fine as it is cushioned by rubber mounts that separate it from the frame.

 

Working in autobody for 27 years, I've been seeing increasing use of aluminum in most vehicles. Galvanic reaction is something that has been dealt with for years with various types of barriers, such as thread coatings for bolts (like with aluminum hoods and steel bolts), gasket and plastic washers, as well as paint materials. The problem isn't in the manufacturing process, it's at the repair shop level, where some ill trained technicians don't repair the vehicles properly.

 

I totally agree with this statement.

 

And I agree with pared.

 

So I was talking to a Ford sales rep last weekend at the Pittsburgh auto show. He said that Ford is claiming that this aluminum body will last at least 3 times longer then the current steel bodied trucks we are use to.

 

Stainless hardware goes a LONG ways to prevent corrosion.

 

Believe it or not, stainless bolts can still gall in aluminum.

 

If even I, as a total metallurgical ignoramus, know enough to not let aluminum contact steel for use in a truck - hey, this is not an issue. Move on, nothing to see here. I'll meet y'all in the food court.

 

This sounds about right to me. I think repairs will need to be pretty meticulous, but to be honest, repairs are getting more and more specialized anyway.

Can't wait to see and drive one of these.