So, how many new SD's will be ordered with the new exciting unpainted option? We're talking body panels here and unless I'm mistaken, they are all painted.

 

Rodney - Right... Although the undersides typically are not painted - the side you don't see but gets exposed to the elements... So as long as the corrosion proofing is done no problems. Just like the steel stuff. BTW, don't rust proof and steel panel and paint it - it rusts from underneath the paint... That I have personal experience from bad body shop work with too. I am waited to see how the aluminum stands up to actual use and if the anti-corrosion formula Ford is using works. A coating, no matter how well it is applied can still pit and crack especially if the panel is flexed. Extreme temp changes can exacerbate the problem too.

The body panels on a NEW VW I bought all rusted through within 6 months in MIAMI. No road salt obviously, but potentially salt air. FWIW, the 13 year old Ford Taurus I had as a work car had nothing more than some slight surface rust on it and these RUSTED THROUGH - the outer skin panel came off the door. Two other doors had a rust hole form you could drop a pencil through. The backside of the door panels were not painted and missed the rust proofing, so they rusted from the inside out. BTW, VW lost in court and had to buy back the car under lemon law. About 1 year later, a class action suit was won against them too. Which is when I found out that even though they knew at the plant, that zinc wasn't added to the anti-corrosion application which caused the problem. . They decided to deny, deny, deny all claims even ones that fell under their rust through warranty. We had a diesel Jetta at the time.

 

I realize, as I'm sure Ford does. They're not going to say, oops, we forgot to coat the other side of all our body panels. Apples to apples, aluminum takes a lot longer to corrode than steel does to rust... is all I'm saying.

 

and I totally agree with you. The only point I was making is that Aluminum still corrodes.

The Galvanic corrosion part, Ford in a video they released says they have figured out how to prevent....

I trust that Ford did it right or will make it right. I've been the beat tester too many times... So I wait and see if the new stuff is proven before I jump in.

I am sure that fiberglass and carbon fiber eventually corrode too... But I don't see those in use on SD trucks... Not saying I am for that either.

 

A SD with a Corvette body...

Be interesting to see how they incorporated the bed though.

 

On a serious note, do they paint aluminum like steel with the + and - electrical charges?

 

I hope it all works out great. Stronger frame, less corrosion, and lighter weight all sound good to me.

Good question on the painting. I think the F150 video went over that. I'll have to go find and watch it again.

 

But will the frame be boxed? LOL. If I have to see this video punking Ford one more time, I'll need to stab myself in the eye with a butter knife...

 

Yeah, I know... and hopefully it will be. And hopefully without IFS.

 

I thought the C-channel frame with the flex was a non-issue?

 

I believe it is but that doesn't stop Ram lovers from posting the video.... I have no problem fixing a non existent issue to shut up the moose ear mirror crowd....LOL...

 

I've also heard the boxed frames are more prone to trapping salt and causing rust from the inside....but I've never looked at one so I don't know.

 

I thought too stiff a frame created issues too, especially with traction and uneven road surfaces. As always there is a fine line between too much and not enough.

But at the same time, the frame flex in my Ford kept causing the sliding cover to open up. I have a lot of turns from one hill onto another... I never had the problem on the flat and straight in Miami... One of the reasons I went to the folding extang cover.

 

Is the flexing frame also to blame for all the failing radiators?

 

Unknown, but the powerstroke guy on youtube that runs a shop that fixes them, did a youtube on a third failed radiator on a DRW. This time it killed Mishimoto radiator. (It was a 6.4, not a 6.7). He thought that frame twist was to blame, BUT the owner also acknowledged they tow overweight and off road. Not that off road by itself should be an issue, but overweight it another story.