Take a close look at the frame rails underneath all those peterbuilts, kenworths, freightliners, volvos, macks...........[ ]

And, if you want to see how aluminum body panels hold up, look at expeditions. I don't know when it happened but they have aluminum hoods and rear tailgates. At least since 2008.

 

I did. They suck. Class action Lawsuits filed against corroding aluminum panels...

Aluminum Hood Corrosion on Ford Hoods

That is what I am afraid of. Now has Ford fixed the problem? I hope so. I drive a Ford and want to trade this one in at one point for a new one.

Is that website BS? I don't know. I didn't bother to go the courts and try and pull up the lawsuit.

 

LOL. Check the rust and flat out rot level on every other vehicle ever made with steel panels vs. that case of aluminum corrosion. And, to quote a tort suit as evidence? Come on. One of the single biggest issues in this country lies in how litigious it is. There is a class action law suit for everything. Hot coffee at McDonald's anyone?

 

McDonalds won that lawsuit on appeal BTW... You realize that a class action lawsuit has to prove that there are multiple people experiencing the same issue before the suit can go forward? It isn't, one person, like the McDs lawsuit...

I never said steel was better or that I even preferred it over AL... Just said Aluminum isn't the panacea to all our issues. Someone posted Aluminum doesn't corrode... It does. It probably will outlast it's steel 'counter parts.' Is the AL that Ford is using stronger than a steel panel? I don't know, haven't seen it. Hope it doesn't dent like the AL pieces on some cars though. I hope it works out awesome, time will tell. A lighter vehicle means heavier loads and better mileage too. If it is a maintenance nightmare and you gotta worry about the smallest thign denting it or it corrodes easily - the consumer will force them to adjust, because we won't buy them.

My wife's car has an Aluminum hood, IN THE MANUAL, it says you cannot push it closed or you will dent it. You have to drop the hood from 8"-12" to close it. Never had to do that with a steel hood. Apparently that is an issue with the NEW Ford Aluminum hoods too. As 2014 Explorer complaints are being made about it. And the panel fit is horrible and they crease easily. This I know from personal experience with a friend of mine. It's a different model - which is why I didn't say it earlier. Ford knows people use trucks as trucks... So I am hoping they are doing something different there.

Now, I drove a 2011 EXPY EL for 6000 miles from AK back to South Florida and had to go in the hood multiple times to replenish the bug washer fluid and never had an issue or thought that it wasn't a decent hood.

Funny story, the windshield had a rock magnet on it though. Pretty neat, I didn't they had a material that could attract road rock that well. It also attracted Moose, but I was able to not hit either one of them. Moose walked in front of me on two separate occasions on the Al Can (and at night).

 

The McD's coffee thing was a joke clearly lost on you mentioned only to show how insanely easy it is in this country to sue anyone for anything. As to the suit you mention, there are a hugely larger number experiencing rot with steel body panels. It's just the norm since the dawn of vehicles so people don't bother or think to sue over it. How many times a night do you see the commercials to join a lawsuit? Stupid greedy people join them daily to get their free piece.

 

I got the joke...

And yes, of course I see rotted out steel parts/panels all over the place... And I filed a complaint for my rotted out steel panels for myself, without a lawyer, and won. And apparently I wasn't alone as it became a class action lawsuit that ironically included me in the lawsuit...

I hope that AL becomes the answer we are all looking for. I hate rusted out panels. I wouldn't like corroded AL panels either. I hope that the AL treated panels can resist the corrosive crap they put to keep the snow and ice off the roads. Luckily, AK doesn't use them, because they harm the environment and the moose eat the salt on the side of the road or on the road. But there is still salt air here...

BTW- Even fiberglass and carbon fiber are not immune to the affects of the sun either. I see a lot of oxidized paint on those cars as well. I do kinda miss the almost dent proof doors Saturn used to use...

 

All I meant was that the curiosity about aluminum body panels can be satisfied by looking at what has already been put into production for the last few years. I implied that my experience with the aluminum products has been good or a no-concern. If it's a bad thing it's out there too.

And about the frame rails, all the big trucks I've seen have them ( C channel). If ford wants to stiffen the twist resistance all it would take is a couple crosses in between the channels.

 

I saw this yesterday. I really don't like the look of it!


2015 f350 6.2 xlt cclb 4x4

 

Cadillacs had aluminum hoods from at least as far back as the mid 90's. I never noticed any corrosion on the two I had. Of course I never noticed corrosion on most every other hood I've seen because it doesn't seem to be a problem area.

I'm curious about the under side especially the cab area. There are lots of panels that overlap and are spot welded together. I'm concerned about the space between the overlap. They can't really coat the metal before welding or the welds probably wouldn't hold.

I think it was GM who used to run their entire cab assembly down through a huge vat of primer/sealer to help protect those areas. I'm not sure if this is a process still used by any manufacturers.

 

I remember watching a documentary about vehicle corrosion years ago. There were some manufacturer engineers who flat out said they could make a vehicle that was 100% rust proof. It was completely doable with current tech but the cost would scare off too many buyers so it's not implemented. I used to think that I would happily pay whatever it was to get the benefit but realistically, I just don't keep my vehicles long enough to care anymore.

 

When I picked my F 350 KR dually, there was a F 150 KR that had just arrived. Wife and I walked over and I was dropped jawed. I drove out of the dealer cheaper then the window sticker on the F 150!!!

Alum and salt water can be mortal enemies with Alum being the loser. When I lived on the water (12' sea wall in front of my house) and in the winter, the 'blue northers would often break over and hit the house and my cars. One has to be careful the Alum has been properly treated before exposing it to seawater.

If you look at any Hi Perf cars, Ferrari, Corvette etc you will find very rigid frames. Same goes for the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, virtually no flex at all. But its all in the suspension. From the view of Jeep - Ferrari the things they do depend upon the suspension to achieve the results they want.

The flex in the frame of the Superduty I would say was engineered into and is well know by the folks at ford, Yes it makes for a bad visual and gives the Ram boys a video to talk about but from an engineering view I think ford has the better idea.

With a 172" wheelbase on my CC/LB dually it would take a very strong frame to overcome the flex. The flex allows the LB the ability to partially absorb some of the road irregularities in the road as you travel. It enhances the ride and the traction footprint.

Overcoming the flex Ford would also have to change the suspension to allow far more flex in on and off road travel.
In this case a lot more droop in the suspension.

You can see some droop here. The springs are 3" taller in height. I limited up movement to the bottom of the OEM fenders and gave the rest of the movement to the droop. There is virtually no frame twist at all. On a wheelbase this short (about 98") you certainly do not want any flex. I think Ford is on the right track with giving some flex in the frame. The wheelbase and intended use dictate flex over rigidity of a no-flex frame.

 

Wow ugly! I'm glade I have a 15 and a 08 Shelby don't know what ford is doing. eurostang and now this. must be designed in commyfornia

 

No one is pulling fivers with a ferrari or a jeep either...

So yes, the frame is designed for the intended use. AWESOME Jeep and photo.

I saw one setup like yours the other day in a parking lot of up. Yours is very tactfully done, this one was also for show and obviously the shop that does the work Jeep. They had too much bling on it for me.

 

Of course nothing will prevent this from happening... Hurricane Andrew blew the truck into the tree... (yeah, I know a Chevy...)

 

You are correct on pulling fivers. That flex allows that truck to move to some extent with the driven surface and it works in spades when you need it the most which is under load. Cheby/RAM can talk all they want, but there is a purpose in FORDS thinking!

Thank you, I kept my Jeep looking mostly stock and the old saying applies...'chrome don't get you home'