If any of you plan to be anywhere near Detroit this summer, it is well worth the trip to see the new F-150 being assembled in the new plant at Ford's Rouge River Facility. I went this past Friday while in town on business and was blown away by the new techniques being used to build the new trucks. The tour starts at the Henry Ford Museum and they take you there by bus. The tour takes at least 2 1/2 hours. The cost is $14.00.

I was amazed by the moving platforms that raise and lower the cab to allow the workers install parts without having to lean over. The other amazing thing is when the bed and cab arrive at the final assembly building after painting, the doors are removed, and sent down a separate line that appears to be about 600' long. The doors have 28 different wire harnesses depending on which options have been ordered. The bed travels a separate line and so does the cab. Once all the parts are mounted, the cab, bed and doors are reunited and sent on to be mounted on the chassis, a real logistical challenge, if you consider that all have to meet at exactly the right spot and the same doors go back on the cab they came in on.

You walk around the final assembly building above the work floor and get a really good view of how these trucks go together. Whether you like the trucks or not, you will be impressed by this facility and the amount of engineering that went into creating it. Also, you will notice that they build the F 150 and the Lincoln Mark LT on the same line, so there is little if any difference in the trucks, other than trim and some additional insulation.

I would highly recommend this tour, and it will give you an appreciation of how much goes into building a truck. Your kids and maybe your wife will enjoy it as well. The museum is also extermely interesting and will interest many as there is so much there, not just cars.

 

do you know if their Kansas City F-150 plant has tours like this?

 

Hey Forrest,

I work at the Lorain plant, and I'm pretty sure that the Rouge facility is the only one with a tour like this. I know we don't do them. The truck plant is Ford's model for what it wants all plants to be like, that's why the love showing it off. Multiple vehicles under one roof and in some cases on the same assembly line is what they're after. Efficiency. The F-150 resides there now and speculation among many is that our van may soon arrive there too in a few years along with possibly more products.

Don't bet the farm on my answer, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. I've heard of none of the other plants doing it. Like grock said, for anyone that has never seen inside one of these plants it's quite a treat. There's so much to putting these together it's a nice venture for anyone even if you're not a car buff and the Rouge facility sports some of the newest technology. Seeing metal start and arrive not that far away a full assembled truck is pretty cool.

I recommend doing it as well, especially if ya got one in your driveway.

 

ok... i'll research it a bit.. i live pretty close to the KC plant....

off topic, but i went to college in Wooster, OH, with a friend that lived in Lorain.... do you know a Eric Betka by chance????

 

No, I don't know him. Sorry.


Best bet would be for you to call the human resources office at the plant or the local union there. They could tell you yes or no to the tours. It's probably gonna be no, but it never hurts to try!

 

Howdy grock, you sure are right about the Rouge Plant tour. A great time. I went last October and was so impressed with the way the F150 is assembled that I bought one in December. It was built at the Rouge and I love it!

 

Thanks, I already had a new F150 long-bed, standard cab that was built in Norfolk, Va., but seeing the Rouge plant gave me new appreciation for how the trucks are built. A half dozen guys where I work now want to go.....
You will not be disappointed.

 

I want to go to the Rouge. I herd its rather intersting to see.

Hey SuperCrewDude, You work at the plant on bumhaurt (sp?) road correct? Out near vermillion?

I wholesale tires to all the Ford dealers and many other dealers in north ohio and pass that place often.

 

Yep! That's where I am until January 2006 when Lorain will be closed, then we'll be at Avon which is east down Rt. 2 just a little ways.

 

I know where the Avon plant it. Joe Firment is right there, for now!

I cant belive they are closeing lorain with the amount of vans that place pumps out.

 

They've decided to consolidate all the production under one roof. We get the bodies trucked to us from Avon now.

The auto industry is going to see ALOT of plant closings in the coming few years. As of now, Avon doesn't have a product assigned there past 2007. So it could very well be closed then as well. We've all seen the latest on GM. They're in serious trouble.