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If F150 Body Panels are Tough, Is Aluminum a problem?
Provided that the body panels are as tough as Ford promises, do you see any reason why the next generation Super Duty shouldnt have aluminum body panels?
Thus, if body parts are thought why not, after all, go with the less weight that aluminum provides? Here is a good reasonable opinion by Torquenews Like the 2015 Ford F150, the Future F250 and F350 Should Rely on Aluminum - Torque News When it was announced that the aluminum panels on the 2015 Ford F150 would make the truck hundreds of pounds lighter than a similar truck using all steel panels, some were concerned that the new F150 will simply be too light. Even though Ford will most certainly add the various helpers like trailer sway control, trailer brakes and the like to ensure that the 2015 F150 pulls, hauls and does everything else better than the 2014 models, some folks are concerned that the lightweight F150 will lose some functionality. They have somewhat of a point, as towing a 10,000lb trailer with a truck that is a little heavier can provide improved control in different situations so if the 2015 F150 is too light, some buyers might not like how it feels when it is put to work. |
The 2015 F-150 will drop in weight and will weigh about as much as the current Ram and GM twins. A properly set up GM can pull as much as 12K according to GM.
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Aluminum on Super Duty trucks should be a no brainer, assuming people buy into the F150.
My 2 concerns are: 1. Price. What kind of price premium are we gonna see on these trucks? I don't believe they are going to cost the same as the outgoing model. Aluminum as a raw material just plain costs more, it's gonna show in the price. 1cu ft Aluminum weighs 168.48# @ $.87 per pound (current LME price) = $146.58 1 cu ft Steel weighs 490# @ $.186 per pound (current LME price) = $91.14 2. Can Ford isolate the aluminum from galvanic action? Should be simple but it seems minor details like this never are. |
Insurance rates will go up cause its much more expensive to repair aluminum and repairing aluminum body panels takes a trained body specialist that are few and far between and that same body shop needs expensive equip to do the job.
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Originally Posted by IJAZ FAHTED
(Post 14520439)
Insurance rates will go up cause its much more expensive to repair aluminum and repairing aluminum body panels takes a trained body specialist that are few and far between and that same body shop needs expensive equip to do the job.
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Originally Posted by IJAZ FAHTED
(Post 14520439)
Insurance rates will go up cause its much more expensive to repair aluminum and repairing aluminum body panels takes a trained body specialist that are few and far between and that same body shop needs expensive equip to do the job.
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Originally Posted by jntibs
(Post 14519879)
Aluminum on Super Duty trucks should be a no brainer, assuming people buy into the F150.
My 2 concerns are: 1. Price. What kind of price premium are we gonna see on these trucks? I don't believe they are going to cost the same as the outgoing model. Aluminum as a raw material just plain costs more, it's gonna show in the price. 1cu ft Aluminum weighs 168.48# @ $.87 per pound (current LME price) = $146.58 1 cu ft Steel weighs 490# @ $.186 per pound (current LME price) = $91.14 2. Can Ford isolate the aluminum from galvanic action? Should be simple but it seems minor details like this never are. Yes it will be more expensive. |
We are all I-CAR Pro Level 2 certified at the collision shop I work at (and working on Pro Level 3 next year). We have an aluminum welding and repair bay that is down draft ventilated as well. We are as ready as can be to repair the new F-150's when they start coming in. Most aluminum we have been repairing for years is thin sheet metal-like in thickness, as opposed to the thicker aluminum alloy that the F-150 will be, so if anything, it should be less difficult to repair. The key is not to contaminate it with any steel, or come in contact with steel parts without a barrier between them. The other key factor is shops having proper training and repairing the trucks properly.
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Originally Posted by VSAWMike
(Post 14521022)
Big rigs have had aluminum cabs since the 70s. This has been done for decades. Your pricing is not transferrable to body panels. The volume that Ford will be using will drive the cost down so it is not relative to the prices quoted. Yes it will be more expensive. |
I looked at the posts about the aluminum panels, there is truth to them, but what is not said is when the pnls are removed all fasteners must be replaced also due to the corrosion resist coating being lost during removal. The grinding has to be done in a clean vac. type room! the body has to be removed during frame correction cause it cracks the body pnls in the process. heavier frame equipment is suggested because of stiffer frames, grinding on the aluminum alloy can cause fires, and it has to be painted with epoxy paint and primers. The 2016 f250 will come in aluminum also.. One dealer had to put $160,000 worth of updates to his shop to handle the new bodies. This info came from a ford dealer.
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