Aluminum vs Steel truck bodies

[Cycledude]

My f150 has aluminum body and so far I love it.
I find it hard to believe they still use steel for brake lines and automatic transmission lines.

 

[WinterDeere]

Vegas have to be among the worst cars ever produced in the U.S.

That's saying something. They didn't exactly lack competition.

Ford Pinto? AMC Gremlin? AMC Pacer? Chevette?

If these aluminum trucks are holding up well, I really hope others get on board with it, and follow Ford's lead. I personally dislike Ford trucks, they lag way behind on features, interior, and I'm not a fan of their looks. But if they've solved the rot problem that continues to plague others, it might be easy to overlook their other shortcomings.

 

[dodge man]

I have a 2017 F150 with 50,000 miles and it’s still good. They sure aren’t afraid to use salt on the roads around here either. It’s got a few chips but it still looks good.

Body damage. I screwed up when backing up my trailer and had the tailgate down. I have a setback jack and but a pretty bad dent in the tailgate. If it was steel it would have been just as bad. I found a used tailgate the exact same color that even had the factory bed liner for $750.

My previous two trucks, a Dodge and a Chevy I got rid of because of rust. I’m sold on the aluminum body.

 

[DarkBlack]

The hood on my older Ram truck is aluminum. The sheet metal where it would be more beneficial, like the fenders, are unfortunately rust prone steel

 

[D'oh]

I have an Aluminum Bodied 2019 and a Steel Bodied 2013 F150. 2011-2013 F150's were prone to Cab Corner/Rocker Panel rusting out and mine has started, but has been sprayed with FF a lot. The 2019 I don't even think twice about Sloppy Salted Roads. The 2013 I spray down at the Car Wash after any Salty Rides.

I think Ford made a Great Move in 2015, switching to Aluminum, from a Rust Belt Dweller's view. Parts I can change, Rust once it starts, you can't keep up to the repairs.

Frames are Powder Coated, not Wax Dipped, so even similar Era Fords vs Other Brands, their Frames are in better shape..

Repairs are about the same costs, as Ford made removing parts easier than in the past. The only inconvenience in our Body Shop is Cross Contamination concerns. They can't be working (Sanding, Welding) on a Steel Vehicle in the same area as an Aluminum Vehicle.

 

[WinterDeere]

Frames are Powder Coated, not Wax Dipped, so even similar Era Fords vs Other Brands, their Frames are in better shape..

Good post, and great handle! I follow all of your points but this one, as my experience with powder coated items in weather has been almost entirely negative.

My various trailer hitches and hitch receivers have been powder coated as a standard process for more than 30 years, and they are always, always, always the first component on every vehicle to experience paint failure and rust. Other than durability to abrasion, for things that will never see weather, I've never understood the incentive to powder coat anything, as it always seems to fail way before paint.

 

[Bearsixty7]

That's saying something. They didn't exactly lack competition.

Ford Pinto? AMC Gremlin? AMC Pacer? Chevette?

If these aluminum trucks are holding up well, I really hope others get on board with it, and follow Ford's lead. I personally dislike Ford trucks, they lag way behind on features, interior, and I'm not a fan of their looks. But if they've solved the rot problem that continues to plague others, it might be easy to overlook their other shortcomings.

What "Features and interior" does Ford lag behind on?

 

[Rustyiron]

What "Features and interior" does Ford lag behind on?

Probably the kind of stuff that is a concern for someone who really should just buy a car!

 

[WinterDeere]

What "Features and interior" does Ford lag behind on?

I haven't been in the 2023's or 2024's, so perhaps they've improved. But each time I've compared Ford to the others, while shopping for my personal truck, they've been way behind. I remember when shopping for my truck in 2016 or 2017, Ford had the most pathetic little tiny screen and backup camera that was so bad it was almost unusable, while RAM had been doing the high res 8.4" UConnect touch screen's for several years, at that point. Everything about the Fords just felt cheaper and more out of a car that was several years older in design, their 2016's felt like 2006's from any other brand.

You could argue these things aren't the most important, but when all the brands offer something that "works", it becomes the smaller details that can separate one from the next.

 

[WinterDeere]

Probably the kind of stuff that is a concern for someone who really should just buy a car!

Stupid comment. I do have a car, several in fact. But they won't tow my heaviest trailer.

I also didn't like that Ford's strongest engine at the time was a 3.5L V6, whereas the RAM was standard 5.7L Hemi.

But I didn't mean to turn the thread into a useless Ford vs. Ram debate. If you like them, that's fine. I do like that they're leading the group on Aluminum bodies.