The reality of aluminum body panels.

MikePA · Feb 1, 2015

oldpilgrim said:
Aluminum parts on Fords is nothing new.

All Model T's from 1908-1914 had aluminum hoods.

Ford changed to all steel hoods in 1915, for one reason, cost.

It's ironic that it took exactly 100 years to go back.

There's aluminum on this 1914 model

Plus the Model Ts ran 21" wheels!

94BULLITT · Feb 1, 2015

Hasn't Freightliner used aluminum for years, maybe since day one?

Truck Cabs - Freightliner Trucks

JDgreen227 · Feb 1, 2015

May be a bit off topic here, but my former dad in law worked for GM at Fisher Body back in the early 50's he told me back around Y2K that the thickness of the steel used in the Y2K cars was barely half the thickness of the steel they used fifty years ago. Since then I have always wondered how much today's new vehicles would weigh if they were produced with steel the same thickness as the 1950 models used. For the sake of simplicity, let's just limit the comparison to body-on-frame models and not unibodies...which pretty well rules out many of today's models. Can anybody imagine what a 2015 Suburban loaded up with all the bling-bling that is piled on them today would weigh with the steel body panels of the thickness used in the 1952 models?

doxford jim · Feb 1, 2015

JDgreen227 said:
May be a bit off topic here, but my former dad in law worked for GM at Fisher Body back in the early 50's he told me back around Y2K that the thickness of the steel used in the Y2K cars was barely half the thickness of the steel they used fifty years ago. Since then I have always wondered how much today's new vehicles would weigh if they were produced with steel the same thickness as the 1950 models used. For the sake of simplicity, let's just limit the comparison to body-on-frame models and not unibodies...which pretty well rules out many of today's models. Can anybody imagine what a 2015 Suburban loaded up with all the bling-bling that is piled on them today would weigh with the steel body panels of the thickness used in the 1952 models?

A rough guess would be twice as much :cool2::cool2:

jejeosborne · Feb 1, 2015

roadhunter said:
Wow. I post an article that confirms common sense and proves that it does cost more to fix aluminum and all you can say is that I'm a troll? LAffin.

I would definitely call you a troll as well. For some reason, you have made it your passion to rip apart the new F150. Unfortuanelty you come to the game with little knowledge of the product being discussed. All someone needs to do is look at your post history and get a good idea of your mission. Here is a good screen shot of the last thread you entered and got shut down. LAffin too.

jejeosborne · Feb 2, 2015

Here is the video the article mentioned about Fords test.
Watch "The 2015 Ford F-150 takes on Top Athletes Pummeling it with Projectiles ..." on YouTube
The 2015 Ford F-150 takes on Top Athletes Pummeling it with Projectiles ...: http://youtu.be/K8gbEfeVGhw

jejeosborne · Feb 2, 2015

wawajake said:
Well what I have read the Fords start out heavier than the others base trucks so taking what maybe 400 lbs off by going alum and then just getting within 90 lbs of base weight of the others seems to be the results..............but I could be wrong time will tell................(hope that was not to Ford negative for the readers

Maybe I am not understanding your post but the f150 is clearly lighter than the two major competitors according to specs from trucks tested at motor trend. 672 lbs lighter than the GM and 1055 lighter than the Ram. Could you clarify what you have read?

Comparison: 2015 Ford F-150 vs. Ram 1500 vs. Chevrolet Silverado Page 4

crazyal · Feb 2, 2015

How much of that weight savings is due to the Ford having a V-6 vs the Chevy having a V-8?

wawajake · Feb 2, 2015

jejeosborne said:
Maybe I am not understanding your post but the f150 is clearly lighter than the two major competitors according to specs from trucks tested at motor trend. 672 lbs lighter than the GM and 1055 lighter than the Ram. Could you clarify what you have read?

Comparison: 2015 Ford F-150 vs. Ram 1500 vs. Chevrolet Silverado Page 4

Tried to find the Globe and Mail article about the Ford weight versus the Chev and how the Ford was a stripped version.......but you can even see it in your link to Motor Trend.........the towing capacity of the Chev and the Dodge are 9400 and 8650 respectively ......the Ford being compared to is 5000 (so obviously not the same options for towing So Ford lighter...now look at price as tested the Ford is 46,000 the Chev is 55,000 . Again so Ford is not all optioned up. so weight lighter....but Globe and Mail had better article, I will find it showed the Ford when optioned the same was barely 90 lbs different even though Aluminum. My dog weighs that much

jejeosborne · Feb 2, 2015

crazyal said:
How much of that weight savings is due to the Ford having a V-6 vs the Chevy having a V-8?

I doubt there is a huge difference in weight between the two. If the v6 is lighter, just another innovation that has reduced weight without compromising performance. In fact, the small 2.7 liter outperformed the Chevy V8 and the Ram diesel in all the performance test in that comparison.