Fords aluminium body

[BravoXray]

Where steel will get ruined if it’s on fire, it doesn’t burn. On the other hand aluminum actually burns. In a car crash fires aren’t that common but it can be a problem if the sheet metal is fuel for the fire.

I don't think the aluminum burns, unless it is a magnesium alloy, but it does melt at a much lower temperature than steel does.
Had a friend that had a fire in a KW cabover a long time ago, burned the cab completely off and left big puddles of aluminum on the pavement under it.

 

[KennyG]

By the time aluminum melts or burns, I think it's pretty much game over for the truck, aluminum or steel.

 

[4570Man]

By the time aluminum melts or burns, I think it's pretty much game over for the truck, aluminum or steel.

Agreed. It doesn’t take much of a fire to total a vehicle and buy the time it melts aluminum it’s 100 percent trashed anyway.

 

[dodge man]

I don‘t know if aluminum burns or not but the videos I saw it sure looks like it does.

Edit, I looked it up, it doesn’t burn. It sure does disappear though.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I figure if my truck catches fire, or is in a fire, it doesn't much matter to me if the aluminum body melts or not. It's gonna be "toast" either way. It'll be totalled and I'll be in the market.

 

[Fxfymn413]

Aluminum melts out at around 1200 F and is not considered flammable in solid form. It is combustible if it is in powdered form. 1200 F is fairly low temp relative to a real world fire so aluminum generally melts out in every incident.

If you happen to come across a site where something burned that had aluminum in it you will probably find melted aluminum stuck to the pavement.

 

[ray66v]

I'm repairing corrosion on aluminum hoods, and tailgates, on different vehicles. on a fairly regular basis.

It's not uncommon to see it in my area, when they are repaired improperly, and or over 10 years old.

Aluminum body panels are very susceptible to something called fiiform corrosion, which is a type that travels under the paint and creates large blisters in the paint coatings.

The quality of the paint system used both at the factory, and during a repair, particularly the undercoats, (that would be the primers, and sealers), are critical to the protection against this type of corrosion.

While I have not as yet, seen corrosion on an aluminum F-150, if Ford uses the same paint system they have been using, I have no doubt it will eventually happen.

Aluminum parts do not pit, or perforate as badly as steel panels. But, they are far less repairable, from collision damage.

I have repaired some minor, to medium sized dents on aluminum F-150's. The panels are more difficult and time consuming to make flawless repairs on. This has always been a problem with aluminum panels, because they tend to flex a lot more than a similar steel panel. If the panel moves as you try and sand it, it's not going to be easy to get all the waves out of a repair. This means you could need to replace an aluminum panel that would have been repairable, if it was made from steel.

It has a lot to do with how particular you are. Many customers are oblivious to ripples, and waves. Some don't even see substantial differences in color mismatches.

Others have very discriminating eyes, and are all but impossible to please. Those customers will be more likely to be dissatisfied, with their aluminum truck after a repair.

A repairer needs to take additional steps to properly treat and paint aluminum panels, during a repair. Many shops will regard this as unnecessary, and skip them to save costs, since cutting this corner this will not be known right away.

While the biggest factor in the quality of a repair is the person doing it, there are factors that can tie the hands of the person doing the repair, limiting what is possible.

So yes, the aluminum bodies will not be full of holes in the same given period of time, as a steel truck will. But, there is a trade off. It's still going to have ugly paint blisters, more serious body damage from wear and tare, repairs that will be more expensive, and probably not look as good when they are finished.

As long as you realize it's not a perfect solution, you may be happy with it.

 

[balrog006]

Only if you live where they use salt on the roads. They use non corrosive de-icers in my state.

What might those de-icers be? I know of many of them within the industry and none of them are actually non corrosive. There is a spectrum yes, some are less than others, but none in common use on roadways for de-icing or anti-icing are actually non corrosive.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

aluminum beer cans dissapear in a bonfire quite quickly...

Vermont uses something in heavy doeses on the highways. my wifes travel to Newport and home, and deposits a thick crust on garage floor. My side, local roads, not so much. Sweeps away from floor, not sure about car parts...

 

[jyoutz]

What might those de-icers be? I know of many of them within the industry and none of them are actually non corrosive. There is a spectrum yes, some are less than others, but none in common use on roadways for de-icing or anti-icing are actually non corrosive.

I actually don’t know. I do know that they put a lot of this product out by scattering behind the snowplow and nobody has rust issues with their vehicles. It is granulated and mixed with fine volcanic cinders (for traction). I do know that it’s not rock salt like they use in the east. I have also seen them spread the chemicals with sand instead of cinders.

 

[balrog006]

I actually don’t know. I do know that they put a lot of this product out by scattering behind the snowplow and nobody has rust issues with their vehicles. It is granulated and mixed with fine volcanic cinders (for traction).

It’s probably a factor of low duration and low frequency of exposure and application and the possibility of being washed off between events along with low corrosion materials-not a an actually non corrosive product.

The cinders will certainly help as well, sand is typically added here.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I'd imagine that driving through puddles to wash off would only liquify and spread. Is oil spraying cars/trucks a thing where you live?

 

[jyoutz]

It’s probably a factor of low duration and low frequency of exposure and application and the possibility of being washed off between events along with low corrosion materials-not a an actually non corrosive product.

The cinders will certainly help as well, sand is typically added here.

I edited my post to add that sand is sometimes used instead of cinders. Could the product be calcium chloride instead of sodium chloride?

 

[balrog006]

I'd imagine that driving through puddles to wash off would only liquify and spread. Is oil spraying cars/trucks a thing where you live?

I was thinking more of infrequent and widely spaced snows where driving in the rain has a chance to remove most of the ‘salt’. Not perfect sure but it gets most of the job done.

Yes-rust proofing oiling, sprays, coatings and the like are common here in the rust belt of Michigan and to the north.

 

[jyoutz]

I was thinking more of infrequent and widely spaced snows where driving in the rain has a chance to remove most of the ‘salt’. Not perfect sure but it gets most of the job done.

Yes-rust proofing oiling, sprays, coatings and the like are common here in the rust belt of Michigan and to the north.

I recall driving through Ohio once and seeing highway department barns full of huge piles of rock salt. I was thinking that now I know why this is called the rust belt.

 

[balrog006]

I edited my post to add that sand is sometimes used instead of cinders. Could the product be calcium chloride instead of sodium chloride?

It certainly could be, Mag chloride is also a possibility. Either liquid applications for anti icing on bridges, or solid/granular ones applied to the snow and ice after the snow are options and usual in the industry. The issue is cost, Calcium chloride is approx. 5-6x as expensive and Mag is about 10x as regular halide/rock salt/sodium chloride. But as I said before, they’re all still corrosive, just generally less so inversely as price rises.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I look at it like this. I never plan to have any body damage or need repairs, so I don't really take that too much into account. The aluminum is giving me other tangible benefits on a daily basis.

If I ever do get some damage, and need repairs, it is what it is.

 

[jyoutz]

It certainly could be, Mag chloride is also a possibility. Either liquid applications for anti icing on bridges, or solid/granular ones applied to the snow and ice after the snow are options and usual in the industry. The issue is cost, Calcium chloride is approx. 5-6x as expensive and Mag is about 10x as regular halide/rock salt/sodium chloride. But as I said before, they’re all still corrosive, just generally less so inversely as price rises.

I have heard of them using mag chloride also. And it’s used on gravel/dirt roads for dust abatement during the summer.

 

[otherpinz]

You are in Maine, get the aluminum body!!!