Aluminum vs Steel truck bodies

[newbury]

Now that Ford has had about 10 years putting their F150 and Superduty in the field how are they working out for for the TBN'ers?
I was skeptical at first, thinking they would damage easily. Now I'm wondering why more manufacturers have not gone to Al.
Coming from Northern Vermont where rust is KING it seems that rust free would be very important.

 

[nybirdman]

Aluminum corrodes when exposed to salt,no free lunch.

 

[Tomtint]

Im in Mass, Have a 18 F450 1 ton dump that goes out in awful weather plowing and salting. The body still looks like new, But the truck is on its 3rd set of calibers, rotors and pads, 2nd set of shocks, 4TH ..yes 4th set of manifolds, 2nd set of heads.. ( complete ) 2nd set of transmission lines, 2nd set of power steering lines, 2 times blasted and painted chassis, 2nd time being fluid filmed.. But the body still looks great..

 

[Racer4]

My 17 f250 is holding up well. I just had the frame coated with NHOU a few months ago. The welds and holes in the frame were starting to rust. The body is great. I think it was wise of ford to invest in aluminum body manufacturing. Now, if they would just hot dip the whole frame.

 

[WinterDeere]

Aluminum corrodes when exposed to salt,no free lunch.

All true, anyone who owned a boat built in the days before 316 stainless steel was cheap and ubiquitous (i.e. 1950's - 1980's) is too familiar with this problem. But the question is really how the aluminum compares to steel, when welded and riveted into a frame assembly, and then coated with whatever corrosion inhibitors or passivation they're using today. I don't have the answer, but it's surely more complex than raw steel versus raw aluminum.

 

[deserteagle71]

A few months ago I watched a YouTube video from back in the rust belt someplace, where the roads were extensively salted every winter, addressing just this question. They brought in several examples from Ford, GM, Ram and Toyota, all about 8 - 9 years old and compared the body integrity. The conclusion was clear. All of the Fords with aluminum body were essentially pristine. All the others had varying degrees of rust - some were rusted through in the wheel wells.

Automakers are paying attention...I've read that other manufacturers other Ford are adding aluminum body panels also. Not positive but I think I remember reading that new GM pickups have aluminum doors and hoods.

 

[WM75Guy]

A few months ago I watched a YouTube video from back in the rust belt someplace, where the roads were extensively salted every winter, addressing just this question. They brought in several examples from Ford, GM, Ram and Toyota, all about 8 - 9 years old and compared the body integrity. The conclusion was clear. All of the Fords with aluminum body were essentially pristine. All the others had varying degrees of rust - some were rusted through in the wheel wells.

Automakers are paying attention...I've read that other manufacturers other Ford are adding aluminum body panels also. Not positive but I think I remember reading that new GM pickups have aluminum doors and hoods.

You are correct on GM vehicles having aluminum doors and hoods. The salesman explained it as "If it has a hinge attached to it, it is aluminum."

 

[WinterDeere]

"If it has a hinge attached to it, it is aluminum."

Gas filler door?

 

[newbury]

I still have a vivid memory of one of the first Chevy Vega's I saw in northern Vermont in about 1972. The vehicle was about 1 year old and had a rust hole eaten through the passenger door big enough to stick my hand through.

 

[jyoutz]

I still have a vivid memory of one of the first Chevy Vega's I saw in northern Vermont in about 1972. The vehicle was about 1 year old and had a rust hole eaten through the passenger door big enough to stick my hand through.

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

 

[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.