Ford aluminum body vs Ram steel - can the Ram do as well?

[ning]

Aluminum oxide forms a protective layer which reduces further oxidation, unlike iron oxide.
You literally don't want to remove it, though removing other crud on top of it is probably a good idea still.

 

[deserteagle71]

With the recent price increases on trucks I'm starting to wonder if my penchant for trying to get an F250 at (what I consider) a decent price is futile.
Since my wife agreed we needed a new truck I had focused on Fords due to the no rust body in my rust prone environment (Mississippi).
But with ~ a $10K difference in price I'm wondering if diligent rust prevention could make up the difference.
Comments?

If you look around on the web you can find a small study someone did on this recently, in Maine or Massachusetts I think but somewhere in the rust belt. They collected a bunch of 10 year old pickups of all brands (GM, Ford, Dodge/Ram, Toyota) and checked them to see which ones had resisted rusting/corrosion on the body the best. There was no comparison. The aluminum Fords had NO trace of any corrosion. All the rest were about the same and all were rusty.

 

[deserteagle71]

I have a few aluminium Fords, Oldest is a 17 and has no signs of any body corrosion .. Its a plow/work truck with 15K miles on it V10 F450 Dump truck.. On its 4th set of manifolds, 2nd set of heads, 3rd set of rotors pads and callipers , 2nd set of trans lines, 2nd set od power steering lines...Im sure i forgot other stuff.. But the body is fine.

Wow. Just Wow!

I've been the owner of a 2007 E350 with the V10 for 17 years now. 74,000+ miles on it now. The ONLY thing I've had to have fixed in all these years is replacing a brake switch which was causing the cruise control to randomly cut off.

No, it has not spit out even one spark plug. Great engine, smooth and powerful. Will pass anything but a gas station. Overall fuel mileage since new is 11.8 mpg. But then it weighs right at 9,300 lbs when I'm on a trip.

 

[Hay Dude]

So this discussion has been constructive, but let’s remember that frames, springs, axles are mostly all made of steel.
So while it’s nice to have aluminum body panels, no matter how many of those you slap on a truck, frame rust is what eventually gets the truck parked in the weeds.
In PA, you can have body panel rust all you want, but if the frame is structurally compromised from rust, you don’t get through inspection

 

[not2old]

Around here, I have never seen a full size Ford, GM, or Ram/Dodge with frame rust other than one with a rusted shackle mount.

 

[5030]

Wow. Just Wow!

I've been the owner of a 2007 E350 with the V10 for 17 years now. 74,000+ miles on it now. The ONLY thing I've had to have fixed in all these years is replacing a brake switch which was causing the cruise control to randomly cut off.

No, it has not spit out even one spark plug. Great engine, smooth and powerful. Will pass anything but a gas station. Overall fuel mileage since new is 11.8 mpg. But then it weighs right at 9,300 lbs when I'm on a trip.

When it finally pukes, take your 50 DE and ventilate the block.....

 

[Tomtint]

Wow. Just Wow!

I've been the owner of a 2007 E350 with the V10 for 17 years now. 74,000+ miles on it now. The ONLY thing I've had to have fixed in all these years is replacing a brake switch which was causing the cruise control to randomly cut off.

No, it has not spit out even one spark plug. Great engine, smooth and powerful. Will pass anything but a gas station. Overall fuel mileage since new is 11.8 mpg. But then it weighs right at 9,300 lbs when I'm on a trip.

My V10 gets 6.8 mpg.. Makes no difference if I'm pulling 15k pounds or rolling empty... 6.8mpg. The motor is really nice and runs smooth. It has the 6 speed trans which is nice too.

 

[Paystar]

All I can say is after I retired from trucking I work in a mine now and I get to see all kinds of fancy high end pickups in the parking lot, because rich miners like fancy trucks. The parking area is like a SEMA show. I'm in northern Ontario and the road salt and de-icing agents on the highways in winter is unreal.
My Ford F150 is now 5 years old. The body still looks brand new and the frame is still black. My commute is 4 hours on the highway and 55 miles of dirt bush road every week.
I see Rams in the parking area that look brand new but have rust holes through them in the oddest places....like on the front fenders up at top where the badges are. And the wheel wells gone.
Then there is my local GM/Chev dealer painting the frames on brand new GM products sitting on the lot.
Mine is a 5.0 10 speed and all I've had to do to it so far is brakes and tires and a license plate light bulb.