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

[dieselscout80]

Ram uses an aluminum hood.

 

[Hay Dude]

People in MY area that complain the most about their trucks rusting out are the ones who drive them through salt constantly and compalin the rockers & quarterpanels are rusted, or leave them parked on a damp lawn all night then can’t understand why the underside is rusted.

For guys who live in salty areas, its a challenge.

I’ll never forget back in the 90’s, a guy about 20 miles from me had a nice diesel F-350 for sale with only like 4,000 miles on it. This was back before computer pictures were readily available. I hopped in my truck to run up to see it. Drove great, but underside was rusted. I noticed he parked in on a mushy lawn for a few years and it ruined the underside.

 

[kozal01]

I live and farm in Michigan as well and relocated here from Northern Ohio (another rust capital). Not sure why I moved to Michigan, still scratching my head over that, maybe had something to do with my wife and her job at the Department of Defense or something and in many ways I regret moving here. Insurance, both auto and property is stupid high, real estate taxes are insane as well, roads are terrible (most resemble bombed out runways) and Michiganders drive like idiots for the most part, lots of reasons why I should have stayed a Buckeye.

Far as an aluminum bodied pickup truck, even GM is using aluminum for body parts and has been and while you probably won't experience rust (oxidation) through of body panels, have no doubt the aluminum oxidation is there, on the inside of the body parts and occurring for the same exact reason that steel bodies rust, cathodic oxidation from the salt and or brine applied to the highways that collect on the inside of your body parts. Simple fact. Like it or not, the salt / brine is eating away at your body panels. One important aspect of aluminum bodies and that is, the cost to repair them but I suspect that your electrical system will succumb to the salt / brine, long before your aluminum body fails. Living in Michigan has some distinct 'advantages'...lol

There is no corrosion anywhere on the body to be found, I have inspected the body and frame extensively every year since I bought it. Ford did their homework when they built these aluminum trucks. No galvanic corrosion between the steel and aluminum where they meet, which was my main concern. I had the frame coated inside and out when I bought it, they sprayed the underside of the body as well so that may help. Also, no electrical issues, it’s not a GM.

 

[5030]

Electrical issues aren't the exclusive realm of GM by a long shot. Ingression of dissolved salt and brine in connectors, Molex or conventional will ultimately corrode them. I have trouble believing you don't have some galvanic corrosion salt or brine related on the innerside of the aluminum body but if you say so. I accept that. if not, be patient as it will eventually happen.

 

[aircommuter]

The plastic inner fender wells are an issue because they allow the crud and salt residue to collect and do their dirty work on the innerside of the wheel wells where most people cannot or don't take the time to clean them. I do. In fact after pressure washing the wheel wells, I reach up under the wheel arches and make doubly sure I've got the crud out. It's the wet crud there that causes rust. Sake dal with frames, The crud laying on the lower and upper top flanges of a frame rusts them out, well on a lot of trucks today that aren't unibody that is.

Normal washing, me it a car wash or home wash, rarely if ever get that crud and mud (with a dose of sodium) removed.

So steel inner fender panels would be better?

 

[Catalyst]

A lot of the rust issues can be fixed with some well placed weep holes, which always seems to be an engineering afterthought... However, the structural integrity of a rusted through body should be a consideration. I really wish the mfg would consider some of this stuff for the Northern customers. Could you imagine a cheap factory option to have it delivered with cosmoline applied by the MFG?

 

[Runner]

I see a lot of Fords and Ram's with rotted out wheel wells. You must clean the wheel wells religiously or the crud collects in the arch and rots them out.

The problem is, no matter how clean you keep the fender wells, the rust is coming from the area where the steel inner fender meets the outer fender. You can't get in there to clean so it's just a matter of time before condensation in between the metal panels creates rust.

I commonly see less than 5 year old Fords, Dodges and Chevys around here that are rusted out over the rear wheels. I can't believe the manufacturers never solved that problem (and that they haven't been held to account with a class-action law suit). Actually, I do seem to remember one or more of the brands being sued and that they had to provide repairs way back, like 80's or so. You'd think that would have solved the problem, but they are still rusting (except for the aluminum trucks).

 

[kozal01]

Electrical issues aren't the exclusive realm of GM by a long shot. Ingression of dissolved salt and brine in connectors, Molex or conventional will ultimately corrode them. I have trouble believing you don't have some galvanic corrosion salt or brine related on the innerside of the aluminum body but if you say so. I accept that. if not, be patient as it will eventually happen.

Believe me or not I really don’t care. Unless you own one of these trucks I’m not sure why you would even try to argue about issues you think they may have but don’t. As for wiring or electrical issues from corrosion none of my Fords or Chryslers have ever had that issue. Perhaps if they were never washes in the winter but my trucks get weekly washed all year. My two GM vehicles were electrical nightmares, although none of it was due to corroded connectors or wiring.

 

[5030]

I happen to own both a Ford as well as a GM or should I say my wife owns a GM or Chevy Suburban LTZ, plus I own a Ford Focus RS turbo and I have to say that the engineering of the GM is light years ahead of the Fords I own and we are a Ford employee family. I can literally sit on the fender of the Suburban with my feet dangling in the engine bay but neither of the Fords we own can come close to that, not even my F350 diesel pickup truck and certainly never my Ford Focus RS.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Ram uses an aluminum hood.

And on at least one model, composite front fenders.

 

[Hay Dude]

My ram 5500 hood is ‘loomnum and the fender flares are plasteek.

 

[Rosher18]

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.

I'm sorry, tell me more about this. I'm a Ford fan and have a '19 F-150. It's a far cry from the F450 V10, but why so many sets of cylinder heads for only 15k miles?

 

[5030]

Ah yes, the V10 with the airborne spark plugs...

 

[Hay Dude]

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.

That’s insane, bro.
I’d trade that thing in and run away from it, while shooting over my shoulder backwards.

 

[5030]

Firds didn't tap the sparky holes deep enough on the V10's so it shot the plugs out which made it easier to change them...lol

I wasn't aware of exhaust manifold issues however, Only one I was aware of was their 300 straight six cracking exhaust manifolds and why Cummins and Cat went to multi piece manifolds on their diesel engines. Same deal, busted manifolds. one piece manifolds were too long and the heating expansion and cooling contraction was too much for them to bear. I believe Cummins called them 'Pulse Manifolds'. Not sure what Cat called them. E model Cats were notorious for breaking manifold studs as well. They were so bad that Cat supplied a jig tool so you could drill them out without damaging the block. They came with a tungsten carbide drill to drill them out. That was SOP at the dealer I retired from actually. If an E model was showing soot around the manifold gasket and the exhaust log was intact, it meant the stud or studs were broken off. Between that and compromised spacer plates, the shop always had work. Flat rate manual was 4 hours per stud and at 125 bucks an hour, they made a killing on them. Just before I retired, Cummins had a huge issue with their lift pumps. The ceramic roller followers that were actuated by the cam shaft were failing and putting ceramic bits in the engine oil which was instant death for the engines. Cummins had to replace a ton of engines (ISX C's) because of that. They got that sorted pretty quick. A remember one owner that didn't even make it out of the parking lot and the engine puked. Heck of a way to buy a new tractor and have it puke instantly. 100 grand plus for a rock. I wonder if Cummins is still casting their blocks in India. Haven't been following them since I retired.

I do know that Ingersoll Rand has their compressor's cast and assembled in India. That is proudly cast right in the compressor casting. Least the T30's are. One of the main reasons I own a Quincy. They are cast and assembled here and of course are more expensive because of the labor cost. Far as I know, only Quincy and Saylor Beal build their compressors domestically.

 

[Tomtint]

That’s insane, bro.
I’d trade that thing in and run away from it, while shooting over my shoulder backwards.

It's the chemicals they use on the roads up here.. Mag Chloride .. tons and tons of straight salt.. it's brutal. It's not the trucks fault.last year's when all the latest work was done and it has not plowed now for the past 2 winters.. and it won't again while I own it... a new dump truck is 90k or more.. it just dosent make financial sense to destroy it. This truck should last me decades given that it gets 3-4K miles a year.

 

[5030]

My ram 5500 hood is ‘loomnum and the fender flares are plasteek.

My fender flares are Rubba... Don't really need them because I'm not into tires that protrude from the wheel wells anyway, All tires sticking out do is sandblast the lower rockers with road grit. FYI, here in Michigan you can get a ticket for tires that protrude from the wheel wells anyway. Besides, big tires eat fuel, nit fuel efficient, Just 'macho' looking.

 

[Milo]

I pay attention to other vehicles when driving and I notice most pick ups exhibiting rust around here are Rams.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I pay attention to other vehicles when driving and I notice most pick ups exhibiting rust around here are Rams.

That might be true here too.

Not that I've noticed the rust, but GM and Ford pickups are about as common as 1/2-tons around here. In other words, few and far between.

 

[shooterdon]

I'm in Michigan, heart of the rust belt and I will never buy anther steel bodied truck after owning my 2015 aluminum body F-150 for several years. They don't dent as easy and with 10 years on Michigan winter roads the body is still in perfect condition. No corrosion, no dents, no nothing, still looks brand new. The Frame is still steel so it requires maintenance but after having several rusty trucks with less years on them than my 2015 I'm a fan for sure and for me worth the $$. Rust repair isn't cheap.

Another 2015 F150 owner in Michigan and I agree.