Ford aluminum truck beds are strong how?

[Sysop]

I don't think that line of thinking is really valid as the same has been true of all makes and models since "pickup trucks" were thought of. The ratings have continually went up over the years.

Me personally, I need to tow 10k two to four times a year, tow 3-4k a dozen times a year, and haul a thousand pounds of tools everyplace I go. I was considering a 3/4 ton truck, even though I really REALLY did not want a 3/4 ton truck, I simply didn't want to haul the bulk around all the time. Once Ford announced their new tow ratings on the new truck, it allowed me to get something closer to what I wanted.

The way I see that Chevy advertisement, in "TractorByNet" terminology, is; just cause some idiot knocked the back wall out of his garage with his tractor, doesn't mean all garage walls need built to withstand tractor impacts. The case Chevy is presenting doesn't apply to me, or to anyone I know of.

 

[Sysop]

Many vehicles have alloy wheels as we all know. They escape most corrosion from road salt because they throw it off so it does not get a chance to build up as it may in body mounting points. Time will tell on that scenario. Here is some reading for you also. There is also a thing called stress corrosion, you might want to read up on that.
Aluminum repairs are pricier than steel

Aluminum may corrode under some conditions, but the entire front end of my 12-year-old Lincoln is aluminum of various sorts. Everything from body panels to structure to components. It gets salt bathed every winter. Sets outside 365. Has zero corrosion on any aluminum part.

 

[TomSeller]

Are you talking about rims?? If so then you are way out of the loop. Rims have been made out of aluminum for alot of years

Yes they have. My comment was tongue in cheek.

I am surprised some members don't want cast iron body panels.

 

[Fordman1981]

I don't think that line of thinking is really valid as the same has been true of all makes and models since "pickup trucks" were thought of. The ratings have continually went up over the years. Me personally, I need to tow 10k two to four times a year, tow 3-4k a dozen times a year, and haul a thousand pounds of tools everyplace I go. I was considering a 3/4 ton truck, even though I really REALLY did not want a 3/4 ton truck. Once Ford announced their new tow ratings on the new truck, it allowed me to get something closer to what I wanted. The way I see that Chevy advertisement, in "TractorByNet" terminology, is; just cause some idiot knocked the back wall out of his garage with his tractor, doesn't mean all garage walls need built to withstand tractor impacts. The case Chevy is presenting doesn't apply to me, or to anyone I know of.

Like I said in a previous post the biggest issue for me about the aluminum panels is once you get a hole or a tare it rips like paper. If you have something happen and the aluminum does puncture you will have to get it fixed immediately or worry about it getting much worse.

215 F15 "Military Grade Aluminum" - YouTube

 

[Sysop]

If something happens, that's what insurance is for, have it fixed properly. If something happens to mine, it won't be from abuse, neglect, or having the IQ of a doorknob (three things clearly displayed in the Chevy ad). Pretty much every vehicle I've owned has looked the same at 200,000 miles as it did new (or whenever I got it). The couple that didn't were of no fault or control of my own.

 

[Fordman1981]

If something happens, that's what insurance is for, have it fixed properly. If something happens to mine, it won't be from abuse, neglect, or having the IQ of a doorknob (three things clearly displayed in the Chevy ad). Pretty much every vehicle I've owned has looked the same at 200,000 miles as it did new (or whenever I got it). The couple that didn't were of no fault or control of my own.

You're going to file an insurance claim for something like dropping a toolbox in your bed? I went over a hill on a paved road that had too much of a break over and damaged the rail on my Power Wagon while pulling one of my gooseneck trailers. I didn't file it on my insurance it was my fault and I paid out of my pocket to fix it. Over use of insurance is one of the many reasons insurance cost as much as it does. It doesn't have to be anything that happened in the Chevy commercial they just showed the aluminum can be damaged easier and no one can deny that and once it's damaged I think it's much more likely for the damage to get worse.

 

[ultrarunner]

To me the the boosting of the half ton tow rating is idiotic. If I want 3/4 ton tow rating guess what I'll buy a 3/4 ton. GM or Ram could put 1500 on a class 8 truck and call it a half ton but that wouldn't be what the half ton is for. If I buy a half ton it would be for occasional towing and hauling with a smooth ride being the biggest consideration. You have to give up something the more payload and towing the stiffer the suspension and ride. Chevy and ram know that half ton owners want a light duty truck or they would be looking at the 3/4 and up trucks. Ford is just blurring the line of 1/2 and 3/4 for no good reason. This is a moot point for me as no half ton will do what I need but I have been kicking around the idea of getting a half ton for my wife. And before the peanut gallery says it'd be a status symbol think again we farm over 800 acres and she drives the 8000 R series tractors during planting and harvest and during harvest the tractor has usually around 40,000lbs of grain and that wait doesn't include the cart so she's not city girl driving a truck to look cool.

Truck fees are expensive in some states... I still pay over $200 annually for my 1985 3/4 8800 GVW truck.

I tow every week and started with a 1972 318 V8 Plymouth Valiant when I started my business and towed every day with it until I bought the 3/4 1985 truck.

A lot of people here want towing without having to pay the higher weight fees of larger trucks.

I think the F150 originally came about as a 6001GVW to avoid certain smog regulations that applied to the F100

There was a time when tow ratings simply did not exist...

Brakes are better today and almost every state now requires trailer brakes above a certain weight trailer.

I've towed a lot of miles with passenger cars from the 1960's... mostly horse and car trailers using full size american station wagons with 454 or 455 or 460 V8 engines...

One of the guys in our club has towed over a 100,000 miles with his 500 ci 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible... no issues towing his show cars.

It was even conventional wisdom that pickups were really just too light in the rear to make good tow vehicles in the 1950's and 60's... most also did not have the horsepower of the big wagons...

 

[Fordman1981]

Truck fees are expensive in some states... I still pay over $200 annually for my 1985 3/4 8800 GVW truck. A lot of people here want towing without having to pay the higher weight fees of larger trucks. I think the F150 originally came about as a 6001GVW to avoid certain smog regulations that applied to the F100 There was a time when tow ratings simply did not exist... Breakers are better today and almost every state now requires trailer brakes above a certain weight trailer. I've towed a lot of miles with passenger cars from the 1960's... mostly horse and car trailers using full size american station wagons with 454 or 455 or 460 V8 engines... It was even conventional wisdom that pickups were really just too light in the rear to make good tow vehicles in the 1950's and 60's... most also did not have the horsepower of the big wagons...

The thing is if your trailer brakes fail and you have a sub 6,000lb truck pulling 12k it's going to have a hard time bringing that much weight to a stop. I'd much rather have a truck that has a higher safety margin then pushing my luck with a truck that in my opinion shouldn't be pulling that kind of weight. It amazes me people say stuff like I don't want the maintenance of a 3/4 ton truck then say something like I can't wait for the next version of the 150 it's going to have bigger brakes and heavier suspension and on and on. Guess what you just made your half ton have the same expenses of the 3/4 ton.

 

[ultrarunner]

Hard to say... the over the road rigs come in at 80,000 pounds here and in other states even higher... the tractor pulling the trailer comes in a distant second to the trailer being pulled.

It all comes down to design and the liability adverse truck manufacturers seem to be willing to design for greater tow rating.

 

[Fordman1981]

Hard to say... the over the road rigs come in at 80,000 pounds here and in other states even higher... the tractor pulling the trailer comes in a distant second to the trailer being pulled. It all comes down to design and the liability adverse truck manufacturers seem to be willing to design for greater tow rating.

Yeah looking forward to the upcoming f150 with dual wheeled dual axels in the rear with air brakes that are designed to apply when a brake system failure occurs instead of the brakes not working. We probably need to make more run way ramps for all the F150s that might need them like we have for big rigs too. Sorry not trying to be snarky just saying comparing light duty trucks to big rigs isn't really a fair comparison.