Ford aluminum truck beds are strong how?

[k0ua]

WAIT! My aluminum bed will rust too? :confused2:

Nope.��

 

[MossRoad]

Lets face it... it's pretty obvious the aluminum bed gets punctures and tears more easily than the steel bed... quite a bit easier (scary easier after watching that video). Will it matter to sales? Probably not. Will it matter to used sales? We'll find out in a few years when people start looking for used trucks with clean beds. Anyone remember the great feeling of finding a used truck in your price range, walking to the back and peeking into the bed and (queue the angels singing) the bed is pristine! :laughing:

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

With aluminum they call it corrosion, steel they call it rust, either way it is oxidation. Aluminum has more problems than just the bed bottom, it fatigues much faster than steel, it is more costly and difficult to repair, which as time goes on will result in higher insurance rates once their bean counters see what happens. There will be more cracking around bolts or rivets. Coastal areas will see more corrosion than most. Bottom line it's just not a good metal for trucks.

I don't think aluminum will ever fail from fatigue. I do agree with you on the corrosion though. Basically just pick the color of your, rust red or white?

 

[Sysop]

The entire front of my Silver 2004 Lincoln is made of aluminum. I've always been amused at the couple rock chips across the front, they're hardly visible. The aluminum is nearly the same color as the silver paint, doesn't stand out, and hasn't changed color any since the chips occurred.

 

[PILOON]

Probably 2024 T 1 , which is dead soft like commercial aluminum.
Were it T6 that is tough but maybe brittle.

I think they used the "Budget Cut" Military Grade Aluminum.

There are other grades of alu some of which are highly resistant to corrosion.
On the other hand alu and salt just don't like each other.

As to bedliners on steel one chap suggested slopping about 1-2 gals of thick grease B4 installing a liner. Makes sense to me.

 

[aircommuter]

Yes they have been building them and they have those same problems. I have working trucks for over 50 years. I have repaired many more aluminum truck and trailer parts than steel. It is a great metal if you need the light weight but even Boeing had lessons on fatigue. Remember the Aloha jet? I owned airplanes and commuted to work from my taxiway house for 10 years as the PIC and I did my own repairs. It can work for trucks but longevity will be less than steel. The manufacturers do not build for that, they build to market their product and will try to tell you anything. Remember the Ford twin I beam front suspension? If it as good as they said where is it?

 

[s219]

I'm surprised they made that part out of aluminum. It's pretty much the most vulnerable part of a truck.

 

[BigRol]

Corrosion? wonder why my 20+ year old aluminum boat, (used mostly in salt water) still looks like new?

 

[KennyG]

Remember the Ford twin I beam front suspension? If it as good as they said where is it?

Having driven the twin I beams, it was absolutely the best truck suspension at the time. The alternatives were brutal straight axles and ball joint systems that weren't up to truck service. Time moves on and there are better solutions today. 20 or 30 or 40 years from now we'll probably have some incredible carbon fiber composite trucks but for now it looks like Ford has the lead again. All the comparisons to aircraft aluminum etc don't mean much. Each aluminum (and steel) application is different. In 20 years we'll see if the Ford engineers or the members of this forum know more about it, but I'll bet on Ford.

 

[4570Man]

As far is I'm concerned that is a dumb test although I'm pretty disappointed with the Ford bed. If you want to do that you better go get a real bed. I have a Chevy 1500 and a Ford F-350 with a steel bed. This would quickly destroy either bed. If I wanted to do that I would go get the Chevy 3500 with a real bed. That's child's play compared to what we have done to this poor truck. Next test. Let's see which truck bed holds up better when I accidentally bump it with a tractor brush guard.