The reality of aluminum body panels.

[s219]

All the literature I've seen Ford does indeed compare the 2015 to their outgoing model. They have to have some beef somewhere important for it to have a payload capability that is about 30 percent (1200 lbs) greater than the silverado. Makes me wonder how thin is the steel on the silverado panels?

On my Sierra (Silverado twin), the metal is fairly thick. I sideswiped my gas grill a couple weeks after getting the truck and was expecting the worst. No denting or sheet metal damage, just deep gouges in the paint. I have seen far more severe metal damage on other vehicles from lesser hits than the truck took. It's also held up very well under general wear and tear -- I have bonked it with lumber quite a few times in 9 months, and no dents yet.

Looking through specs for a crew cab standard bed 2WD, the F150 is rated for payloads of 1700# to 2700# depending on the engine, with the optional heavy duty payload package required to get the max numbers (2014 and 2015 were very similar, so no real gain that I could see). For the same specs, the GM trucks are rated right around 1700# payload regardless of the engine. It may be that the GM's rating is chassis-limited so engine doesn't matter, while the Ford's ratings are engine/package dependent. Hard to know -- maybe someone else has insight.

 

[MossRoad]

Really? How many times can you count the word Ford in your very first post in this thread you started? Here it is to refresh your memory.

You know that was an article in a magazine specifically about Ford and the OP didn't write that, he was just quoting it, correct? If it was an article about cupcakes, he'd be cupcake bashing?

 

[94BULLITT]

Who really cares what it costs to repair a 2015 f-150? Who is going to buy one and not have full coverage insurance on it?

You guys can cry all you want Ford sets the benchmark and every one follows. GM is going with aluminum for their trucks by 2018. Ram will probably go aluminum by then too, if they are still around.

 

[MossRoad]

Who really cares what it costs to repair a 2015 f-150? Who is going to buy one and not have full coverage insurance on it?

You guys can cry all you want Ford sets the benchmark and every one follows. GM is going with aluminum for their trucks by 2018. Ram will probably go aluminum by then too, if they are still around.

No one's crying (well, some are whining, but not crying).
We care because we want to know a few things... like:
- Will insurance rates go up once these things start getting wrecked and they determine the actual cost of repair?
- Are there any problems with dissimilar metals coming into contact?
- Will dents distort the metal differently than steel?
- How much weight does it really save?
- How will it effect fuel cost over the life of the truck?

To name a few.

 

[jejeosborne]

You know that was an article in a magazine specifically about Ford and the OP didn't write that, he was just quoting it, correct? If it was an article about cupcakes, he'd be cupcake bashing?

You are correct. If you read his posts from other threads you would understand his agenda for this new thread in which he targeted Ford by quoting that article. Do a quick look at his history and it will all be clear. This topic has already been discussed in another thread and he is scratching for some type of dirt on the f150.

 

[fordmantpw]

According to Ford, the rear quarter panel costs exactly the same for a '14 and a '15 according to Mike Levine, head of truck marketing for Ford. Imagine that.

Oh, also, the shop that Edmunds used was not certified by Ford for aluminum repair, according to Mark Fields, head of, you know, Ford.

Edmunds wanted to draw traffic to their site, and that they did. Buy using a bunch of hypotheticals to support their hypothesis. The only fact is how much it cost to repair that truck with that damage at that shop. That's it. There was no factual comparison to any damage done to a steel bodied truck. I can't believe I'm even wasting my time to type all of this up!

Oh, and in case you want to see actual insurance rates on '15 F150's compared to previous years, try here: http://www.f150forum.com/f118/insurance-287355/. To save you some reading, it's about the same as going from a '13 to '14 F150...rates don't go up much at all.

The OP is doing nothing more than trying to stir up crap against Ford. Frankly, I'm tired of seeing it, which is why I have him blocked. Not because I am a Ford fan, but because he is the most biased I have seen around! His posts normally start out with SSDD.

 

[Loadstar]

Hasn't Freightliner used aluminum for years, maybe since day one?

Truck Cabs - Freightliner Trucks

My Freightliner FLD120 cab is. No magic or anything. As it turns out heavy trucks log exponentially more miles than pickups in worse conditions. I'm sure a pickup with aluminum may just in fact hold up and the body repair world will not be turned on it's head. My Freightliner has more payload capacity, better brakes, bigger turbo, a twin bed with a comforter, automatic right of way at a 4way stop, has more aluminum, more steel, more gears, more oil, body lines of a predator with a clenched jaw, a cup holder, sweet seats, and I can split the transmission. I recommend one if anyone is looking at trucks.

 

[fordmantpw]

My Freightliner FLD120 cab is. No magic or anything. As it turns out heavy trucks log exponentially more miles than pickups in worse conditions. I'm sure a pickup with aluminum may just in fact hold up and the body repair world will not be turned on it's head. My Freightliner has more payload capacity, better brakes, bigger turbo, a twin bed with a comforter, automatic right of way at a 4way stop, has more aluminum, more steel, more gears, more oil, body lines of a predator with a clenched jaw, a cup holder, sweet seats, and I can split the transmission. I recommend one if anyone is looking at trucks.

Will it fit in my garage? :laughing:

 

[TomSeller]

I have had my 1999 F250 since October of 2008. Never a dent, never an accident. If I bought a 2015 F150, based on this history, I would make it to 2032 before I get a dent. Why should I worry?

 

[jejeosborne]

Looking through specs for a crew cab standard bed 2WD, the F150 is rated for payloads of 1700# to 2700# depending on the engine, with the optional heavy duty payload package required to get the max numbers (2014 and 2015 were very similar, so no real gain that I could see). For the same specs, the GM trucks are rated right around 1700# payload regardless of the engine. It may be that the GM's rating is chassis-limited so engine doesn't matter, while the Ford's ratings are engine/package dependent. Hard to know -- maybe someone else has insight.

The 2015 f150 has an improvement of 530 lbs payload over last year's model. It is now capable to haul 3300 lbs with the max payload option. I think the GM tops out around 2200 max so I may have been off by 100 lbs earlier.