The reality of aluminum body panels.

[ZAR2USA]

Don't forget about pistons falling out of the blocks of these disappearing engine blocks! Chris

Engine block - pg 10-14

http://www.sfsa.org/tutorials/eng_block/GMBlock.pdf#page10


Pistons - pg 12 of 31

http://www.sfsa.org/tutorials/eng_block/GMBlock.pdf#page10

 

[ZAR2USA]

You know I just remembered that the original am general humvees had an all aluminum body (at least I think). They probably didn't hold up well.

Grounding as a Source of Elecrical Problems

 

[JDgreen227]

Grounding as a Source of Elecrical Problems

I have an aluminum utility trailer and have experienced numerous electrical gremlins that were only resolved by running a dedicated grounding wire from each light on the trailer to the wiring harness. Cannot imagine the headaches of an aluminum vehicle grounding system.

 

[Ford850]

I have an aluminum utility trailer and have experienced numerous electrical gremlins that were only resolved by running a dedicated grounding wire from each light on the trailer to the wiring harness. Cannot imagine the headaches of an aluminum vehicle grounding system.

I don't think there are many grounds tied to the body panels on these trucks (aluminum or steel) so it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[fordmantpw]

Wow, you guys should tell Ford about all of these issues. I'm sure they never thought about needing a ground on the vehicle!

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have an aluminum utility trailer and have experienced numerous electrical gremlins that were only resolved by running a dedicated grounding wire from each light on the trailer to the wiring harness. Cannot imagine the headaches of an aluminum vehicle grounding system.

I deal with dozens of boat trailers, both steel and aluminum. The aluminium is no more prone to electrical problems than the steel.

Chris

 

[s219]

Having owned several cars with aluminum body parts, and owning several now, I am totally unconcerned about aluminum body parts. They way some people react, you'd think this was a brand new high-risk concept and Ford was first to try it. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We have not had one lick of trouble related to aluminum body parts, including an Acura that was in an accident and needed work on those aluminum parts, my current BMW sports car which has a massive aluminum clamshell front hood, aluminum retractable hard top, aluminum frame members, and aluminum trunk, and my GMC truck that has an aluminum hood, aluminum engine, and aluminum front suspension frame components.

I'll be glad when GM goes all aluminum with their trucks in the next generation -- at least that will probably quiet the anti-Ford brigade some.

 

[jejeosborne]

I read most posts from the start of this thread. Here's my contribution.

I traded my 2013 F350 for a 2015 F350, right when I learned about the F150 aluminum body, and that Ford was testing the F350 (Super Duty Series) with aluminum bodies. I thought perhaps mid year or 2016, Ford could switch to aluminum bodies and I wanted none of that, so I bought steel while I could.

Like all metals, every metal has it pros and cons in different climates and exposures to the elements.

Aluminum DOES have its drawbacks. Aluminum does have many types of corrosion; i.e.,

galvanic corrosion (when you secure a steel bolt to the aluminum body, the aluminum is the softer metal and becomes the sacrificial metal),

add oxidation corrosion,

pitting corrosion,

crevice corrosion.

It's not as easy as sandblasting, welding or grinding it away. It forms microscopic voids that you can not weld or paint over and expect it to be perfect. When you paint over these voids it might initially appear perfect to the eye, until you retrieve it from the paint oven to find tiny bubbles or indents where it boiled. You have to cut it away or replace it with new aluminum.

I've seen perfectly painted paint jobs (with no air intrusion nor any damage of any kind, I mean perfect!) separate (lifted) from aluminum panels caused by mere millivolts of difference in the metals, unlike steel. You need cathodic protection for this, otherwise you are guaranteed to experience this and learn the expensive lesson the hard way.

Road salt, road de-ice liquid chemicals, dirt (mud), water with chlorine and electrolysis destroys aluminum. Aluminum dissolves when exposed to road salt over time!

Aluminum have it's place, but working for years with both metals and knowing there shortcomings, I went for steel for longevity and resale value in a truck.

If you are thin skin, and RoadHunter's link was too much for you already in this thread, please keep moving along, nothing to see here ;-)

knee-jerk reaction
Fig. an automatic or reflex reaction; an immediate reaction made without examining causes or facts.

knee-jerk reaction - Idioms by The Free Dictionary

 

[Copperhead]

But semis don't drive in areas where there is salt, so corrosion won't be a problem for them, right?

Guess you must live totally off the grid and roads, or you are just being facetious. I have to wash my semi truck, at a minimum, weekly and sometimes more than that to wash off all the salt, calcium chloride, dirt, etc from all the snow storms I go thru. Not sure how others view it, but primarily running Nebraska to Ohio, including MN, WI, and MI seems to put me dead in the "Rust Belt" of the country salt game. I run that territory year round. I have aluminum body, aluminum side boxes, and aluminum fuel tanks. I put 1.4 million mile on my first owned semi, 1 million on my last one, and now have 368,000 on my present one. I have never had any corrosion related issues with aluminum. I suppose if something never got cleaned, it could be an issue. My electrical issues have been no more frequent that any other truck or vehicle.

 

[fordmantpw]

Guess you must live totally off the grid and roads, or you are just being facetious.

Your sarcasm detector was broken.

Yes, I was being facetious.