Those #+%^ engineers!

[hayden]

Same engineers that put the engines on new trucks so far under the firewall that you have to remove the cab to work on it. They also work at Ford, same procedure there.

View attachment 4580086

Anyone know how long it takes to remove a cab like that?

 

[hayden]

I get it. BTDT on cars many times. Design is the art of compromise and the engineer has to decide what takes precedence. My mantra when someone says "there is no reason to have done such and such in a design" I respond with Every design choice was made for a reason. Now it may not be a GOOD reason or one you agree with, but there is a reason.

Vehicles have hundreds of thousand parts and systems. While many of those are common and well understood, some things will be new and might come with some unexpected failure mode that you don't find out about until some time down the road. Lab testing can help but it is never an exact replica of real world conditions. So if you don't expect item A to ever need replacing, then why would you worry about access for repair? Then it turns out to become a problem later on and uh-oh...

Then you get into the fact that there are many teams of engineers working on many systems. So why does the oil filter sit behind a cross member? Structural body team is different than engine team and they either didn't catch it or could not change it for a number of reasons.

As a former engineer, I can say that this is much closer to reality. Honestly, when you think "that was such a stupid decision", you should really be reminding yourself that you know very little of what went into that decision, and all the trade-offs that were involved. You may not like the decision, and it may not have been the best decision from your perspective, but you are not the only consideration. Design for service and repair is not the only consideration or priority. That said, bad decisions still get made all the time - because it's complicated.

In my experience, the best engineers are those who also have practical, hands on experience using and fixing the stuff they are designing. And the best technicians are those who have some understanding of physics and/or engineering.

 

[Jstpssng]

In my experience, the best engineers are those who also have practical, hands on experience using and fixing the stuff they are designing. And the best technicians are those who have some understanding of physics and/or engineering

 

[WM75Guy]

Anyone know how long it takes to remove a cab like that?

An hour according to the dealership.

 

[turbo36]

An hour according to the dealership.

My buddy is a Ford dealer and he says it is easier to remove the cab then to get at some things from the top. You can get them from the top but it takes longer than an hour so they just pull the cab and while it’s up they take care of other things that need service.

 

[deserteagle71]

Anyone know how long it takes to remove a cab like that?

Not long at all. A shop that has done it before can get it done in an hour or less - the trucks are designed to be serviced this way so the wiring just unplugs, etc. With the cab off the techs have unparalleled access to anything on the engine, making it much easier to work on.

Its not just Ford designing their trucks that way now. GM and Stellantis (Dodge/Ram) are the same way.

 

[hayden]

So it sounds much worse than it is.

 

[FullMetalBucket]

What's a ZR1 Colorado? I have a ZR-1 Corvette and a ZR2 Colorado, but not a ZR1 Colorado.
The programming engineers for Chevy should go take some lessons from Ford.

Whoops typo, supposed to say z71.

 

[orezok]

I’m a retired General Contractor who has built projects over $100 million. Most are very complex and often singular in nature.

If you allowed the electrical, mechanical and structural engineers operate independently without consider of other trades, the product would be very difficult to build or maintain.

SO… Architects use a computer program known as BIM (Building Information Modeling) that incorporates all the different trades into a 3D program that reviews conflicts and allows correction prior to start of construction.

I have no idea of the cost, but I believe a similar program could be used to design vehicles and other complex equipment.

 

[grsthegreat]

You think something as simple as a standby air cooled generator would be simple to design and build user friendly.

Not. I had to replace a very simple temp sensor on one. It was originally installed when the alternator section was separate from the engine. But once the units are fashioned together, the second mounting screw of the sensor is not accessible.

You nearly gave to disassemble unit to replace sensor. I had to modify a 90° screwdriver to remove screw. Took nearly half hour to pull screw. Not to mention effort it took to reinstall.

I think next time ill have to place a new sensor somewheres else on the block, as the allowed labor didnt come close to the time involved.