Wish I could remove 700# from my current vehicle that would make a worth increase in performance all around,I can envision a few things down the road for it,but nothing like 700#(what happened to my post I made this AM-too offensive and truthful?)-Kevin
This may be the ‘critical mass’ needed to move aluminum into the mainstream. It’ll take a few years but having the most popular vehicle in the USA with aluminum bodies will force lots of shops to update.
It’s a bold move. It was a bold move too when GM made the early Saturns with plastic body panels. Then, economics won out and just making a rebadged steel fender something else a Saturn made more economic short term. That’s one of the reasons GM needed help. If Ford holds tough through the doubters, it could work. Ford is gambling that people will still turn over trucks because the new ones are better and not because the old ones rusted out. Rust prevention is hopefully a good side advantage…
Mixed emotions on this one. Yeah, saving gas is good, but at what cost? Aluminum production is a massive energy hog. Will the truck’s fuel savings offset the added energy consumed in making the aluminum?
Will the fuel savings offset the added insurance premium once you tell your broker you want to insure an aluminum vehicle?
Go talk to a local body shop. Most of them won’t even touch an aluminum body.
And I suspect the claimed 700 pound savings applies to the bigger four-door pickups. How much is saved on the conventional and extended cabs? Not to mention Fords have been heavier than GM’s pickups anyway, so comparable savings are less.
It’ll be fun to watch this play out!
IMHO it’s important when questioning Ford’s wisdom not to overlook the fact that this is being driven by ever more stringent regulatory requirements rather than by market demands or economic incentives. It may well be that the other pickup truck manufacturers will have no choice but to consider lighter body materials. Ford may just be the first to make this change.
"most of them won’t even touch am aluminum body"
They won’t because it does take special skills and equipment that reallyisn’t that difficult to master. If a third of the vehicles out there had significant number of aluminum body components, the would be “touching aluminum bodies”. I have had parts for boats, trailers etc. fabricated and welded made from aluminum and stainless steel at a local machine shop. It’s not a big deal now. But it is a commitment. It’s economics. Many shops won’t work on hybrids either…same reason. If you brought in a Ford truck with significant damage and a big insurance claim, some one would do it.
I feel confident in saying that Ford will send its autobody techs for training in working and welding aluminum. And Ford has arrangements with community colleges wherein automotive programs are sponsored by Ford to Ford standards, and Ford provides vehicles, parts, subassemblies, and even sponsors students. The arrangement is common among manufacturers and community colleges. I have no doubt that aluminum will become a part of the Collision Repair programs at community colleges that offer the subject.
Working aluminum is not unknown science. It just needs to be incorporated into educational programs to become commonplace across the industry.
its about time, freightliner started this for real trucks back in 1942 with the model 600 a.k.a. the shovelnose. since then they have been known as the lightest trucks on the road and the most fuel efficient. the greatest attribute to the aluminum chassis and body however is the lack of rust to deteriorate these components. immagine a pickup you can buy in 2015 and 20 years later the body and frame may not have the same luster it was born with but at least it wont have holes in the bed rails, quarter panels, fenders, cab corners, floor pan, and frame rails like my 20 year old chevy square body. freightliner is introducing its truck this year that is claiming 10 mpg hauling 80,000 lbs of weight, which compared to people currently getting 5 or at best 6.5 if they are really trying, is amazing. sure, there are limitations but if you can gain 30% better mileage on fuel costing 4 bucks a gallon and you are driving for a living then you would be an idiot not to trade you truck off and make more and higher payments and still save money. if a semi drives a conservative 100,000 miles a year it will use 15,000 gallons of fuel at 6.667 mgp costing the owner $60k at $4 a gallon. the same truck getting 9 mpg will only cost the owner 44444.44, a savings of 15,555.56. just so you know that is a truck payment when you divide it by 12 months. you can do the same math on your half ton, but if you don’t drive the heck out of it you wont be saving much. most people put about 12k to 15k miles on their vehicle a year, gas right now is slightly over 3 bucks her in south dakota, where we see a lot of pickups on the road, you either have one or you want one, or you will some day need somebody with one, not to mention the rust problems we see which is nothing compared to minnesota. dont get me wrong minnesota people are wonderful but their cars are junk. most people are lucky to get 18mpg with their older pickup, some get 20 but they are still kinda new and my old square body 83 chevy k series will never see 10 with its hopped up small block, but hey, i never drive that thing anyhow how its just a hunt’n, mudd’n, race’n money pit. my old 98 chevy got 16 and down to 14 in the winter, so we will just do the math at 17 mpg assuming 15k miles because i live out of town a ways…go figure. then we will bring fords outrageous claim down to a still high but maybe number of 28 mpg. 17 jump to 28 at 15000 miles a year at 3 bucks a gallon is savings of $1039.92. on a vehicle costing 40k+ i will stick with the buick, its paid off. in closing, if your looking for a good reliable winter vehicle dont buy a pickup, get a comfortable front wheel drive car with heated seats and a great heater. i just recently learned this with my recent acquisition of my grandma old car upon her passing, she was alot smarter than we will ever know.
Tractor trailers are a whole different issue. Aluminum bodies on tractor trailer rigs is driven by economic forces.
I don’t know if “it’s about time” for pickup trucks. I don’t know that the added price will be offset by the mileage improvement. On pickups driven 12K a year, I doubt if it will.
I’m also bothered by the fact that this is being driven by ever-tightening federal regulations rather than market or economic forces. Where will it end? Will we end up paying an additional $5,000 to gain another 1mpg? Is there any point at which the feds will finally be satisfied? I fear there is not.
January 26, 2014
"Ford repair shops must be certified to fix aluminum-bodied F-150, "
by Karl Henkel in The Detroit News
CSA
@Mountainbike, I think it’s more than just regulatory pressure. I think there is also market demand for better fuel economy in full-size pickup trucks.
You may be right, Whitey. Time will tell.
I agree with @Whitey
Consumers want more fuel efficient vehicles
Hell, if I could buy a conventional car . . . not diesel, not electric, not hybrid . . . with vastly improved fuel economy, for only a few dollars more . . . meaning a few hundred dollars added to the price, not a few thousand dollars . . . without giving up any creature comforts, I’d probably go for it
If I was in the market for a new car . . . which I’m not, because I buy used
Por Petes sake make it affordable,not faddish-Kevin
Who said anything about faddish?
When I think faddish, I think Scion, Mazda3, NIssan cube, leaf, Sonic, spark, etc. . . . you know, the cars aimed at “young” people who want a cool looking ride
Not me, in other words, because comfort, reliability and power are more important
Here’s info on Ford’s training program for body shops and dealers:
@mikeinNH “honestly guys how much do think you can safely tow with a 2-2.5 ton vehicle?” My trailblazer has a 5500 lb towing capacity and weighs in at 2.3 tons, I think I can safely tow 5500 lbs(could even be 6300 lbs)! Yes I do have the option for hooking up trailer brakes, have towed a lot of stuff, boats, uhaul trailers for friends moving, and have had no issues.
@barkydog - Go back and re-read the post. I’m NOT the one who made that statement. I was commenting to like you are now. I agree with you…my 4runner can safely tow 5000lbs…the V8 4runner (still less then 2.5 tons) can safely tow 6500lbs.
Apologies for speed reading, glad we are on the same page @MikeinNH
One reason weight matters more in semis is the 40-ton limit. Make the combo one ton lighter, and you’ve got a ton more revenue-producing cargo to haul.
I read of a trucking firm that hauled a lot of rolled steel from the mills: I guess the newer rigs weigh enough that they can only legally carry two coils…so they intend to keep on rebuilding the lighter pre-emissions rigs indefinitely and carrying three.