Aluminum Ford in Edmunds

[MNgopher]

Two comments on this:

1. Rather than just finding out what it cost to make this particular repair, what would have been more interesting is to actually take the same type of swing(s) at a 2014 F150 with steel body panels. One of the talking points is that these new panels are as tough, if not tougher than the steel panels they are replacing. Would have been interesting to see that - if the amount of damage inflicted was similar, more, or less and then compare costs. If it takes more to inflict the same amount of damage, one could surmise that the added cost of repair may be less likely. (That is pure speculation, but we don't know).

2. Unsurprisingly, a new body style and parts were more expensive to repair. As more of these units hit the market, one can expect that costs will come down some with time. I'm not claiming that the two materials will be priced the same, but shops are going to have to figure this out - and one of the better selling vehicles in the marketplace is going to force that to happen.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Michael_P
2015 Ford F150 RF fender Part Number: 16005 USA BUILT
Price: $354.78

2014 GMC Sierra RF fender Part Number: 19302719 MEXICO BUILT
Price: $483.33


I guess a lot of the aluminum is being produced locally for the FISO! Certainly a good thing for the dead CNY economy. I have a friend who has a dedicated run delivering molten Aluminum from Oswego NY to Maseena NY for this!

 

[NMBurb02]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: zrxkawboy
Scary stuff! What will this do to insurance premiums?!?


Hopefully the insurance companies only penalize people owning aluminum Fords and don't decide on an across the board increase as these things become more popular. Insurance companies don't like to lose money and have no problems passing their expenses to everyone in many cases.
At first I thought the idea was good, now learning all the additional hidden [or not so hidden] costs of owning one, no thanks........

But this could end up being another innovation jammed down the consumer's throat.

Likely those with the aluminum body trucks will see their comprehensive and collision rates go up and everyone's liability rates will go up. After all, if you hit one of these trucks, it is your liability coverage that is paying for the repairs.

 

[Michael_P]

I have a 2015 BMW X5 with aluminum fenders and hood. There was a half dollar sized ding on the fender. Dent Wizard came out to the dealership at the time of an oil change and had it fixed for the same cost as a steel fender. I think there is a lot of misinformation out there fueled by brand loyalty or brand hate. That includes these so called automotive journalists. There was a 2005 5 Series that looked like it rolled off the showroom floor with over 200,000 miles on it. Its front fenders and hood are aluminum as well and it looked great even though it is an Ohio car.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Who the heck came up with aluminum truck.


You are way behind times. Ford has been using aluminum hood and trunk lids for 20+ years. Delivery vans like the US Postal delivery vans, The Brown Trucks, and probably Fed-X vans all have aluminum bodies. The aluminum bodies are way more dent resistant than steel.


but it will cost double for repair, if you use mainly for work, that truck would be throw away after a while, cause repair would cost more then the truck work.

One thing I learn about ford is, they build their vehicle not to last many year down the road, they are expect you to buy new one.

I am happy with GM truck all these year, they look better, having better protection, sure its heavy then aluminum, but I feel safe in a steel metal then in a aluminum .

and Im not happy with ford going v6 and aluminum and fake sound..... I think they will end up loosing alot customer for it.

I want try out that new Nissan titan diesel truck to see what its all about. Nissan are coming back and they will come back hard this time I believe .


You get a big old paint chip or dent and lose your paint on an aluminum truck, what happens? Nothing. You expose bare aluminum. What happens with a steel bodied truck? It will start to rust (particularly up here!) and you will eventually get perforation and the problem spreads.

The aluminum hoods used previously by Ford held up very well. The only problem they had was paint adhesion. But they didn't rust, or dent as easily, as their steel cousins.

I think it will be an improvement for trucks in the rust belt that actually work. No rotted out rockers or wheel wells.....

Think about it.


This is an aluminum tailgate, the paint peeled and it started corroding in a short time.
Not much different from steel except the color of the rust. This was almost all the way though.

 

[OVERKILL]

That's wild, looks nothing like the spot on our hood

What year of truck is that Trav?

 

[MetalSlug]

[/quote]

This is an aluminum tailgate, the paint peeled and it started corroding in a short time.
Not much different from steel except the color of the rust. This was almost all the way though.

[/quote]

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
I guess a lot of the aluminum is being produced locally for the FISO! Certainly a good thing for the dead CNY economy. I have a friend who has a dedicated run delivering molten Aluminum from Oswego NY to Maseena NY for this!


Molten or ingots?

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Trav

This is an aluminum tailgate, the paint peeled and it started corroding in a short time.
Not much different from steel except the color of the rust. This was almost all the way though.

Is that from dissimilar metals, galvanic reaction? I'm wondering if a gasket got left off or something.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
That's wild, looks nothing like the spot on our hood

What year of truck is that Trav?


What year and model was this? I had a 96 Merc GM with the trunk and hood made of alum and didn't have an issue with either. I have welded and repaired a lot of alum and the only time I saw corrosion of the type Trav displayed was where water sat for very long periods of time covered by insulation ,etc. I recently repaired a Mercides hood that was alum. Small cracks around drilled holes after an accident. The hood was from an 80's model that was being restored.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
That's wild, looks nothing like the spot on our hood

What year of truck is that Trav?

I have a couple of wheels that have similar spots on them, its like there are impurities or voids that allow the corrosion to penetrate quite deeply. I was sanding them down and never did find the bottom of the corrosion. But the plus side of Al is that I spray bombed some clear coat on the them and seemed to stop any further corrosion, steel corrosion would just keep going and bubble the paint in a year...

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
That's wild, looks nothing like the spot on our hood

What year of truck is that Trav?


What year and model was this? I had a 96 Merc GM with the trunk and hood made of alum and didn't have an issue with either. I have welded and repaired a lot of alum and the only time I saw corrosion of the type Trav displayed was where water sat for very long periods of time.


Even then, I have an aluminum boat and other than the odd bit of surface oxidization, the thing is more than 20 years old and is perfect. The paint is rubbed off in a pile of locations (and the hull isn't overly thick) and no corrosion like this. Compared to a steel hulled boat, that WILL rust (and rust through)

Actually, I think aluminum boats, tanks, and other exposed uses of aluminum, where it is thin and exposed to elements, compared to steel in the same application... speaks well for how these panels have the potential to hold up in service.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
That's wild, looks nothing like the spot on our hood

What year of truck is that Trav?

I have a couple of wheels that have similar spots on them, its like there are impurities or voids that allow the corrosion to penetrate quite deeply. I was sanding them down and never did find the bottom of the corrosion. But the plus side of Al is that I spray bombed some clear coat on the them and seemed to stop any further corrosion, steel corrosion would just keep going and bubble the paint in a year...


And I've seen it around bolt holes on water pumps too, and around coolant holes in intake manifolds where the coolant was never changed and started eating the aluminum. But the exposed aluminum; the part that sees the elements, always fairs WAY better than steel

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I guess a lot of the aluminum is being produced locally for the FISO! Certainly a good thing for the dead CNY economy. I have a friend who has a dedicated run delivering molten Aluminum from Oswego NY to Maseena NY for this!


Molten or ingots?


Molten, I believe.

 

[tig1]

They do hold up very well. I also have weld repared a lot of alum boats, and corrison isn't a big problem even under false decks,etc. Most of the Ford alum issue is more about Ford hate vs aluminum body panels.

 

[tig1]

I have also weld repaired a lot of lip cracks in aluminum rims that have struck large objects. Generally these rims repair very well as apposed to steel rims that have struck objects. Steel rims most often bend, and can't be repaired. Just my experience.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
That's wild, looks nothing like the spot on our hood

What year of truck is that Trav?


2006 GMC. Seems some aluminum bodies and panels are better than others. Who knows.

 

[millerbl00]

Even with pictures we just can't believe. Incredible!

 

[leeharvey418]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I guess a lot of the aluminum is being produced locally for the FISO! Certainly a good thing for the dead CNY economy. I have a friend who has a dedicated run delivering molten Aluminum from Oswego NY to Maseena NY for this!


Molten or ingots?


Molten, I believe.


I believe otherwise.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
And I've seen it around bolt holes on water pumps too, and around coolant holes in intake manifolds where the coolant was never changed and started eating the aluminum. But the exposed aluminum; the part that sees the elements, always fairs WAY better than steel

I know next to nada about coolant, but I thought they had corrosion inhibitors that wore out over time. With all the dissimilar metals in the cooling system galvanic reaction can occur. Which is why I was wondering about Trav's hood, maybe there was prior repair and a rubber gasket or something was left off.

I do also wonder if alloy matters. I know even less about aluminum, but I wonder if different alloys makes a difference.

Prior owner of my house used Al flashing on my deck. When I did some work I found it was getting eaten away. It was sitting on the pressure treat decking.