The new aluminum bodied, high strength steel framed, Ford pickups have been around a few years now. How are they holding up in the rust belt? I know there were some issues early on with trucks being totaled when traditional body shops had some issues with aluminum repairs after accidents. I assume that is not the case anymore.
Any consensus from the rust belt?
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I have a 2018 F150 that I drove all around NY and Canada. Not even a hint of aluminum corrosion.
Recently brought my 2009 into the body shop for repairs. The techs mentioned that they now prefer repairing the aluminum bodied trucks.
Recently brought my 2009 into the body shop for repairs. The techs mentioned that they now prefer repairing the aluminum bodied trucks.
My friend is a manager of a local body shop, a painter and car enthusiast. He's seen corrosion of aluminum but it was mostly on aluminum hoods on mustangs and possibly explorers (but I could be wrong about the explorer). He also has seen a mud clod thrown off a tractor tire put a hole right through the fender of a new f150.
They are at least better than the Dodge ram trucks he's been replacing rusted out fenders on 2014-2016s.
They are at least better than the Dodge ram trucks he's been replacing rusted out fenders on 2014-2016s.
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My brother has a two year old loaded Ford Explorer in Buffalo that had a hood so rotten that the dealer replaced it under the rust warranty.
Originally Posted by JustinH
My brother has a two year old loaded Ford Explorer in Buffalo that had a hood so rotten that the dealer replaced it under the rust warranty.
I guess I was right in my previous post about explorer's having the aluminum hood. My body guy said they've seen lots of them. They don't rust but they "corrode".
I've had to replace several aluminum bumper cores in Caprices I had over the years because the aluminum disintegrated around the steel parts they mounted to. My 83 Caprice luckily had a steel bumper which has held up for 36 years now.
My brother has a two year old loaded Ford Explorer in Buffalo that had a hood so rotten that the dealer replaced it under the rust warranty.
I guess I was right in my previous post about explorer's having the aluminum hood. My body guy said they've seen lots of them. They don't rust but they "corrode".
I've had to replace several aluminum bumper cores in Caprices I had over the years because the aluminum disintegrated around the steel parts they mounted to. My 83 Caprice luckily had a steel bumper which has held up for 36 years now.
Originally Posted by caprice_2nv
...at least better than the Dodge ram trucks he's been replacing rusted out fenders on 2014-2016s.
Isn't that crazy, how bad Dodge Rams are for rust! That would stop me right there. There's a lot to like... but body material quality and rustproofing certainly are not good qualities.
...at least better than the Dodge ram trucks he's been replacing rusted out fenders on 2014-2016s.
Isn't that crazy, how bad Dodge Rams are for rust! That would stop me right there. There's a lot to like... but body material quality and rustproofing certainly are not good qualities.
No disrespect intended but looking at some of the aluminum Fords in parking lots leaves a lot to the imagination. Some of the panels, especially the door skins look terrible from the side. Some colors are worse than others.
I just noticed the boobs at Toyota left out any sort of tow hooks on my 18 Camray. Nice job, I guess nobody gets stuck anymore. While I was crawling around under there ,trying to find a way to place my own what do I see back there but aluminum. The main rear bumper brace is just thin box aluminum. They bolted it right to the rear frame rails as far as I can see. It doesn't look to be coated with much or isolated in any way. I will be watching that with interest . Looks like they're taking the light business a but too far.
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Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
Originally Posted by caprice_2nv
...at least better than the Dodge ram trucks he's been replacing rusted out fenders on 2014-2016s.
Isn't that crazy, how bad Dodge Rams are for rust! That would stop me right there. There's a lot to like... but body material quality and rustproofing certainly are not good qualities.
RAM puts glue on foam sound proofing behind the front fenders and rear outside bed skins. Most body shops around here don't put the foam back in, they just undercoat it real good.
Originally Posted by caprice_2nv
...at least better than the Dodge ram trucks he's been replacing rusted out fenders on 2014-2016s.
Isn't that crazy, how bad Dodge Rams are for rust! That would stop me right there. There's a lot to like... but body material quality and rustproofing certainly are not good qualities.
RAM puts glue on foam sound proofing behind the front fenders and rear outside bed skins. Most body shops around here don't put the foam back in, they just undercoat it real good.
Ford has been using aluminum hoods for over 20 years. My 1998 Ford ranger has an aluminum hood that does have some corrosion under the paint. Its holding up fine but i see alot of steel hoods fairing better. But it all comes down to how you keep your vehicle. Washing and waxing goes a long way.
The one guy I personally knew with a late model (around 2008ish) Mustang would have washed his regularly (not sure about wax). He hit a deer and had to get a replacement hood, when he removed the old hood is when he noticed underneath it was getting badly corroded.
Aluminum boats are not all rusted out and they are subject to water all the time. It seems the vehicles I have seen with rust on the aluminum parts are from paint that chipped away and the bare metal is exposed. I would have to believe the cab corners and fenders/quarter panels would rust in time. I hope they don't because I would definitely be excited about the 2015 or newer Ford trucks if they didn't rust at all but I don't think it will happen. It seems rust ruins things in time no matter what you do to try to prevent it especially in states that use salt or calcium chloride.
Concur, the hood on my 98 F150 is Al. I get some snow here and they brine the roads, but I don't get enough here for the topic as I assume the real question was related to corrosion caused by salt.
We don't have rust or corrosion problems where I live (lucky us), but, we have frequent hail storms. It isn't a matter of IF, but WHEN, your vehicle is going to get hit by a hail storm around here. You should see how much damage the aluminum F150s can suffer in an even relatively minor hail storm. The PDR guys that I know won't touch them. Body repair costs can be astronomically high, so much so that a relatively minor accident (or hail damage) can easily total one of them. I know some die-hard F150 loyalists that have changed brands because of this, one of them had two F150s totaled inside of 6 months.
Originally Posted by caprice_2nv
They are at least better than the Dodge ram trucks he's been replacing rusted out fenders on 2014-2016s.
Yeeeshh....
A friend of mine runs a small indy repair shop.
He has THREE 2015+ Dodge trucks out front - - all awaiting cam & lifters. I think he said parts alone was $2000+
They are at least better than the Dodge ram trucks he's been replacing rusted out fenders on 2014-2016s.
Yeeeshh....
A friend of mine runs a small indy repair shop.
He has THREE 2015+ Dodge trucks out front - - all awaiting cam & lifters. I think he said parts alone was $2000+
It's worth noting that both the alloy and the corrosion control process is different on the F150's vs the Mustang and Explorer hoods.
The F150 uses 6000 series aluminum, likely 6061 in critical strength areas like roof pillars. It uses 5000 series aluminum in the floor pan and other low stress areas. That last part is key, as the less alloyed the aluminum, the more corrosion resistant it is.
Ford is using much the same process as Jaguar and other makers of aluminum bodied vehicles. Few of which have corrosion problems.
The F150 uses 6000 series aluminum, likely 6061 in critical strength areas like roof pillars. It uses 5000 series aluminum in the floor pan and other low stress areas. That last part is key, as the less alloyed the aluminum, the more corrosion resistant it is.
Ford is using much the same process as Jaguar and other makers of aluminum bodied vehicles. Few of which have corrosion problems.
Aluminum hoods certainly don't fare well in the rust belt. The under side of the leading edge on our 2013 Grand Caravan started to bubble within a few years. It never broke through and I never addressed it, but it was getting worse.
I don't think the aluminum bodied F150s have been around long enough for good data yet. You can guarantee they're not going to last like that of an aluminum bodied commercial truck.
I don't think the aluminum bodied F150s have been around long enough for good data yet. You can guarantee they're not going to last like that of an aluminum bodied commercial truck.
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Originally Posted by Reddy45
Wouldn't the alum. panels have a coating on any non-painted surfaces? Like how on any other car there is an "e-coat" on the inner side of body panels.
Yes. The underside of my F150 all the aluminum appears to have been zinc chromated. Pale greenish color. As cujet may confirm, zinc chromate has been used a long time in aviation for corrosion prevention on aluminum panels.
Wouldn't the alum. panels have a coating on any non-painted surfaces? Like how on any other car there is an "e-coat" on the inner side of body panels.
Yes. The underside of my F150 all the aluminum appears to have been zinc chromated. Pale greenish color. As cujet may confirm, zinc chromate has been used a long time in aviation for corrosion prevention on aluminum panels.
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