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So, I just got back from a weeklong hunting trip. For the trip, I rented a brand new F150 Truck. I must say, that while I don't like the grill of the truck, everything else about it was top notch. Great Truck.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vannort54
You are correct on that point, I thought you wanted to know why not build the F150 out of fiberglass.
Fiberglass breaks, metal crushes. Have you ever seen a corvette after a crash? Skip to 12:35 (though the idiot driver's antics are rather amusing) Maybe the reinforcement in the frame and sides helps a lot, but I think I prefer metal.
For one thing you cannot make fiberglass panels faster than you can stamp them out on a press. When you are talking assembly line you are talking up to 55 trucks an hour that's what Chrysler was putting out when I worked at their Warren Truck Assembly plant we made Ram pickups. Fiberglass could never be used in that speed of witch they are made.
Nor is it worth it, think about it, there are reasons why you don't see fiberglass bicycles, yet there are bamboo ones. A wreck with a fiberglass truck would look like an F1 crash.
Quite a few southern states get snow, and salt is used. Maybe they'll come up with a different paint, like a rubber based paint.
Why? Paint holds up fine on aluminum. Aluminum panels have been used for years as have complete aluminum bodies. And it has held up well on vehicles both below and above the snow belt.
There are also plenty of aluminum yachts (not just jon boats) that have beautiful paint jobs and they spend their lives in salt water and hold up just fine!
Why? Paint holds up fine on aluminum. Aluminum panels have been used for years as have complete aluminum bodies. And it has held up well on vehicles both below and above the snow belt.
There are also plenty of aluminum yachts (not just jon boats) that have beautiful paint jobs and they spend their lives in salt water and hold up just fine!
People fail to realize is that Ford has put the their aluminum truck through so many test including spraying it with salt water for a year streight and exposeing the paint to the elements for a year also and side impact and front head on crashes and they have stretched it to see its breaking point. In other words Ford did not just start making their money maker out of aluminum without testing it out first. Ford has a huge testing laboratory's in Deaborn Mi. And I'm sure the manufacture of the aluminum for Ford has also done plenty of testing. Ford tested there aluminum trucks for years before going into production they put their test trucks through more pounding than any of us would ever put a vehicle through.
Further, Ford took the time to make some aluminum versions of their previous truck and gave them to construction companies, mines, and other tough applications to test for a year. One mining company figured out something was different when they tried to put on magnetic lights and they wouldn't stick.
Further, Ford took the time to make some aluminum versions of their previous truck and gave them to construction companies, mines, and other tough applications to test for a year. One mining company figured out something was different when they tried to put on magnetic lights and they wouldn't stick.
You are correct what gets me is that people think the big 3 or any other manufacture come up with an idea and just make it willynilly. These new products are tested and re tested than tested again, but some on here think they know more than the Ford engineers well if they know more than they should go work for them.
I agree. These companies aren't going to just put out a vehicle without testing it. Personally, if I had the money for a new truck, I'd have absolutely no problem getting an F150. The fact that it's aluminum would not even be considered a question.
Yes, I like older vehicles and the sound of a V8 but I actually like the idea of a fullsized truck that, because of being lighter, it can have a smalller V6 in it just sipping instead of gulping the gas.
Perhaps it's good that I can't afford a new one yet so when I can, a full sized crew cab 4X4 can be had that pushes 30MPG's on the highway and 25 all around. Using aluminum is one of the ways to make that happen!
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