The 2015 ford f150 has gotten a ton of attention for its weight saving aluminum body but in designing the new half ton f series pickup the ford team cut weight in more areas than just the body.
Ford f 150 aluminum body weight.
The first f 150 models to have aluminum body panels came with the thirteenth generation design which first debuted on the 2015 model year.
Body panels use high strength almost military grade aluminum alloy including the bed but the frame is still made of steel increasing in fact from 23 to 77 plus the firewall.
The change although costly helped the automaker boost its share of the hugely profitable segment post record transaction.
Working with aluminum alloy allows an increase in gauge or thickness where needed to achieve strength without increasing weight.
In 2017 the f series super duty trucks also gained aluminum bodies.
Even though many potential buyers were concerned about drastic price increases for an all aluminum f 150 the actual cost of the truck rose by only 395 per vehicle according to autoblog ford emphasized that the added value stemmed from new standard features not from the aluminum used for the body.
2020 f series super duty ford.
The ford f 150 has the only high strength military grade aluminum alloy body in its class a heat treating process is used to harden the aluminum alloy.
This ford f 150 marks the first time the f series is produced with an aluminum body instead of steel.
It s easy to call the ford f 150 s aluminum body panels into question but it s important to have all the facts before making a decision.
The 2015 f 150 is 700 pounds lighter thanks to its new aluminum body and ford engineers say the weight reduction allows the truck to tow and haul more than ever while also improving.
Learn more on the benefits and.
Both were the first pickups in their class to get bodies made out of the lighter weight material according to the drive.
All models 2015 and newer have aluminum construction.
Ford f 150 has a tough nosed design great resale value and a number of luxurious features.
However the f series still retains a frame made of high strength steel.
When the first ford f 150 with aluminum body panels hit the market for the 2015 model year truck buyers and industry competitors were vocal about their skepticism over its strength and durability.
Aluminum body barely impacts f 150 s price.
Ford s switch to an aluminum body on the 2015 f 150 was revolutionary.