Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Repairing the aluminum body Ford F-150

Anyone have a guess as to why aluminium repair is twice the steel labor rate. I know that welding skills and equipment is slightly different but holy [bleep]. If it is more difficult and takes more time that would reflect hours not rate. Or is it a smoke and mirrors game till these repairs become more common. This idea is not new, real trucks have been aluminium for decades.

When repairing aluminum as opposed to steel . the aluminum is easier and stronger to do a proper job. Adhesives and rivets are stronger then 99% of most welders ability and do not introduce corrosion problems like welding. A lot of repairs on steel are partial replacements and are corrosion havens.... Aluminum panels and structures are replaced as whole units and are as strong as new. The cost will be more but I think in the long run Aluminum is a better material for most vehicles. Repair costs are more also because all retainers are replaced every time , because they are coated to reduce electrolysis between steel and aluminum components.
But this is just my opinion , but I worked in Bodyshops for 20 years and a lot of that at an Audi dealer and dealt with a lot of aluminum vehicles.....

P.S. I think Plastic composites are better yet because of cost, corrosion resistance and easily recycled. Alot of the components on trucks , bedsides , tailgates ,hoods , etc. would be better off composite. Anyone remember the Saturn ads with shopping carts bouncing off them.

never had a saturn but have not heard of any big problems with the composite panels. Really thought that was the near future but in normal cars those have not caught on. How much thought is given to repair profits when designing a new car? More a Ford hater than a love but anyone driving a newer car is riding in a vehicle held together by adhesives. Also a lot of steel repair panels are being held on by glue these days.

Can you give an example of what is held together by adhesives on new vehicles?

Thanks.



Travis

Why did they not make the box a modular panel system? 20 hours of repair seems excessive over a modular panel system.

The easiest and most visible is the windshield and backglass. One would be surprised how much support those windows give to some modern car bodies. Also some models glue in the firwall and certain dash components. Those are actual structural components that make the body stronger

How about driving safely and not having any wrecks to repair?

The tail gate locks. Has to be opened to remove tail light assembly...

problem is, as my daughter found out the first day she got her licence, even if your damn carefull other phuggers arent always and not all of them carry insurance, especially around here....within literally an hour of getting her licence she had a gal change lanes and run into her so quick she couldnt do anything...cops told her(and us) not a damn thing she could have done different...

My beef with plastics is as they age the plasticizers evaporate out and the plastic becomes brittle, same thing happens in extreme cold. Hence those nice compliant plastics that should bend instead of bending end up shattering and what should be a small dent or repair on say an air dam requires you to replace the whole thing.

No big deal if your someone who always has to have a new car, but if your someone who keeps a car for a decade or two plastic is not for you.

The easiest and most visible is the windshield and backglass. One would be surprised how much support those windows give to some modern car bodies. Also some models glue in the firwall and certain dash components. Those are actual structural components that make the body stronger

I stopped at my local Ford dealer last week to check out the new 2015 F-150s. The salesman that I was talking to showed me the King's Ranch the owner was driving.

The sticker price? $71K plus.

Now THAT is sticker shock.

donsm70

Bought a house for less than that in 2000. Wont be paid off for a few months. If i paid that much, for that long, on a truck I would hate that SOB.

I drive an old King Ranch

Many have the door hinges glued on.

Had 2 new GMCs in the early 90s, liked them both but never held them long term. 98 dodge and 2000 ford super duty. Kids and divorce ended my new truck buying. Currently driving '04 chev. That thing sure doesn't like U.P. winters. Speedo doesn't go back to 0 as soon as it gets cold. Now the same thing is happening with temp gauge, it's about to make a full circle. Also have to put new bulbs in brake lights and headlights often. Think I'll go back to Ford next time.

But it rides just like an 85k Mercedes GL. Maybe better!

Buy a set of stepper motors off if ebay for a few bucks each. An hours time start to finish after reviewing some online tutorials and you'll be in business. My 03 was same way.

Prices on trucks is ridiculous, a person puts 20-30 grand down and that's really stretching it for 9 outta 10 people and they've still got a huge payment.

I see some cash flow sheets on a weekly basis through work and there's a lot of people out here paying 900-1100.00 a month on their truck payment.

My opinion, if you're paying 900-1100.00 a month for one vehicle payment you're driving more vehicle than you can afford.

The worst part is depreciation.

And for some people their vehicle is probably worth less than they owe.


Our local dealer gets quite a few fairly low mile F350 trade-ins that are about $20k less in price than a new one. Mostly farmer highway pickups that are in great shape as well, let someone else eat the depreciation.