2015 ford f-150

Just saw this on the business report.. in order to lighten their trucks and improve Mpg the new f-150 is going to have a military grade AL bed as it drops a few hundred pounds of the truck
I don't know if it's an option or standard? I do like fords minus the front end issues but an Al bed is one of the best ideas i have heard of in a while for a truck. especially up here driving on the salt encrusted roads my truck bed has a few rust holes going through it already.
From what i have heard the military grade AL is some tuff stuff the only time i have had my hands on it was in the form of a receiver and i was not about to test it's strength.

How do you feel about it?
The good
The bad
How do you think it will be identified as scrap in the future cast/sheet/extrude?

I love the idea of an aluminum bed, now is that the whole box or just the bed?
Hard to say about recycling, it has not even hit the market yet. Lost and lots of salt here also.

the extensive use of aluminum in the body of the new F-150. The bed is aluminum-alloy, so is the cab. In fact, the only thing in the body that isn't aluminum-alloy is the firewall. Apparently the firewall still needs to be steel for sound reduction. Now, don't start thinking pop cans here, this stuff is aircraft grade aluminum. So obviously this has a huge impact on the overall weight of the truck, and the fuel economy.
fordf150.net

my first post was wrong they are saying 700 lb difference they are pushing the "salt belt" angle saying it will help with the rust on these parts.... Duh
2.7 litre eco boost engine (New) made of compressed graphite iron block and they put the oil filter on top for easier maintenance :) wondering about putting it on a lift though?
and something about a boxlink system to make strapping loads easier

recycling these will be a long way off for sure. Resale and re use will be the big money when the frame rots out IMHO but wasn't sure how they are made I think it is stamped sheet?

truck(and van) rear ends are already too light, and need extra weight anytime you need some traction. What they remove in weight, people will often need to replace in sand bags, or logs, or maybe scrap metal ; )

i heard its 700 pounds lighter, so im sure thats body and bed along with hood and doors and fenders, were gonna start to see more and more aluminum body vehicles in the future, not only does it increase fuel economy but it lowers the center of gravity for better handling and reduced rollover, maybe better aluminum prices in the future due to increased industrial demand?

The idea isn't entirely new, ford has been using aluminum hoods since the late 80's.

Lol this fords cash cow. You can bet your ass it won't be screwed up. Especially how ford finally got their **** together since 2011 or so. I bet its ganna be a beast.

might as well post a pic to get a look at her. I'm a red guy
http://www.fordf150.net/2015/2015-f150.png
And for the heavy haulers
http://www.fordf150.net/2015/2015-f450-super-duty.jpg

I'm not going to get too excited bout this lightened f150's fuel mileage. After seeing the 25 mpg claim of the last ecoboast and seeing the reality of 15.6, according to the tell tail display on the dash.

a few months back ,ford contracted a west coast speed shop to run a production 2015 F150 truck disguised as a 2013 in the Baja 1000, reports are the truck performed flawlessly. Also, the driver reportedly raved at how well the new Eco boost engine performed.

Don't really care. It will be a long time before I would be able to buy a New truck. Lol. I may get a 2014 truck in about 15-20 years.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by taterjuice

The idea isn't entirely new, ford has been using aluminum hoods since the late 80's.

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I had a 90's Crown Vic and Sable with F'glass trunk lids.

Most custom chassis fire trucks are aluminum construction-cabs, bodies and water tanks.

They have been since the mid 1980's.

Nice to see them finally starting to build vehicles for the general public out of aluminum.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Damotademon7

Don't really care. It will be a long time before I would be able to buy a New truck. Lol. I may get a 2014 truck in about 15-20 years.

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I hear you there is way too much markup on a new vehicle. If you want "new" things you pay "new" prices the old man would say.

We Hear: Ford to Collaborate with Alcoa on 2015 F-150 Display at Detroit - Wide Open Throttle

I couldn't find the original article of the reason Alcoa is pairing with Ford. Alcoa had expanded its quantities of aluminum for 2014 orders from China. Instead, China had an immense amount of aluminum exports for 2013 and Alcoa was scrambling to find a buyer for its large stockpile of aluminum. The problem is resolved with Ford building it's F150's with aluminum.

Ford = Fine Old Rebuilt Dodge

I could be wrong but it might be just the outside is going to be AL. Because my 01 the outside is fiberglass

I am in the Collision industry and have seen the F 150 this truck is heavy duty aircraft aluminum. And from what I've heard all there cars will follow suit.

Makes me crazy thinking of the scrap I will be able to procure.

sorry but Ford can stop an yell all day...my truck will be a Cummings because if its not a Cummings I'm not stroking it. Lol....ooo snap ok I'm going to off topic...some funny dodge photos coming up and some bad ones on ford (don't read it if you love ford lol)

You can go Cumming all over your Dodge if you want, its still a pile of ****... the Cummins motor is the only thing worth a dime the rest can be hauled off for scrap. :) Drove a '14 1500 5.7 with 4k, put 10k on it in a month, three new noises, horrible mileage, slow as balls, waste of time.

Love the new '15 F150, waiting to see '16 Superduty improvements then I will place an order for one or the other, '15 F150 3.5 Eco for a daily and keep my 08 F350 or upgrade to F450/550 or just get a new '16 450/550 and keep the 350 as a toy. The new aluminum body will be a great improvement for the industry but the truck as a whole package is very nicely done, very nicely optioned, thought out with WORK people in mind. The new 2.7 is interesting, I do want to see it but have a power problem myself so I know I might as well stay 3.5 unless the 2.7 shows its face to be stronger/faster/better.

i don't expect them to sell a lot of 2WD models up north I can tell you that much. as far as future scrap, depends on how they make it, probably sheet or extruded. I can't imagine those being cast, it would take them forever to mass produce

Can we share youtube videos here?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_CA4lFEpNo

I'm actually in the market for a new truck to bury some taxable income. I looked hard at the 14 f150 ecoboost, I will have to drive a f150 2.7 ecoboost here next week to see if I'm willing to take the plunge, word on the street is even the 3.5 ecoboost 2015 is getting 24-25 mpg in 4x4 configurations...that alone is impressive. The ram ecodiesel is said to get cheaper next year as well...I expect it will have an increase in horsepower, they slipped up and said it would have 255/450 hp/tq in the ram ecodiesel for 2015 on one of the youtube interview videos I watched and it was on motor trend tv last month. Problem is production is so far behind if I ordered a 2014 today I couldn't get it until December...but the ones on the lot are all super uptrim laramies...but enough of ram...

I'm seriously considering this 2015 ford...I have to do something soon I am eating more than 1000 a month in fuel costs in my 2000 ram 1500 at around 13.5mpg avg (I am massively lifted as well).

good tow test of the f150
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQQGYJCG65E

2015 Ford F-150 Could Mean Major Tow Rating Revision For Pickups

Normally, I'd bash Ford due to their lack of serviceability, but everyone has stooped to that level now. The thing that would concern me the most is the repair costs on body work- especially for the first few years. Once wrecked ones appear, some used parts may be available, but for the first year or two, that would worry me a bit.

Of course, in Wyoming, there is no road salt. My 1986 Dodge D250 spent it's whole life here, and there isn't a speck of rust to show. Back east, I'd probably take that gamble on aluminum, though. I've witnessed firsthand how rust can kill a vehicle.

Out here, though, I'd have the Chevrolet or the Dodge. I'm not ready to get back in bed with Ford yet....

I went to an auto show in Jacksonville Fl they had the whole ford circus show those prices they can have them a fully kitted out one you are looking at around 60k for a 1/2 ton that is sorta insane .

The thing I wonder about these small engines is longevity.

Historically, Small engines in large cars have always ended up in said vehicles having relatively short life spans. Flogging the hell out of a little motor to get power of the thing goes against every engineering principal. Sure, you can get the power but for how long? All the large car/ small economical engine types I have seen before end up smoking, unreliable heaps that disappear fast.
Whenever you see a life critical engine application, it's always a big engine with very modest power for its size turning at a relative slow speed. Putting a little engine in a workhorse application I am unaware of in any other application. I wonder if the lower fuel bills are not going to be largely offset by faster replacements needed and falling resale prices or even more frequent/ pricey repairs?

If you look at Japanese Trucks, They have all gone bigger engines over the years and Euro cars have gone much the same way. They actually get better economy out of turning a bigger engine slower. I'm sure there is more than one way to viably skin a cat but little engines in big vehicles do not instill me with confidence in their long term endurance. As an outsider, I get the impression there is a propensity for a good amount of owners of these vehicles to overload the crap out of them as some sort of pride and proof of their choice of chosen brand. On trucks that are worked hard regularly, it's going to be interesting to see how these things are holding up in 5-10 years.

That of course is of little concern to the manufacturer.
IF they can quote impressive numbers and the things last past warranty, all good for them. If they do fall over a year or so after the warranty is over, better still, Make some back end profit on parts and maybe even replacement engines.

I would say it could go either way. It all depends on the driver and how the truck is being used. The F-150 really isn't a work truck. It's better suited for use as a daily driver commuter vehicle that sometimes hauls loads under a thousand pounds. Within that context it's fine for the purpose. If you ask a monkey to do a gorilla sized job then you might run into problems.

Here's a lineup of motors that are available for the F-150 :

2015 Ford F-150 | View Full Engine Specifications | Ford.com

Personally, i don't see the reasoning for 2.7 & 3.5 ecoboost . Maybe it's to appeal to a market segment that likes advanced engine design ? Maybe the 3.5 turbo ecoboost is to appeal to the sport truck market the way the Lightning series did ? Maybe Ford wants to road test some of the engine designs that it's developed ? I just don't know .....

I've been running Ford trucks for over 30 years now. My current f-150 has a 351 cid (5.8 liter) and it's massively over powered for the job. I've run the 302 cid (4.9 liter) and that was more than enough. Given a choice i would much prefer a 6 cylinder under the hood. They phased out the venerable 300 cid ( 4.9 liter ) but it looks like the new 3.5 liter TI-VCT would be allright.

The price of a new truck has gone up quite a bit over the years but you have to remember that quality has improved a lot. The Ford trucks these days are seriously built for the long haul. Back in 1979 when i bought my first new F-100 you would reasonably expect to get 100 - 120 k. out of a motor. Most of the engine designs now are tested to last 300 k. and it's not at all uncommon to see a ford with 200 k miles selling for over eight grand at the dealership because the trucks retain their value if properly maintained.

There are a lot of in's and out's to it.

The new aluminum body sounds interesting. All of the aluminum trim on my present truck (20 yrs old) is in perfect condition. There's not a bit of corrosion. Sure would be nice to have a truck body that didn't rust out here in the salt states. :)

I think the the new 2.7 eco boost was a mpg niche filler to meet the cafe mpg regulations ,and how many people actually buy their trucks for hard labor ?
most buy new trucks to to put 20k on the odo perhaps pull a boat then sell in a few years .

I have a 88 f150 and the box is swiss cheese on the outside in the usual spots as well as some holes in the bed. Think scrap punctured the holes. Anyway Im going for the option of a custom built flatbed made out of aluminum for it. It will cost me 1800 bones, but will save weight, which means a 1-2 mpg more. Plus will outlast the truck, unless I keep rebuilding. Which Im planning to. Thing is built like a tank. I have a custom push bumper and literaly just put it through a concrete brick wall with zero damage to knock over a body shop wall. We had a bet going on, that my truck will survive and I can have the body shop down in 3-4 strategic hits. Sure enough I was right anf walked away with a g from the owner. Boy he was pissed. I did slightly bend the cow catcher slightly, but torch will fix that. Long live ford. Mental note, need to get a 6 pont harness and a helmet, that hurt hitting the wall at 25 mph lol. Yes, I am a crazy hillbilly and I built my truck to my specs, because I need it for work. And want to live in case of a stupid four wheeler cuts me off at the light. So truck is designed to survive most impacts.....

Im also all for the new aircraft aluminum, a lot better than the fiberglass and plastic bs, they been using lately. Which is why I like mine, steel baby. American steel, not chinese.