2015 Ford F150 goes on a diet, loses 700 lbs. (Aluminum)

[redpoint5]

Why is it better to form the body out of aluminum instead of the frame? It seems the body has a much more complex shape and requires the metal to not only be structurally sound, but visually free of blemish.

I would think an aluminum frame and plastic body would be the ideal combo for weight vs price.

Trimming the weight allows everything to be smaller, including the engine, frame, brakes, axles, etc. Whenever the cylinder count or size can be reduced, big savings in MPG can be realized.

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Less weight is good, means you can haul more stuff
That is part of the reason I switched to LiFePO4 batteries, they save me at least 100lb.

FE improvement through weight reduction is a hard expensive way to pick up MPGs.

I'm sure you have made a post on your LiFePo4 batteries, and I'm sure I've read it... what batteries did you go with, and how many? Do you use a BMS?

I'm considering LiFePo4 on my motorcycle where weight can really make a difference.

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

A friend said, "Guys just looove putting gas in those things". They do!

My Dodge/Cummins has a 35 gallon fuel tank, and I have to admit that filling the beast makes me feel like I've got a serious machine. The noisy 5.9L turbo is pure joy to run fuel through. That said, I cried a little on the inside once when the fuel light came on, and putting $20 into the tank wasn't enough to turn the fuel light off.

[Giovanni LiCalsi]

Carbon fiber is too expensive and time consuming for high production. Small parts can be mass produced using the FiberForge.com process. Mercedes and BMW are using this, as well as the US military.
Alulight tubing is stronger than steel and can be robotically welded. It has tested very well in crash tests and the US military is using it as armor on some of their combat vehicles.
It would lighten and strengthen the frame if only the ladder frame rails were replaced. This would still be economical and buyers would appreciate the quality.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

1963 CHEVROLET C10 Information Specifications Resources Pictures

1970 CHEVROLET C10 Information Specifications Resources Pictures

Not impressed. At. All.

Road noise, safety, comfort/features. Not all necessary, but there is a reason new cars weigh so much.

[Giovanni LiCalsi]

The great thing about Alulight aluminum foam panel is that it is a very good insulator against sound and temperature.
I will be using it on my Stanley Rocket monocoque body. It has twice the torsional rigidity of aluminum sheet. It can be welded or can be bonded together with epoxy.

[Xist]

There have been some comments on here about how sharp broken carbon fiber is. It does not seem perfect for the parts more prone to encountering human flesh.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by Giovanni LiCalsi

Carbon fiber is too expensive and time consuming for high production.

The Alfa 4C and BMW i3 represent recent advances in bringing carbon monocoques to affordable production cars.

As for alu truck bodies, ask anyone who's got an alloy panelled car how easily they dent and how much more panel shops want to fix them. Doesn't seem like an ideal choice for a 'working' vehicle. Unless Ford do something in these regards, I see some very low resale values down the track, as well as bringing down the F150's image.

[Giovanni LiCalsi]

The Ford 150 could easily adopt to this technology for all of the body panels and would be nearly indestructible. The great thing about the FiberForge process is that body panel designs for an entire body can be retooled in a mater of weeks, not a year.

http://youtu.be/5WpZg_oSWQA

Here is an article about Tesla using this process:
http://www.teslamotors.com/de_DE/node/3841

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

As for alu truck bodies, ask anyone who's got an alloy panelled car how easily they dent and how much more panel shops want to fix them. Doesn't seem like an ideal choice for a 'working' vehicle.

It doesn't cost anything to repair dents if you don't fix them. Trucks are meant for work, and stuff that is used for work get dents. I don't see cost of repair being a major concern regarding the body construction of a truck.

That said, I still think plastic is an ideal material in this regard. It's cheap, light, and resilient. Saturn's had plastic body panels, and a friend of mine showed how it could be severely deformed and still pop back to the original shape. Not only that, but infusing the color within the plastic means that you cannot scratch the color off. What does plastic have going against it?

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

It doesn't cost anything to repair dents if you don't fix them. Trucks are meant for work, and stuff that is used for work get dents.

What does plastic have going against it?

Problem is a 10 year old truck will look absolutely beat to death compared to a steel one. It could work to Ford's advantage though as in "look how beat that truck is but it still runs!" If buying a used vehicle, I'll take the one that doesn't look like it's been to hell and back, and that resale value means unrepaired damage does cost you money. Dealers repair dents prior to putting traded vehicles on sale. AFAIK paintless dent removers won't touch an alu panel. All potential issues at resale.

Plastic would be a far better solution, but I bet Jim Bob 'don't want no stupid plastic truck'. On that thought he might not want no soda pop can truck either.

[maxc]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

My Ranger is around 2975 curb weight. My 97 F150 was 3800. The base stripper 2015 will shed 700# from the previous models 5000#? Man they porked out!

regards
Mech

My 1997 f150 2wd, 6 foot bed, 4.6L, ex cab,full tank gas,without me in it 4700# at the weigh station.