Advice buying a truck

[D. Hargrove]

A lot has changed since 2014

I will take this to heart and give the F350 another look when a new truck is needed. Mine are a 2001 f250 and a 2006 f350. My experiences are great with Fords, except heavy towing and even then they get the job done. Back in 06 when I was looking, the transmissions were not as powerful as the dodge, sounds like that is fixed now. I completely agree that if you do not really need a diesel, then go with a gasser. For pulling the Massey on a 26 foot trailer around the area the 250 is great, 350 pulls a 3 section cattle trailer and 36 foot flatbed with round bales decently. If I get onto anything but flat ground, I really feel it. But then again, I live in hulen so.....

 

[Rooster1971]

I'll take an aluminum body any day. But the body has very little to do with the overall chassis strength. I'm pretty sure the new SuperDuty's have the strongest frames of anyone right now.

Take an aluminum body. Hail will beat the chit out of it.
Got any references to any video to prove if Ford has stepped up it's chassis stenghth. I hope the have.

 

[Okie4570]

The Torqshift trans in the Super Duties since 2003 have been incredible, both the 5 and 6 speeds. The 4 speed 4R100 behind the 7.3l weren't as reliable as the as the Torqshift for sure, yet still a good combination.

Rooster what were the Super Duty chassis fails? I wasn't aware of that issue.

 

[doctorjj]

I'll take an aluminum body any day

I'm not sold on the Aluminum bodies either, although the GM commercials showing a tool box and some rocks dumped into the aluminum beds resulted in holes in both, but they only showed the damage to the Ford.
They have been out for a couple of years now. I was told the aluminum was much more expensive to repair insurance wise vs steel, but I've asked that question before when they were just coming out, and wonder if that is true.
Also think the aluminum is only in the F150's?

The SuperDuty's are all aluminum body now, including the bed but the bed material on the SuperDuty's is thicker.

 

[doctorjj]

Take an aluminum body. Hail will beat the chit out of it.
Got any references to any video to prove if Ford has stepped up it's chassis stenghth. I hope the have.

The aluminum is more dent resistant than steel. And if I get hailed on, welll, I guess that's why I have insurance.

 

[Rooster1971]

The aluminum is more dent resistant than steel. And if I get hailed on, welll, I guess that's why I have insurance.

My brother does dent repair. If aluminum gets beat to bad it's panel replacement time. Ever thumped a beer can?

 

[dennishoddy]

The aluminum is more dent resistant than steel. And if I get hailed on, welll, I guess that's why I have insurance.

Yes, depending on the alloy, aluminum can have a stronger tensile strength than steel.
But what I heard and can't can't confirm is that the Ford has gone to a unit replacement system. If you back into a pole and break the tail light, you have to replace the quarter panel as its all considered a unit of the quarter panel.
Again, I can't confirm that and have asked that question on OSA before with no response. Now that they have been out for a few years, anybody have any experience?

 

[Okie4570]

We had huge hail this summer, and I know of one 17' F150 that was beat to hell. As in there wasn't a spot on the truck where you could put your hand and not cover a dent. He told me there were only 3 shops in the state that would touch an Al truck. I've not talked to him since to see what transpired about the repair.

 

[doctorjj]

You guys are acting like Ford trucks are the only aluminum paneled vehicles in existence.

 

[emapples]

I love the headline here ...oh no .. not an extra $425 bucks? That’s hard to even notice with today’s new truck prices lol

https://blog.caranddriver.com/alumi...0-super-duty-adds-at-least-425-to-base-price/