Ford

[Lloyd]

Looks like Ford is confident in it's Aluminum trucks.


Ford's Bet On Lightweight Aluminum Is Just Beginning

[Loneoak]

I worry about there being a large weight difference between the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle. If the tow vehicle is a lot lighter, could this not cause safety concerns?

[Lloyd]

I don't see anything that I would be concerned about.
Look at the weight difference between a semi tractor, and the load they put in their trailer.

[johnboytoo]

Ford lawyers would NEVER allow the exposure if all the weight 'suggestions' like gcwr, gvwr, tow ratings, etc... were not accurate.

[harley]

if you are worried about the weight being only 700 lbs lighter, then load the box with firewood and cold ones...should even it out...lol

[travelingmikeus]

I just purchased a 2015 Ford F-150 and am planing to tow a 2013 Sunset Trail Reserve 25 foot trailor. Any suggestions for what to do or not do?

[cw3jason]

Traveling Mike, what model trailer? Do you have a weight distribution hitch? You left to many variables.

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[travelingmikeus]

The trailer is a 25 foot Sunset Trail Reserve and yesa I have a weight distribution hitch. The traieor is a 2013 model with one slide out and with a outdoor bar. I don't have any service manuals for the trailer and can't find any on line.

[cw3jason]

What's the model number and weights?

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[travelingmikeus]

The trailer model is : ST25RB13. The trailer shows a GVWR of 7714Lbs. GAWR per axle of 3500lbs and max cargo wt of 1752lbs. I hope this will help give me good answers.

[cw3jason]

Yes that helps alot. You will need 1000lbs bars for your WD hitch, and you can subtract the 1000lbs of pin weight from your door sticker cargo capacity. The 500 lbs or so you have left, is what you can add to the truck to include passengers. Based on what I know about the F150 (I had one) you will be within the limts of your truck. Do not drive faster than 65 trailer tires are not rated to go faster and make sure they are full of air. When setting up your WD hitch measure front and rear wheel wells to ground unloaded. Once hooked up with proper weight distribution, the front wheel well hight should be the same and the rear can sag up to 3 inches (factory rake) as long as trailer is level front to back and truck is level. Hope this helps. Feel free to ask more specific questions if you have any.

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[NorskeNY]

Would not own one in upstate NY - too much salt on the roads.

[mark5w]

FYI, from Auto magazine.

aluminum doesn't suffer from seasonal rust the way previous materials have. The military-grade aluminum body of the 2015 F-150 doesn't suffer from standard rust issues because it lacks the presence of iron associated with iron oxide decay, which may eat away at the stability of the body when air and moisture mix and cling to the chips, dents, and crevices that gradually form during normal wear and tear. What makes the aluminum body so special is that when it corrodes, the aluminum oxide that forms ? referred to as 'white rust' ? actually forms a protective layer around the rest of the effected area, preventing any further corrosion from occurring. However, for those who still fear rust could potentially cause problems down the road, Ford has taken great lengths in creating strong and reliable coating chemicals to protect their trucks from incidental corrosion.where aluminum parts attach to the steel frame. Materials specialist Glen Weber tested fastener finishes and found the solution in a painted adhesive with flakes of aluminum or zinc to prevent corrosion. - See more at: Ford reveals extensive testing the 2015 F-150 underwent | Reading Eagle - DRIVETIME
where aluminum parts attach to the steel frame. Materials specialist Glen Weber tested fastener finishes and found the solution in a painted adhesive with flakes of aluminum or zinc to prevent corrosion. - See more at: Ford reveals extensive testing the 2015 F-150 underwent | Reading Eagle - DRIVETIME
where aluminum parts attach to the steel frame. Materials specialist Glen Weber tested fastener finishes and found the solution in a painted adhesive with flakes of aluminum or zinc to prevent corrosion. - See more at: Ford reveals extensive testing the 2015 F-150 underwent | Reading Eagle - DRIVETIME

It would by unfathomable that Ford would produce a truck that cannot be driven in the salt belt. Doesn't make sense. Besides, Ford is not the first auto manufacturer that uses aluminum bodies. Acura, Mercedes, BMW plus a lot of US manufactures have hoods, doors, trunks made of aluminum.

[OhioMark]

Originally Posted by travelingmikeus

The trailer is a 25 foot Sunset Trail Reserve and yesa I have a weight distribution hitch. The traieor is a 2013 model with one slide out and with a outdoor bar. I don't have any service manuals for the trailer and can't find any on line.

Watch your tongue (or also referred to as hitch) weight.

The WDH helps out there, but since the storage is in the front of these trailers, it can add up.

I've been recommended folks to get a tongue scale. I bought one and a was surprised how much "stuff" we had packed in the front storage and under the bed. The weight adds up quickly.

[Burgy]

OM, how much was said scale?

[hondavalk]

Just about any car I've had with large aluminum parts have had issues with the paint peeling off or bubbling. Looks like Ford has experienced the same problem. They claim to have a new paint process this time. Hope their right.

Ford has issued a Technical Service Bulletin that shows a major paint defect in many large 2000-05 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars, trucks and SUVs that used aluminum body parts (hoods and fenders) to reduce vehicle weight. Affected models are the 2000-04 Crown Victoria, Taurus, Expedition, F-150, Ranger; Mercury Grand Marquis, Sable; Lincoln LS, Town Car Navigator and the 2000-05 Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer.

According to the TSB, “Some vehicles may exhibit a bubbling or blistering under the paint on aluminum body parts. This is due to iron contamination of the aluminum panel…

- See more at: More problems for Ford-Paint Defects in 2000-2005 models - Lemon Law Lawyers Kimmel and Silverman

[johnboytoo]

Technology 'may' have changed from 10 to 15 years ago, so maybe they did figure out something ? I WISH I wanted to keep a car over 10 years !

I guess I'm almost as high maintenance as my wife - if she gets new all the time, why can't I ?

[OhioMark]

Originally Posted by Burgy

OM, how much was said scale?

Said scale runs about $130-140, cheaper this time of year since it's the end of summer camping season.

I bought mine from the co that makes my hitch, Propride. They're surprisingly cheaper than the bigger suppliers.

Amazon and other sites carry the same brand, Sherline. It comes in 3 models, 1000, 2000, 5000 Lb capacity

links:


Tongue Weight Scale | Sherline LM1000/LM2000/LM5000 | Trailer Tongue Weight

http://www.amazon.com/Sherline-LM-50...e+tongue+scale

Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scale - 2,000-lb Capacity Sherline Tools 5780



I bought the 2000 lb scale. I figured if I'm close to 2K, I'm really doing something wrong.

This was the easiest/cheapest-bang-for-the-buck single change I made in my towing setup that had the most impact on my towing comfort, but that's just my experience.

Upgrading to 10-ply tires was a a big help, but that set took a much bigger bite out of my wallet.

[NoodlesWIU]

Take a look at the 2017 Super-Duty. They are putting the aluminum boy on it. However they are taking that weight savings and "re-investing" it in fully boxing the steel frame. So weight should be about the same when those models come out. I just bought a 2015 F-150 Max tow. I love that 90% of the driving we plan on doing with it gets anywhere between 19-28mpg depending on local/highway and speed we drive. It will be nice to pull a sunset trail with this when we purchase in the spring. =)

[Lloyd]

Has anyone heard anything on Ford planning to put the Eco-Boost in the 5.0?
If they do that------can you imagine what the HP and torque might be?
That might be enough to really put the hurts on the diesel.