Recall on Ram Trucks

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 7:09 am

2012 thru 2014. Airbags deploying while driving: http://news.yahoo.com/fiat-chrysler-recalls-over- ... 31289.html

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 8:27 am

SWPaDon wrote:2012 thru 2014. Airbags deploying while driving: http://news.yahoo.com/fiat-chrysler-recalls-over- ... 31289.html

I am taking my 04 2500 in for some kind of airbag recall today.

EarthWindandFire · Post by **EarthWindandFire** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 9:13 am

My business sells to contractors so I'm exposed to all kinds of new and old vehicles all day. I am becoming very interested in the new Ford F-150 with the aluminum body. With engines lasting over 200,000 miles, the body needs to last just as long while still looking good. Aluminum solves this problem because it doesn't rust. Are the new trucks way too expensive, yes, but in two years they will start filling up the dealer lots as they come out from being leased.

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 9:23 am

Just remember, if you get dents, or any kind of damage to the body, aluminum costs 10x more to repair than steel ...

Also, what good is an aluminum body when the undercarriage will rot away to nothing in less than 10 years?

I see underneath a lot of vehicles. About the only thing that has impressed me lately is early 90's Volvo 940's - they just don't rust like the rest.

Recalls - par for the course in 21st century automaking!

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 9:26 am

You guys need to talk with freetown fred,he says he has no problems with his horses rusting

no issues with air bags either.

warminmn · Post by **warminmn** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 9:34 am

I would think the aluminum trucks may need weight added on slippery roads, unless Ford did a good job of balancing the weight. I see more problems being lighter... wind being one of them. Time will tell.

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 9:35 am

Yeah lighter is not better with vehicles, IMO.

Just because obama thinks he's saving the planet, doesn't mean he can mandate automakers to re-write the laws of physics ...

EarthWindandFire · Post by **EarthWindandFire** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 10:27 am

Smitty,

I agree that the Volvo's are impressive, in fact, a guy was here yesterday picking up plywood with his 940 wagon.

I'm not sure about the costs to repair aluminum bodied vehicles being 10 times greater than traditional steel-bodied vehicles. That remains to be seen. I too was swayed by Chevy's marketing about the aluminum vs steel concerns.

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 10:33 am

Aluminum will still corrode if the anodizing is damaged or flawed. The only difference is the weight savings. Not convinced it is a true benefit.

EarthWindandFire · Post by **EarthWindandFire** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 10:54 am

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/02/p ... /index.htm

http://www.aluminiumleader.com/en/around/transport/cars

Logs · Post by **Logs** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 11:54 am

As far as the motor lasting 200,000 miles HAHAHAHAHA

My ford motor lasted 25,000
Do yourself a favor and buy a Chevy

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 12:01 pm

The 7.3L diesel & the 5.4L gas engines have both been documented with over 1 million miles & no internal engine repairs. I have never figured how to post a link & don't recall the link,but it should come up on goggle. Buy horses,you can decide on their weight by what & how much you feed them.

Logs · Post by **Logs** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 12:23 pm

Ford didn't make the 7.3 , you can thank International for the high mileage .

Post by **Richard S.** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 12:41 pm

warminmn wrote:I would think the aluminum trucks may need weight added on slippery roads,....

They are using the aluminum specifically to make them lighter to get a higher MPG. The entire fleet of vehicles they sell have to meet CAFE standards which as of now is something like 30MPG.

Basically the higher MPG vehicles are sold for less profit to encourage people to buy them, the more desirable larger vehicles like trucks are sold at premium price to make up for it. If they sell too many of them they start incurring fines. Those fines are folded into the cost of the vehicles they sell driving up the cost of the larger vehicle even more. If the trucks are getting better gas mileage they can increase the prices of the lower mileage vehicle to reflect their actual value and sell more trucks.

The aluminum is certainly going to make big difference where corrosion is concerned but the question becomes is how much to fix it, if it was standard for the industry wouldn't be much of big deal but it's not.

Post by **Richard S.** » Thu. Sep. 10, 2015 12:47 pm

SMITTY wrote: Also, what good is an aluminum body when the undercarriage will rot away to nothing in less than 10 years?

Don't be surprised if you see them moving to aluminum for that too. Nearly everything you see in this picture is aluminum including the sub frame.