F150 = FULL FRAME = NO energy absorbing unibody structure = dinosaur vehicle
Au contraire mon fraire. I was in on the design of the new 2004 Ford F-150. The F-150 in this link is the old model. The new one has many safety enhancements that make it much safer than the old one for those kinds of impacts. We added thicker metal in some spots and structural enhancements. This was not cheap, but we did it for the safety of our customers without passing on the price. And as for the fully-boxed frame it is there for durability and handling, it is not dinosaur technology. So it doesn't flex as much as other trucks. Many parts of the front end are designed to absorb a frontal impact, the fully boxed frame does not interfere with this. If you have seen the videos I have comparing trucks like GM has compared to the new F-150 it will astound you. Denny, stick to something you know, like retirement. [img]/images/graemlins/laughing.gif[/img] You may have owned auto repair shops, but you have never designed a vehicle.
Hijacking my own thread: no frame flex=bad offroader! Kudos to ford for redesigning the truck based on safety though!
So you want a frame that flexes and eventually causes all kinds of squeeks and rattles and then possibly even the metal ripping away after enough abuse? I don't think Ford paid extra money for a fully boxed frame if there was no benefit to it. Plus it added extra weight which they are trying to avoid at all costs to help increase fuel economy. They didn't make it a fully boxed frame for shits and giggles.
FYI, we tore down the new Nissan Titan and the Toyota Tundra and these trucks are like toys underneath. They are not serious trucks. Everything is so small and dainty. I can't believe they could ever stand up to serious abuse. I laugh when I see the commercials for these trucks where they are trying to make them out to be tough trucks since they don't have that image. I saw one last night where this guy parks his truck in a demolition derby by mistake and this monster truck runs into the little wimpy Toyota and the monster truck flips over leaving the Toyota unharmed. [img]/images/graemlins/laughing.gif[/img]
FYI, we tore down the new Nissan Titan and the Toyota Tundra and these trucks are like toys underneath. They are not serious trucks. Everything is so small and dainty. I can't believe they could ever stand up to serious abuse. I laugh when I see the commercials for these trucks where they are trying to make them out to be tough trucks since they don't have that image. I saw one last night where this guy parks his truck in a demolition derby by mistake and this monster truck runs into the little wimpy Toyota and the monster truck flips over leaving the Toyota unharmed. [img]/images/graemlins/laughing.gif[/img]
Well what do you expect the Japanese to know about making trucks?
I'd rather be in that old F150 than in a mini copper. More weight of the vehicle = more inertia = more busted up stuff. Plus you won't look like a fag in the truck [img]/images/graemlins/toothy[/img]
F150 = FULL FRAME = NO energy absorbing unibody structure = dinosaur vehicle
Au contraire mon fraire. I was in on the design of the new 2004 Ford F-150. The F-150 in this link is the old model. The new one has many safety enhancements that make it much safer than the old one for those kinds of impacts. We added thicker metal in some spots and structural enhancements. This was not cheap, but we did it for the safety of our customers without passing on the price. And as for the fully-boxed frame it is there for durability and handling, it is not dinosaur technology. So it doesn't flex as much as other trucks. Many parts of the front end are designed to absorb a frontal impact, the fully boxed frame does not interfere with this. If you have seen the videos I have comparing trucks like GM has compared to the new F-150 it will astound you. Denny, stick to something you know, like retirement. [img]/images/graemlins/laughing.gif[/img] You may have owned auto repair shops, but you have never designed a vehicle.
Hijacking my own thread: no frame flex=bad offroader! Kudos to ford for redesigning the truck based on safety though!
So you want a frame that flexes and eventually causes all kinds of squeeks and rattles and then possibly even the metal ripping away after enough abuse? I don't think Ford paid extra money for a fully boxed frame if there was no benefit to it. Plus it added extra weight which they are trying to avoid at all costs to help increase fuel economy. They didn't make it a fully boxed frame for shits and giggles.
Um no.. For an offroader, I want a frame that flexes and does not eventually cause all kinds of squeeks , rattles and metal ripping away after enough abuse. They probably made fully boxed frame to save money or because they did not want to put the time into redesign of an old frame (ie: money again), though you would know the reason better than I. For it's purposes Iam sure the Ford truck does just fine.. it just makes a shitty offroader with a stiff frame is all. A flexible ladder type frame with tubular cross members provides sufficient stiffness for the road as well as exceptional torsional flexibility offroad. This is old technology as well that is time proven to not sqeek, rattle or rip away. [img]/images/graemlins/dunno[/img]
A flexible ladder type frame with tubular cross members provides sufficient stiffness for the road as well as exceptional torsional flexibility offroad. This is old technology as well that is time proven to not sqeek, rattle or rip away. [img]/images/graemlins/dunno[/img]
One of the main reasons I bought the first Durango I could get my hands on... :thumb:
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