Truck Toughness

[Northside]

Hail was damaging cars 50 yeas ago! It's probably easier to repair a dents in thinner sheet metal than heavier gauge anyway. The hoods on our'14 GM trucks are made of aluminum and it's about saving weight. We all know Ford is gong to an all aluminum body. They know that results in better power to weigh ratio. These things are well over5000 lbs.

[glcbn]

 

seems like the paint now is almost bullet proof,

 

..........and no,the paint today is just as "weak" as the body panels. Thanks to the EPA, manufacturers are forced to use the newer water based paints which are no where near as durable as the older stuff.

[Mickey_D]

 

..........and no,the paint today is just as "weak" as the body panels. Thanks to the EPA, manufacturers are forced to use the newer water based paints which are no where near as durable as the older stuff.

What? My 05' always lived outside, got hailed on at least once a year ($2200 in damage one year alone), never waxed and only washed a couple of times a year. When I ran it through the "good" car wash before I traded it in (after 9 years of hard use), you could still drive by looking at the reflection in the hood. It was not that long ago that the paint would die in three years, you had to buff and wax them once a month to keep them looking nice, and count on a repaint every five years just to keep the rust off. I will take this new "EPA" paint any day. At least now they put the weight where it matters, like in the frame and drive train. I remember pinching the bed and cab together many times on my 60', 81', and 90' just by getting them twisted up off road. I wanted to look under my 14" so I picked up on one back tire with the forklift until the other was just off the ground and the bed gap barely changed at all. These new trucks are a hell of a lot stronger than the old ones and get a LOT better fuel economy (did a 51 mile run to Cabella's this morning running between 70 and 80 and it averaged 21.3 mpg) and this is with a regular bed crew cab 4x4. I remember getting 12 with my 81' and having half the horsepower I have now.

[Likarok]

If I wanted a vehicle that got good mpg I would not be buying trucks. My point is that there should be a material that can stand up to a hailstone (within reason). On any car or truck!

 

I am not talking about frame, engine, mpg, cabin comfort. I am talking about the outer body panels! Christ the fairing on my Harley could probably take more of a hit than a new model car or truck can!

 

Any make! My neighbors Ford Edge looks like it went through a meat grinder.

[Likarok]

deeeeeep se Calgary also and not a lick of hail, thankfully my 14 sierra fits in the garage.

 

Maybe we should start a Calgary and area thread, what dealers you guys use?

I use the dealer that has the truck I want! When it comes right down to it they will all forget your name when you drive off the lot!