12 things I learned nerding out over the 2015 Ford F-150 - RoadandTrack.com (blog)
The big deal with Ford's new F-150 is the aluminum body . With it, the material has hit the mainstream—it doesn't get much more so than the bestselling vehicle in America. While that's its own milestone, Ford did a lot to take advantage of the lighter body's obvious and more subtle advantages, creating a truck that's going to beat up on the domestic competition. Ford started looking at aluminum for the F-150 back in 2009, and greenlit the idea in 2010. Employees and suppliers had to sign confidentiality agreements before being told. RELATED: How Ford raced a 2015 F-150 secretly at the Baja 1000. Going light set off aluminum dominoes. Engineers took 70 pounds out of the frame using some new processes and a larger percentage of high-strength steel. The aluminum body took care of the bulk of the claimed 700-pound weight loss, lowering the center of gravity by about 0. 6 inch along the way. The lower CG lead to better handling which prompted extra frame strengthening to further improve the way the truck drives. They went to staggered outboard shock mounts—one located ahead of the axle and one behind—and also aligned the engine and pinion better, allowing the use of one-piece aluminum driveshafts in many cases where Ford used two-piece. Source: www.roadandtrack.com
