The V6 Ford Raptor Outsold The Original V8

[Ruger]

Please don't be unnecessarily obnoxious. It is clear from my post #14 in this thread - the one you responded to - that I don't know.
"Military grade aluminum" doesn't tell anyone anything, as I am sure that you understand better than most.
So, if you don't mind, please let us all know what grade of aluminum Ford uses in its body panels.
I am genuinely interested in learning what grade of aluminum alloy is as malleable as body steel. That would be a bit of valuable metallurgical information!

How do you respond, @FordTechOne ?

 

[Reaper308]

Wow now who’s being obnoxious?

 

[Ruger]

Wow now who’s being obnoxious?

Why, not at all! After he wrote, "Since you seem to know so much, why don't you tell me?" I think that I can ask a simple question a second time just in case he missed it the first time. (shrug) I have absolutely no ulterior motives here. I do some amateur welding, and if there is an aluminum alloy that is as malleable as steel, I really want to know!

But what I suspect is that Ford's "military grade aluminum" is akin to Ford Motorcraft Transfer Case Fluid, P/N 1076275-00. Ford never published what its transfer case fluid was - no specs, nothing. Unless you wanted to take the chance on sabotaging your expensive transfer case or void the factory warranty you paid for if you bought your truck new, you were pretty much obliged to use it. So I did - FOUR TIMES. And then my transfer case failed at 85,198 miles. And after I paid $1,719.82 to have the transfer case replaced at my local Ford dealership they informed me that the proper fluid to use is Mercon LV. Apparently Ford has discontinued its proprietary fluid, and Mercon LV is now the recommended fluid in all applications that previously called for the proprietary stuff. Do you think that it might be possible that Ford's secret proprietary transfer case fluid might have been inferior and contributed to the expensive failure I had? I do sure do, given that it was serviced so regularly with the proprietary factory fluid.

So I am wondering if Ford's magic aluminum is similar to its magic transfer case fluid in that we will never know what it is. If FordTechOne knows, I'd like to know, too, and I bet I'm not alone. It's as simple as that.

 

[Reaper308]

What ever brother! I think it’s best sometimes to realize we all are just making are way through all this stuff and yes FordTechOne had a bit of a snarky tone but he seems to be a helpful individual not saying you aren’t either best sometimes to just let it be. I don’t mean to imply you weren’t trying to be helpful either.

 

[K223]

Why, not at all! After he wrote, "Since you seem to know so much, why don't you tell me?" I think that I can ask a simple question a second time just in case he missed it the first time. (shrug) I have absolutely no ulterior motives here. I do some amateur welding, and if there is an aluminum alloy that is as malleable as steel, I really want to know!

But what I suspect is that Ford's "military grade aluminum" is akin to Ford Motorcraft Transfer Case Fluid, P/N 1076275-00. Ford never published what its transfer case fluid was - no specs, nothing. Unless you wanted to take the chance on sabotaging your expensive transfer case or void the factory warranty you paid for if you bought your truck new, you were pretty much obliged to use it. So I did - FOUR TIMES. And then my transfer case failed at 85,198 miles. And after I paid $1,719.82 to have the transfer case replaced at my local Ford dealership they informed me that the proper fluid to use is Mercon LV. Apparently Ford has discontinued its proprietary fluid, and Mercon LV is now the recommended fluid in all applications that previously called for the proprietary stuff. Do you think that it might be possible that Ford's secret proprietary transfer case fluid might have been inferior and contributed to the expensive failure I had? I do sure do, given that it was serviced so regularly with the proprietary factory fluid.

So I am wondering if Ford's magic aluminum is similar to its magic transfer case fluid in that we will never know what it is. If FordTechOne knows, I'd like to know, too, and I bet I'm not alone. It's as simple as that.

Nothing for nothing and I don’t want to get in between your conversation. I did mention in this thread that Ford uses “6000” series aluminum as noted by various sources. Now that does not narrow it down to what grade as there are several 6000 grades. We’re you looking for the exact grade? These sources also mention Ford was able to make the panels thicker than previous steel panels. @FordTechOne has mentioned this.

From my experience in welding and I have restored several cars in my time. Welding mild steel and aluminum alloy’s, are entirely different ball games. I take it you realize that. So if the average body guy has never received any aluminum welding training from Ford or elsewhere, I’m sure they would have a tough go around with it as compared to steel. But if techniques and training have been performed, it should be well accomplished by skilled body techs. I guess we can agree more people can weld up mild steel than aluminum. At least this has been my experience.

 

[Ruger]

Nothing for nothing and I don’t want to get in between your conversation. I did mention in this thread that Ford uses “6000” series aluminum as noted by various sources. Now that does not narrow it down to what grade as there are several 6000 grades. We’re you looking for the exact grade? These sources also mention Ford was able to make the panels thicker than previous steel panels. @FordTechOne has mentioned this.

From my experience in welding and I have restored several cars in my time. Welding mild steel and aluminum alloy’s, are entirely different ball games. I take it you realize that. So if the average body guy has never received any aluminum welding training from Ford or elsewhere, I’m sure they would have a tough go around with it as compared to steel. But if techniques and training have been performed, it should be well accomplished by skilled body techs. I guess we can agree more people can weld up mild steel than aluminum. At least this has been my experience.

Yes sir, I am quite aware that welding any grade of aluminum alloy requires different equipment and techniques than welding steel. I mentioned malleability, though, because my interest in Ford's aluminum alloy involves more than welding. If indeed Ford's aluminum alloy is more malleable than others, it would make it easier to bend and shape to make brackets for aftermarket fog lights and driving lights without inducing metal fatigue and stress fractures. So yes, I am interested in the exact grade.

 

[FordTechOne]

Please don't be unnecessarily obnoxious. It is clear from my post #14 in this thread - the one you responded to - that I don't know.
"Military grade aluminum" doesn't tell anyone anything, as I am sure that you understand better than most.
So, if you don't mind, please let us all know what grade of aluminum Ford uses in its body panels.
I am genuinely interested in learning what grade of aluminum alloy is as malleable as body steel. That would be a bit of valuable metallurgical information!

I thought you were being sarcastic, I apologize for the response.

Per Ford training, the aluminum used on F-Series/Expedition/Navigator is 6022 series and 6111 series.

 

[DFS]

Also for anyone who's curious, "military grade" is typically not a good thing, MILSPEC is what you desire. Irrelevant in this discussion, but MILSPEC has a whole series of QC and manufacturing tolerances, traceability reports, and generally is just better stuff than you find on the open market.

 

[K223]

Also for anyone who's curious, "military grade" is typically not a good thing, MILSPEC is what you desire. Irrelevant in this discussion, but MILSPEC has a whole series of QC and manufacturing tolerances, traceability reports, and generally is just better stuff than you find on the open market.

Can Milspec also be of different grades based on the spec? For one example. A 7075 M4 lower receiver. And so on as it pertains to the part. Or might we be talking of the same thing?

 

[DFS]

Can Milspec also be of different grades based on the spec? For one example. A 7075 M4 lower receiver. And so on as it pertains to the part. Or might we be talking of the same thing?

With firearms it has a different "specification" if you will from my rudimentary understanding (no class 3 license for me). I'm referring to manufacturing MILSPEC as in components for things outside of ballistics, I should have been more specific. I can't elaborate on the fire arm milspec as I'd be talking out of my ass lol