Aluminum Ford's and Paint

[DavidC]

Caught this on a detailing forum and is a need to know subject. A Detailer was asking about buffing out a new Ford Aluminum body and this was one of the responses from a professional.

•Be acutely aware of the possibility of
excessive heat build-up when buffing
on aluminum panels—aluminum panels
that have probably been very thinly
sprayed with a water-based paint-system
(Thanks, .gov!).

•The integrity of this type of paint-system,
on aluminum, relies more heavily on the
proper prepping than it does for many
other vehicle substrates. As a result:

-Occurrences of paint “delaminating” on
these vehicles have been reported. Keep
an eye out for any paint anomilies.

Dave

 

[EDankievitch]

Any time there is a system change. And by system change I'm talking about the paint system, It takes a few years to work out the bugs in the process. Remember back in the 1980's when all silver cars and trucks regardless who's brand it was would just peel off the car? Water base paints are nothing new. We've had water base anti fouling paints for years now and they really work well . ANd that's on the boat and ship bottoms always in the water. While nothing beats the old lead/ thinner based paints of the past I much prefer being able to work in the shop after the paint job is done and being able to breath. And clean up with just water not flammable thinners is a huge plus. Give them a chance. And chances are the paint on your new RAM is water based.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I think the aluminum base is more of an issue than the water based paint. I believe GM is also working on an aluminum truck body that has a steel bed floor.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Use to be that in order to paint aluminum you needed to use Zinc Chromate Primer For Aluminum but with all the enviromental B.S. they use stuff that lets the paint peal off if you attain speeds over 90 MPH

 

[Wayne M.]

Going on about 18 months with the aluminum cab F550's in severe salt, and the seams and underbody seem to be holding up.
I recall reading somewhere about the Acura NSX, and that paint and aluminum body care is complex.

 

[DavidC]

If he Ford peeling is correct I am glad they are not painting our Military aircraft. Nothing like a bunch of shiny dots in the sky of a war zone .

Dave

 

[SnoKing]

Just wait until insurance rates catch up with Aluminum Body Ford owners!

 

[DavidC]

Just wait until insurance rates catch up with Aluminum Body Ford owners!

Not a problem, Tax payers will foot the bill. After all it is "Military Grade". I know cause they told us.

Dave

 

[SnoKing]

Not a problem, Tax payers will foot the bill. After all it is "Military Grade". I know cause they told us.

Dave

You mean they are recycling all those old B-52 airframes from Davis-Monthan. I was 4 miles from the end and 3 miles to the side of U-Tapau B-52 base in Thailand when it was being built in the summer of 1966. We would go over and watch the fully loaded B-52's take off. Quite a sight. If they took off towards us it was not that bad, the other direction would rattle all of our USCG Loran Station buildings, to the point you might think they would fall apart.

 

[DavidC]

You mean they are recycling all those old B-52 airframes from Davis-Monthan. I was 4 miles from the end and 3 miles to the side of U-Tapau B-52 base in Thailand when it was being built in the summer of 1966. We would go over and watch the fully loaded B-52's take off. Quite a sight. If they took off towards us it was not that bad, the other direction would rattle all of our USCG Loran Station buildings, to the point you might think they would fall apart.

Yeah there is definately some sound to 8 J57"s with water injection. My parents were visiting and were staying at a RV park just outside the base in a Travel trailer. He was on the roof one day and I asked him what he was doing. He replied he needed more duct tape and whitewall cleaner so he could clean the tire tracks and tape the trailer back together after those planes go over. They were right in line with the runway .

Dave

 

[jgillott]

Just wait until insurance rates catch up with Aluminum Body Ford owners!

Interesting. Is there an issue with insurance costs on Aluminum body Fords? I just got the insurance bill for my new 2018 F150 and it is just over $60 more than I am paying for my '07 Ram. I don't think that is out of line for a vehicle 11 years newer and at this price point.

 

[SnoKing]

Interesting. Is there an issue with insurance costs on Aluminum body Fords? I just got the insurance bill for my new 2018 F150 and it is just over $60 more than I am paying for my '07 Ram. I don't think that is out of line for a vehicle 11 years newer and at this price point.

As more and more costly repairs occur, rates will reflect the additional cost of repair. SnoKing

 

[jgillott]

As more and more costly repairs occur, rates will reflect the additional cost of repair. SnoKing

I guess time will tell. This is the 4th model year now for the aluminum F150 so I would think that the insurance industry would begin to adjust soon if there is need to.

 

[SnoKing]

Yeah there is definately some sound to 8 J57"s with water injection. My parents were visiting and were staying at a RV park just outside the base in a Travel trailer. He was on the roof one day and I asked him what he was doing. He replied he needed more duct tape and whitewall cleaner so he could clean the tire tracks and tape the trailer back together after those planes go over. They were right in line with the runway .

Dave

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/vietnam-era-b-52-prepared-for-new-home/

I most likely watched this B-52 in 1966-67 at U-Tapao in Thailand.

#ad


More on 2584's story.
http://www.rbogash.com/B-52/B-52_Master.html

 

[DavidC]

That's a great story SnoKing

Dave

 

[Dl5treez]

I hate to interject a little truth into this pity party for FoMoCo, but Ford has been painting aluminum body panels since at least 1983 when the (then) Lincoln Continental sported the "first" aluminum hood. Countless other FoMoCo vehicles--including all the F-150s and Expeditions from 1997-present have aluminum hoods.

The peeling paint issue in the media is a contamination issue mostly, and an improper primer/base/clear compatibility issue on older vehicles (2000-2005) as well. There are a few different stories happening at the same time and facts are getting muddled.

Chrysler had it's own issues with crap paint and subpar metals---my '95 has been completely redone thanks to their stumbles. My old '99 had black paint peeling off in sheets and rusted out worse than any Ford truck I've had.

 

[BoeingDiesel]

As to the issue of the paint.. that isn't really very good news as I took delivery of 2018 F-250 this weekend...oh well, we'll see.
Awesome article Snoking

 

[DavidC]

I hate to interject a little truth into this pity party for FoMoCo, but Ford has been painting aluminum body panels since at least 1983 when the (then) Lincoln Continental sported the "first" aluminum hood. Countless other FoMoCo vehicles--including all the F-150s and Expeditions from 1997-present have aluminum hoods.

The peeling paint issue in the media is a contamination issue mostly, and an improper primer/base/clear compatibility issue on older vehicles (2000-2005) as well. There are a few different stories happening at the same time and facts are getting muddled.

Chrysler had it's own issues with crap paint and subpar metals---my '95 has been completely redone thanks to their stumbles. My old '99 had black paint peeling off in sheets and rusted out worse than any Ford truck I've had.

That's not good news If they have been doing that long and now reports of peeling paint. Although it did take them a long time to sort of figure out how to build a diesel i guess. If it is truly 2000-2005's then that would be a non issue as everyone's paint seems to start failing after 10 years. What I heard was on the newer aluminum bodies. I have not seen the supposed issue but I do not really pay that much attention to Fords of any kind. The Wfe's 2005 Toyota Sienna has paint so thin it is like electroplating and the clear coat is failing/peeling. I just chalk it up to this water based crap they try to pass off as paint.

Dave

 

[fest3er]

Except for where the body is rusting out, the paint on my Saltillo-assembled '98 2500 is still in pretty good shape. The body isn't Alum., but I've seen plenty of 2nd gens (and other vehicles) with paint peeled off the hood and other parts. I'd first suspect it's the quality of the paint and preparation.

 

[Dl5treez]

It seems like the Mexican built trucks in my experience exhibit better paint than the N St Louis ones. Could very well be enviro regs.

The new Ford aluminum bodies that are peeling got contaminated with iron somehow somewhere in the construction process. It's literally bedded into the alloy.

Paint adheres to aluminum just fine. Ask Boeing, or most every other aircraft builder. Just gotta be put on correctly. Peterbilt, too.