Does the Dodge Ram have the thinnest sheet metal in the Industry?

[RSWilliams]

Monday afternoon I was running up I-40 in Tennessee and ran into a thunderstorm. At the leading edge of that storm there was Hail. I drove through about 3 miles of nickel to quarter sized hail between 30 and 50 mph.



I was really shocked when I got to where I was going and there was not a mark on the truck.



I know only the hood and the roof took the beating but to hear the way this thread is going people are going to be afraid to sneeze on their trucks.



I also hit a deer with the front left of my bumper - still have the hair from it around the driving light.



I am so far pleased with the shell of the truck.

 

[tgbol]

I have both Gm's and Fords in the company fleet, Both are a thinner than my Dodge. The GM's with a pipe rack and anti sway bar will rip the front of the body apart. The Fords the pipe rack will crush the bed rails. both of them if the drivers get an attitude and slam the doors they will bend. Granted over the years the skins have gotten thinner and thinner. There was probably enough steel in my 58 p/u to make 2 of my Dodges.

 

[MChildress]

We had a hail storm a few months back about marble size. The Dodge went to the body shop for a new hood,roof dents,top of doors dented,front quarters dented. My 95 Ford F350 parked right next to the Dodge had only dents in the chrome ring around the windshield. Just goes to say they dont make them like they used to.

 

[bighammer]

At least the sheet metal inside the bed is pretty solid. 'Would like to have that outside as well, I would not worry about the extra weight on my 3500.



And while were at it... bring back that thick solid paint from the mid 80's and before!

My tailgate is bent slightly, the front of my bed is bent, and I have a couple DEEP dents in the bed from a pallet jack. (wheels were on the raised ribs and they are now lower than the valleys )

 

[evldsl]

The reason for less sheet metal is the cost factor. Less metal = less build cost and with the way the steel cost is riseing I beleave that in 2010 the trucks won't have steel bodies or much lessoned steel bodies.

 

[Matt400]

Creases, rolls and other types of bends increase strength in panels.

Thats for sure, today after work I stopped at the grocery store and while the wife ran in for a single item I waited... then Bam!

Some kids next to me flung their door open so hard it sounded like a hammer hit the truck. I got out expecting to see a big dent but nothing! just some of their paint rubbed off on mine and no dent.



Their door hit my LR fender near the wheel well so the rolled edge I am sure was the protecting factor.

 

[Tim]

That's why I never, ever park my dodge next to anyone. At work me and the guy with the new Duramax park somewhat next to each other, and sideways in our spots.

 

[Tim]

Don't worry, it wont be long and the beds will all be plastic anyway

Roll your eyes all you want... I'd rather have a composite bed that was dent proof and rust proof than a steel one.

 

[Matt400]

and sideways in our spots.

Gotta be careful with that cuz for many its an invite to get keyed.

 

[mikemac]

ditto on chevy denting eazy

 

[redfuelrules]

Hey MLampert - at least we can use the big diesel nozzle - unlike the Ford guys... Its a pretty cruel joke that Ford makes their customers, most of whom def. fall into the bigger is better, 8 is better than 6, etc. category, settle for using the slow 3/4" nozzle. Donno if that's still the case but my buddy's 99 or 00 350 has a tiny, gas-like filler neck.

 

[redfuelrules]

Gotta be careful with that cuz for many its an invite to get keyed.

Wouldn't worry too much 'bout that. If they ever listen to him they'll wanna key his truck anyway.

 

[redfuelrules]

8 is better than 6QUOTE]



For the record, I mean 8 cylinders vs. 6.

Thought I'd make that as clear as I can

 

[Crunch]

The whole sheetmetal thing is interesting. The vehicles have thinner sheetmetal than they did in the past and yet, I think they're heavier. I think it also has to do with safety. Today's vehicles with built-in crumple zones and flimsy bumpers are far safer than the vehicles of old; they're just easier to damage and cost and arm and a leg to repair. I think that vehicles, like most things in our society, are becoming disposable items; if they get crumpled, just throw it away and get another one.

I sit on the Safety Committee for the city I work for, and at one meeting a firefighter/paramedic said the same thing. We were looking at the case of a 300lb. employee who was carrying some food out of a building, saw his buddy in a truck reading something and used his hip to bump the truck to give him a, "Hey, what's up?" kind of gesture and caused $1000+ damage to the fender in the process. Someone mentioned cheaper construction and the firefighter countered that all vehicles are designed with crumple zones and metal that is designed to spread the energy around rather than absorbing it. Get used to it. Vehicles are being designed more like race cars when it comes to safety. The idea is to spread the energy of a collision around the driver instead of letting the driver absorb the blow. The problem is, the vehicle doesn't know the difference between a dangerous collision and a normal work event. Regardless of what metal or material is used to manufacture vehicles in the future, safety is going to trump durability. You can thank NASCAR and the government for that one...

 

[Heavyweight]

On the subject of engineered for safety. Yes, at a collision under 20MPH the crumple effect may work. If a 20,000 pound truck or greater hits you, you will be in worse shape. My vote goes to reduced cost and lighter weight. Both are negative to the end user. Part of the pickup truck's roll should be to take a beating. The dodge fails with a grade of less then "F".

 

[DPelletier]

FWIW DC isn't the only one experiencing complaints about thier sheet metal. My friends 1/2 ton GMC SWB was in the shop recently to have repairs done to the box side caused by his rack. The metal was ripped from the taillight around the side of the truck for several inches. According to GM, this is a common occurance with trucks that have racks or spare tires mounted to the box.



Dave

 

[tgbol]

Have had many late 90's GM tear the bed fronts. We got whole batch of trucks (82) that had Hellwig Anti-Sway bars on them. Then we put pipe racks on them. All of the trucks that were used unloaded tore the beds. The sway bars were so stiff that the frames flexed instead of the springs. The pipe racks would not allow the beds to flex with the frames. On the trucks that were always loaded we didn't have the problem because the load made the springs flex.

 

[JStieger]

I was on a first name basis with the best paintless dent removal guy in town! He worked on my 02 probably 6 or 7 times. Never any major work, but I can't stand dents.

Any links for this? I was at the Bully Dog dyno event this past weekend and dented the side of my box with a wood pole. Heard a crunch, stopped, looked in my mirror and saw it dented in about a foot. So I reversed and the dent popped out leaving 3 shallow dished out dents (no creases). Everyone there told me it was time to get a flatbed now!

 

[MLimpert]

The vendor in Indiana is called "Press-a-Dent. " I think they are franchised nationwide though. I also bet your dealer could recommend someone good in your area that works on their used vehicles.

 

[Heavyweight]

Well,,, I witnessed my bed flex in 3 inches,,, then pop back out! There are not even cars with this thin sheet metal !!!! (right around where the fuel door is at).



There should be an after market company building bolt-weld on side panels for these trucks.