How are aluminum ford trucks handling the salt belt and winter climate? 250000km, never undercoated. 

Im from Nova Scotia... The tires can rust out here. Undercoat the crap out of your vehicle every year for a fighting chance at a 10-15yr long ownership.

I'm a retired rural letter carrier for USPS. The main mail mail truck for USPS is the LLV. This made from 1987 to 1994! The bodies were made of aluminium bolted on a Chevy S10 chassis and running gear. You still see them on duty everywhere!

So glad I live in the Southern United States where even a 30 year old vehicle that was never treated still looks brand new underneath.

My 2015 F150 has a perfect body, NO RUST or corrosion. While my neighbors Chevy has baseball sized rust holes in the steel body. Chevy and Dodge bashed Ford's aluminum in their commercials showing small rocks being dumped in the bed, NOW THEY ALL WENT TO ALUMINUM PANELS.

The aluminum body is the biggest reason I bought my 2015 F150 with the 5.0. I don't drive a lot, and I got sick of my trucks rusting out long before they wore out. My previous truck was a 1999 F150 that I bought used. It had just turned 100,000 miles when I traded it in, but it was getting quite rusty. I have never coated the body on my 2015, but I have always kept the frame/chassis coated with Wool Wax. Living in the Northeast, we experience a lot of salt/ whatever else they use on the roads, and the truck still looks new underneath. It's got 50,000 on it now and it will be good for another 20 years.

We have a 2015 f150 5.0 at work, ex police truck now has 350,000km on it, hardly any corrosion anywhere and next to 0 issues, had to do a water pump at 320,000km

Thanks for this! I bought a 2018 F150 after getting tired of my past 2 Silverados completely rotting away here in Michigan. The F150 body is holding up pristine so far. *Fingers crossed*

I have a 2010 Ford Fusion. The radiator rusted out. The transmission cooling lines rusted out. The sub frame rusted out. The entire gas tank rusted out. The rocker panels are almost gone from rust. The factory calipers seized from rust.The entire body has rust spots. All this before 110,000 miles. The only good thing, it has a Mazda engine. I've kept all receipts.

Love my 2018 f150 321468 miles on it same motor and transmission and no rust any where on it. Good job ford motor company best hands down.

Got a 2015 they lived it's first 3 years in Canada, northern Kentucky since. Every time I get under it to cost the frame, I'm amazed at how not only is there no body corrosion, but the paint looks new. Not only did they use quality aluminum, not only did they coat it before painting, but the underbody paint is great stuff.

I also have a 2016 f150xl. 244,000+ miles, all in Wisconsin. Salt and sand used every winter. It has never been undercoated, and it still looks great. Best truck I've ever owned!

I'm a retired aircraft Inspector ; 40 yrs experience . This red truck is fantastic ! I remember back in the 70's students asking our automotive teacher from high school "Why are car/truck bodies not made of Aluminum" ? Back in the 70's all the steel car/truck bodies rusted out so badly it was terrible ! A real mess ! Using Aluminum is fantastic , it's really long overdue . In my opinion Aluminum car/truck bodies should have been on the drawing board with the big three auto makers back in the early 80's . All of North America has been waiting a very long time for aluminum car/truck bodies . It's really nice to finally see . I really hope this trend will continue on for many years and carry over onto many regular car body models also . Very good video !

FYI r front edge of the hood isn't called a pinch weld, it's called a hem flange, same as the perimeter of the doors. There is a sealant applied to the area before the outer skin gets folded over the inner panel.

I agree with using a high quality OEM undercoating on a new vehicle that still clean and corrosion free. It acts like a rock guard. However, it's a bad idea to undercoat a vehicle that already has rust. Usually that makes it worse by holding moisture against the flaking metal. Best bet is still going to be under oil coating, such as fluidfilm.

I have the same exact truck, 2016 XLT in emerald green. It's 8 years old and lives in the salt belt here in central Ohio. I did spray the entire bottom of the truck with Fluid Film when I first got it. To date, there is no body corrosion and only light surface rust on the frame. The truck is in remarkable condition and has held up far beyond my expectations. The 2007 Tundra that I had prior to this F150, in the same amount of time, had giant holes in both rear quarter panels.The frame was was seriously compromised with corrosion and holes, and all of the front suspension parts were corroded and complete seized. There was no way to adjust adjust the suspension without cutting off the parts and replacing them which would have cost about $2000.

2015 Minnesota F150 with 300,000 miles. Zero issues with any aluminum body panels. E-coated frame also in very good condition for the miles and age. Ford trucks are hands down the best for the salt belt. GM still in the stone ages with tar coating on the frame. Visible rust on GM frames in the first couple years.

Great video Colt! It makes perfect sense that the aluminum body will hold up ok in a salt belt like we live in. But any steel untreated around here will not last. For what it costs for undercoating its worth every cent. Cheers

A great video! I was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia but I have been in Alberta for more than 40 years. In 2018 I bought a new F-150. I kept it for three years and sold it when Covid came along. It only had 15K KM on it when I sold it (I'm retired) and I sold it for what I paid for it. They use very little salt here, but the underside was turning brown in several areas and the chrome running boards and little wheel caps had to be replaced due to peeling chrome. It was a nice truck, but I no longer have a need for one.

I just had to swap my 125k mile 2006F150 4x4 drivetrain into another 2005 F150 body/frame. I bought the 2006 new and had it professionally undercoated right away. The frame rusted from inside out as they mustve sealed in moisture. I did a lot of snowmobiling in first 5 years so it saw lots of salt but it was fully rusted through along the bottom on both sides as in under 15 years. I found a rust free 2005 just like my 2006 ( 8ft bed, ext cab, 7 lug axles, 4.10 factory gears) with 274k Miles that had a bad cam but a perfect frame that was NOT undercoated. It was $2700 I drove it 50 miles home on 6 cylinders ( bad cam/injectors/wiring). I swapped my drivetrain/ dashboard/ engine harness and dash harness into it and painted the clean frame with "chassis saver". I did the timing chains while it was out so now have a low mile 2005 rust free truck with an 8ft bed ( important for hauling drywall/plywood under closed tonneau cover in the rain)for around $4000 after doing the swap with 1200$ Ford Timing parts. I noticed the older truck has beefier frame than 2006--tow hooks much stronger. I wont buy e new truck at 60k to 80k with a plastic oil pan.

There’s a very smart Korean guy in Maine making steel frames encased in aluminum sheeting. Absolutely stunning work and engineering.

Where I work in the winter, we have a 2016 F-150 3.5EB as a shovel-crew truck. We load bins of salt into the beds of these trucks all of the time. Spills and freshly salted parking lots be damned, there is no body rust. I haven't looked underneath, though. 200,000 km and tons of idle hours, too. No problems!

I was just having this conversation with a potential buyer yesterday. They Are certainly holding up well. Great video.

This is one of the reasons I bought the aluminum F150! After looking at used trucks for sale and finding all the rust here in Illinois I bought new in 2018 after the 2nd gen 2.7 came out. I upgraded to a 2022 and love my aluminum F150!

I have wondered this for years, thank you so much for such a clever video.

Chemical reactions essentially double for every increase of 10 degrees C ……. So when you put Vehicle in a warm garage in the winter corrosion goes way up……

Thanks for posting this. I drive a 2011 F150 XLT 4x4 supercrew that has both cab corner and inner/outer rockers going bad. My last truck was an 06 Lariat supercab 4x4 that had the frame rot thru in multiple areas. I had my doubts about the aluminum skin trucks having corrosion issues in the typical areas. Your video has helped me to see this isn't as much an issue as I thought it would be. I do fluid film my frame both inside and out on the 11 I currently have in order to keep the foundation of the truck solid.

Here's my tip for all. My pap worked for Ford in Ohio next to lake Erie. A coworker drive a late 40s sedan in mid 60s. Pap asked him how he kept it from rusting out. Here's what he told pap and pap showed my dad and dad showed me. Use 1 quart of any oil new or used, 1 qt new or used trans fluid, 1 tube or tub of any grease, 2 wax rings for a toilet seal, bees wax etc. Put all in a old pot, heat and mix. Spray, brush etc as undercoating. It will NOT wash off, wear off, even with a steam jenny power washer and 3500 psi. We've used this on anything we wanted to keep from rusting, farm implements, tractors, logging machinery, semis, cars, trucks, etc. With a cheap sprayer $50 Amazon, or make 1, u can save fluids from oil, trans fluid changes and protect urr ride for $10. If I don't have oils u can use mineral, baby oils etc. Even melted Vaseline works well. Most products u can buy have no petroleum in them. Just wax. And they cost a good bit. Tape up door drains and let soak with mineral oil if u don't like smell of trans fluid and let sit for a day then drain and save for next time. Take out body plugs and use a 360 spray wand, some guns come with them. Usually this will last 4 years or so at least b4 a new coat is required IF u do alot of off road, mudding etc. Even then it will just smear, not come off. This has been used since the mid 60s and does work. I was quoted $600 to get done by a company I won't mention that is known for this service. That's insane. For existing rust use food grade 60% or higher phosphoric acid. What u buy from big box places is at most 30% if that. This will convert rust and kill it. Best case is using Master Coat after killing rust. It was made for infrastructure to keep from rusting. Lasts 20 years min. If u want to save urr ride it's worth it. Done this to my Town car with 100k. Plan to keep forever. Happy motoring.

Thank you sir… yours is the first comprehensive video on this subject I’ve found. It means a great deal to me that my next truck not rust out. I hate spraying everything with oil or wax. I’ve used several professional rust protection companies over the years. My 2013 F-150 was sprayed and maintained by Ziebart but unfortunately at 160,000 I replaced the factory bed rail caps and found all the holes where the plastic clips attached were 50% rusted out. Got to digging and found several areas of the bed rusting. We ground it out and encapsulated with a military grade hard wax oil. I then sold it to a friend who wanted it because it still looked brand new inside the cab. I’m in the .5% fanatical cleaner and careful protection of even my work vehicles. I wash once a week even mid winter and I take to my dealer for routine service. I hate rust. This is sad reality of N Ohio and Canada where I live. Now…. I’ve seen folks using products that stop rust on steel body vehicles. I’ve been considering the Chevy 3500. But watching your video has me thinking Ford again. To me it’s easier to protect the frame and steel components than the entire body.

Great informative video, I like your excitement on the topic. Love to hear certain phrases from our Canadian neighbors…”ball it up”.

Always wondered on these, I bet in 10 years I'll buy a used one with a good undercoated frame 👍

I worked as a driver for a meat distributor in Ohio in the 70’s and all of our refrigerator boxes were aluminum, most times they would just swap the box onto a new chassis. They stayed nice for many years, never leaked . This is something that we should have been doing 50 years ago

I'm from the high desert of California. These are the videos I love watching. I don't have to deal with much rust over here where I am but it's fun to see how these vehicles hold up in other parts of North America

My Electrician has a 2013 f150 Ecoboost with 325k miles with zero issues and zero rust. In Delaware where no salt on roads are allowed.

I also have the first year aluminum body from 2015. Ruby red just like this truck. Looks damn near new 9 years later, and just turned 100K, and I live 45 miles from Chicago, square in the rust belt.

I’ve always washed my frame and underside more than the top half of the truck. I call it underbody spraying yoga cause you gotta bend low. My Toyota got its frame replaced after 9 years and 8 months after date of manufacture. I went another 6 years before I didn’t keep up with it and the cab rotted away. Had the composite bed with steel bed sides. The frame they replaced it with had a sticky coating that held up well. I just got a 2023 F150 and I’ve been washing it when it’s above freezing out as much as possible and not driving in the salt unless need be and not at high speeds to reduce the intrusion of salt water into everything.

I highly recommend buying wheel well liners. There are aftermarket companies that make them that are affordable. It will greatly protect the rear bed and underneath components from mud, salt, and snow from building up/ chipping there and rotting out parts. It also looks cleaner covering up everything with a smooth single piece.

I have a 2015 F150 in Saskatchewan where there are Chevys and rams all over the place with rust holes you could put your fist through. I have 164,xxx kms and hardly even a blemish on the couple rock chips in the wheel wells and deep scratches in the box. The frame and suspension components have some mild surface rust but decades away from being a concern. I think I like this truck even more then my old 95 F150

Looks like that truck is holding up very well. Great video. Cheers.

Great video! Appreciate you sharing this, I have always wondered myself!!

One of the main reasons I bought my 17 F150 5.0 Super Crew was due to Connecticut winter resilience with the aluminum body. As for the frame, I apply Fluid Film inside and out prior to each winter season here in CT. The Fluid Film, as you probably know, will creep back over any rock salt or other abrasions that may occur from road debris giving you incredible frame protection. Great Video.. Thank you.

I expected a lot more corrosion, and galvanic corrosion.

Many service vehicles, bread trucks, mail trucks, delivery vans etc. have had aluminum bodies and they don't rust even in northern states that use salt on snow covered roads. It's a perfect material for pickup trucks and cars.

I have a 2016 5.0. 190,000mi. Been a great truck with regular maintenance. I have small paint spots flaking at the edges above the windshield, passenger side roof crease above the door, and tailgate where the top plastic rail meets the aluminum. It’s very minimal. I attribute it to being parked in the sun all day while I’m at work.

Thats still a great truck that deserves whatever underbody protection the owners can give it. Its a keeper.

My 2016 175k miles looks like a new truck underneath SE Michigan. It's mind blowing. Chevy and Dodge trucks this old are starting to get bed wheel well rot already here.

The frame on my 19 year old F-150 is so rusted out that it looks like metal salvaged from the Titanic. It's still solid, with a few holes, but it's time to either start welding and painting it, or junk it.

Thank you. Part of the reason that I bought a 2020 Navigator is the aluminum body panels. Where I live, the rear fenders on pickups rust first. Thanks for the encouragement!

2015 F-150 with the 2.7 EcoBoost. 122,500 miles and so far no issues. Oil changed every 5,000 miles and it had the 100,000 mile check up work done by the Ford dealer where we bought it. We live in a state with very little snow, so we're hoping to get 200,000 miles or more.

Late 1980’s union guy. Love the look!

As soon as I heard you speak, I knew this would be the Doug McKenzie of truck talk. "Oh, good lord, he's talking about kilometers, eh? It's a Ford, you see...found on the road, dead. That's a good one."

I have the same truck here in the Ottawa valley. I had it undercoated when I bought it new, plus I put plastic rear wheel well inserts in it. Will get another undercoating this year. Retired and only putting on 5K/year… gonna have this puppy til I die!

Fluid film your rides guys!!

You should get that frame rust proofed with something like NH Undercoating. My 98 F150 frame was gone in 16 years..........

I live in Minnesota and I'm a Chevy man through and through, but these aluminum Fords are getting more and more tempting every winter. I recently bought a clean southern 2018 Silverado and have Fluid Filmed the entire truck, wash it almost every other day in the winter, and correct every paint chip that might cause rust but I know I can only prevent it for so long. I'm already seeing my gen of trucks with blown out bed sides and rockers and its disheartening knowing I spent lots of money on a truck that I know will suffer the same rusty fate no matter how diligent I am with preventing it

First time viewers to your channel Liked and Subscribed ❤

Every season, I coat the undercarriage of my 2018 F150 with LPS 3, using my pneumatic rustproofing gun. Still looks like new!

Thanks for info. Chevy truck frame and body rusted very bad, trying Ford last two years and had Krown oil spray done for rust resisting

When i was searching for a f150 i avoided Canadian trucks like the plague fir this very reason. Rusty frames. It was SO hard finding a non Canadian f150. Because you guys seem to want the same truck i did. Crew cab long bed 5.0 3.73 gear 36 gal tank. And they were much cheaper too. I just want to say thank you to the person who invented carfax. Thank you!. US used f150 market is saturated with f150s from Canada, most of them ex commercial. They must make good profit on them. I wish you guys can just recycle them there 😂 . Rust is the biggest cancer to a vehicle. One you got it, its a constant expensive fight. Ill take a rust free no motor trans car any day over a good motor good trans rotted car.

Good to see the newer trucks holding up from the standpoint of rust. Mechanical issues might be another story.

im in newfoundland. which is even worse than nova scotia for rust. i have yet to see one of these aluminum fords with any body corrosion at all. at same time ive seen same year rams with absolutely no rocker panels left and chevs with wheel wells rusted. the fords are holding up by far the best. no comparison at all.

My 98 Z71 for still is pretty solid other than the right rocker panel. Clear coat started bubbling around 15 years old. Not pretty like it use to be but runs fine. Low miles. Almost 120,000 miles today.

Have an 18 F150 in the snowbelt. Doing very well so far. Bothered by the rear diff cover but I will paint that eventually. Bought oem rear wheel liners to keep salt from getting into crevices.

I'm not surprised. When you panned past the steel frame at the rear tire, the frame looked pretty pristine, so it clearly hasn't been exposed to very much salt at all.

I'm glad my 2001 still looks okay 😂 not as bad rust here in Virginia 👍

I have a 2007 F150, original Ontario truck that was Krowned every fall by the original owner and myself, its a rust free creampuff. Undercoating does work. Sitting at a measly 115,000km on the 4.2L/5 speed combo. Other than the limitations of being 2WD only, it has served me very well and is an excellent truck for what I use it for. It now lives with me in Alberta and sleeps in a heated garage.

Buddy just found out how much a rear taillight costs on a truck like that since he cracked the lens but $1300 USD dollars is extreme

I live in Michigan, n there's no were worse with the roads!! I'm sure most will agree. I bought a 1st year 2015 f150 with the 1st year 2.7 ecoboost n have 246,000 miles on it!! So far so go. Still running at 18.7 on original turbos. Down about 1.7psi from new , but it's a ok . I do all my own wrenching on it, so I believe that helps , also I've followed everyone of the maintenance schedules in the owners manual too. It's a bit much , but results speak for themselves.

That was a good shot of the engine, you can really see the mileage on it but the body and frame are holding up very well for the location.... And believe me I know the location 😂🤦

Great video.

I’ve got a 2015 with 360kms mostly driven in winter with5 kids playing hockey. No corrosion on the body whatsoever and only have replaced the alternator 3 years ago snd ball joints last year.

Great info video; I have a '15 bought new and have been very satisfied, like you. I did have transmission cooler line corrode to failure on steel tubing bend near connection with cooler at front of vehicle. Like you said, you really have to be pro-active to keep rust at bay over the long term in the salt use areas, especially underbody components made of steel. Just purchased a product called Fluid Film to treat the frame and assorted parts, and hopefully get another ten years out of what is now $50K plus truck.

Great video sir.... I have an 08 gmc sierra with a duramax engine with 312,000+ miles and I also live in the salt belt and the cheap GM wax undercoating has flaked off the frame over the years but I only have surface rust along the frame rails but also my frame is C channel so there's no salt to build up and eat through the frame HOWEVER towards the rear of my truck where the tail lights mounts to the body there's rust heaven behind the tail lights now as far as the wheel wells where water dirt and whatever that collects on top and behind the wheel well there's no rust our paint bubbling which i was surprised

wow thats impressive

2015, 105000 miles. No issues with the body or powertrain at all. The painted steel front bumper needed a repaint last summer, no big deal. And the tailgate release handle started to stick due to corrosion on the pivot pins. My previous two trucks a 1994 and 2006 F-150 didn't make it to 5 years old before needing paint work on the body.

This would be a game changer in 50-60 years when people want to restore a “classic” truck, crazy to think about I know. But there will be frameless/ roller chassis everywhere and it’ll be way easier to find a clean body or body parts.

Way too close to Chicago here.. bought my wife a '16 explorer specifically for the aluminum body. Very little corrosion so far. The only oxidation issues are from where the rock chips are on the front

Thats a MacPhee Ford truck from right here in Halifax Dartmouth NS! I drive a 19' F150, its a waste of time and $ to undercoat an aluminum vehicle other than THE STEEL FRAME AND COMPONENTS. Great video

I've got a 2013 f1titty platinum 3.5 ecoboost no rust all original with 300 thousand miles..Michigan truck..still on the road to this day..runs like brand new

Thank you for that! I was really wondering.

I live in Michigan . My truck is a 2015 , and not one spot of corrosion anywhere. So glad I bought it!

I've got a 2015, 1st yr of the new model. No issues with corrosion. about half the mileage. Ohio area. I had the auxillary transmission oil pump go out early on around 10k miles or so & had rear window with slider replaced due to defrost not working after like 7 years, just before my extended warranty ran out. So I owed nothing on repairs. Between brakes, fluid flush & oil changes probably 2-3k. Also ran into a couple of deer, bumper replaced once, needs replaced again, but not worried about it.

This issue has been on my mind since I bought my truck new back in 2019. Had it undercoated. Live in the salty snowy mid west where rusty fenders, rocker panels etc have always been an issue. You've given me some peace of mind with this vid. Thanks for it. subed your chanel.

Great video dude! You definitely answered my questions!

I have basically that truck. 2015 XLT Ecoboost 3.5. Looks great, works great, do the undercoating and I hope to run it for another bunch of years. Live in NB as well, but if you look after it, it will look after you. Throttle body sensor has been my only complaint. Damn thing failed twice and once in a dangerous situation. Hoping that does not happen again

Been running a 2015 f150 in Ontario Canada since new. Like you have said, the body panels all still look new. The only place I noted any corrosion was the drivers door on the lower lip seam and even then it is just a small bubble under the paint. My frame is about as bad as yours, I power wash it all the time to keep mud and salt out of it. The rear bumper is also getting some rust and I will probably replace that next year as it is also steel. What has rotted right through is all the smaller steel parts. Muffler from the cats back had to be replaced. Steel transmission cooler lines had to be replaced. Shocks and struts had to be replaced. Wheel bearings all the way around replaced. belt tensioners for accessories replaced. And don't get me started on the 4X4 hub actuators, if that goes again I am getting the delete kit. This year replacing all the old incandescent lights with new LED housings just for fun. All in all its is an immortal truck accept for the smaller steel parts which you have to keep on top of regularly. Edit: And just replace all the door latches, the old ones were prone to freezing up so I got the updated latches that solves the issue.

Hi from Ontario and perfect timing to see this video. I have a 2013 F150 XLT 4x4 5.0L 191k kms and of course my cab corners are showing rust coming to the surface. Was curious on the aluminum bodies of the F150. Helped me make my decision thanks and great video.

most impressive..my 2016 F-160 xl (aluminum body) is clean as a pin..no rust..my state does not use salt..still might do some undercoating for peace of mind..researching best undercoat..love my truck..2.7 ecoboost..great engine also..no issues

I’ve said this before but I’m excited to see what these trucks from 2015 and 2021 will look like once they’re 20 and 30 years old in 2034 or 2044. Especially with whatever kind of vehicles that will exist by then, I feel like they’ll have a similar nostalgic feel that the 9th and 10th Generation currently have

Pretty interesting video

My 2011 Ford F150 with a 5.0L Coyote V8 in it is the last generation of the steel body, while the aluminum body of the 2015 and newer F150s don't rust but if they get dented then you either have to replace the whole panel or just live with the dent because you can't fix dents easily on the aluminum body at all like you could on a steel body.

That was a great idea for a video. Very interesting.

I have a 2019 F450 Powerstroke, all aluminum body. After hard use and little maintenance, my body is great. And, so is the truck's.

This should not be a surprise. The old Curbmaster aluminum panel vans often got through several engines as time goes by. My 71 panel van went through at least three 300 CI straight 6 engines. The body is still solid and looks great.

When Aluminum oxidizes it has to keep flaking off, like raw aluminum on a big rig running board. I've seen that flake off and degrade, but the paint helps a lot too.

Some years back ,purchased new Dodge Dually. Sales said the body will fall off before that Cummins give you problems. Wow! Was he right!

They hold up great, I have a 2019 F150, I owned a dodge and it rusted out in 3 years in NY.

Not that it matters as a fire will destroy any vehicle, but when those total burn you are left with a frame axles and an engine. Body completely vaporizes

My 2012 (pre aluminum) is rotting out, it’s awful

I hated Ford's advertising the military grade aluminum bodies as they only focused on them being light. I kept thinking idiots they aren't going to rust! I almost bought one of these when they first came out and i really wish I had. Your frame looks great. I have a GMC with the stupid wax frame and there really isn't any wax left anywhere... Great video, thanks.

Back in 1975 I was fortunate enough to be able to inspect an all original 1925 Lincoln aluminum bodied roadster. This car at the time was 50 years old and lived its entire life in northeast Indiana where there is lots of salty roads from about December 1 to April 1. The car had no corrosion on the body!