Rust Resistance / Body Panel Material ?

[Adam CW]

According to what I’ve read the hood, fenders and doors are made from aluminum. I’m not sure about the liftgate. Composite?

Does this mean the body should be more resistant to rust?

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[69cuda340s]

Does this mean the body should be more resistant to rust?

Most UPS trucks are aluminum and decades old and no rust.

It was common for the '05-'14 mustang aluminum hoods to rust due to contamination during manufacturing. So if aluminim gets steel dust trapped under it then it can rust. But in general aluminum doesn't rust like steel.

The sports have steel frame rails and floors so those could rust.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

According to what I’ve read the hood, fenders and doors are made from aluminum. I’m not sure about the liftgate. Composite?

Does this mean the body should be more resistant to rust?

I think you are confusing the Sport and the full-size. The Sport has an aluminum hood. The rest of the body is steel on the Sport. The full-size uses mostly aluminum on its body panels.

To answer your question about rust, your hood won’t rust but aluminum oxidizes as well so it’s just aluminum oxide and not iron oxide.

 

[Adam CW]

I think you are confusing the Sport and the full-size. The Sport has an aluminum hood. The rest of the body is steel on the Sport. The full-size uses mostly aluminum on its body panels.

To answer your question about rust, your hood won’t rust but aluminum oxidizes as well so it’s just aluminum oxide and not iron oxide.

That’s what I thought, but an article I read some time ago stated those panels were made from aluminum. It detailed other materials used as well.

I think it was something to do with repairing the aluminum body panels.

 

[Meanderthal]

So if aluminum gets steel dust trapped under it then it can rust. But in general aluminum doesn't rust like steel.

I’ve seen this before with stainless steel parts and it is caused by the stamping dies being made from steel. When the part is formed in the press a very small amount of regular steel is left on the surface of the stainless, and in this case aluminum, which later on makes it appear as though the stainless/aluminum is rusting.

I would think that the “baths” the parts go through before painting would remove any of this material or bury so deep under whatever coating they apply that rust will never be an issue.

Don’t forget that F150’s have had primarily aluminum body panels for about a decade. They won’t rust but do not get caught in a hail storm. We had a big one while at work about 5 years ago. It was interesting in the weeks after to walk around the parking lot and see which vehicles got it worst. An F150 was very bad and all the Subarus were atrocious. The sheet metal on the Subarus is very thin.

 

[13MikeH]

General guideline I've had great success with, living in Michigan for half a century plus...wash it. Summer keep the mud and crud out of the cracks and be sure to wax consistently. Winter with a lot of salt on the roads, at minimum try to use a drive through car wash when you can to rinse salt off. I like to put a good wax on late fall to help. Clean regularly and if you see rust spots in the rails and doors get on it quickly. I've had a number of cars 20+ years old with minimal to no rust issues. Even on old iron beasts.
The best alternative? Move to the desert west.?

 

[tRex]

The Sport has an aluminum HOOD ONLY, fenders/quarter panels are steel, not including the lower painted plastic sections below the head/tail lights, above both bumpers.

 

[Adam CW]

The Sport has an aluminum HOOD ONLY, fenders/quarter panels are steel, not including the lower painted plastic sections below the head/tail lights, above both bumpers.

Yes, that’s correct. The original article I read was wrong. They had mixed up a lot of information.

 

[omahafordowner]

I’ve seen this before with stainless steel parts and it is caused by the stamping dies being made from steel. When the part is formed in the press a very small amount of regular steel is left on the surface of the stainless, and in this case aluminum, which later on makes it appear as though the stainless/aluminum is rusting.

I would think that the “baths” the parts go through before painting would remove any of this material or bury so deep under whatever coating they apply that rust will never be an issue.

Don’t forget that F150’s have had primarily aluminum body panels for about a decade. They won’t rust but do not get caught in a hail storm. We had a big one while at work about 5 years ago. It was interesting in the weeks after to walk around the parking lot and see which vehicles got it worst. An F150 was very bad and all the Subarus were atrocious. The sheet metal on the Subarus is very thin.

That must have been a big reason the insurance company forced the biggest Ford Truck dealer in our area to build canopies to protect the trucks from hail.

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