Ford engineers working
on the all-new F-150 pick-up truck were
tasked with taking weight out of the vehicle while retaining the work capability expected
by owners.
Most are familiar with the increase of
high-strength steel throughout the frame and the first-in-class military-grade,
aluminium-alloy body, which accounted for approximately 450lb of savings.
So where did the other approximately 250lb of savings
come from? Some weight saving has been achieved through the use of the new 2.7-litre turbocharged gasoline engine with its compacted
graphite iron (CGI) vee cylinder block, compared with the 3.5-litre gasoline
engine. The dry weight of this unit is 440lb compared with 449lb for the larger 3.5-litre V6, so making a contribution of 9lb.
Other notable weight savings come from:
fenders, 13.7lb; rear axle, 35lb, electronic parking brake, 26.9lb; transfer
casing, 3.8lb; steering knuckles, 23lb; front bumper, 2.7lb. A single iron
steering knuckle for example weighs 23.12lb whereas its aluminium knuckle
counterpart weighs 11.57lb
Every pound shaved from a variety of
components helped the new F-150 give back capability to customers to achieve a
best-in-class payload of 3,300lb or best-in-class towing of 12,200lb.
The F-150 also offers a best-in-class
EPA-estimated gasoline fuel economy rating.
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