it is aluminum but it seems to be thicker then the steel bodies so it evens out. i haven't dented any of them but i have had them run into by other vehicles and it damages about the same as steel. i have seen some accidents where it sheers open like a can opener but if it was steel you wouldn't be able to save it anyways

 

I wish I had the video but there was one out there done by a dealership guy. IIRC He took a 35lb kettlebell to the bed inside and outside. It was impressive!! WHile he wasn't trying to swing for the fence, his hits were not tender. No dents, just deflected the hits.

The truck was a damaged unit that was in for other body repairs. He got the owner's permission to do the video.

 

definitly dings easier had a deer run in each side of mine dents easy and terrible to pop them back out

 

18-wheelers have been made out of aluminum for decades. My 95 Freightliner is not showing any sort of corrosion. I have noticed fender cracks on Petercar 379's but they flop around.....a lot. Airplanes have been made out of aluminum since the fabric and dope times. Airplanes from the 60's are still in good shape. I am not the least bit concerned about the aluminum body. In fact, it is probably better, albeit, I don't live in a snow/salt area.

 

I have a 250 aluminum body truck. I slid on ice and slid into a speed limit sign, and it messed up the mirror and put dents and scrapes even cut into the aluminum in the back thunder panel. The speed limit sign was still standing and in good shape no damage. So I would say yes they dent and they get damaged a lot easier the amount to repair the damage on my truck was $8300. If I had had a steel truck, I don’t believe that would’ve happened. I may have had paint scrapes, but not the damage that I had.

 

They aren’t made to crash, they are made for weight reduction and payload capacity

 

A friends owns a PDR company and according to his opinion, it doesn't matter, they all suck.
The debate is a mental thing....Alloy, softer....Steel, harder. That's a generic thought that isn't always true.

 

I messed up the stake pocket corner above the tail light. The body shop wants to replace the whole side of the box. I would think that a used piece could be riveted in and feathered with plastic. Airplanes are dimpled and flush riveted a lot. I wonder why the technique couldn't be used repairing aluminum body parts.

 

. I wonder why the technique couldn't be used repairing aluminum body parts.

Deniable liability.

 

It’s the scenario where the customer thinks they know best and if the company did what the customer asked for and it failed the business is liable.

instead the company does what they know is best to protect themselves.

 

I don't think that it is about that. I just believe that the auto body repair shops are not educated in proper aluminum panel repairs. Riveted aluminum is superior to welded. In fact, the cargo bed of Ford trucks is riveted together where the panels join.