Testing Builds Ford Tough Trucks

Testing Builds Ford Tough Trucks

January 15, 2007 (By John Fossen , FCN) -- "Built Ford Tough" is more than just a tagline for Ford Motor Company's full-size pickups. For nearly 30 years, the phrase has served as Ford's promise to customers about the quality, durability and dependability of its trucks.

This powerful and consistent message paves the way for Ford's truck leadership that, with a 133,000-unit sales lead this year alone, is nearly secured for a 30th consecutive year.

"'Built Ford Tough' is one of the most enduring brand and product philosophies of any automaker, or any company anywhere," says Ben Poore, Ford Truck group marketing manager. "Customers believe 'Built Ford Tough' is synonymous with the best trucks."

The definition of "Built Ford Tough" is rooted in a series of grueling tests in the hot Arizona desert. For example, before the all-new 2008 F-Series Super Duty reaches Ford dealers early next year, prototypes of America's work truck logged 10 million miles of testing in all types of conditions, including nearly 3 million miles of real-world customer durability testing in some of the most extreme conditions possible.

At Ford's Arizona Proving Ground (APG) in western Arizona, Super Duty test vehicles were driven thousands of times over 50 miles of torturous terrain specifically developed to shake, twist, rattle and batter the trucks.

Furthermore, the trucks were tested during the summer when the average temperature was 103 degrees Fahrenheit with peak heat reaching 120 degrees.

"We build and test the most capable pickup trucks on the planet. We prove out our vehicles by running worst-case driving conditions that our most extreme customers experience," said John Wagner, Ford North American Durability manager. "These grueling tests prove out the structure of the truck, including the suspension, powertrain and body. We want to ensure that nothing breaks for our customers. We also know how we stack up against our competition. We test them and have a pile of their broken parts to prove it."

One of the severe tests is named Power Hop Hill. Its washboard-type surface batters a truck's suspension system. Twist Ditch is a series of angled ditches that puts a truck's full weight on opposing wheels, applying maximum torsional loading on the body and frame structure.

Silver Creek combines two extremely rough roads. One section of the route has 15 distinct types of chuck holes while the other is made from broken pieces of concrete.

"Silver Creek is foot-for-foot the roughest man-made durability test road in the world," said Charlie Tegarden, Ford durability engineering supervisor.

All Super Duty durability tests at APG are done with maximum loads on the front and rear axles. For example, to allow for the customer who puts a snow plow on the front end, the front axle is loaded up. In addition, a maximum load is placed on the rear axle for the customer who loads to capacity on the rear of a truck, explained Wagner.

"A customer may not load up both axles like that, but this allows us to test for the worst-possible scenario and build a truck that will take it," he said.

Considering more than 90 percent of Super Duty customers tow with their trucks, that capability also is pushed to the limit at APG. One of several tests for towing involves a highway road with a challenging incline. Loaded at maximum gross combined weight -- the weight of the trailer and the truck -- the grade of the road acts as an additional load, further taxing the truck's powertrain and towing components.

"The capability of a Super Duty is defined by how much a customer can haul and tow in extreme conditions. Super Duty has no equal," Wagner said.

A deep bed of loose sand named Sand Wash is used to test Super Duty's tow hooks, the strongest in the industry. Trucks are loaded to maximum weight, buried in the sand with the front wheels turned to lock position and pulled out by one tow hook. Sand Wash is also used to test four-wheel-drive systems.

Another four-wheel-drive challenge is Mud Bath. As the name suggests, this test involves coating Super Duty moving parts and filling all nooks and crannies with a slimy clay.

Are F-Series trucks living up the challenge of being Built Ford Tough? The fact that Ford has more full-size pickups on the road with at least 250,000 miles than any other manufacturer would appear to suggest so. And Alan Rosner, fleet sales director for Sam Pack Five Star Ford in Carrollton, Texas, agrees.

"I've got customers with 200,000, 300,000 miles on 'em. It literally is built Ford tough. You cannot beat the Ford truck, chassis-wise or pickup box-wise," said Rosner.

Source: Ford Motor Company‹ previous  •  3440 of 12807  •  next ›