Which Trucks Have Aluminum Bodies? Ford, Chevy, Ram, GMC & Toyota Explained
The F-150 and Ford Super Duty have aluminum bodies and beds. Most other pickups mix aluminum panels with steel. Here's what each truck uses, plus the honest pros and cons.
Of the popular pickups people ask about, two Ford lines have aluminum bodies and aluminum beds: the F-150 (2015 and later) and the Super Duty F-250, F-350 and F-450 (2017 and later). The current Ford Ranger, Chevy Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra are mostly steel or mixed-material trucks that use aluminum for certain parts, such as the hood, doors or tailgate. All of them ride on steel frames.
Below is a truck-by-truck breakdown, the honest pros and cons of aluminum bodies, and how a factory aluminum pickup box compares with an aluminum flatbed or stake bed that replaces it.
Which trucks have aluminum bodies? Quick reference
| Truck | Aluminum body? | Pickup box | Aluminum parts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 (2015 and later) | Yes | Aluminum alloy | Body and bed |
| Ford Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450 (2017 and later) | Yes | Aluminum | Cab, outer body skin and bed |
| Ford Ranger (current, 2019 and later) | Mostly no — mostly steel | Steel | Hood and front fenders |
| Chevy Silverado 1500 (2019 and later) | Partly — mixed materials | Steel | Doors, hood and tailgate |
| GMC Sierra 1500 (2019 and later) | Partly — mixed materials | — | Shares the Silverado's mixed-material approach |
| Ram 1500 (2019 and later) | No — mostly steel | Steel box, aluminum tailgate | Hood and tailgate |
| Toyota Tundra (2022 and later) | No | Composite (sheet-molded compound) with aluminum cross members | Hood and bed cross members |
Is the F-150 aluminum?
Yes. Since the 2015 model year, the Ford F-150's body and bed have been made of aluminum alloy, mounted on a steel frame. At launch, Ford said the change made the truck about 700 lb lighter. So if you're wondering whether the F-150 bed is aluminum: on a 2015 or newer F-150, the factory pickup box is aluminum alloy too.
The F-150 is still one of the trucks we build replacement beds for most. The reason isn't weight, since the box is already aluminum. It's the shape: a wider, flat deck with gates that fold down or lift out, and room for tool boxes. Our most common F-150 aluminum flatbed is 6'6" × 9'.
Are Ford Super Duty trucks aluminum?
Yes. Starting with the 2017 model year, the F-250, F-350 and F-450 Super Duty use an aluminum body and bed (the cab, the outer body skin and the pickup box) on a frame made mostly of high-strength steel. Ford quoted weight savings of up to 350 lb. We build Super Duty flatbeds and stake beds from 6'6" × 9' on single rear wheel pickups to 8'-wide decks on dual rear wheel trucks.
Is the Ford Ranger aluminum?
Mostly no. The current Ranger (2019 and later) has a mostly steel body and a steel bed. Ford uses aluminum for the hood and front fenders, but the cab and the pickup box are steel. Ford's aluminum bodies are on the F-150 and the Super Duty.
If you want aluminum where a Ranger works hardest, the bed is the place to add it. An aluminum flatbed replaces the steel box with a flat deck that won't rust. Most Ranger flatbeds we build are 6' × 6'6".
Is the Chevy Silverado aluminum?
Partly. The Silverado 1500 redesigned for 2019 uses mixed materials: aluminum doors, hood and tailgate, with a steel cab structure, roof, fenders and bed. GM said the new truck was up to 450 lb lighter. So the Silverado uses aluminum in places, but it isn't an aluminum-body truck the way the F-150 is, and its pickup box is steel. See our Silverado aluminum flatbeds for the sizes we build.
Are GMC trucks aluminum body?
The GMC Sierra 1500 shares the Silverado's platform and its mixed-material approach: a mix of aluminum and steel on a steel frame, not an all-aluminum body. We haven't listed the Sierra panel by panel here, so if you need the material of a specific part, a GMC dealer can confirm it for your truck. Our GMC Sierra flatbeds are most often 6'6" × 9'.
Do Ram trucks have aluminum bodies?
No. The Ram 1500 (2019 and later) is mostly steel, with an aluminum hood and tailgate. It isn't an aluminum-body truck. We've stuck to the Ram 1500 here; for heavy-duty Rams, check Ram's published specs for your model year. We build Ram aluminum flatbeds for the 1500 through the 5500.
Is the Toyota Tundra aluminum?
No. The Toyota Tundra redesigned for 2022 rides on a steel frame and has an aluminum hood. Its bed is a composite made from sheet-molded compound, with aluminum cross members. We build a lot of Tundra flatbeds and stake beds, most often 6'6" × 9'.
Ford aluminum body pros and cons
These trade-offs apply to any aluminum body panel, whether it's a whole F-150 or just the hood on a Ram 1500.
Pros
- Lighter. Aluminum weighs about one-third as much as steel by volume (roughly 169 lb per cubic foot vs. about 490 lb). Aluminum panels are made thicker because the metal is less stiff, but an aluminum body still comes out lighter overall.
- No red rust. Rust is iron oxide, and aluminum has no iron in it to rust. Aluminum forms a thin oxide layer on its surface that protects the metal underneath, so a chip or scratch doesn't bubble into rust the way it can on a steel panel.
- More payload or efficiency potential. A lighter body leaves more of the truck's rated capacity for cargo, or less weight for the engine to move. How much that's worth depends on the truck and how you use it.
Cons
- Repairs can cost more. Aluminum body work takes dedicated tools, training and usually a separate work area so steel dust doesn't contaminate the aluminum. Not every body shop is set up for it, so ask whether a shop is certified for aluminum repair on your make before you leave the truck.
- Dents behave differently. Aluminum is about one-third as stiff as steel and doesn't straighten as easily. Repairers have to work it carefully, often with controlled heat, to avoid cracking it, and some damage that would be straightened on a steel panel ends up as a replacement panel on aluminum.
- Galvanic corrosion where metals meet. Aluminum doesn't rust, but it can still corrode. Where aluminum touches a different metal, such as steel fasteners or brackets, and moisture is present (salty moisture especially), the aluminum can corrode at the contact point. When you bolt accessories to an aluminum body, use isolators or coated hardware between the metals.
- Higher material cost. Aluminum costs more per pound than steel.
- The frame is still steel. An aluminum body doesn't make the whole truck rust-proof. The frame underneath needs the same care it always has.
“I've purchased metal truck beds in the past but have never been satisfied — I always had to deal with rust and corrosion.”
— Lindsey, Fabulous Flowers
Factory aluminum box vs. an aluminum flatbed or stake bed
A factory aluminum pickup box and an aluminum replacement bed share a material, but they're built for different jobs. The factory box is a tub designed for general pickup use. An aluminum flatbed or stake bed replaces it with a working deck.
| Factory aluminum box | Alumbody flatbed or stake bed | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Tub with sidewalls and wheel wells inside the bed | Flat, square deck that sits above the rear wheels, with no wheel wells in the way |
| Loading | Over the sides or through the tailgate | From the sides and rear through fold down or lift out gates |
| Sides | Fixed bed walls and a tailgate | 22" fold down gates; 30", 38" or 41" lift out gates; custom heights from 9"; mix styles per side |
| Storage | Bed accessories | Topside and underbody aluminum tool boxes, ladder and pipe racks |
| Rear | Factory bumper | Keep the factory bumper or add a dock style bumper |
| Floor rating | Limited by the truck's payload rating | 8,000 lb distributed load rating; the truck's payload, GVWR and axle ratings still govern |
On a steel-bed truck like the Ranger, Silverado or Ram 1500, an aluminum bed brings aluminum's biggest advantage, no rust, to the part of the truck that takes the most abuse. On an F-150 or Super Duty, the box is already aluminum, so the reason to switch is the deck: a wider, flat platform, side access through gates, and room for tool boxes and racks.
Our aluminum flatbeds are built from high strength 6000 series aluminum in Orange, California, where we've been building beds since 1978. Compared with steel and wood beds, they're up to 50% lighter. They mount on heavy-wall aluminum C-channel or I-beam crossmembers, carry a 3-year structural warranty, and every bed is measured to the truck's cab, frame and wheelbase before we quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ford Ranger an aluminum body truck?
Mostly no. The current Ranger (2019 and later) has a mostly steel body and a steel bed, with an aluminum hood and front fenders.
Is the F-150 bed aluminum?
Yes. On 2015 and later F-150s, both the body and the factory pickup box are aluminum alloy, mounted on a steel frame.
Do Ram trucks have aluminum bodies?
The Ram 1500 (2019 and later) is mostly steel. It uses aluminum for the hood and tailgate.
Are GMC Sierra trucks aluminum?
Not all-aluminum. The Sierra 1500 shares the Silverado's mixed-material approach, combining aluminum and steel on a steel frame.
Can you put an aluminum flatbed on an aluminum-body F-150?
Yes. We replace the factory box with an aluminum flatbed or stake bed, most often 6'6" × 9' on an F-150, for a wider flat deck and gates that fold down or lift out.
