A service truck body’s material composition is one of the most overlooked but significantly important choices to make when purchasing new or used. Understanding the key differences between available materials can pay dividends throughout the lifetime of your service truck.
While we try to remain objective in debate, there is some convincing evidence that some materials are simply better than others.
Today, we have decided to compare and contrast the usage of service truck body materials to determine what the better option may be.
Without further ado…
1971 Ford Pinto
Photo by Joe Haupt
This vehicle is considered by many to be one of the lowest points of the Ford Motor Company’s existence. The 1971 Ford Pinto would top out at an astounding 94 MPH and had a 0-60 time of 11.6 seconds. An iconic chick magnet of a car, you were destined to be the coolest guy nowhere ever by cruising around in this God forsaken thing.
Its body and frame were made almost entirely of steel, which ensured that it would almost definitely rust like nobody’s business after a couple of years on the road. Sweet!
2019 Corvette
By contrast, the sleek, modern, beautiful, and outrageously fast 2019 Chevrolet Corvette is the antithesis and polar opposite of what the 71’ Pinto represents. Crafted with an aerodynamic, powerful aluminum frame, this beast of an automobile will top out at 210 MPH and 0-60 MPH claims have been under 3 seconds.
Consider the materials and notice how time and technology have brought us to a more advanced state. Clearly, aluminum is a more practical vehicle material, both for durability and weight reduction.
Those are different types of cars though, JoMac! That’s cheating.
No it isn’t, nerd. Aluminum is modern, strong, and practical and steel is what your grandfather’s car was made from because they didn’t have the technology that we do today.
Now keep reading, because we are about to drop some more knowledge bombs for you to consider…
Boat Anchors
What do boat anchors do? That’s right, they weigh boats down so they don’t float all over the water.
What are boat anchors made out of? Iron and steel.
Why would you want to build a service truck body out of the same material that we still use today to weigh things down? Do you want your service truck weighed down?
Speed Boats
By contrast, what do speed boats do? I know we are asking a ton of questions in what is supposed to be an informative blog post, but please humor us. What do speed boats do?
They go fast! (This is starting to feel like a kindergarten question and answer session.)
People also have fun on speed boats. They race them. They throw parties on them. They go fishing on them.
Speed boats, unlike boat anchors that weigh things down, are made out of aluminum and carbon fiber. That’s because things that are made out of aluminum go fast, but maintain an optimal durability.
This applies across the board and it is no different for service and utility trucks.
Conclusions
Sure, the examples above are semi-funny, or “silly” if you will, but they do possess fundamental truths when it comes to service truck body materials.
In 2018, it is no longer practical, or even reasonable, to be buying service truck bodies constructed out of steel. It is honestly a bad investment, plain and simple. Your truck will not achieve the lifetime of use that you deserve for investing your hard earned cash into a vehicle you rely on for your daily operations.
We urge anyone looking to invest in a new service truck body to consider the benefits of aluminum, including speed, weight reduction, durability, and resistance to oxidization. It honestly makes an enormous difference, especially over the lifetime of your service truck body.
If you have any interest in investigating how affordable aluminum service truck bodies can be, and what pricing looks like in comparison to steel, please click here for a free quote and consultation.
