Bed bounce and frame flex video's by Ford.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjTbiYo3x0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRfE_XAk2mE&NR=1

Doug.

 

I know my OL's mega is horrible when you hit some rough bumps... the front end jumps left to right in mid air...

 

Interesting test demo, those are 2008 models, not '09's, so it would be interesting to see how the Independant Rear Suspension on the Dodge 1500 would do on the same test. Fact it, that IRS along with a more solid frame would make a big differance in real world driveability. It's just too bad Dodge cluttered up the front end of the new trucks...there was one at the local dealer yesturday, and it looked like it had a sad, forlorn face on it... Not the image of confidence it should have!

 

I know that the 2500-3500 Rams have a fully boxed and welded frame, Not sure of the 1500 Ram. I know the Chevy/GMC 2500's do not have a fully boxed frame and have some riveted joints, And the Toyota frame is just a joke, almost like a (erector set toy) I have looked under them at the dealer lot and I swear Toyota is using the same size frame rails as they did on the 87Hilux. I think "Petite" would be the right word.
Doug

 

Let me play the devil's advocate here. What does this "test" prove? Sure, it demonstrates that one frame is less stiffer in twisting that the other, but is this necessarily a bad thing? The demonstration looks like it was designed to prove one frame is superior to the other, but is it really? Don't you think that the manufacture may have compensated for this in other ways? Have there been any reports of the 'twisty' frame breaking? All the reports I have read seem to indicate that this supposedly weaker frame/truck is quite robust and will stand up to lots of abuse.

Taking this a step further. If any of you have ever seen videos of an aircraft wing, such as on a Boeing 747 or 777 and how much it bends under load you will understand that stiffness is sometimes a bad thing. Too much stiffness will definitely add extra weight.

 

The test is supposed to prove the ability (negative affects) of the frame to transmit the force's acted upon the suspension to the cab and bed, (keeping the wheels on the ground) and shock placement. Personally I would want the suspension to actually work and the frame to not to flex all that much. Older chevy's, ford's and dodge's had riveted frame c-channel sections which are good for low speed off road twisty sections of trails, but that type of frame made the truck have a loose feel and crack bed welds, cab supports etc.

True, Wings on aircraft engineered to flex, but trucks dont have wings. (Though Don Thuren and Sage Carli need them)

I had a 89 Jeep XJ trail rig that had so much body flex that if i parked on a off camber section of the trail and opened the rear hatch, I could not get it closed again until I parked on level ground. Even my 78 GMC Jimmy I had was the same way, except the front doors would rub. I read of and seen the same thing with later models of broncos (OJ models).

I'll take a full boxed and welded frame over a riveted C-channel frame anyday.

BTW Toyota has a warranty program for the Hilux frame (not sure of the years) for rust thru and frames breaking.
Doug.

 

Not the Hilux, but rather the 95-2000 Tacomna. I went through the buy back process on my 97 Tacoma with 284k on the clock and still got 8000 for it.

 

I drove the new '09 1500 at one of the 'ramchallenge.com' events.

It allowed us to beat the snot out of the new dodge and all of the competitors. The 4.30 gears in the Toyota made it quick off the line, but the handling on the new dodge was head and shoulders above the rest both on and off road.

The F150 was by far the worst, extremely top-heavy and it sounded like the rear doors were going to fall off when going over the same bumps as the rest of the trucks.

All of the test trucks had less than 500 miles on them.

The Chevy was slowest, but handled decent.

SQ