Dana Corp announced that it will supply structural systems to Ford Motor Co for its 2004 F-150 Series pickup trucks. Dana's Automotive Systems Group will supply frames from its Elizabethtown KY and St. Mary's, Ontario, Canada facilities to supply Ford's Kansas City MO and Norfolk VA, assembly plants.
According to Dana, the newly designed frame will be produced using its Robo Clamp technology, which increases the frame's vertical stiffness by 50%. The hydroformed structural system has increased stiffness not only vertically, but also torsionally for an improved ride. The frame surface is also being electrocoated, providing corrosion protection that is resistant to higher underbody temperatures.