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Kos

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I’m confused is it good or bad news?
Yes?

It depends on which qualities you value. Ford appears to be betting that you want to cut weight and will prefer to replace/total rather than do extensive repairs.
It’s a good thing and shouldn’t increase your risk of totaling out or significant repairs in an accident. Whether due to deformation or tears in the metal the repairs remain the same. In most cases, the damage to a vehicle is limited to the superficial sheet metal over the safety cell. I got hit by a semi truck in the driver side door and pushed down the interstate for about 80 yards a few years back. Vehicle looked smashed to hell, but once they got the sheet metal off the safety cell was intact and the vehicle was repaired. I still drive the vehicle today (it’s my trade in).

Also, I used to be a process engineer in a factory that made all the parts we’re talking about here so I do know what I’m talking about.
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The_Axeman

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The use of ultra high strength, low alloy steels has been going on for quite a long time now. Boron, Martensite and now this new one (Fortiform) are used mainly in the creation of the “safety cage” of the passenger compartment. These metals are pricey to use but offer very specific advantages in these areas of the vehicle. They’re light weight yet incredibly rigid and resistant to deformation. This helps protect from intrusion into the passenger compartment in the event of an accident. To avoid the passengers from absorbing all of the energy being transferred in the event of an accident - crumple zones (font and rear) are integrated to help absorb that energy. Unfortunately there isn’t any room laterally for those - so all we have to absorb the energy from a lateral impact are the airbags.
During an extrication scenario these steels, when hydraulic cutters are sufficiently powerful enough to, fracture rather than cut oftentimes.
The decision to use these expensive materials is to protect the occupants and to achieve high crash test ratings all while keeping the vehicle’s weight down and the structure small. I’ve seen a significant decrease in extrications in my department over the years - while a significant increase in the number of accidents is being observed. Vehicles are much safer. Hoping this clarifies the “what and why”.
BTW - I’m a 23 year veteran of my fire department (consisting of 67 fire stations and roughly 2400 firefighters) and have been one of the extrication training experts for roughly 17 of those. ✌🏻
 

Rick Astley

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Zeebo390

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Fracturing before bending might mean failure or damage is more difficult to detect after an accident. And probably more expensive to repair if it is that resistant to reshaping.
This stuff is mainly used for the passenger safety cell, so if a crash got to the point where you’d be worried about the Fortiform parts, there’s a 99.9999% chance the car is already totaled anyways. Now the aluminum body panels are a different story...they are going to be expensive and impossible to repair. Those are clearly throwaways if they get damaged, especially considering how easily they bolt on/off the Bronco. The aftermarket will be loaded with cheaper plastic and steel replacements which will also be easier to paint.
 

Itchysquatch

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The use of ultra high strength, low alloy steels has been going on for quite a long time now. Boron, Martensite and now this new one (Fortiform) are used mainly in the creation of the “safety cage” of the passenger compartment. These metals are pricey to use but offer very specific advantages in these areas of the vehicle. They’re light weight yet incredibly rigid and resistant to deformation. This helps protect from intrusion into the passenger compartment in the event of an accident. To avoid the passengers from absorbing all of the energy being transferred in the event of an accident - crumple zones (font and rear) are integrated to help absorb that energy. Unfortunately there isn’t any room laterally for those - so all we have to absorb the energy from a lateral impact are the airbags.
During an extrication scenario these steels, when hydraulic cutters are sufficiently powerful enough to, fracture rather than cut oftentimes.
The decision to use these expensive materials is to protect the occupants and to achieve high crash test ratings all while keeping the vehicle’s weight down and the structure small. I’ve seen a significant decrease in extrications in my department over the years - while a significant increase in the number of accidents is being observed. Vehicles are much safer. Hoping this clarifies the “what and why”.
BTW - I’m a 23 year veteran of my fire department (consisting of 67 fire stations and roughly 2400 firefighters) and have been one of the extrication training experts for roughly 17 of those. ✌🏻
Some great information and explanation of why the technology is being used! Oh, and thanks for saving lives;)
 

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okbob

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It's good news for the occupants of the vehicle, it's news that required some changes in the fire service field when extrication is required as far as procedure and equipment. Boron steel in vehicles has been around a while, over a decade since they introduced it into our extrication classes. It's not only the roll cages/bars but seat hinges and dash bars as well in of a lot of vehicles. You'd be surprised how many folks still don't wear their seatbelts anyway, and extricate themselves at the moment of impact as a result. Good write up about boron steel in vehicles below, some of it is a little dated though.

http://www.resqmed.com/BoronSteel1.pdf
 
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Sean D

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Interesting topic. Thanks for the wealth of information.
 

Daktari

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You'd be surprised how many folks still don't wear their seatbelts anyway, and extricate themselves at the moment of impact as a result.

LOL, be dumb, get tossed I guess. Darwin is always taking new entries to his award list.
But I have never heard of self extrication before, LOL!
 
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ZackDanger

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It's good news for the occupants of the vehicle, it's news that required some changes in the fire service field when extrication is required as far as procedure and equipment. Boron steel in vehicles has been around a while, over a decade since they introduced it into our extrication classes. It's not only the roll cages/bars but seat hinges and dash bars as well in of a lot of vehicles. You'd be surprised how many folks still don't wear their seatbelts anyway, and extricate themselves at the moment of impact as a result. Good write up about boron steel in vehicles below, some of it is a little dated though.

http://www.resqmed.com/BoronSteel1.pdf
LOL, be dumb, get tossed I guess. Darwin is always taking new entries to his award list.
But I have never heard of self extrication before, LOL!
“Front seat passenger self extricated mid-collision.”
 

M&M Beer

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The training video is in the crush yard for test crash cars. I did this many times and we used this for extraction training for the fire department. But this shows' that the roof is very strong!
 

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broadicustomworks

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You'd be surprised how many folks still don't wear their seatbelts anyway, and extricate themselves at the moment of impact as a result.

http://www.resqmed.com/BoronSteel1.pdf
I totally back up the use of belts, 100%, for 2 reasons:
in 2006 or so I was driving my VTX back from a trip to Lake Erie on a whim. Just to go and say I did.
On I-77 south just inside the VA-WVA border I literally watched a Jeep flip and roll ahead of me.
I was the first responder on-scene, and to this day I kind of wish I hadn't been. Driver was not wearing a seatbelt.
The guy flipped into the air at 70MPH and landed on the interstate. On his face.
By the time I got the bike stopped and ran to him, blood already was running across both lanes and into the grass. I knew, just knew, the dude was a goner.
I checked for a pulse and found one, so I cradled his neck and with help, got him rolled over on his back.
He came to and was trying to speak and get up, neither of which he could do right off.
But despite my effort to keep this Andre-the-Giant sized guy calm and laying still, he got up and was wild-eyed (with the one eye he had left)and amazingly strong.
The one arm not broken kept trying to push me away as I held his brains in his caved-in forehead with literally the shirt off my back. I was able to until EMS arrived on-scene. To this day I don't know if that dude lived or not. I hope he did.

2nd reason: I lost my 18 yr old sister in 1998 due to a crash. She was not wearing a belt, died on-scene due to injuries from the windshield. I'll not go into detail on this one for various reasons.

Always, always wear your belt, people.
Yeah it's restrictive and yeah, its a PITA sometimes.
But it can and most of the time will, save your bacon and be the ONLY thing that determines whether you spend time recovering in a hospital or having your family suddenly have to figure out burial plans.
 
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Wickspick

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Bronco sport in head on with box truck. Passengers had moderate injuries, mostly safety belt. Engine and Transmission are in the field
 

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Bdisco

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At least with our mic tops it should be easier to extricate us from our Broncos.


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