For Toyota Trucks Three construction methods are better than one when building a truck frame-TripleTech™

The competition continues to boast quite loudly that fully boxed is the only way to build a truck frame. GM, Ford, Dodge and Nissan all build their ½-ton truck frames with a fully boxed design. Toyota takes a truly unique approach with the TripleTech™ frame advantage on Trucks by utilizing three construction methods. Here are the main talking points:

Engineering vs. Building
The Toyota Truck  TripleTech frame is engineered, not just built. Following the crowd by relying on a single construction method is an easy approach but not necessarily a proper solution. A single frame-construction method may impose limitations on ride comfort, handling or other performance factors. An engineered frame advantage will help satisfy those customer demands and more, including load-carrying capability, durability and crash performance.

The Design
TripleTech™ frame is designed to provide strength and flexibility when needed. Here’s a quick look at the design, the benefits, and advantage each construction method brings:

• The front section is fully boxed to provide solid mounting points for the steering and suspension components and to support the engine weight.
  Benefits: A robust front end helps provide front-impact protection, enhanced handling response and improved steering precision.
• The middle section under the cab is a rolled-lip C-channel reinforced with additional heavy-gauge steel.
  Benefits: The section under the cab offers strength for impact protection yet is lighter than fully boxed and provides a more comfortable ride.
• The rear section under the bed is open C-channel, which flexes slightly when supporting heavy cargo.
  Benefits: A small measure of compliance under heavy loads in the cargo bed absorbs road vibrations that could reach the passenger cab.

Overstating Themselves
While the competition maintains that “fully boxed” is a superior design, many of those automakers use an open C-channel frame on their heavy-duty trucks. So if the competition equates strength with fully boxed, then why aren’t their ¾- and 1-ton frames fully boxed?