Last week, you probably weren’t able to miss the giant yellow Ford F-750 TONKA (and Ford’s new medium-duty truck specs) that I wrote about for this site. The Blue Oval certainly chose a great way to show off its 2016 F-650/F-750 model line at the recent NTEA Work Truck show and future work truck, commercial, and vocational trade events throughout 2015.
However, that big-boy toy’s bright yellow TONKA paint was a little misleading because it was so loud. In fact, the cabins of F-650s and F-750s will be 25 percent quieter (68 decibels) at 60 mph than they used to be. The trucks’ 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8s will idle as much as 45 percent more quietly (48 decibels) than before. (Ford is offering a 6.8-liter V10, too.) Those standing in front of the grille of one of these massive trucks, available in Regular Cab, SuperCab, and Crew Cab body styles and in straight-frame, dock-height, and dedicated tractor configurations, will hear 35 percent less idling noise.
Those improvements were made possible by innovations such as Ford’s use of fuel injectors that spray diesel that’s combusted in two smooth stages instead of one harsh and loud one. Ford states, “A starter or pilot fuel injector in the 6.7-liter engine begins the compression process before the main injection. The result is smoother combustion with less diesel clatter and a reduction of intrusive engine sound both inside and outside the truck.” When the Power Stroke V8 idles, it performs two pilot injections to make the firing process quieter and less rough. Specially designed engine covers mask the “ticking” sound made by the oil-burner’s injectors.
On top of all of that, Ford mounted the V8’s turbocharger inside the valley of the compacted graphite iron engine’s block to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness.
You’ll be able to hear just how much quieter the 2016 Ford F-650s and F-750s are at your local commercial truck dealership this summer. Expect to see them working as dump trucks, wreckers, ambulances, and more in your city after that.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
