Auto Body Shops Field Too Many DIY Aluminum Repair Questions
18 posts in the last 60 days, all from r/Autobody.
“That's a go ahead and leave it cuz it's on the roof and you can't see it kind of repair [re: Aluminum F150 Roof Replacement]”
“Frame rail is kinked. It isn't the 80s anymore. Modern cars are made of many types of steel, at different tensile strengths. They all have different properties. Rails are typically UHSS, which cannot be repaired when kinked, torn, etc. They lose structural integrity that they…”
“I cant say i really even thought about having to get un-done anything i do to it... I suppose you are very likely right in that ill probably want it done properly at some point, i guess it just depends if looking "better now" is worth the money just to then redo it later which…”
Several posts indicate autobody professionals are frequently fielding questions and requests from individuals attempting DIY repairs. This suggests a gap between professional expertise and consumer confidence in tackling auto body work, particularly aluminum repair.
SOURCES (60)
“That's a go ahead and leave it cuz it's on the roof and you can't see it kind of repair [re: Aluminum F150 Roof Replacement]”
“Use buck rivets in existing holes and pair with adhesive. Hucks are good to if you don’t see the backside and aren’t worried about a collar.”
“Frame rail is kinked. It isn't the 80s anymore. Modern cars are made of many types of steel, at different tensile strengths. They all have different properties. Rails are typically UHSS, which cannot be repaired when kinked, torn, etc. They lose structural integrity that they cannot regain. You would need to replace it at seams or find an approved sectioning location, which will require specific grade welding wire (and welder) and a frame rack to pull into spec before cutting. Anything less”
“I cant say i really even thought about having to get un-done anything i do to it... I suppose you are very likely right in that ill probably want it done properly at some point, i guess it just depends if looking "better now" is worth the money just to then redo it later which would be something that i definitely am not too sure on, if i had some way to preemptively know how good i could get it then id be able to make the wager but its a hefty investment just to "find out" hu”
“Order your own windshield and do it yourself. The rest of the body damage is just added character. Might need a little hammering to glue that glass in right but hey it's whatever.”
“I’ve done lots of rust repair when building restomods. People are going to downvote me but I would say that welding alone in automotive field is some of the hardest I’ve done. I’ve done pipe welding, structural, aerospace and worked on a few ships. Apart from fabricating a piece that’s completely rusted and missing a good chunk, you lose your body lines so you’re basing it off the other side that also isn’t really good to create the patch panel, welding through rust, seam sealer, paint, dirt and”
“it depends. Who are you? what related skills do you have? if you don’t have enough experience in autobody, then no, not if you want it to come out right.”
“That’s a lot of money to sink into for just a year. You are going to need a toolbox,tools pass a welding test and a crap ton of I-car classes plus welding aluminum, mig, and brazing good luck”
“Yes but if you plan on doing it yourself it’s not gonna look any better without lots of practice and will only serve to connect the crack back together.”
“Just so you know that's not a bolt on piece it's weld on and a big deal to replace.”
“Honestly I dont have to ask, more so poking fun I have significant autobody experience and have taken care of this 100x over. Im just sad someone hit me too”
“I mean you could try to fiber glass some up but I'd just get a new bumper. Or drift stitch it. Or silicone and tape/ pressure in place.”
“Hot glue and tape if you never see a speed bump or parking curb. Epoxy would be the same. A poor band aid that'll have you messing with it over and over.”
“I'm looking to repair this hole in a ram van. If not welding how would I go about this repair? submitted by /u/iJeremee [link] [comments]”
“Aluminum is different to work with than steel. I would think that maybe a bodyman with a lot of experience working with aluminum could do an acceptable repair job, however it's probably going to be less costly to buy another door.”
“I'm asking you guys because you are the pro's who have no financial gain from telling me either way. I’ve been to three body shops who don't specifically work with aluminum and all deal with insurance, I just want to know if this dent is really a replacement, or are they just trying to make as much as possible. Thanks for your input.”
“Well, a few self tappers through the black part into the bottom of the white part would hold it up for a little while, maybe add some washers to those self tappers for extra bite. Of course, this is to hold it up long enough for you to get a new bumper, cause that thing is FUBAR.”
“All the trim that fits like shit are probably broken. I've seen guys yank them off then realize the clips need to be released, ended up eating the cost of some pricey trim.”
“Good use the body collision repair section that is 114 pages long that gives you all the information you need on welding. Page 2 says to be able to perform a process safe repair following vehicle specific training modules. Page 19 has inspections you can provide to the insurance to get paid more time to inspect safety systems Page 22 details energy absorption and why you don’t use backers Page 29 is SRS inspections 32-36 is all your welding info that you need Page 43 is all the info on your adhe”
“My buddy had a guy come out to work on his macan’s tailgate. Great reviews online, looks legit, all that jazz. Totally fucks up the tailgate, $5k or so in damage, refuses to pay more than maybe 10% of that so he has to take them to small claims court. Which is hard to collect on even if he wins. Company had no insurance or at least that’s what they claim Man thats horrible”
“Hey guys, I'd love to fix up my car a bit on my own. Just have fun and the experience. They are mainly rust fixes and have watched some videos on how to work on them. My main problem is the one shown in the picture. It's the side skirt near the front right wheel. I'm guessing this happened during maintenance but I noticed it too late and I can't ask the garage about it anymore. What can I do about this to make it even? Or just less of an eyesore. My car is a Yaris 2006. The front”
“I know, the guy that I paid to paint it and mount on my car did that. I am trying to see if I can fix it myself tho.”
“Cheers, appreciate it. Honestly sounds simpler to me than messing with body work with minimal experience”
“It actually lools like a trunk of an suv. I agree that even when metal u could try to push it out. Though i think in OPs case that wont be an option because the trunk will have a double wall, espacially in lower area of OPs trunk”
Cast A-356 Aluminum submitted by /u/IHadSexWithMyFriend [link] [comments]
“It's definitely going to need some sanding and.. I assume probably some filler for those semi-gashes. As for DIY.. how artistic are you feeling? Hah. You can't really botch it any worse than what we're already seeing, right. Start out by lightly sanding that area to smooth it out. Get some 3M / Bondo High Bond Filler, mix a bit of it up and gently apply a couple layers to the affected area. Even out the surface of the filler along the surface of the car's body. Now, this is where”
“Man it’s doable, but you better seal the shit out of it. I did it on my Acura like a decade ago”
“I've seen bangladesh/indian youtube videos about this type of repair. Also some headlight modders. The trick seems to be: to heat the edge, or complete assembly, so the adhesive holding the lens on softens. Then prying it open. Since you don't need to keep this lens. It might be usefull to cut it up a bit. Then hope your new lens is, about, the same colour as the other one. I'm hopefull for this repair. Especially since you were able to sourcs a replacement.”
“The correct answer imho is to pull, leave it as good as reasonably possible, and then substitute the rail. You pull to make the whole chassis correct, and substitute the damaged rail because a repair will mean a different response to a crash. And younwant it to absorb energy in the way it was designed.”
“Unpick it, straiten it out and weld it back in if your struggling for replacement, or get a second hand lump from a salvage yard, cut out the bits you need and weld them in. Done it plenty of times over the years I can tell thee.”
“Certain one option, but I'm looking to learn new skills and "have a go" since the vehicle is older and there is no pressure for a "perfect" outcome.”
“Ok placrs with safety yearly inspections for old cars, the pinch weld is typically ok when a hole in the rocker appears. Depends on luck of course.”
“I don't have a tab welder and puller. And it's not worth it to buy to me because I'm just doing this one car. I do however have a mig welder. I'm thinking cut along the rocker line with an angle grinder and makeshift a slide hammer so I can pull out the quarter and then do the same for the rocker? Then weld it back together? Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. Really don't wanna hear it's not worth trying. I have 2 other cars and I'm just trying to put some w”
“So you're saying there's a chance? I backed straight into something so I was thinking I'd pull it the same direction and maybe put a deflated volley ball inside underneath and inflate it as I go. I feel dumb even typing this out though.”
“Then yes it is but still applies if you pull it wrong you will tear it around that hole”
“Without experience you are not pulling that out you will only make it worse plus it aluminum so you run the risk of tearing it”
“I backed into something and there's a hole right beside the place the initial impact tool place. If I put a hook in the hole and pull with a chain or cable from a wench or something could I pull this out or am I as dumb as I feel for asking? submitted by /u/dakobra [link] [comments]”
“I'm no expert, but I'd assume very carefully pulling/pushing the dents out of the panels. It might take a while, but nevertheless, it can be done by a shop”
“2013 fiat Abarth. Main subframe end that connects to crossmember became bent from an autocross incident. Red line is what it's supposed to look like. Is this a goner? I don't know of any little jack that could get into the ends and push/bend it back out or something similar. Somehow the alignment guys didn't even notice and aligned it. submitted by /u/QuarterStill7990 [link] [comments]”
“Standard go spend hundreds of dollars reply from an auto body worker, I’ve been building and fixing cars for 15 years now, take an angle grinder, cut out the rust, sand the edges and then weld a piece of 1/8-1/4” steel plate that fits the new hole and make sure to spray both sides with rustolium auto body primer over it, cheaper if you have the welder than taking it to an auto body shop and it’ll last for years without rusting like that again”
“Hello all. I am seeking some guidance on potentially repairing the hood on my project car. The car is a 2008 Audi TT, so the hood is aluminum. I have been through nearly every mechanical bit on this car, including an engine rebuild. The car is nearly complete but there is some bodywork that needs to be sorted out. Apparently, one of the previous owners had the hood release cable fail on them and resorted to bending back the hood to access the remnants of the cable. This car only has the hood rel”
That needs a used door all day long, you’re not fixing that at home.
“I’m having problems fixing body damage. Like door frame damage, rear impact damage and so forth. Areas where you can’t just replace a fender. I have some experience using a frame machine but that was nearly 15 years ago when I was a teenager. I don’t have a paved area to roll around or attach to a frame column puller. I have trees and grass. I’m wonder what equipment/tools is for sale that can be used to fix these problems in a backyard setting? Don’t have frame machine money or space, no paveme”
“If you can verify the correct position of the coil bucket and all the suspension/steering mounting points, I'd just cut the structural out and weld a new section in. Then you can work the sheetmetal around it back into place. Or another option, see what a shop with a frame rack would charge only to pull it back in place and go from there. Will it crumple the same next time? No. So take that into consideration. Otherwise look at using a come along and a sturdy tree, or go buy a cheap porta po”
“I hit a pot hole and bent my bumper and it popped out of the fasteners, do Autobody shops have a process to bend stuff like this back into shape? submitted by /u/A-Major-Beast [link] [comments]”
“I’ve never done auto body work and did it for my car. I’m lucky enough to have the tools and it took a ton of time but as long as you can fully grind out all the rust and are comfortable enough filling it back in, I’m sure you’ll be good. I wouldn’t expect it to look exactly perfect but saving $1k or more I think is worth it”
When you see rust like that it's almost always worse underneath/behind it.
“Well if I could afford to take it to a body shop I absolutely would, but I can't afford the tow there, the work it needs, and then the tow home, so DIY will have to suffice because I need a car that's driveable.”
“The plastic is rather effective at hiding damage. If you want to see what is involved, search vehcor on YouTube— he rebuilt a ton of the GrandAms (his favorite vehicle). In terms of effort — I did car repair the proper way and the wrong way. For instance, I fixed a 25 year old sedan with lots of rust after moderate front hit just enough to get it driving. That was basically sledge hammer to the hood to get it somewhat straight, junkyard upper/lower rad supports, bumper, headlights. Slide hammer”
Is that something I'll just have to cut off another car and weld on then?
“Sometimes thing need more force than you think the new kids at the shop will come ask how something comes apart and half the time it just needs a bit more force. Also the grille need to come with the bumper on that so maybe there’s something missing”
“Do you do body work? I assume not. You’ll be sitting on that corner for hours. Any “real” body man knows what a bitch of a spot that is. That’s not a simple repair. That’s on a body line, sure you can sand an fill with with bondo, but no quality body man would do that’s they are gonna try to push that dent out to the best of their ability, which is gonna take hours. They’d be better off cutting out the panel and replacing it. You thinking that is a simple repair shows just how little you know ab”