Stop using cheap bondo on aluminum panels - here's why

I learned this the hard way after a repair on a 2018 Ford F-150 in Phoenix last summer. Used my regular body filler like I always do (you know, the good stuff) and had the whole thing bubble up within 3 months after the first hot day. Switched to a specialized aluminum filler for the redo and it's been 8 months now with zero issues. The chemical reaction between regular filler and aluminum is no joke when temps hit 110+ out here. Has anyone else run into this problem with aluminum panels in hot climates?

2 comments

2 Comments

dakota_singh393d ago

Yeah I had this exact thing happen on a 2019 GMC Sierra I was fixing up here in Las Vegas. Used the same regular filler I always use on steel and it started bubbling after about 4 months. The heat out here is brutal and that reaction between cheap filler and aluminum is no joke. Switched to a proper aluminum specific filler and its been solid for over a year now with zero issues. People don't realize how the chemistry changes with different metals especially when temps hit 115 degrees. I see guys all the time using the same stuff on everything and it just makes me cringe.

anna7583d ago

Oh man, the heat out there makes everything worse I swear. My cousin tried to fix a dent on his aluminum fishing boat with some leftover body filler from his truck (which is steel obviously) and it looked okay for maybe two months then just started peeling off in these weird little flakes. He's in Phoenix where it's basically the same kind of oven you guys get in Vegas. I told him he needed the aluminum grade stuff but he's stubborn (you know how some people are) and he ended up having to sand the whole thing down and start over. At least he learned his lesson, but it cost him a whole weekend. Makes you wonder how many people out there are driving around with bubbling repairs and just think it's normal.