Has anyone ever used JB Weld to attach body repair panels, such as pickup Cab Corners or fender Wheel Arch Patch Panels rather than actually welding them? I have trouble welding without the heat warping the panel.
There are adhesives specifically for attaching body panels. Several brands to look for at the auto paint store in no particular order:
3M
SEM
Lord Fusor
All these are two part and use a mixer spout on them. They usually need a special caulk gun but many stores will let you rent or put up a deposit to use them. hope this helps...
The body flex will eventually lead to cracks at the seams with the JB weld or anything less than an industrial 3M adhesive designed for this purpose. Even then these adhesives are for complete panel attachment, not partial repairs.
You don't say what type of welder you are using, but I would recommend a mig welder. I have attached body panels with a torch (not fun) - the key is to only do a series of small spot welds and alternate the locations. Wet cloths on the metal help too. After the first series of welds cools go back between them to add more welds and so on till the panel is secure.
After grinding the welds smooth, use something that has fiberglass as a component such as Evercoat or similar as a base filler. Bondo is not water resistant - it should only be used as a very light skim coat before final surface prep.
I'm using a torch. I've also tried using my stick welder with small rod and low heat setting. Can't afford another welder right now, so I think I'll look into the adhesives, such as Fusor.
It's the strongest glue I've ever seen. I saw a car that had been previously repaired and was wrecked again. The metal tore right around the Fusor repair. [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img] Amazing...
<font color="blue">It's the strongest glue I've ever seen. I saw a car that had been previously repaired and was wrecked again. The metal tore right around the Fusor repair. Amazing... </font color>
For an engineering evaluation (the dumb sob who ran the company didn't believe that glue could be as strong as welding) we glued two pieces of 2.5" X 1/8" aluminum channel together and put it in the 20 ton shop press. Same thing, the metal tore before the adhesive.
chevdog - why do you say the adhesives are for complete panel attachment only, not partial repairs? If it can hold an entire panel, why couldn't it hold a patch panel?
Danny - I'm not familiar with the Fusor as mentioned, but that does not mean an old (Chev)dog can't learn something new.
The 3M material that I am familar with is used more commonly for panel attachment at factory assembly or panel replacement. What I try to avoid is any movement at all between patch panel and original material - it's not that the panel will come off, it's to eliminate the possibility if getting a hairline crack at at the seam. This can happen if the panels flex - not enough to break the bond, but enough to disturb the bodywork that covers the seams.
Fiberglass and plastic lend themselves pretty well to adhesives, but I still like to weld steel panels into steel body pieces to ensure that there is absolutely no movement and the panel becomes as one piece. However, it can still be worth giving it a shot with the adhesive - just wanted to clariy my previous post and to answer your question [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
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