Body Panel Adhesive

I was surfing the interweb today looking at restoration projects and came across a guy's blog that stated he used two part adhesive to glue his reproduction quarter panels on the car. So I Google it and find out it's OEM approved in some repair applications because it resists shrinking and warping. What the heck? Is this stuff strong enough to withstand cracking during body flex? Has anyone here used this stuff?

 

check on jeepforum.com..in the cjforum is a guy named jschreb..he did the retro wrangler pickup and the gaucho pickup...he has used adhesive for floorpans etc...

 

Common stuff in new car production, and at body shops.

Check with a local body shop for more info, any good shop should be familiar with this stuff.

 

The auto collision repair industry uses these metal bonding glue as OEM has approved it and is part of replacement procedures for some panels. Most common used on door skins.. I have used it myself - and the type I've used is Fusor, and it is applied to bare metal surfaces, and will bond very well, also will prevent corrosion. Its about $30 a tube, and the applicator gun is more money.

 

A co worker used to work at a local Toyota dealership and claims that's all they used. No warpage from heat of welding, fast repair and, he claims, better than welding on new panels as it provides a constant seal as opposed to spot welds. Doesn't seem like it would be as much fun as melting metal though.

 

I have a friend that works on military planes, he says they use quite a bit of it on repair panels on planes.

 

Last week's episode of Trucks! on PowerBlock TV (I only watch for the car content, I don't pay any attention to Courtney Hanson) showed them gluing whole new bedsides on a late 90's Chevy pickup.

 

In my previous job we did some crash testing for the industry, performed just as good as welding. Good stuff, but it has to be applied correctly.

 

51 years in the body shop bussines. I use it all the time. Great stuff. I use NOTHING but 3m panel bond IT"S the BEST.

 

what do you do with whatever stuf squeezes out of the seams? does it sand, or do you grind it? how hard is this stuff?

 

You can wipe it off before it dries. Use some lacquer thinner or something. It will dry hard.. like bondo, and you can sand it away without too much trouble.

 

If you use 3m panel bond, IT WILL BE HARD. What I do is grind off with 24 grit, use dur a glass grind off with 24 grit, bono and sand with 40 grit, 80 grit. finish sand to 150 grit, use finish putty sand with 180 grit, feather out edges with 180 grit da paper & 320 grit da paper. Etc prime, primer, block sand, water ot dry sand. Paint.

PS 3m panel bond WILL get HARD!!!!!!!!!!
Fusor WILL NOT. Stuff that squeezes out, Stays soft. I just don't LIKE this.
Have talked to techs at Fusor and they stay thats fine. I just do not like this, I have had problems later down the road seeing lines on where I have bonded panels with this stuff.
#1 Take Fusor and squeezes some out on the FLOOR let harden.
Do the same with 3m panel bond at same time.
Overnight----hit with hammer YOU'LL see what I mean.
3m panel bonding the BEST. TRY IT!!!!!
I

 

x2

 

How do you clamp in the middle of a big panel. Like this guy with the rear quarters, for example. Seems like the wheel wells and trunk area would be easy enough to get clamps around the edges, but what do you do out in the middle of a sail panel or around the package tray?

 

how does this work with moisture? I have used the two part stuff on plastic before and found not so happy results. when it was exposed to the elements it broke down fast! Not sure if it was 3M any more but ended up lasting about 90 days tops. This was body shop grade and was not too happy with it. when not exposed to elements it worked great. On some jeeps I know, elements are an issue.

 

You can use sheet metal screws. Take them out later and fill them up, or just leave them. You can also do spot welds before the glue dries.

 

What 3M number are you using?

 

Inquiring minds want to know...