After trying and failing to get new rear wings for my tub I was trying to work out how to sort mine (very badly damaged). I tried panel beating but it didn't go well and the panel seems to be far too wrinkled to sort. I had a thought tonight and wondered if I could buy aluminium wire, pure argon and a Teflon liner for my mig and try to weld a patch onto the wing. I thought that if I heated the panel up a bit first and then just did a series of small tacks along the join, it might not distort too much and it should still penetrate properly. So, my question is, has anyone tried this before and does anyone think this might work? Thanks in advance.
Tub repairs...mig welding?
- Thread starter david9393
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aluminium doesnt distort badly like steel when welded
problem is mig welding old aluminium and you dont say how good a welder you have
problem is mig welding old aluminium and you dont say how good a welder you have
cube1729
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It has certainly been my experience that it does. In fact quite a lot more. But the worse thing is you can blow holes very very easily in aluminium.
However if you have a good welding machine and if you are careful and control the heat you will be ok. It is also a good idea to put another metal like brass behind the weld to act like a heat sink. weld in sections but allow the metal to cool before doing the next section.
This is a great article on aluminium welding. http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/aluminium-welding.htm
That said, is it not easier to get a replacement panel?
Thanks for all of your replies, my welder is just a cheap Clarke welder. I think what I'm going to do is try this out with some of my old panels. I have rig welded aluminium before but I don't have access to a tog anymore and I'm sure mig welding aluminium is quite different to that. And yes, it would be easier to just replace the panel but there only seems to be one website (Simmonites) who sell them and they are a ridiculous price. I think that at least giving this a try is worth it.
daddy2coull
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there are a few n/s ones on the bay of e at the moment. i manage to pick one up for £75 delivered
daddy2coull
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please see my above post
cube1729
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Touche my friend,
vasimone
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Hello guys,
I am about to paint the interior of the Defender and there is a large hole (pic attached).
I can close the small hole with a rivet (and placing some PU seal around it to avoid water passing through since we don't have here water tight rivets) but I am thinking of a creative solution for the bigger hole since over here in Ghana can't find someone who can weld ALU.
This is in the back cabin that I am camperising, so I will be placing insulating material over the panel once it's fixed - so it doesn't have to look pretty but it does need to avoid water from passing through.
Thanks!!
I am about to paint the interior of the Defender and there is a large hole (pic attached).
I can close the small hole with a rivet (and placing some PU seal around it to avoid water passing through since we don't have here water tight rivets) but I am thinking of a creative solution for the bigger hole since over here in Ghana can't find someone who can weld ALU.
This is in the back cabin that I am camperising, so I will be placing insulating material over the panel once it's fixed - so it doesn't have to look pretty but it does need to avoid water from passing through.
Thanks!!
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neilly
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Cut some plate to cover the hole, PU to seal it and bolt it down tight with a bolt at each end or rivets.
Cheers
Cheers
vasimone
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Thanks @neilly - I can't get hold of a ALU plate here and with the little I understand the plate has to be also ALU to avoid the galvanic corrossion though right? since the plate would be exposed to water and be in contact with the ALU panel it can't be of normal steel? I am sure you have a creative way to tackle this 
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mick the builder
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Use steel but sandwich it with a gasket .I used galv steel from some air conditioning trunking to fill a hole in the roof when I removed a leaky sunroof .Thanks @neilly - I can't get hold of a ALU plate here and with the little I understand the plate has to be also ALU to avoid the galvanic corrossion though right? since the plate would be exposed to water and be in contact with the ALU panel it can't be of normal steel? I am sure you have a creative way to tackle this
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vasimone
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ok so can I make the gasket our of sikaflex basically going around the steel patch so that the two materials don't touch each other? if I put sikaflex would I also need to rivet? taking into account this is in the rear tub and will be covered with insulation...
Mikewilliams
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I got nearside and offside from craddocks pretty cheap but they are nas spec.
flat
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Thanks @neilly - I can't get hold of a ALU plate here and with the little I understand the plate has to be also ALU to avoid the galvanic corrossion though right? since the plate would be exposed to water and be in contact with the ALU panel it can't be of normal steel? I am sure you have a creative way to tackle this
if you cant get hold of ally plate then any aluminium would do, even an old bit of defender body work cut up, or anything else aluminium
Tim4x4
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vasimone
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assuming I can't find ALU and I need to put an old steel plate:
I can access the spot from the exterior of the vehicle, clean, apply steel patch with PU seal and gasket, and on the inside I just put filler and then spray - sounds like a deal?
I can access the spot from the exterior of the vehicle, clean, apply steel patch with PU seal and gasket, and on the inside I just put filler and then spray - sounds like a deal?
