Any one use this and what is the proper name for it or brand that is good. I have seen it used on some tv car repair shows in fact they did a hole bed side with the stuff no welds no metal distortion . I am putting some patch panels in the floor of my bed and thought of using it. On the show they claimed it Is as strong as welds. opinions please.

 

I've used panel bonding at work a lot it and have had good luck with it. The brand I have used is 3M panel bonding adhesive and know of another brand called Fusor. I have never used Fusor, but from what I have been told it is good. I have used it for puting on rear 1/4 panels, door skins, and box sides. It's recommended that you still weld the panel in certain places. It's nice to use in those cases because you don't have to grind welds and dress them also you don't have the risk of distoring panels or a fire. I have never used it on a patch panel, but I am sure it would work. The only thing I would be concerned about is the different expansion and contraction rates of metal and the adhesive. So you might see a faint line were you did your reapir in different temperatures. I'm only speculating though. The adhesive takes 24 hours to dry and after that it can ground or sanded. It doesn't melt like you think it would if you grind it, it's like grinding body filler only harder.

 

It works really well and is used in most body shops today since very few shops have the skill to weld a patch in the middle of a panel. On side panels, it's good to flange your patch so it fits flush making for less filler and smoother look. In a truck bed, not as important especially if you are going to cover it with a bedliner, roll on etc. 3M, Fusor are good. I've used Eastwoods with good results as it can be had in small tubes that fit in a regular caulk gun. The 3M requires a special gun that runs over $100.

 

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Thank you . The patch panels will be covered with some form of bed liner. the truck will be used as a truck not for show, just want it solid. How is the metal prepped for the adhesive? The panels I will be using match the ridges and flats of the bed floor should adhesive be spread all over the under side or just at the edges. There will be no good way of clamping so I thought about weights on top and a few pop rivets. I don't have a welder yet.
Thanks John

 

Never cover up any more metal than possible.(just a place to rust) A half inch all the way around is plenty and pop rivets are good to hold the panels together. On a visable patch to be painted, I flange, glue and use countersunk rivets. Don't forget to undercoat the backside when finished.

 

Thank you makes sense. I was just thinking it would be stronger. How about metal prep, sand back to bare metal?

 

Absolutely, using the same gauge metal for your patch and no problem with strength.

 

I would recommend going to 3M website and reading the tech specs on it. I used it on my 58 F100 front fenders and I think it did a great job. I would also recommend buying some cleko fasteners, they are great for pulling the pieces together will the glue sets up.

 

Here is an example of a repair I did with panel adhesive.

 

Primed and ready to paint.

 

You are probably talking about a seam sealer. I actually do not recommend it unless your repair calls for it. Seam sealers come in very different forms and strengths, and are not always a good idea for all repairs such as weld in repairs. Especially with floor pans where you essentially are putting your safety on the line in the event of a failure, I highly recommend the correct repair which is welding.

Incidentally, bond adhesives are used to create the entire frame of Panoz cars.

 

looks great what type rivets are those never seen any like that before

 

Those are clekos holding the patch and taken out one at a time and replaced with countersunk rivets so everything is flush when finished. Just something to hold the glued panel in place so you don't have to work as fast. Some adhesives set up quickly.

 

We have a pretty easy to use kit that we offer for doing just what you are asking. It comes with basically everything you need. We also offer the panel adhesive alone if you already have the other items needed. Works well for doing small projects where you may not want to warp a panel or may not have the skills/need to weld. Hope that helps!

We also offer the panel adhesive alone if you already have the other items needed.

-Matt

No Weld Panel Repair Kit