This subject is a sore spot to me. After being a body technician for 36 years, and spending tens of thousands of dollars on tools and equipment for the trade, I decided to look elsewhere for my income, because I didn't like the direction auto makers were going with respect to the materials used-aluminum being one. There's more to it than meets the eye, so your comments please.

 

I am not much of a body man, but I found a link to some one with experience:
http://www.bodyshopbusiness.com/Arti...ud_welder.aspx
He seems to embrace the change, a positive thinker.

 

I'm not a body may either, but if they are using aluminum and newer materials, its for a reason. And that reason IMHO, is to try and lighten up the cars as much as possible. With safety items, more features, more NVH materials to make a quieter/more comfortable cabin, the body has to be lightened in one way or another. If they didn't use these materials, all cars would weight hundreds of pounds more and this wouldn't bode well for MPG, and the driving experience. Just my $ 0.02

 

It's easy when your working on an all aluminum Audi because the metal is thicker than domestic cars. You can pic and file untill it's perfect. Besides it's one thing to talk a good job in writing and another to do the job. And when you're done , it can come back to haunt you later due to contaminants possibly being driven into the aluminum while you work it . Those things are hard to see. All it takes is someone grinding a piece of steel nearby and the sparks from the ground steel striking the bare aluminum to contaminate the aluminum. It's too reactive!

 

You are 100% correct in everything you said. You know , it's one thing to make a radiator or a heater core or a radiator support or other bolt-on supports out of aluminum but to make an entire truck frame out of aluminum like the full size GMC and Chevys did, to me is just ...wrong! Begining the '08 model, GM full size pick-up frames are aluminum! Anything that is that reactive to the elements shouldn't be used as a main back-bone of a vehicle. It's 5256 aluminum which is a higher grade alloy , but it's still aluminum !

 

No thanks on the aluminum frame

 

Don't like chasing dents, hugh Red?

 

like your signature regarding the libertarian party, BTW.

 

I'd rather work with steel, much more forgiving. That being said, aluminum is the current deal, until carbon fiber becomes the next thing, and that will suck.

 

I understand.
On a pickup its especially dumb.
Maybe I could see it on a light sports car, but a Chevy truck?

 

Weight reduction trying to improve gas mileage. Something else we have environmentalists to thank for.

 

personally, I would be afraid of oxidation...although the aluminum is coated...

 

Truck frames? I'd be afraid of fatigue failure....

 

Aluminum! I heard the S197 hoods are aluminum but what else?

 

I had no idea about the Chevy trucks. I wonder if my brother who owns one knows that?

 

the salesman probably left out that tid bit of information...

 

Yeah I've done that in my time! Flat rate didn't allow for too much chasing if you wanted a decent pay check! It was always the quickest and best way that satisfied all parties concerned.

 

On the outer sheetmetal, that's all. But the radiator, engine, etc is also aluminum.

 

I had to go to a two day class for the new Z06 corvette for the new technology they used in its construction. They also send 1 mechanic to another class for the same reason, new technology. If the dealership doesn't send 1 of each, GM will not let that dealership sell the Z06 by ,obviously, not giving them one! But that car has lots of aluminum in it! The frame;5256 aluminum- the entire cowl support;4000 series aluminum- the windshield frame and roof support the same! Now on a vehicle like this, I agree , aluminum is fine because (1) who in their right mind is going to drive this car in the winter? (2) With the amount of money these cars cost, who is going to abuse the car to begin with? Now if this car gets frame damage, their (GM's) repair procedures were strictly outlined as to what was the only accepted repairs allowed by their standards. Some were rather complex and time consuming. The floor-pan bonding comes to mind. OH! AND GUESS WHAT THE FLOOR-PAN IS MADE OF? Not aluminum. It's 1/16 thick kevlar top and bottom bonded to, of all things,BULSA WOOD SANDWICHED IN THE MIDDLE ! Yeah, the stuff you build model airplanes with! It's ultra light and very strong when combined as one, but what might happen over time I fear is that the bonding between the layers might give out.

 

Me too, and for the same reasons. As far as carbon fiber goes, I REALLY HOPE NOT !!