Bonding adhesive

[truckdoctor]

Hi folks , looking for advice as to what adhesive will bond aluminium to mild steel. I'm currently into 9 months of rebuilding/ modifying a 1947 pickup truck like this picture and now need to address the job I've putting off for a while, making a replacement "bed" for the back half. Unusually I intend to be a bit creative and make something with curves by shaping an aluminium skin and would like to bond, stick, glue to steel frame spars similar to aircraft design and have the intension of using something like Upol tiger seal instead of rivets. I would like to know if I'm barking up the wrong tree and use something else or other method, any ides please.?

 

[Shedendman]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bond-It-...092585&hash=item5216bf0b42:g:B44AAOSwVXdcPPfx

 

[AndersK]

Bond & Seal from Wurth is great for glueing aluminium.

 

[truckdoctor]

Thank you ,I now know what to use. Cheers

 

[Shedendman]

Ask any landy owner what happens when ali gets close to steel

 

[Barking Mat]

Bimetallic corrosion is your enemy. No idea.

 

[Barking Mat]

I would have thought something to insulate the two from each other?

 

[Wildefalcon]

You'd think so, but not Landrover. A whiff of paint will do.

 

[500e]

https://www.google.com/search?q=lor...BAgGEAE&biw=1280&bih=601#imgrc=gmyp7qrpnK0cxM:

If you are seriously wanting it to last phone the rep & explain what you want to do they are friendly people helped us with a bonding problem it is seriously good stuff
https://www.ellsworthadhesives.co.uk/brands/lord/

 

[Shedendman]

Lords stuff is good,But,it is costly,and from my experience you need to use the whole tube/s plus its a PU Polymer based

 

[Dcal]

What you need to do is electrically isolate the metals form each other and exclude moisture.

If you have an electrolyte (salt water is a brilliant electrolyte, distilled water is a very bad electrolyte) and two dissimilar metals in electrical contact you will set up a galvanic cell which will can deplete the aluminum remarkably quickly.

Paint will do it but the glue is better, paint and glue is better still.
Don't be tempted to clamp the life out of the glue, try to leave a reasonable thickness of glue between the two metals.
Also don't bolt or rivet the two metals together without using an electrical isolator.

 

[frank horton]

I use Sikkens, they make a panel adheisive just for that job....no metal fixings nec......over-paintable too.......
u need to leave for 24 hour cure......prob not that nec but I like to be sure.......
paint both peices of metal then use the glue.....think it's around £12 per cartridge.....very flexable.....it what the car/van factories use......
I believe a lot of new vehicles use just glue to hold non stressed panels together.....
ur only gonna do it once do it properly...
ps, u'll never get the panels apart again without major damage........
will be replaceing some holed ally panels to my van quite soon, Ash framed...will be using Sikkens for sure......
needs a new roof, the glass-fiber cock-up I did 30 years ago has given up.....original has putty for sealant and brass wood screws to hold the panels down....
good luck

 

[Ruffian]

3m panel bond.

Not cheap. £40 a tube. But it's absolutely brilliant. Stick virtually anything solid.
Used alot in the body repair shops and the way it's made is weird with little glass beads in to stop it getting squished too far. The beads hold it at the correct thickness of product to be known strength.

*3m 08115 is the part number*
(If you do decide to go for it let me know as can lend you the correct gun aplicator)


The only other stuff I would think of using would be windscreen bond with the primers as that's a impressive bonding kit also.

 

[truckdoctor]

Thanks for your replies.
The reason for me using aluminium is it's easier for me to work with and I cannot weld it hence the glue,other wise it would all be steel. Certainly a few adhesive products to choose from it seems, I understand electrolytic action and did intend to keep dissimilar metals separated with the adhesive but not sure about painting them first as surely I'd be gluing paint to paint, even if it was etched primer? Also I guess once the tube is opened it will "go off" so any way of using a little at a time a few days apart?

 

[truckdoctor]

After the advice given here I have ditched the idea of using aluminium and gone for .85 steel and all is going well so far. I have an option now of plug welding or going the adhesive route. Thinking I'll buy some and try it out.

 

[DavyDavyDavy]

If you go the adhesive route try what is known as an "MS Ploymer" it's a hybrid of silicone and polyurethane if I remember right. It sticks like the proverbial to a blanket, it's firm but has some flexibility and is fairly tolerant of poorly cleaned surfaces. I've been using tec7 for over 10 years and have never seen a bond fail with it, it's super stuff. Don't know about availability on the mainland but I think they're all much the same, screwfix has "geocel the works" and "ct1" is popular in builders merchants. I think most brand names have an equivalent these days and all are around £10 for a 300ml tube

 

[smashweld]

Bit late now but I use Crestabond...it’s a structural adhesive but ductile enough for automotive/coach building etc. 2 part MMA...sets really quick..from 5 mins to 60 depending what suits...different gap fill and strength depending which one you use..,absolutely stinks...proper mask needed

http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/scott-bader-company-limited/crestabond-m1-20/39531-463727.html

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

3M did a good 2 pack for just what the OP needs. Cost a bit, but does the job.

 

[Shox Dr]

A few yrs ago, I was installing extruded aluminium tracking into vans, for seating, stretchers etc.

Sikaflex was the product used. It was more than up to the job; peeling the chassis off the tracking on the testing adhesion. I’d contact them and ask what grade is required.

 

[Hitch]

We used to use sikaflex, for building security/CIT vehicles. Sticky ol stuff!

That would be bonding steel/ally/polyvarbonate, painted parts...