The shop next door in Springfield still uses old body filler on aluminum panels

I saw their techs mixing up the same polyester filler they use on steel for a new Ford F-150 bed side last week. That stuff holds moisture against the aluminum and will cause corrosion in under a year, guaranteed. I switched to an epoxy-based filler like Evercoat 416 for aluminum work about three years back after a nasty comeback job. Has anyone found a better product for this, or is 416 still the go-to?

2 comments

2 Comments

amy26821h ago

Yeah, that comeback job you mentioned is no joke. My buddy had the same thing happen on a Silverado quarter panel. They used the old stuff, and within eight months it was bubbling everywhere. He had to eat the whole repair. Swore by 416 after that too.

the_tyler20h ago

Man, you still see that? I used to think all filler was basically the same, just get it smooth. Then I saw a job come back with the paint literally peeling off in sheets. The aluminum underneath was just white powder. That was a seriously expensive lesson. Now I won't touch aluminum with anything but a proper epoxy filler. The 416 has been solid for me, but I'm all ears if something new is working better.