Body Filler

[wch]

What would you suggest as the best body filler you have used?
I have some work to do on my older truck and I appreciate your suggestions.

[Rickf1985]

Lead

[Nobade]

I've used a lot of Duraglas, it works well. But yeah, lead is by far the best if you can work with it.

[wch]

I don't have the skills necessary to use lead, I'll check out Duraglas.
Thanks.

[Winger Ed.]

If you're working on a spot that needs to be strong and has a lot of vibration-
short strand fiberglass such as Duraglass is great.

If you have a low spot that isn't under much stress or places that are thin, less than 1/8"-
Any of the premium brand light weight fillers are fine. And, they are MUCH easier to work and sand down.
The filler in them is super fine sized glass beads.

Whichever you use, surface prep is most of the job.
Any filler needs pretty deep scratches from a grinder to hang on.
It isn't really like glue. It needs a rough surface so it can hang on the body shell like a cat does on a screen door.

For little pin holes, or the feather edges of the filler use a premium spot putty/filler like the ones made by 3M.
If you do a thick layer of spot putty, or use the cheap stuff--- it shrinks over time if the car is out in the sun much.
In a year or so, you'll probably see a 'ghost' of where cheap fillers were used or improperly done.

[Bloodman14]

It WILL depend on how old the truck is. At some time, the alloy of the steel used was changed. It is now called HSLA steel, for "High Strength Low Alloy". I actually posted a similar question some time ago; discovered that the usual 'old school' methods did not apply! Problem? I have not been able to determine when that changeover occurred. Check YouTube for body working videos from Eastwood and Wray Schelin; good info!

[wch]

It WILL depend on how old the truck is. At some time, the alloy of the steel used was changed. It is now called HSLA steel, for "High Strength Low Alloy". I actually posted a similar question some time ago; discovered that the usual 'old school' methods did not apply! Problem? I have not been able to determine when that changeover occurred. Check YouTube for body working videos from Eastwood and Wray Schelin; good info!

Thanks, I will do so.

[PhilC]

I'm retired ASE Master collision/refinishing tech, how old is "old" and what kind of work do you need to do?

[CoolHandMoss]

If you are really looking for the best, awlfare is hard to beat. Could be hard to find depending on where you are though.

[wch]

My Ford Ranger is 16 years old.
I have to repair rusty holes in the qurter panels (caused by the anti-icing materials they put on our highways in the winter).

[PhilC]

My Ford Ranger is 16 years old.
I have to repair rusty holes in the qurter panels (caused by the anti-icing materials they put on our highways in the winter).

Mine is older, '04, can assure you it is ''modern" steel.

















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[wch]

Thank you.