My truck was hit in the back bumper while I was parked the other day, no idea who did it and no insurance information The bumper was dented in which is no big deal but it pushed the bumper into the rear quarter panel and the panel tore. These are the new aluminum beds, I brought it to my local body guy but he didn't feel comfortable doing the repair so he is going to refer me to another shop. My question is has anyone had to repair an aluminum panel or does it have to be replaced? Attached are some photos, I would prefer the panel be replaced but I'm not an expert. I also want to have some justification in case the insurance adjuster says repair but the shop says replacement.
Yes, for the aluminum panels they have to be an approved ford repair shop to get the ford rivet gun required to remount the panel. For my 17 350 I waited 6. months for a panel because they were all going to production but that was early into the new lines run.
in my opinion (30 years in the collision repair industry, last 15 as an insurance adjuster), the panel needs to be replaced, not repaired. with the tears, it just makes it a difficult repair in the aftermarket. can a repair be done? sure, is it best for the truck in the long run? depends on the tech doing the work. you would need an old school REAL METAL GUY, that is comfortable welding and metal finishing aluminum. one word UNICORN. CHOOSE YOUR SHOP, AND REPAIR METHOD CAREFULLY, especially if you plan on keeping the truck long term. personally i would search for a certified aluminum repair facility, whether it be a ford dealer, or an independent shop. the new aluminum repair guidelines are NO JOKE. you are not allowed to repair steel and alum vehicles in the same area without barriers. you are not allowed to utilize tools that have been utilized in one or the other metals, repairs. you have to have one set specified for each of the metals. this is all due to cross contamination. dissimilar metals, and the issues you run into with two different metals. this really is a buyer beware situation, and is not the place to cut corners, or save a buck... if you plan on keeping the auto long term. Ski
I remember when a friend of mine, a hardcore Ford fanboy, told me after the aluminum F150 debuted, that GM and Ram will be making all aluminum trucks by 2018. Yet all I see is Ford doing it.
I believe GM is offering a plastic bed now. http://gmauthority.com/blog/2018/03...fiber-reinforced-plastic-bed-sheds-62-pounds/ If Ram offered aluminum they'd lose their signature look:
Well the doors, hood, tailgate are now aluminum on GMs. I’d be hypocritical of them to make fun of Ford then turn around and do it themselves....
But they still are not all aluminumed bodied like ford did. Hoods, gates and door skins I could care less if they were aluminum. Bed floors and cab structure should be steel. Once they start making full size trucks unibody, then I would not have issues with aluminum bodies. Body on frame construction just gives me the heebie jeebies. As for the "new" plastic bed on some gm trucks, they made composite beds for silverados back in the early 2000's Oh and I'm looking at a 2015 F150 tonight. 4 dr v6 twin turbo, 4wd and a 6.5 bed, not the short useless one. 28k miles for $32k
Turns out my local dealer's service shop is certified by Ford for aluminum repairs. I called them up and had a good conversation, the tech was saying they don't even bother repairing they just replace the panels. He mentioned the super fancy rivet gun and the use of self piercing rivets and adhesive and seemed pretty knowledgeable all around. They have another F150 in the shop now with a similar repair so I'm planning on stopping by this weekend to get an estimate and see the work.
Damn....8 months ago I bought a 17 Silverado, 4dr, 4wd, 5.3L, LT trim w/ allstar package w 18k mi for 31.5 thru carvana. 32k for a 4yo truck seems high.
With the GM promotion now, I can get a new Silverado 4dr 4wd All Star for $37K. Just still debating getting a new truck. Nothings mechanically wrong with my Sierra, just has the typical rot on the rockers. $32 for that F150 is actually CHEAP around here. A closer dealer with a similar 2015, but with the short short bed, wants $40k. Pretty sure MSRP on them was $45K for 2015. No real want to use Carvana. Want to drive and look the vehicle over before buying.
