Owners, or prospective buyers, have proven wary of adopting vehicles with aluminum bodies. The most obvious case is the Ford F-150, which met resistance (partly from competitors) when it switched from steel to aluminum alloy a few years ago. Critics mostly speculated that aluminum is weaker than steel. But that skepticism has largely disappeared. Aluminum has greatly reduced the weight of modern vehicles (not just trucks!) and, conversely, improved their fuel economy without compromising strength. However, repairing aluminum is a specialised process, and owners should only trust certified aluminum repair facilities!
Aluminum Vehicles
We’ve already mentioned that aluminum is lighter than steel, but that is not the only way in which their properties diverge. Aluminum is far more malleable. It can retain its strength in intricate shape in ways that steel cannot. It’s also a better shock-absorber and impact damage remains localised, creating small repair areas.
Coincidentally, this is why manufacturers have been using aluminum to build sports cars for literal centuries. In 1899, the German Durkopp sports car featured the first all-aluminum body. But it was expensive and more difficult to work with, so aluminum wouldn’t become popular in mass-produced vehicles until the mid-nineties when luxury automakers began using it to save weight. Now, many mass-market vehicles are moving away from steel for their bodies, which has changed the autobody repair industry.
Aluminum Repair
Many of the main benefits listed above are also reasons why aluminum repair is more challenging than steel repair. Aluminum panels of comparable strength to steel are much thinner. As a result, welding these panels is more likely to result in warping and distortion. Additionally, aluminum conducts heat far better than steel (approximately six times better). Consequently, body shops require unique welding equipment.
Secondly, the malleability (plasticity, flexibility, et c…) of aluminum means that it has less “metal memory”. In other words, it’s more difficult to return aluminum to its original shape once it’s bent or damaged. Consequently, aluminum repair facilities need specialised dent extraction systems and experienced extractors.
As a final complication, cross-contamination between aluminum alloy and steel leads to severe corrosion. That means body shops must separate steel and aluminum work areas. Naturally, that rules out many body shops that simply don’t have the space to devote to aluminum repair.
Obviously, repairing aluminum vehicles requires different tools and training. But once autobody shops and their employees have those things, they can fix aluminum as well as they can fix steel. Which, in many cases, isn’t all that well, but I won’t digress further. The point is you need a first-class facility with the right tools and training to repair your aluminum vehicle.
Universal Collision Centre
Fortunately, Universal Collision Centre checks all those boxes. Our state-of-the-art facilities feature specialized aluminum welders, aluminum dent extraction systems, and a partitioned aluminum repair area. Further, our technicians are fully certified to repair aluminum vehicles. But it’s not just about meeting the standard requirements.
As Regina’s first Certified Collision Care Facility, we’ve demonstrated our ability to lead the industry with standards far greater than minimum requirements. Those standards have been verified independently and ensure that your vehicle receives the greatest degree of care possible. Further, that degree of care extends not only to our capacity to repair aluminum vehicles, but also to our overall repair ability, and customer satisfaction. In the simplest terms, we aim to return every vehicle to its pre-accident condition.
So, if you’ve been involved in an collision, in your aluminum- or steel-bodied vehicle, schedule a visit from our mobile estimate van, or book a claim here.