# Repairing aluminium bodywork



## spartacus

I had a slight coming together with a stump in France that has left me with a dent/crease in the sidewall of my van and makes me want to cry every time I look at it  

The paintwork is not affected so I do not want to fill and re-touch, I was wondering if it would be possible to somehow "tease" the crease out by pulling on the affected area and letting the foam core swell back to its former self  

Not sure if this is even possible, has anyone successfully repaired this sort of damage without resorting to filling and painting?

I know there are companies like "Caravan Medic" but their websites are a bit vague as to how the repairs are done so I was more interested in hearing personal experiences. I'm sure there must be loads on here that have done the same thing :lol:


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## Traveller_HA5_3DOM

The problem you get with all damage is the metal where the crease is has stretched and even if you could somehow move it back to where it should be it would now be too big for the space it originally occupied. Some would say fill it and cover it with a body decor transfer but even that solution will not be an invisible repair. The Chips r Us will repair lots of things on your drive and are used extensively by the vehicle sales industry and the repairs I have seen are very good.


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## spartacus

Traveller_HA5_3DOM said:


> The problem you get with all damage is the metal where the crease is has stretched and even if you could somehow move it back to where it should be it would now be too big for the space it originally occupied.


That's where I was hoping the foam would swell and take up the slack.

I have tried Chips Away in the past on various cars, with mixed results, but would not want them doing the aluminium on my motorhome.


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## inkey-2008

Either go to a body shop or use a vent cover if it is not to big.

Andy


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## sideways

As the first reply said once you make a dent its impossible to just push it out you have streched the metal and theres too much metal to go back to the original shape. Theres no alternative to paintwork if you want a proper repair, disguise is sometimes possible with decals or a vent or similar dependind on the location.


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## Carl_n_Flo

Once aluminium has been stretched it CANNOT be flattened back to its original shape (unlike steel). Working ali, and by this I mean ANY form of change to its original state, hardens the metal. If you try to re-form it, it will crack.

Steel, on the other hand, has more chances to be re-worked before it reaches 'the point of no return' where it too will eventually crack.

Test it - take a piece of ali and place a bend in it. The first bend is quite easy to do. Now try to bent it back along the same fold line. It cannot be done - it will just break.

Sorry - it would seem that the only course of action is to either replace the panel (expensive) or do what nearly all caravan repairers do - cover the whole panel with a new, prepainted, sheet of ali.....glued over the top of the original panel.

Generally, this is a quite invisible repair.

HTH
Carl


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## spartacus

Well thanks for the replies, if nothing else it has educated me on the properties of aluminium and it's unsuitability for re-working.

The idea of covering the dent with a grill has given me a train of thought, I may be able to install a flap - similar to those grey ones for water and EHU connection. This would mostly cover the damage and I could maybe mount a co-ax socket behind it so making use of it. It would come in handy when I can't train the satellite dish due to trees etc. there may be a silver lining in the cloud after all


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## pauwilson

Exterior BBQ point or shower?


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## Tan-all-over

I know how you feel.........earlier this year we had our other wise perfect body work spoilt on our 1994 Elddiss Autoquest 320 when we had a branch rub all the way down the near side causing a 1/4" deep crease. The paintwork was still intact but the crease stood out compleatly spoiling the look. We where in between sales has we had a newer motorhome lined up and where waiting for them to get it ready.
We applied some 'go faster tape' because I could not live with it for the last two week before the change over but if we where keeping it I would have had to put it in the insurance for a proper repair. Yes, it was alli and I suppose if not a real repair then the best way forward might be to disguise the damage if its not to big with say a false vent or badge but it depends on how big the damage and where it is. Also, a bad repair could look worse than the damage itself. Anyway, good luck and hope you find a salution.

PS...just noticed the date so you may have already got this sorted, hope so.


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