body panel adhesive

[retro77]

Anyone want to speak of their experiences with using body panel adhesive as the means of attaching 2 pieces of steel together versus other methods, such as welding.
If you have had good results, what brand did you use?
Thanks!

 

[bronconut73]

I will allow the learnet to chime in, but today's adhesives can easily surpass the tensile or pull strength of sheet metal. So
no rust from spot welds,
no rust from lap welds,
arguably stronger than a weld.

I ain't done it yet but I like the idea.

 

[1buckeyefan1]

I will allow the learnet to chime in, but today's adhesives can easily surpass the tensile or pull strength of sheet metal. So
no rust from spot welds,
no rust from butt welds,
arguably stronger than a weld.

I ain't done it yet but I like the idea.

How about new panels with e-coat? Do you apply the adhesive to the e-coat or do you have to take it down to bare metal for the best bond?

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[bronconut73]

Only reason I would worry about e-coat removal is if I am worried about rust but with adhesive there should be none of the typical rust issues.

Having said all of that I would definitely take off all coatings. That adhesive has a much stronger pull strength than that coating.

I actually perform "pull-tests" on coatings like this all the time at work.

Remove all coatings before bonding panels. Well remove it where you will bond panels...

 

[1sicbronconut]

Put new quarter panels on my LUBER using adhesive (it was cut) all was good until I took some very hard hits on my BC quarter panel guards that has caused some hairline cracks.

 

[phred]

Put my floor pans in with panel adhesive 19 years ago. Still solid as a rock.


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[bronkenn]

I have used this panel adhesive previously on a F350 roof panel. About five years ago. Didn't want to weld because it had the headliner in it and didn't feel like removing the windshield to take out headliner. I used rivets to hold the repair in place until adhesive cured. Ground off the high spots and filled as needed and it came out real nice, would definitely do it again. It was the 3M brand. Before I retired we used it to join the side panels together on the prototype vehicles we built. Would use a combination of adhesive and a few spot welds. As previously stated we only put it on bare metal. Ken

 

[rydog1130]

3m panel bond...strong stuff.. time consuming is really what it boils down to. If youcan weld I'd say weld it and be done. If you cant weld panel bond it

 

[RPM289]

I have seen a test on pull strength of the bond and sheetmetal failed next to it but bond held. Pretty awesome stuff IMO seen it used on Qtr panels on Mustangs.

 

[meadowblaster]

I have a fiberglass hood. We used 3M panel adhesive to glue a front steel factory hood brace into the hood so I have a factory latch. It has been several years with no issues. Strong stuff.

 

[Vintagetin]

I use 3M Panel Bond # 08115

 

[1buckeyefan1]

I use 3M Bond # 08115

So i just tried the same for the first time and also had my first failure. I've been having fits w/ my aftermarket tail light housings..mainly because it's a challenge to weld into the upper inside of the inner quarter and see what you're doing with a welding helmet on. after having a first fail at welding, i tried my tube of 3M 08115.

Fresh tube, followed directions, removed e-coat, cleaned bare metal, allowed it to dry, squeezed it on, clamped and waited almost 24hrs. I removed the clamps today, nudged it and it fell off w/ minimal force.

I even went as far as to weld on an additional lip to my out of square tail light housing to reduce the force & twist on it from the original weld.


I'm sure I screwed something up, but am gun shy to use it on anything else. This is typically where the forum would chastise the person that they didn't follow the MSD, etc. I'd like to learn from this experience however?

Has anyone else experienced this? It looks like the adhesive stuck to the metal, but allowed itself to split apart? It doesn't seem to have hardened as much as I expected after 24hrs. I had it in my shop at around 60 degrees for 24hrs.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

I use what ever the local napa sells (Lord Fusor IIRC) There are two versions-- One sets pretty Fast, within an hour and the other after a couple of hours.

I've also noticed there is a bit of a difference when using the gun I got from napa when using 3-M tubes. I can force the 3-M tube into the gun and use it but it's not ideal. It was one of those I need it now buys on a Sunday when Napa was closed.

 

[toddsrods]

I worked for years in a production collision repair shop. we used panel bonding adhesives with great success. If used properly, it should hold as good as a weld, and virtually eliminate corrosion in the seam. When I put quarters on my '77 I will definitely use panel bond. the creeping rust out of the seams on the quarter drive me nuts!!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Learned yesterday that panel adhesive will definitely keep the pocket change from rattling in the cup holder!

 

[Cooper]

3M states that their product "Can be spot welded through or used in conjunction with rivets for added reinforcement."

Would anyone who has worked with 3M 08115 know if adequate bonding strength is reached by just applying the panel bond to clean surfaces and then making a sandwich ?
Or is the "weld" strength spoken of only really attained if some kind of clamping force can be created to drive the adhesive into the pores of the metal - hence the rivets ?

It works if you stick it together but in the real world it's much stronger if you can clamp things till cured or dry like most glues ?

Thanks guys.

 

[bmc69]

How fortuitous. I was just going to ask what metal panel adhesive everyone likes these days. The front of my big '50s vintage Perlick keg and loose beer cooler has rusted really badly and I'm going to "clad" it with a layer of stainless steel 16 ga sheet metal.

 

[KeithKinPhx]

For what it is worth Amazon currently has a 20% off coupon on 3M panel adhesive, guns and mixing nozzles. Funny thing is it applies to only one item per order (at least for me). So I placed 3 orders and delayed shipping with prime to get $1 credit on digital items. All prices listed are with tax,etc, but not digital credit. Seem like a good deal.

08115 200ml panel adhesive $35.08
08571 applicator gun $55.27
8193 mixing tip. $13.08

Now that I have the gun using this stuff will be more practical.

First project is binding the roof skin to the ribs.