Maximum permissible

Post by **markattard** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:46 pm

would anyone please indicate the maximum allowable thickness of body filler on metal, before finisher top coat is applied?

I've just discovered that I've got about 4mm (of filler)on the passenger side door bottom part, after we had the repair panel installed.

Post by **jonathon** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:12 pm

4mm is okay if its really needed. Preferably slightly less should be used/required if the repair is accurate enough in the first place. So long as the metal surface is prepped properly i.e linished with 36 grit flap disc to rough up the surface then you should have no problem with it coming off, although the door flex might well crack it. It akso depends on the type/make of filler used. How did you find out about the filler ,or was the panel left unpainted.

Post by **markattard** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 8:46 am

As I got my car from the panel beater, someone told me to go round it with a magnet, and in some places the magnet barely stuck to the panel, so I decided to use a wire brush to discover how deep is the filler layer.

Obviously now I have some craters 4mm deep in the doors. Is is possible to apply filler again to these craters or shall I strip all the filler and re apply it? Or is it better to ask my panel beater to re do the job without much filler?

Post by **jonathon** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:33 am

It does look a bit thick, but what was the door like before the bodyshop started work on it, had it been damaged, or simply just a case of having the lower repair section fitted. If the latter then this area is prone to lots of movement. This is relatively easy to minimize but takes more time to set up the door. If the door is solid and welded correctly then just re skim where you have removed the filler, but only if it has adgered well to the door. Personally I'd want the tin work done to the best degree then maybe an inevitable skin to square up.

Post by **wibble_puppy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:35 pm

4mm? ha!

Parts of my van, which a few years before I bought it had been "restored" by a "reputable" (and very well-known) "Morris Minor specialist garage", had filler a centimetre deep.

My how I loved peeling it all off with a hot air gun and a builder's scraper, hour after hour of endless bliss

never again will i buy a car without a magnet with me.

Post by **markattard** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:00 pm

Yes the magnet is the best solution, nothing that could go wrong there, when you pass onto thick filler layers, even less than 4mm, the magnet would barely adhere to the body.

I shall call my body shop man and explain that I need a better tin finish...wish me luck!!

Post by **wibble_puppy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 4:20 pm

markattard wrote:I shall call my body shop man and explain that I need a better tin finish...wish me luck!!

I wish you luck and loadsamoney - a good finish costs. It's unbelievable what the body shop did to my rear doors - massive dents completely pulled out, the metal shrunk back to fit, and the proper profile reinstated. I think they made a loss on the job though - it just took soooo long.