Is it time to stop using Bondo on large repairs? I found a stat that surprised me.

I was reading a trade magazine last week, and it said that 40 percent of paint failures on heavy truck panels start from filler shrinkage. That number stopped me cold because I've been using body filler on big dents for years without thinking much about it. On one side, filler is fast and cheap for a $200 job on an old F-150. But the other side says maybe we should be pushing customers toward new panels or metal work more often. How do you decide where to draw that line in your shop?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowan_ross6d ago

Huh, that stat's interesting but filler shrinkage mostly matters if you lay it on thick over big dents.

oliviabutler6d ago

Oh yeah that's a good point. Actually though even thin coats of some polyester fillers can shrink a bit over time, especially in warmer weather when they're still curing.

rowanr885d ago

Nah, even thin coats can telegraph through paint over time, that's the real headache nobody mentions.