welding vs. body filler question

[firemanchuck]

HELLO ALL.........I PULLED SOME DENTS TODAY ON MY TRUCK. ONE OF MY FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS OWNS A BODY SHOP, HE HAS BEEN DOING IT QUITE A WHILE. I PULLED THE DENTS BY USING THE OLD FASHIONED TOOL(SCREW IN AND PULL TOOL)NOT QUITE SURE WHAT YA CALL IT.

ANYWAYS I FIGURED HE WOULD WELD UP THE HOLES, THEY ARE PRETTY SMALL. BUT HE INSISTED ON USING FILLER. HE STATED THAT WITH THE HOLES THERE FILLER WOULD BE THE BEST CHOICE AS IT WOULD GIVE IT SOMETHING TO HANG ON TO THROUGH THE HOLE.

QUESTION IS, DOES THIS SOUND RIGHT? WAS HE BEING ABIT LAZY? I HATE TO SUGGEST THAT, JUST CURIOUS IF I SHOULD STRIP THE FILLER AND GET EM WELDED UP. THE BED IS STRAIGHT NOW, LOOKS GOOD. DENTS WERE PULLED ALL THE WAY OUT AND GROUNDED DOWN TO BARE METAL.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? I HAVE ONLY BEEN USING THIS BOARD FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW, BUT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN SOME GREAT ADVICE ON HERE, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT I AM JUST AS INCLINED TO ADHERE TO THE ADVICE OF MY FELLOW CHEVY BRETHERN AS I AM A FELLOW FIREFIGHTER.

SORRY FOR SUCH A LONG MESSAGE AND THANKS A MILLION FOR ALL OF YOUR ADVICE.

SINCERELY, CHUCK MISENER(TULSA, OKLAHOMA).

[Smooth68]

in the old days I'd just use filler but anymore I would definetly weld up the holes. I've see the filler crack out little circles to many times - besides if you weld them up right, you just need that much less filler.

[Mark540]

Definately weld them, if you don't you will probably be doing it sometime in the future. The filler that is exposed on the back of the hole will be subject to moisturewhich can cause rust and body filler failure.

[Pardue'sCustoms]

weld the holes up it keep mosture out and when mositure get behind bonda it cause it to crack later down the road

[minibike]

I would have probably welded them, but I don't believe I would redo it now, if it looks right. Go in behind and seal the backside with some undercoating or something. This should keep the moisture from wicking through the filler and causing rust.

[Jason71k10]

I tried the lazy way too chuck.....it doesn't pay! it looked good when i did it, but once the moisture got behind the filler, it expanded, and made a round bulge where the hole is. looks like crap!! so now I have to knock the filler out and weld

Jason

[StingRay]

weld em

[krazy_texan]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jason71k10
[B]I tried the lazy way too chuck.....it doesn't pay! it looked good when i did it, but once the moisture got behind the filler, it expanded, and made a round bulge where the hole is. looks like crap!! so now I have to knock the filler out and weld

[Blue Beard]

Much nicer welded. Wire welder does great job on projects like this...........

[bobs409]

I agree, weld them shut. I have a body working book I bought years ago that also agree's with your friend though. They even show a pic of the filler squeezed through from the back side and says it gives the filler something to bite to. I bet most body shops would still use that method but I wouldn't. It's a place for moisture to get in and we all know what that does! Bubble city.

[sbrban]

That method has not been the standard in bodyshop repair procedure in over 15 yrs. Yes, it does work for a while but eventually the repair "bondo" will fail and will need to be corrected.Never give your enemy-moisture- a chance to get behind the filler or you'll have problems.If your'e looking for a quick fix-less than 2 years-then leave it, otherwise weld it.

[MandarinSixSeven]

I'm with Jason, I was lazy and now im paying for it! It sucks, because you get blinded by the immediate beauty of filler...when its on there and covered with primer you think, wow that looks good, what could possibly be wrong with something that smooth. Then 2 year later, you want to kick your own ass for being such a dumbass!!