Just to put things into perspective with these "structural adhesives" we are talking 3M, Fuser, Winzer, Evercoat and the like who make a 2K structural adhesive for auto body repair that requires a special gun. Not JB weld or anything like that, we are talking real auto body industry standards here.

These products are being used in the industry in unibody vehicles in ways that would blow your mind. First off, how's this one if this doesn't say it all I don't know what will. In BMW factory guidelines for repair, on a 5 series BMW they have to splice the front frame rail, cut the frame rail off a foot or so back and get your new frame rail cutting it to the same length. They give you a "spreader" like device that goes inside, sort of a "Backing" when you are butt welding with backing. It simply runs around the inside of the frame rail at the seam, it's about an inch and a half long so it extends past the seam 3/4" on each side (or about that). You glue this piece in there to hold this frame rail together! We are talking the frame rail that holds the front bumper reinforcement on the car!

This is straight from BMW, in their guidelines for repair.

We had a car come in that was re-ended HARD with the left quarter buckled up real bad over the wheel well. Upon closer inspection it was noticed that the entire quarter had been "glued" on. It ws done VERY poorly without proper prep to the metal, it still held on with it only failing at a spot that will rip spot welds out normally anyway. And this was done very poorly, and it still held up.

Here is a little science test my son did a few years ago. http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/welding-bolting-vs-gluing-panels-science-project-116090.html


And a little follow up because so many people wanted more. This test here was mostly my doing because I wanted to give it a "peel" test. And even that peel test proved that the bonding was stronger than the spot welds. But check out the original test link, it's darn interesting!

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/follow-up-peel-test-my-sons-science-project-welds-vs-145782.html

Brian

Last edited by MARTINSR; 07/10/2013 1:58 PM.
1948 Chevy Pickup
Chopped and sectioned
owned since 1974 when I was 15.