Estimators, technicians, owners and insurance companies unfamiliar with riveting operations should review the useful primers contained in Ford's latest On Target newsletter.
The Fall 2018 edition explains why OEMs may want collision repairers to rivet aluminum parts using a combination of fasteners and adhesives instead of pulling out the welder.
According to Ford, spot welding of aluminum is difficult for OEMs, and it is not possible in the aftermarket.
"Aluminum welding requires highly specialized welding cells and procedures (preheating and post-heating), as well as slow cooling, which is not feasible for ordinary repair shops," Ford wrote.
This is an important reminder to follow OEM repair procedures, even if these instructions require a different method than the factory. Ford may be able to spot weld aluminum, but your store cannot-your attempt to do so may damage the metal and cause unsafe repairs.
In addition, research by Auto/Steel Partnership shows that the combination of rivets and adhesives can bond two pieces of ultra-high-strength steel better than factory spot welding.
Ford explained in On Topic that aluminum welding requires three times the power of steel, which can make the metal brittle and may be damaged (insufficient penetration) due to the rapid oxide layer on the aluminum.
According to On Target, the rivet joint avoids these thermal complications and is too tight to prevent corrosion.
On Target also provides a friendly explanation of the differences between pull, self-piercing, and manifold rivets. It helps drive Ford's assertion that rivets are not necessarily interchangeable, and riveting tools are usually not.
“In most cases, each type of rivet requires its own installation tool. If the correct tool is not used, the workpiece may be deformed, or there may not be enough clamping force to successfully install the rivet,” Ford wrote.
"... When starting a repair, it is important to ensure that the correct rivet is used for the repair. First, check the OEM recommendation or the rivet part number, and then order the rivet at each repair. Each type of rivet is determined by the original equipment manufacturer based on the grip The scope, coating and strength are classified, and the part number of the repair rivet is indicated."
According to Ford, it is also important to use the exact adhesive required by the original equipment manufacturer in the joint.
Learn more about OEM's On Target here.
Another article in On Target reveals some interesting riveting trivia related to the installation of the new roof on the 2015-18 aluminum F-150.
Slide and do not lift the roof during alignment: “It is important that maintenance personnel do not lift the new roof panel when aligning the index marks,” warned senior vulnerability engineer Gerry Bonanni, according to On Target. "Instead, maintenance personnel should slide the new panel into place. This will reduce the possibility of breaking the adhesive bond."
Embrace adhesive spillage: According to Ford, maintenance personnel should not "remove any excess adhesive squeezed out in the roof trench area." "Instead, it should enter the seam smoothly as an additional sealant."
Do not fix new self-piercing rivets in place of old rivets: “SPR fasteners cannot be placed directly in the original SPR position,” Bonanni said, according to On Target. "They must be placed near the original position that matches the original quantity. Blind rivets or solid rivets can be used to replace the SPR at the original SPR position, but only if they are widened to 6.5 mm."
Of course, when performing any actual repair work, please refer to the official Ford OEM repair procedures.
"The Technology of Riveting Aluminum Vehicles (Part 1)"
"Ford Details Correct Roof Panel Repair (Part 2-Installation)"
Pro Spot PR-5 is one of the rivet guns approved by Ford for aluminum repair. (John Hughter/Repairman Driven News)
Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant built the 2015 F-150 on March 13, 2015. (Provided by Sam VarnHagen/Ford)
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