Pros & Cons of Repairing Steel vs. Aluminum pt.1

The Pros and Cons: Steel

With auto makers attempting to make cars lighter and more fuel efficient we are seeing more panels made out of aluminum than we ever have. This bleeds questions about the strength, durability, and reparability of these new panels.

Paintless Dent Repair technicians encounter both metal types daily. A qualified tech needs to be familiar with the property of both alloys in order to preform a proper repair start to finish. There are a fe key factors that dictate even how the tech approaches the repair process.

Steel.

Traditionally, steel is used for most structural points of a vehicle: Frame, suspension, and structural body parts. While we are seeing more and more parts made of aluminum alloy, steel is still widely used across the world as a fundamental metal.

Pros

• Steel is quite malleable. This allows for the metal to “flow” as the technician addresses the impact. It can be manipulated with even poor leverage or applied power.

• Steel has a good stamping “memory”. Meaning as long as its not pushed passed its stretching point, the metal wants to return to its previously stamped position. The tech then guides it back into place using precisely applied pressure and tension.

• Some manufacturers advertise that steel can withstand heavier impacts or loads than aluminum. This can be true of some areas that endue heave abuse, such as a truck bed. Steel will continue to stretch where aluminum will reach a tearing point.

• Having magnetic properties, you are able to attach magnet stickers to the panels and have quick removable business logos, advertisements, or personal expressions.

• Steel is remarkably strong and is great for structural points on cars and trucks alike.

Cons

• With being quite malleable, a tech must be extra delicate in repairing sharp damage as little poke marks appear if too much pressure is applied during that stage of the repair.

• Steel can stretch to a point where the damage is extremely difficult to repair. Even if the dent seems small, the depth of the dent can make or break whether it is a good candidate for PDR.

• Steel is pliable enough that large soft area dents can be created with little impact force. These dents may seem easy to repair but in reality are challenging due to not having any specific tension buckles. The tech must push every millimeter to centimeter of effected area tens of times to work the area back to its original shape.