[COL_V]

I searched this sit with no results, so casting my net out. I'm looking for advice from anyone who has experience brazing aluminum diamond plate. My son's trailer fenders have some cracks and tears that I'd like to braze. Wondering if there would be too much flex / vibration of the fenders for brazing to hold up. Also advice on how to disguise braze into diamond plate pattern as to not look so obvious. Any pic of similar braze repair apperciated.

 

[Brett]

Are you talking about stress fractures caused by the way the fenders are mounted?
If so, brazing those cracks will be a temporary fix, as the stress loads will continue
to break the aluminum in basically the same spot again. Need to change the way
those fenders are attached to the trailer and braze the cracks with dura-fix or alumiweld.

 

[COL_V]

Not stress fractures, but tears from backing up and snagging something. Areas by mounts are ok. Will have to heat and shape a bit to bring back to normal, but thinking of brazing to fix rips (cracks). Just wondering if normal driving vibrations will effect repairs. Looking for someones first hand experience with doing same damage braze repair, and how they hold up.

 

[DuckNut]

You will not hide or blend in a repair to the diamond plate look. In fact you will discolor it.

If it were me I would buy a new one and bolt it on. A new fender is going to cost only a few bucks more than a package of the sticks.

I have used them on a few occasions and they work great but I had to practice first. If it is done right there is really no difference from the original metal.

 

[COL_V]

Figured it would not be pretty or perfect. Aluminum sticks are only about 8 1/2 bucks for pack of eight (at Northern Tools), so repair is MUCH cheaper than replacement. I'll do some pratice in an hour, then burn some fenders.

 

[mro]

How'ed your repair turn out?
Using those "sticks" can be tricky.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

How'ed your repair turn out?
Using those "sticks" can be tricky.

His son was the guy with the Ramblin’ with rotten wood fenderbackers...

 

[mro]

His son was the guy with the Ramblin’ with rotten wood fenderbackers...

So they have family fender issues?
Not going to post what came to mind

Still wouldn't mind hearing how it turned out.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

I saw some people brazing rivet holes in an aluminum boat but not a fender. Should be ok.

 

[lemaymiami]

Considering that this post was six years ago... Don’t hold your breath waiting for a reply...

 

[JC Designs]

Ok, I’ll bite on a 6yr old thread too!😂 I have successfully brazed cast aluminum oil pans on multiple occasions! I clean the part with soap and water thoroughly. Rinse and repeat. I locate the ends of the crack and using a small drill bit drill the ends of the crack. Then I grind a slight bevel in the crack inside and out. Next another soap and water bath. Finally, I pour a small amount of hydrochloric acid on the crack and as soon as the reaction stops, I begin to heat with the torch. I braze one side then flip and braze the other then into the oven to cool slowly. Oh, I have an oven in the shed for this sort of thing. I set it at 350 and drop the temp 50 degrees every 15 minutes until down to around 150 then turn it off and allow to cool the rest in the oven.

May not be right, but my repaired oil pans have never leaked.

 

[mro]

Don’t hold your breath waiting for a reply...

I was wondering why my face was turning blue

 

[JC Designs]

I was wondering why my face was turning blue

Now that’s funny.😂

 

[mro]

Well,
got tired of drinking tea,
so picked up a bottle.
Once in a while...