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Switched to aluminum welding for radiator supports and wish I did it sooner
For years I used steel on every radiator support job. It worked fine but took forever grinding and painting. About 4 months ago a customer brought in a 2018 F-150 with a busted support, and I decided to try aluminum welding since the factory part was aluminum anyway. First couple tries were rough but after about 3 practice pieces I got the hang of it. Now I save about 45 minutes per job and don't have to deal with rust coming back. Has anyone else made the switch for structural parts or am I being too risky?
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taylor_flores24d ago
You ever try something and wonder why you fought it for so long? I was the same way with steel, thought aluminum would be too flimsy for supports. But once I saw a buddy's aluminum job hold up after two years of salty roads, I gave it a shot on a Chevy Silverado support. That first weld was ugly, but I practiced on scrap and now I'm saving time and weight. I still keep a steel rig for older trucks, but aluminum's been solid so far.
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