Hood straightening work requires special tools designed only for working with aluminum (risk of corrosion when using a tool that has come into contact with steel parts).
Greater sensitivity to impacts and scratches requires precautions when carrying out any work, as well as when storing the hood.
Very high purity is also required to avoid scratches caused by metal chips and substances of various origins.
In all cases, grinding with emery wheels should be done very carefully only when it is very necessary.
Aluminum self-protects against corrosion by creating a protective film of aluminum oxide, so it does not experience the type of corrosion that occurs in steel.
On the other hand, corrosion called filiform corrosion, caused by the destruction of the paint layer, can develop in aluminum due to the effect of electrolysis on the aluminum surface.
Since surface cleaning accelerates this corrosion, it is necessary to limit the cleaning of the hood to a minimum to expose bare metal.
This corrosion appears in the form of a grid that spreads under the paint layer, and over a long time can cause paint peeling; this is especially true when gravel hits the front of the hood.
Sanding aluminum with sandpaper, previously used on steel parts, introduces steel particles into the surface of the aluminum and causes filiform corrosion. Therefore, store sandpaper used for aluminum separately from that used for steel to exclude the possibility of filiform corrosion of aluminum.
To eliminate defects in the hood, use:
- punches;
- wooden wedges;
- mallets;
- wooden blocks.
For large dents, work with a mallet, while the support should be a wooden block located on the back of the hood.
Use sandpaper to clean up scratches.
If scratches have left marks on the metal, restore the original primer and then apply a chromophosphate compound to ensure good adhesion of the coatings that will subsequently be applied to the hood.
To level the surface and protect it, apply a two-component primer in the required area, which guarantees the durability and quality of the repair.
Drying is carried out at a temperature of 60°C for 30 minutes.
Align the primer layer before painting with sandpaper.
Attention! The use of any synthetic mastic for aluminum is prohibited.