19 replies to this topic

[minidan]

how difficult is it, and what sort of problems are involved if i were to fit aluminium door skins to my old rusty doors?

i saw somewhere that the alu door skins were riveted on so no welding was needed. as i cant weld this would be a good solution.


what are your thoughts?

[mike.]

Well its pointless buying shiney new lightweight alloy skins if the old frames are all rusty!

[ricky_mini]

theres very little welding required on a steel doorskin anyway.

but i agree, fitting alu skins on a rusty frame is a bit pointless, you'll only have to take them off when the frames rot through.

get the lot repaired properly, then fit the skins is your best bet.

[mike.]

Or by some super cool lightweight street fighter doors - £400 though

[minidan]

the frames arnt really rusty i just meant the bottoms of the doors were...

but thats besides the point. the question was how do you fit alu door skins and do they need welding on as i read somewhere that they can be rivited.

the minidoor company do nice streetfighter door i agree and i nearly bought some. but the total cost for what i wanted came to £530 inc shipping!!!

the alu skins are £25 each. quite a price difference.

so , can someone without welding skills fit them?

[kez_19]

well all i want to add to this is that it is impossible to weld aluminium to steel so you would have to find another way of attaching them anyway for example riveting or some kind of bonding

michael

[minidan]

thats what i was thinking , bond them on .

[mini_turbo_pete]

they need to be bonded on if you just put them on the way you would with a steel skin the frame will flex off of the skin etc..

[minidan]

so how is a normal skin fitted?

[mini_turbo_pete]

just knocked round, spote welded along the very top part and migged down the front top corner

[ricky_mini]

can u braze alu to steel?

[kez_19]

i don't think so i think that when the steel gets hot enough to take the braze then the aluminium will have melted

but i am not sure someone with better knowledge of brazing will have to answer more

michael

[dave21478]

If I were fitting them, I would bond them to the frame with sikaflex or similar, then bend over the edges as normal.

I wouldnt fit them though, as they will ding so easilly, and I reckon would look tatty pretty quickly.

If you cant weld, I dont see any reason why you cant just bond normal steel skins on, then fold over the edges. You will have the same result, with a more durable skin and no welding required.

[kez_19]

i think that you would be better off fitting normal steel skins as there dosent seam to be much point fitting alu skins as you have the rest of the door in steel alu and steel together react and cause the alu to wear out with time the same as a steel skin

I see that you say that you cannot weld but if you can get the skins fitted then take the doors to someone who has a welder and give them a few quid to put the 10mm of weld that is required on each door you would save yourself the hassle of alu skins

just my opinion

michael

[minidan]

im not dead set on alu skins, but i hate the way normal skins rust out at the bottom and also i like the weight saving of an alu skin.

if one were to be nerdy about it, what is the weight of a normal skin compared to an alu one?

Edited by minidan, 02 October 2008 - 06:53 PM.