Aluminium Cancer

I've got a 1987 90 and the doors just under the windows are blistering, and a few bubbles at the door bottoms not too bad. If I grind it down, is there something you can put on it to seal it before I skim it with filler, and then paint it like you do with mild steel? I don't want to fill it without treating the aluminium cancer first, as I don't want it blistering up a few months down the line again. The obvious thing would be to get new doors, but they are so bloody expensive at £250 odd quid!

the "corrosion is electrolytic reaction between steel and aluminium. only way to stop it 100% is put something between the 2 metals.

redhand said:

the "corrosion is electrolytic reaction between steel and aluminium. only way to stop it 100% is put something between the 2 metals.

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Ok. I've seen for sale door skins which are £85.00, not to bad. I assume these skins are ally? How easy are the old skins to get off do you know? Oh while I'm here, any idea what I have to click on here for it to remember my password? it keeps asking for it everytime I log on which is really annoying. And thanks for the reply.

Landie man, your better off trying to treat your doors first. Sand down the areas flat, and so long as you don't go all the way through you're golden. Then just build back up with filler and sand smooth. Apply suitable primer ( probably a high build ) and paint. You'll save yourself money and the heartache of watching your new skins blister.

If you try to sand it, and you end up pulling big holes out of them you've got no choice but to replace em.

when i resprayed me landy a couple of months back i spent fookin ages on the prep,i used aluminium filler, etch primer,2 pack primer and then 2 pack paint.couple of months on the back doors have blistering again..so i would say you aint ever gonna completely get rid of it..

Use Alodine to control the corrosion and Alacrom to chromate primer the Alloy before painting. Use Mastinox between any Alloy and steel components to reduce electrolytic corrosion.

It aint cheap and ensure yu wear protective clothing at all times.

Thanks for the replys guys, all very helpfull. I'll prob have a go at repairing them then if they can be repaired, I'm more used to working with mild steel, never had any dealings with ally before. But giving the extortionate prices of new doors, I think I it's worth trying to repair them. I think the cancer is only surface deep, so worth a try.