Aluminum Body Repair in Fontana, CA

What Is Aluminum Body Repair?

Aluminum body repair is collision repair on a vehicle built with aluminum panels or an aluminum structure. Many full-size pickups, electric cars and luxury models use aluminum to save weight, and some mix aluminum and steel in the same body. After a crash, those parts cannot be treated like steel.

The work follows the vehicle maker's repair procedure for that model. It sets which parts can be repaired, which must be replaced, how they are joined and what the repair area must be. At Royal Collision Center we read that procedure before we write the estimate, so the plan fits the metal.

Why Aluminum Body Repair Matters in Fontana, CA

More aluminum-bodied vehicles share the roads around Fontana every year, from full-size pickups on the I-10 and I-15 to electric cars in the newer neighborhoods north of the SR-210. A collision on Foothill Blvd or Sierra Avenue damages them the same way it damages any car. The repair is what differs.

A steel method used on aluminum can weaken the panel, crack it or leave it to corrode. On a structural part, that changes how the vehicle protects you in the next crash. A repair that follows the maker's procedure keeps the vehicle as strong as it was built.

When to Consider Aluminum Body Repair in Fontana, CA

Look into an aluminum repair after any collision on a vehicle you know or suspect has aluminum panels. The owner's manual, the maker's website or a quick check of the repair information will tell you. We can do that check for you when you call.

Ask before any repair begins. Some makers allow only approved facilities to repair structural aluminum. Knowing that first keeps your claim and your vehicle's warranty in order.

Signs You Need Aluminum Body Repair

These signs call for an aluminum-specific repair:

How We Approach an Aluminum Repair

An aluminum repair starts with research, not a hammer:

• Step 1: Call (909) 347-6911 or request a quote, and tell us the year, make and model.
• Step 2: Bring the vehicle in for a free estimate, and we read the maker's repair procedure for it.
• Step 3: We explain what the procedure requires and whether the maker limits who may do the structural work, before any repair starts.
• Step 4: Once you approve, the repair follows that procedure and the vehicle goes back on the road.

How Aluminum Differs From Steel

Steel can be heated, pulled and reshaped many times. Aluminum work-hardens as it bends, so a creased panel can crack if it is forced back. Heat changes its strength, which is why makers set strict limits on heating and welding it.

Aluminum also corrodes when steel particles touch it. That is why aluminum repairs need their own tools and a work area kept apart from steel dust. These rules come from the vehicle makers, and the repair follows them.

Repair, Replace and Join

Many aluminum outer panels can be repaired when the damage is mild and the maker allows it. Structural parts are more often replaced, as the procedure directs. New parts are original equipment parts made for the vehicle.

Aluminum parts are joined with the methods the maker specifies, such as rivets and structural adhesive, and welding only where the procedure allows it. The repair is sealed and protected against corrosion. Our Unibody Repair page explains how structural sections are replaced on modern bodies.

Paint and Finish on Aluminum

An aluminum panel is prepared for paint with products meant for aluminum, so the coating bonds and the panel stays protected. It is then painted to match the vehicle. Our Factory Color Matching page explains how we match the color.

The finished panel is blended into the panels around it and checked for gaps and fit. The goal is a repair that looks and performs like the original. We walk you through it before delivery.

Why Fontana Customers Choose Royal Collision Center

We have repaired accident-damaged vehicles since 1993, and our facility is I-CAR and ASE certified. We read the maker's procedure before we promise anything, and we tell you plainly when a maker requires an approved facility for the work. Every collision and body repair we perform is backed by our Lifetime Warranty.

We work with all insurance companies and coordinate directly with your adjuster. Towing, on-site car rentals and customer and car drop-offs and pick-ups keep you moving. Hablamos Español.