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Aluminum repair
Aluminum body & frame repair
Aluminum does not bend, weld, or straighten like steel, and repairing it with steel methods causes damage you cannot see until later. Full Tilt's technicians are trained for aluminum and follow the manufacturer's repair procedure for your vehicle, from a dented aluminum hood to a structural repair on an aluminum-bodied truck.
- Aluminum-trained technicians
- Dedicated aluminum tools
- Works with all insurance companies
- Limited lifetime warranty
Voted Best of the Valley for body work and auto painting eight times since 2015.
A different metal, a different repair
Repaired the way the manufacturer specifies
More vehicles every year use aluminum for hoods, doors, tailgates, fenders, and in some cases the entire body, to save weight and improve fuel economy. Aluminum is lighter and corrosion-resistant, but it work-hardens when it is bent, it has no memory the way steel does, it cannot be heated or welded the same way, and it corrodes rapidly if steel dust or steel tools contaminate it. A shop that treats aluminum like steel can leave you with a panel that cracks, a joint that fails, or corrosion that appears months later.
Full Tilt repairs aluminum with dedicated tools kept separate from steel work, the manufacturer's procedures for riveting, bonding, and sectioning, and I-CAR Platinum technicians trained on aluminum structures and OEM-certified collision equipment. We tell you honestly when a panel can be repaired and when the manufacturer requires replacement, and we document the procedure for your insurance claim. The work is backed by our limited lifetime warranty on workmanship.
What's covered
Panels, structure, and everything bolted to them
From a dented aluminum hood to structural damage on an aluminum-bodied pickup, the repair follows the procedure your manufacturer publishes for that exact vehicle.
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Aluminum hoods, doors & tailgates
The most common aluminum panels on today's cars and trucks. Repaired where the manufacturer allows it, replaced where it does not, and refinished with our computerized color match.
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Aluminum-bodied trucks
Full aluminum bodies on popular pickups need rivet-bonded panel replacement and specific sectioning procedures rather than the welds used on steel. We follow the published procedure step by step.
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Structural & frame repair
Aluminum structural components are measured and repaired or replaced to specification. Some cannot be straightened and must be replaced; we tell you which before the work starts.
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Paintless dent repair on aluminum
Minor dents in aluminum panels with intact paint can often be removed with PDR using the lighter technique aluminum requires, preserving the factory finish.
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Corrosion prevention
Dedicated aluminum tools, separate abrasives, and proper isolation between aluminum and steel fasteners prevent the galvanic corrosion that ruins a careless repair.
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Refinishing aluminum
Aluminum needs its own prep and primer system before paint. Our paint shop refinishes aluminum panels to the same factory-quality standard as steel.
How it works
Our aluminum repair process
Aluminum rewards doing it by the book. Here is what that looks like at Full Tilt.
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Estimate & teardown
Send photos through the form, call, or stop by. Every inquiry gets a response right away, and we aim to write the estimate within 24 hours. We always need your VIN, phone number, and email. We identify which panels and structures on your vehicle are aluminum, pull the manufacturer's repair procedure, and blueprint the damage so the estimate reflects the real job.
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Insurance & procedure documentation
We work with all insurance companies and attach the OEM procedure to the estimate and any supplement, so the correct repair method is approved rather than a shortcut.
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Repair, replace, or section
Dedicated aluminum tools, rivet bonding, adhesives, and sectioning exactly where the manufacturer allows. Panels the procedure says to replace are replaced, not patched.
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Refinish, calibrate & verify
Aluminum-specific prep and primer, color-matched paint, ADAS calibration where sensors were disturbed, and a final inspection. Covered by our limited lifetime warranty on workmanship.
Common questions
Aluminum repair FAQs
How do I know if my vehicle has aluminum panels?
Many late-model hoods, doors, tailgates, and fenders are aluminum, and some trucks have fully aluminum bodies. A magnet will not stick to aluminum, and the manufacturer's repair information lists it. We check at the estimate.
Why does aluminum cost more to repair than steel?
It takes dedicated tools, specific procedures, and more replacement rather than straightening, because aluminum does not return to shape the way steel does. We quote it honestly and document why for your insurance company.
Can a dented aluminum panel be repaired, or does it have to be replaced?
It depends on the damage and the manufacturer's procedure. Shallow dents with intact paint can often be repaired, sometimes with PDR. Creased, stretched, or cracked aluminum usually has to be replaced. We tell you which before work begins.
Does Full Tilt work on aluminum-bodied pickups?
Yes. Our technicians are trained on aluminum structures, and we follow the rivet-bonding and sectioning procedures those trucks require. We work on every make and model.
Why do you keep aluminum tools separate from steel?
Steel particles embedded in aluminum cause galvanic corrosion, which shows up as bubbling paint and pitting months after the repair. Dedicated tools and abrasives prevent it.
Is aluminum repair covered by my insurance?
Collision and comprehensive claims cover the repair your vehicle actually needs. We work with all insurance companies and provide the OEM procedure as documentation, so the correct method is approved.
Our work
Before and after
Real repairs from the Full Tilt shop floor. Tap any photo to see the finished result.
Serving the Pioneer Valley
Your neighbors in Western Massachusetts
Our West Hatfield shop is a short drive for aluminum repair customers from Northampton, Easthampton, Hadley, Amherst, Greenfield, and across Western Massachusetts. We are not just a business here, we are your neighbors. We have our own rental vehicles, and we can arrange for Enterprise to pick you up at our location if you need to leave your car with us.
- West Hatfield
- Northampton
- Easthampton
- Southampton
- Hadley
- Ludlow
- Amherst
- Greenfield
Get started today
Damage on an aluminum panel or an aluminum-bodied truck?
Send photos and your VIN and we will tell you what the manufacturer's procedure calls for. We respond right away and aim to write your estimate within 24 hours. Prefer to talk it through? Call the shop directly.