Weld-Through Primer Guidelines: Ford/Lincoln

Weld-through primers are generally a zinc-based product that are applied to the mating surfaces prior to welding. Corroding zinc forms zinc oxide which protects the steel. This is called sacrificial corrosion. For a quality weld to be made it’s required that the weld-through primer be removed from the direct weld zone before welding the joint when GMA welding. Many OEMs have a position on when and how to use weld-through primer or when it shouldn’t be utilized. Let’s see what Ford/Lincoln recommends and where this information can be found.

  • Ford/Lincoln recommends the use of weld-through primer where applicable.
  • Apply a high quality weld-through primer on mating surfaces when bare metal welding overlapping surfaces or substrates.
  • Ford/Lincoln does not specify a specific brand of weld-through primer.

When repairing aluminum, weld-through primer is NOT recommended for use. The 2015-2020 Ford F-150 and 2017-2020 Ford Super Duty has an all-aluminum body.

Use the vehicle-specific body repair manuals to determine which type of welding is required for the repair you are performing. Failure to follow OEM procedures will sacrifice the safety and quality of the repair.

For additional Ford/Lincoln information, check out the following pages:
Ford OEM Information
Lincoln OEM Information

Additional I-CAR Collision Repair News you may find helpful:
Step-By-Step: Accessing Ford/Lincoln Repair Information
Weld-Through Primer Guidelines
Welding And MIG Brazing Hotspot


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