A problem with aluminum is it's limited fatigue life. Going down the roads, loaded, vibrations.....eventually it will crack.
The trick is designing it to last over a limited time.
Tyrone
Very wise call!! The good ole "can't you just go over it so it don't look like it's cracked" routine. I would have given him a can of undercoating or something. I get calls several times a year, can you fix a trailer hitch, can you fix this trailer and the latest was can you weld this auto lift to the frame of my truck as I am a repo man.
I wouldn't touch it because the guy might be overloading it for one, another is your commercial insurance. Will it cover such repairs? I know mine has called out no repairs to frames, hitches and several other things as there is a higher liability. It's funny, I can weld on live gas lines but trailer hitches and frames is more money!
Cover it up, hahaha!! That's great responsibility right there. Also the next traffic accident with an innocent victim killed by some cheap m.f'r., nice.
Sorry, can't help you on the aluminum bit...
Shawn