Bonding assembly

A connector for joining a first aluminum member and a second steel member of a structure comprising:

• a thermally expandable structural adhesive material;
• a shaped nylon carrier having at least two walls, at least one of the walls being a solid wall and a plurality of parallel rib structures configured for:
• i. carrying the thermally expandable structural adhesive material;
• ii. spacing the first member from the second member prior to activation for thermal expansion of the structural adhesive material;
• iii. for limiting movement of the first member relative to the second member at least prior to activation for thermal expansion of the structural adhesive material;
• and
• iv. for matingly engaging at least one of the first or second members prior to connecting the first member with the second member, wherein at least one wall of the shaped polymeric carrier is formed as an opening so that the shape of the opening corresponds to the shape of the first member for receiving the first member;
• wherein the expandable is shaped and positioned at selective locations around the carrier for defining a plurality of gaps where the first and second member are in direct opposing relation with one another prior to expansion but Upon activation, the expandable structural adhesive material will expand and flow in a direction to fill the gaps in between the first and second member, so that the first and second members are connected together and are insulated relative to each other by the expandable material.