Comparing 4043 vs 5356 welding wire for welding Aluminium 6061 base metal:

Ease of welding and Melting point: 4043 has lower melting point and more fluidity than the 5356
filler alloys; this is the reason that this wire wets and flows better.

Chemical composition and heat treatment: 4043 contains Silicon while 5356 contains
Magnesium. Silicon in 4043 electrode makes the melting metal more fluid while 5356 has more
strength because of Magnesium.
4043 is not prone to crack including crater cracks and stress corrosion cracking.
For 5356 Stress corrosion cracking is a main concern if being used for applications in high
temperature services. Sensitization of 5356 due to its Mg content is what we need to consider for
high temperature applications. This is the reason if the base metal need to be heat treated or need to
operate above 150 F then the 4043 is definitely a better electrode.
5356 is a better choice for fillet and lap joints as this material has higher shear strength than 4043. Si
content in 4043 cause minimum transverse tensile and will result in lower shear strength.

Surface finish: If the material need to be anodized then 4043 is NOT recommended as this
electrode leaves a dark grey shade after anodizing as a result of higher Silicon content. 5053
electrodes should be used for these kinds of applications.