Another kind of repair that can be done to repair large
cracks and holes is to use a scrap piece of similar
plastic and bond with structural adhesive. The rein-
forcement should cover the entire break and should
have a generous amount of overlap on either side of
the cracked or broken area.
When repairing plastic, the damaged area is first “V’d”
out, or beveled. Large bonding areas are desirable
when repairing plastic because small repairs are less
likely to hold permanently. Beveling the area around a
crack at a 20 ° angle will increase the bonding surface
for a repair. It is recommended that sharp edges be
avoided because the joint may show through after the
panel is refinished.
•
Panel repair for both flexible and rigid panels are
basically
the
same.
The
primary
difference
between flexible panel repair and rigid panel
repair is in the adhesive materials used.
•
The technician should first decide what needs to
be done when working on any type of body
panel. One should determine if it is possible to
return the damage part to its original strength
and appearance without exceeding the value of
the replacement part.
•
When plastic repairs are required, it is recom-
mended that the part be left on the vehicle when ever possible. That will save time, and the panel will remain
stationary during the repair. Misalignment can cause stress in the repair areas and can result in future failure.
VISUAL INSPECTION
Composite materials can mask the severity of an acci-
dent. Adhesive bond lines, interior structure of the
doors, and steel structures need to be inspected care-
fully to get a true damage assessment. Close inspec-
tion may require partial removal of interior trim or inner
panels.
Identify the type of repair: Puncture or Crack - Dam-
age that has penetrated completely through the panel.
Damage is confined to one general area; a panel sec-
tion is not required. However, a backer panel, open
fiberglass tape, or matted material must be bonded
from behind.
23 - 8
BODY
LX