Dodge Nitro. Manual - part 377

SMC

SHEET MOLDED COMPOUND SMC

BODY PANELS

TMC

TRANSFER MOLDING 
COMPOUND

TMC

GRILLES

UP

UNSATURATED POLYESTER 
(THERMOSETTING)

SMC, BMC, TMC, ZMC, 
IMC, XSMC, UP

GRILLE OPENING 
PANEL, LIFTGATES, 
FLARESIDE FENDERS, 
FENDER EXTENSIONS

EEBC

ETHER/ESTER BLOCKED CO-
POLYMER

EEBC

BUMPERS

EEBC/PBTP EEBC/POLYBUTYLENE 

TEREPTHALATE

EEBC, PBTP, BEXLOY

BUMPER, ROCKER 
PANELS

EMPP

ETHYLENE MODIFIED 
POLYPROPYLENE

EMPP

BUMPER COVERS

EPDM

ETHYLENE/PROPROPYLENE 
DIENE MONOMER

EPDM, NORDEL, 
VISTALON

BUMPERS

EPM

ETHYLENE/PROPROPYLENE 
CO-POLYMER

EPM

FENDERS

MPU

FOAM POLYURETHANE

MPU

SPOILERS

PE

POLYETHYLENE

ALATHON, DYLAN, 
LUPOLEN, MARLEX

-

PP

POLYPROPYLENE (BLENDS)

NORYL, AZDEL, 
MARLOX, DYLON, 
PRAVEX

INNER FENDER, 
SPOILERS, KICK 
PANELS

PP/EPDM

PP/EPDM ALLOY

PP/EPDM

SPOILERS, GRILLES

PUR

POLYURETHANE

COLONELS, PUR, PU

FASCIAS, BUMPERS

PUR/PC

PUR/PC ALLOY

TEXIN

BUMPERS

PVC

POLYVINYL CHLORIDE

APEX, GEON, VINYLITE BODY MOLDINGS, 

WIRE INSULATION, 
STEERING WHEELS

RIM

REACTION INJECTED 
MOLDED POLYURETHANE

RIM, BAYFLEX

FRONT FASCIAS, 
MODULAR WINDOWS

RRIM

REINFORCED REACTION 
INJECTED MOLDED

PUR, RRIM

FASCIAS, BODY 
PANELS, BODY TRIMS

TPE

THERMO POLYETHYLENE

TPE, HYTREL, 
BEXLOY-V

FASCIAS, BUMPERS, 
CLADDINGS

TPO

THERMOPOLYOLEFIN

POLYTROPE, RENFLEX, 
SANTOPRENE, 
VISAFLEX, ETA, APEX, 
TPO, SHIELDS, 
CLADDINGS

BUMPERS, END CAPS, 
TELCAR, RUBBER, 
STRIPS, SIGHT, 
INTERIOR B POST

TPP

THERMO-POLYPROPYLENE

TPP

BUMPERS

TPU

THERMOPOLYURETHANE, 
POLYESTER

TPU, HYTREL, TEXIN, 
ESTANE

BUMPERS, BODY SIDE, 
MOLDINGS, FENDERS, 
FASCIAS

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Body - Nitro

  

PANEL SECTIONING 

Fig. 1: View Of Panel Sectioning 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

If it is required to section a large panel for a plastic repair, it will be necessary to reinforce the panel. To bond 
two plastic panels together, a reinforcement must overlap both panels. The panels must be "V'd" at a 20 degree 
angle. The area to be reinforced should be washed, then sanded. Be sure to wipe off any excess soap and water 
when finished. Lightly sand or abrade the plastic with an abrasive pad or sandpaper. Blow off any dust with 
compressed air or wipe with a clean dry rag. 

When bonding plastic panels, follow repair material manufacturers recommendations. Be sure that enough 
adhesive has been applied to allow squeeze out and to fill the full bond line. Once the pieces have been brought 
together, do not move them until the adhesive is cured. The assembly can be held together with clamps, rivets, 
etc. A faster cure can be obtained by heating with a heat lamp or heat gun. After the parts have been bonded and 
have had time to cure, rough sand the seam and apply the final adhesive filler to the area being repaired. Smooth 
the filler with a spreader, wooden tongue depressor, or squeegee. For fine texturing, a small amount of water 
can be applied to the filler surface while smoothing. The cured filler can be sanded as necessary and, as a final 
step, cleanup can be done with soapy water. Wipe the surface clean with a dry cloth allowing time for the panel 

1 - EXISTING PANEL
2 - NEW PANEL
3 - PANEL ADHESIVE
4 - BONDING STRIP

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Body - Nitro

  

to dry before moving on with the repair. 

PANEL REINFORCEMENT 

Fig. 2: Identifying Softened Edges 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

Structural repair procedures for rigid panels with large cracks and holes will require a reinforcement backing. 
Reinforcements can be made with several applications of glass cloth saturated with structural adhesive. Semi-
rigid or flexible repair materials should be used for semi-rigid or flexible backing reinforcement and open 
meshed fiberglass dry wall tape can be used to form a reinforcement. The dry wall tape allows the resin to 
penetrate through and make a good bond between the panel and the adhesive. Structurally, the more dry wall 
tape used, the stronger the repair. 

1 - SOFTENED EDGES
2 - PANEL ADHESIVE
3 - BONDING STRIP

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Body - Nitro

  

Fig. 3: Identifying Panel Reinforcement 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

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 reinforcement should cover the entire break and should have a generous 
amount of overlap on either side of the cracked or broken area.

1 - PANEL ADHESIVE
2 - REINFORCEMENT

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Body - Nitro