It often happens that before painting a used car, we find a through hole formed due to corrosion. What can be done in this case, if you leave the topic of professional body repair and high costs. Is it possible to fix the hole myself, and if so, how to do it? All this will be discussed below.
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Of course, the possibility of carrying out self-body repair is related to the level of damage to the car. For example, if a through hole is seen in only one place, and the body as a whole or its part is not completely rotten, you can proceed to self-elimination. In other words, if a partial problem is observed, and not a set of defects, it is 100% possible to do without specialists.
Note. In addition, do-it-yourself elimination of through holes is relevant only if they are not too large. Otherwise, you will have to order a professional service.
Filling holes in the body with putty
As a rule, most holes occur on the bottom of the car. And in this case, everything around is thoroughly cleaned, auto cosmetics (rust converter) and many other sets are used. Degreasing and primer are also required.
The technology of direct application of putty, without the use of a patch, involves application from the back of the lining area. Thus, it will be possible to substantially achieve the maximum fixation of the composition. Instead of lining as such, you can use a metal mesh. These are even sold in the store, you can make them yourself, etc.
The putty must be evenly distributed over the surface, filling the entire space of the hole. After the solution has dried, the area is treated with auto-filler. Then, after drying, paint and put a protective film.
This option for eliminating a through hole in the body is the simplest. Experts, however, do not recommend using it, since the putty will eventually begin to let in moisture and collapse. This method is most acceptable if restoration is urgently needed, and there are no other alternatives.
Algorithm for the process of eliminating a through hole by applying a patch with a soldering iron
Here's what to do:
- To begin with, it is recommended to thoroughly clean the corrosive place from rust. You can use nozzles and a drill (also another set of tools).
- A patch is cut from a piece of metal sheet. An option is to use a can of car chemicals, etc.
The patch should completely cover the hole on the element of the car skeleton.
- A powerful soldering iron is being prepared, with which the patch is placed.
- Now you need to tin the edges of the patch.
Particular attention is paid to the edges of the hole where the patch will be placed.
- A piece of metal is soldered with a continuous seam.
- It is checked by measuring whether the patch protrudes above the surface of the body with a bubble.
You can diagnose the protrusion using a flexible ruler.
- The protrusion (if found) is sunk with gentle hammer blows.
After the patch is recessed, a small dip is bound to occur. It will need to be leveled using putty. We must not forget that the thickness of the putty layer should not exceed 2-3 mm. Otherwise, after drying, the layer will crack easily.
- Before puttying, the surfaces are properly prepared: the rust is brushed off with a metal brush, and then the sanding is done.
It is better to use a sandpaper at 120. We must not forget that the matting area should be larger than the directly putty area.
- An abrasive risk is applied to the surface. This is done so that the putty has something to hold on to.
- Now it is necessary to process all zones after sanding with a degreaser.
- Surfaces should be primed first. This is done no later than an hour after sanding, since the cleaned metal without paintwork quickly undergoes oxidation processes.
The first layer is better to take a phosphate primer. This type of primer is a 2-component composition, easily diluted with water.
Attention. It is forbidden to breed a phosphate primer in a metal container. The fact is that phosphate tends to interact with iron, and this is not good. It is better to use a glass or plastic container.
If you could not find a phosphate primer, an aerosol KSL primer in cans is also an option.
As soon as 10-15 minutes have elapsed after applying the first primer, it is necessary to proceed to surface treatment with acrylic. This type of soil is applied already in 2-3 layers. The interval between layers is maintained for about five minutes.
Note. Again, acrylic primer can successfully replace the composition of the AER spray. This is especially true if there is no compressor.
Acrylic dries completely within 3-4 hours. If it is possible to use INFR heating, the drying period can be significantly reduced.
It remains to putty the surface, then sand and prime.
The method of sealing a through hole with a patch is considered the most rational for a number of reasons.
- Soldered patches last much longer than just fiberglass putty.
- The patch gives a more reliable connection.
- You can close holes of almost any size (except for too large, when only the service of specialists is relevant).
- The simplicity of technology. Even a beginner can handle the job.
Video on how to close a through hole
Other troubleshooting
Recently, it has been possible to close the holes in other ways. One of them involves working with fiberglass.
Instruction:
- The surface of the body is also cleaned and degreased, as in the two cases described above.
- Overlays are cut out of fiberglass, the size of which should be 2 cm larger than the size of the hole.
- The zone is pre-primed, the composition is given time to harden.
- The overlay is applied to a completely dry surface.
- Fiberglass overlays are fixed with the help of an adhesive-resin composition.
First, one overlay is glued, then the second, the third, and so on. Again, it is recommended to put a lining on the reverse side.
After the glue dries, the body surface is treated and painted.
As you can see, the holes on the car body caused by corrosion are easy to fix with your own hands. Visual examples can be seen in the video and photo.
It happens that before painting the car you have to pick off a small "bug", and under it a through hole is found.
A quick way to cover up a hole in a car body without a major overhaul
What to do: rush to the auto repairman with the money set aside for gasoline, or be patient and do this work yourself? Surely most drivers will choose the second option if the size of the hole does not exceed a matchbox. Otherwise, it's really worth rushing to the master. So let's see.
We begin to eliminate the holes that formed the car. There are two ways to fix this problem.
You can mask the hole with the power of putty with the addition of fiberglass. This method is simple and fast, but not everyone can call it successful. Therefore, it is worth looking at a more complex and effective way to repair a car.
How to repair serious damage to the body of the car
Apply a patch cut from any thin metal. From the same can. First, cut a piece of metal of the desired size so that it completely covers the hole. Then take a powerful soldering iron and solder the patch to the body using an acid rust converter as a flux.
Pay attention to the following points:
- Before soldering the patch, be sure to solder its edges with a soldering iron.
- Do not forget to irradiate the surface to which the new piece of metal is soldered.
- Solder the patch with a solid seam so that there is not a single empty gap.
- Then measure to see if the patch has come out of the hole with a bubble. If this happens, then very carefully drown the metal by tapping it with a hammer.
- If the failure still turned out, and this happens too often, then the patch will have to be removed with putty.
The thickness of the layer of the latter should not exceed 3 mm. If you cannot cope with this delicate work, call someone else for help and do not be shy: the appearance of the car is more expensive.
1. Take sandpaper with an abrasive size of 120. Determine by eye the surface area that should be putty, adding a few millimeters on each side of the patch.
2. Taking the adhesive risk, apply it with soft, “cat-like” movements. This is necessary so that the putty is held on the surface not by the “bare” metal, but by the material that provides good adhesion to the surfaces.
3. When the place for puttying is finally prepared, take a small rag, "White spirit" and conscientiously process the freshly sanded surfaces, cleaning them of dirt and dust and degreasing at the same time.
4. Now you can proceed to the most important step - preliminary priming of the patch. Note that this work should be carried out immediately after treating the metal with alcohol, because after a couple of hours this part of the body will begin to rust.
5. First, apply the first coat of primer (phosphate, or acid). It is better to dilute this two-component primer in a glass jar or in any other plastic container. Another option is to use acid soil, which is sold in aerosol cans.
6. Apply phosphate primer in one thin layer to the patch. The primer dries quickly and can also give smudges. After waiting 15 minutes, you can apply another thin layer. Provided that the temperature in the room is approximately 20 degrees Celsius.
7. After another 1-15 minutes, a final coat of two-component acrylic primer should be applied. The patch dries for 2-3 hours, after which it is possible to make it shine as if only from the salon. And all this - without outside help, with your own hands! If you do not have time to wait, hurry up the patch using infrared heating.
Putting your car in order, sometimes you have to find an unpleasant problem - a through hole in the bottom of the body. Some car owners immediately turn to a car service for help, while others try to close the hole on their own. In the second case, you have the opportunity to save time and money, and also be able to master new auto repair techniques, which is always useful and relevant.
Holes in the bottom Many people do not have a large number of repair and construction tools and equipment, so not every car owner has a welding machine in the garage or workshop. In fact, if a hole in the body is no larger than a matchbox, it is quite possible to repair it yourself without welding. There are several ways to do this:
- cover the hole with putty;
- solder a metal patch;
- seal with epoxy;
- apply fiberglass and glue;
- install rivet joints;
- use galvanized metal sheet.
Galvanized sheet Filling holes with putty
In the area of the hole in the bottom, the damaged coating should be removed, that is, the old layer of paint, and the metal should be cleaned, treated with a special preparation - a rust converter. Then the working surface is degreased and primed. Next, a putty solution of a homogeneous consistency is prepared. For greater efficiency, fiberglass is added to it (most often with large elements). Then the composition is carefully applied to the damaged area. Perhaps this is the most important part of the work. It is necessary to close up the entire hole, cracks and microcracks that may arise around it. The application of the solution should take place in several stages, allowing each new layer to dry.
Filling with putty To achieve maximum fixation of the putty on the damaged area, a lining is applied to the reverse side. It does not allow the solution to spread, but to act in the area that needs to be repaired. If the hole in the bottom of the car is large enough, this repair method can also be used with auxiliary elements. Instead of a lining, a metal mesh is mounted in the area of damage. Therefore, the putty is evenly distributed over it, filling the entire space. After the solution is completely dry, this area is treated with automotive paint putty. Then the damaged area is painted and a protective film is applied.
Putty for cars This method of sealing holes in a car is the simplest. But experts do not recommend using it, because the putty allows moisture to pass through and can collapse over time. Also, holes are treated with a solution when repairs need to be done urgently, and there are no other alternatives.
Soldering a metal patch
Soldering a metal element into a damaged area is a way to seal holes in the bottom or any other part of a car when a small hole can be closed. To repair a machine using this technology, you must have the following tools:
- a piece of metal sheet;
- powerful soldering iron;
- flux or rust converter;
- putty;
- primer.
Materials in the car So, for starters, the area to be repaired is cleaned, paint, rust, and dirt are removed. Next, it is treated with flux and degreased. Then measurements are taken and a metal piece of the desired shape is cut out. Such an element will completely close the hole, and the edges will overlap. When the part for the patch is ready, it is attached with a soldering iron. The edges of the patch are then treated with flux. In the end, it is worth treating the area with putty and primed it. When the surface dries, paint and a protective layer are applied.
This method of sealing holes in the bottom of the car is the most popular. Experts note the durability of soldered patches, as the connection is quite reliable. In addition, this method can close up a hole of any size. In general, soldering a patch is easy enough for a novice who does not have much experience in car repair to handle.
The sequence of actions when sealing holes in the bottom Application of fiberglass and glue
For moderate damage, the method of sealing holes with fiberglass is often used. When this area is processed and cleaned of layers of paint and rust, it is necessary to cut several overlays from fiberglass, the size of a hole plus 2 centimeters. This area should be pre-primed and allowed to dry.
car repair kit An overlay is applied to a dry surface and fixed with a mixture (polyester or epoxy resin + glue). The next "detail" is attached and also fixed. Thus, all fiberglass parts are glued, laying them one on one. So that they do not sag and do not deform, a lining should be placed. When the resin with glue dries, you need to process the work area and paint it.
fiberglass Installation of galvanizing and riveting connections
Processing holes in the bottom of a car with galvanized metal is quite common. The main material needed for this is iron sheet. Before installation, it should be fixed with self-tapping screws and lubricated with mastic. It is best to use an anti-noise bituminous mixture. Then galvanized is laid and bolted with a drill. Then you need to treat the area with special tools, level the entire surface. When everything dries and the structure is fixed, it should be covered with paint.
How to close a hole in a car body? Sometimes, before painting a vehicle, small “bugs” are found on its body, under which a through hole is hidden. Consider how to make a patch on the body yourself. A quick way to mask a hole in the back without a major overhaul! You can repair a hole in the body yourself if its size is no larger than a matchbox.
You can use 2 methods to fix this problem.
The hole can be masked with a putty containing fiberglass additives. This method is simple and fast, but not everyone can call it successful.
Therefore, it is better to choose a more complex, but effective way to repair the vehicle body.
How to repair serious damage to the car body
It consists in installing a patch cut from thin metal, such as a tin can. First, a piece of metal of the required size is cut out to completely cover the hole. Then with a powerful soldering iron, the patch is soldered to the body, using an acid rust converter as a flux.
When performing this procedure, the following nuances must be taken into account:
Before soldering the patch, its edges must be irradiated with a soldering iron. You also need to irradiate the surface on which soldering is performed. The patch must be soldered with a continuous seam so that there are no empty spaces.
You need to make sure that the patch is not swollen over the hole. If this happens, you must carefully drown the metal with a hammer. If there is a failure, which most often happens, the patch must be removed with putty, the layer of which should be no more than 3 mm thick. To do this you need to do
How to fix a hole in the back of a car - the following steps:
1. Find sandpaper with an abrasive size of 120. By eye, you need to determine the surface area that should be putty, adding 2-3 millimeters on each side of the patch.
3. After the final preparation of the place for puttying, it is necessary to carefully process the sanded surfaces with the help of a small rag moistened with "White spirit", cleaning them from dust and dirt, while degreasing them.
4. Next, you can begin to perform the most crucial step, which consists in pre-priming the patch. This work should be done immediately after the metal is treated with alcohol, since after 2-3 hours, corrosion of this part of the body will begin.
5. First, the first primer coat (acid or phosphate) is applied. This two-component primer is best diluted in a glass jar or plastic bowl. Another option is to use an acid primer available in aerosol cans.
6. Phosphate primer should be applied to the patch in a thin layer. The soil begins to dry out quickly, and may give smudges. After fifteen minutes, you can start applying another thin layer. The procedure should be performed at a room temperature of 20 degrees.
7. After some time (from 1 to 15 minutes), the last layer of acrylic two-component primer is applied. It takes a few minutes to dry the patch, then you can start painting the body so that it shines, as if the car had just left the dealership. To speed up this process, you can use infrared heating.
How to fix a hole in the back of a car, we told, it's quite simple!
Liked the article? Share with your friends on social networks!The use of fiberglass for body repair allows you to minimize the cost of restoring the car. To carry out the work, special skills are not required - everything can be done independently, without the involvement of specialists with their equipment. This repair method is used only for local damage to non-bearing parts of the body.
Repair technology
Through holes in the body are sealed with epoxy or polyester resin. Fiberglass is used to reinforce the repaired area, giving it strength. In order to obtain the necessary mechanical properties, fillers are added to the resin - sawdust, asbestos, talc, aluminum or steel powder.
For repair, epoxy compositions are also used, consisting of epoxy resin, filler and plasticizer, which increases the plastic properties of the composition. Without a plasticizer, the resin will crack over time. Will not withstand loads while driving.
Preparatory work
The damaged surface of the body is thoroughly cleaned of paint, rust, dirt. The shape and size of the processing area depend on the nature of the damage, around which the metal is cleaned to a width of 60 mm. The place of work can be slightly besieged inward. Due to this, the repair pad will protrude slightly above the front surface. The bare metal is then sanded and degreased. Treated with zinc or anticorrosive according to the instructions. A primer is applied on top.
From fiberglass, according to the shape of the hole, 3 - 4 linings are cut out. The amount depends on the thickness of the material. At the first, from the edges of the damage, an allowance of 20 or 15 mm, in accordance with the number of patches. The latter has 60 mm. For intermediate ones, in the case of three, 40 mm, and for four, 30 and 45 mm. Resin-based adhesive is prepared.
A layer of resin is applied to the prepared surface of the body with a brush, and the first, smallest piece of fiberglass is applied on top. Roll it with a special roller to remove air from under the lining. If an air bubble remains, then it is pierced with an awl. In order for the patch to completely stick to the metal of the body, it is “nailed” with an end brush. Then, resin is applied to the first layer of fiberglass, the next piece of fiberglass is applied, which is rolled and, if necessary, “nailed”. Thus, all layers are installed.
Another installation method is to impregnate fiberglass patches with resin and apply to the repair site. The edges of the hole are pre-treated with adhesive. In the process of work, it should be ensured that the first layer of fabric overlaps the through damage and each subsequent layer overlaps the previous one from each edge by the allowance provided (20 or 15 mm). When the resin sets and dries, the resulting surface is treated with a file, and then sandpaper. If at the end of the work small shells, recesses, irregularities remain, then they are sealed with putty.
When repairing large holes, a solid lining (plywood, pressed cardboard, metal) is installed on the inside of the through damage, similar in shape to the original surface of the body. This will prevent the fiberglass pad from deforming during work. To prevent the lining from sticking, it is lubricated:
- floor mastic;
- paraffin solution with turpentine;
- polystyrene in acetone.
The applied separator will allow you to easily separate the lining from the resin at the end of the repair.
When repairing body parts with poor access from the inside (a rusted fragment of a wing, for example), a hard lining cannot be used. Once the resin has set, the plywood or tin sheet cannot be removed. Therefore, the space under the damaged area is densely filled with newsprint, achieving similarity with the original shape of the repaired surface. Upon completion of the work, the newspaper is removed.
Safety
Contact of resin or fiberglass in the eyes or on exposed areas of the body can cause irritation, eczema of the skin. The penetration of glass fiber particles into the respiratory tract is also highly undesirable. Therefore, during the repair, it is required to use goggles, a respirator, rubber gloves.
Resin that gets on the skin is immediately removed with a clean rag. Then the affected area is thoroughly washed with soap. Lubricate with protective cream.
