Body work with your own hands. Painting and body work

Indeed, OSAGO and other types of insurance developing along with it have led to an unprecedented strengthening of insurance companies, strengthening their positions and expanding their influence on the car service business of Avtocenter LLC. Already, insurers have become the main customers, supplying up to 90% of cars to the body shops of many services. The main "contingent" of cars sent by insurers needs only minor and medium repairs, but companies are ready to supply a lot of such cars. At the same time, insurers are drastically changing the life of repair companies, dictating their terms and prices, which are much lower than they were in the previous "historical period."

The way out of the situation that has developed in the industry lies mainly in a significant increase in labor productivity, which is impossible without a change in the organization and technological process repair. Only services that learn to work according to strict "insurance" standards and adapt their technology and equipment to them will survive. Moreover, as the experience of other countries shows, those who can work, as the time requires, will receive clients from ruined workshops.

Leading Russian companies supplying materials and equipment for body shops do not remain aloof from ongoing processes. On the contrary, they strive in one way or another to help their customers - service enterprises.

Let's consider one of the variants of reorganization of the body section offered by Avtotsentr LLC. It is based on many years of experience of American repair companies and allows you to multiply the output per unit area. Such an effect can be obtained by first changing the organization of the work of the body section, which becomes possible thanks to the use of unique equipment - floor devices for restoring the geometry of the car body (stocks) of the Canadian company Wedge Clamp.

How it was done before.

The traditional, now generally accepted layout of the body section is the following picture: several posts (with lifts, and some even without them) and one large universal slipway.

Reinforcing, tin, body works are performed at the body section, including welding and surface leveling with putty. To say that each of these operations is carried out at a separate post is an exaggeration, but not too much. First of all, the machine arrives at a post intended for reinforcing work, then it goes to a slipway if restoration of the body geometry is required, or to a post where tin work is performed. Welding and puttying are usually performed at one of these posts, and sometimes special jobs are allocated for these works.

In addition, it is considered almost the norm if the masters are driven to the site as much as possible more cars, clogging them all the passages and driveways. As a result, in order to drive a car from post to post, one has to constantly play the well-known children's game "fifteen" - move, move several cars, so that after a while they start all over again. This takes a lot of time and effort, since most of the machines are immobilized.

Such a layout and organization of the process is acceptable if the service repairs a small number of damaged complex and expensive cars, the restoration of which at each post takes quite a long time. But "knotted" cars are provided by insurance companies for repairs just not so often. The reality is that it is more profitable to pay out insurance for cars badly damaged in an accident than to mess around with their restoration.

This means that when working with insurance cars, several cars with minor and medium damages have to be put on the universal slipway within one day. At the same time, the time of installation and removal of the car (unproductive operations) can reach almost 50% of the total time spent on correcting the geometry of the body with moderate damage. As a result, it turns out that large stationary stocks for such work, to put it mildly, are of little use.

Body work "from and to" in one post.

OOO Avtotsentr made all posts at the body repair site universal. Moreover, they are so versatile that they can be used to carry out all types of work performed on the body area, installing a lift and a device for restoring the body geometry, welding and puttying. The car stops, and the workers move from post to post. It is this repair ideology that American service workers profess, in which the body area is a series of boxes with separate gates. arrived emergency car driven into a free box. All the necessary work is carried out in it, and the car leaves the post only to move to the painting area. But the equipment of such a post must meet certain conditions. First of all, this concerns the slipway for restoring the geometry of the body, which must be floor-standing and have the following characteristics:

Low cost, allowing you to equip them with each post.

The light weight of the elements of the anchor, force and measuring systems, providing ease of assembly and facilitating movement from post to post.

Convenient storage of all components of the system and accessories, which does not limit other (non-body) work at the post.

Corrosion resistance and ease of cleaning of the internal cavities of the rail.

OOO Avtotsentr installed stocks offered by the Canadian company Wedge Clamp, which meet all these requirements and differ markedly from the equipment of other manufacturers. It is worth noting that a number of companies supply floor systems for body straightening, but offer to use them instead of a large universal slipway for services with a small volume body work. The main advantage of such a slipway is that with the anchor and power systems a flat area is formed on which other operations can be performed. What is unique about the Wedge Clamp system?

First of all, Wedge Clamp specialists fundamentally changed the material and shape power elements(rails) poured with concrete.

A generally accepted design of such an element is known - these are two steel channels, the shelves of which are directed in pairs towards each other and are located at some small distance. From below, the gap between the shelves is welded with a steel plate, and corners are welded to the channels on the sides so that the whole structure is firmly held in the concrete pour. To ensure better fixation on the foundation, anchors are attached to the same corners.

Design flaws are visible to the naked eye. Firstly, the standard channel with the required size of the shelves has a large width. Thus, to ensure the strength of the fastening of the entire structure, its deepening and the depth of pouring with concrete should be 400 mm. Secondly, such floor slipways have a closed frame of one configuration or another, which makes it difficult to clean the internal cavities. Thirdly, steel frames are very heavy, their installation and installation are expensive operations.

Canadian engineers have designed an optimal rail profile for use and installation and organized its production by extrusion from a special high-strength and resistant to corrosion and mechanical damage aluminum alloy. The rail is only 36mm high and the side walls are angled for greater strength when pouring concrete. All mates have fillets that relieve stress concentration. The upper part of the side surface of the rail has a reverse angle, which plays the role of a lock when pouring concrete.

Such a rail can either be placed on the floor and fixed only with anchors (any car will move through an obstacle 36 mm high), or poured with concrete. Moreover, the manufacturer recommends a concrete pouring thickness of only 156 mm. Taking into account our realities, in particular the love for the tiles laid on the floor of the box, Intercolor specialists recommend pouring 200 mm thick, but still it is half as much as usual.

If the service already has a concrete floor, you can make grooves with a section of 300x200 mm with diamond saws, lay a rail in them and fill it. To install the rail, practically no additional devices are required. There is no need to carry out the construction in the form of a closed frame, it is easily assembled from separate blanks with a length of 2130 mm, which can even be transported in a passenger car.

To facilitate cleaning of the internal cavities of the rail, “ends” are attached to its ends, which facilitate the “exit” of dirt.

The cost of the proposed rail system is low - for one post in standard equipment the price was 3500 euros, and each subsequent one cost 2500 euros.

The literal translation of the company name Wedge Clamp Clamp is "wedge clamp". Indeed, almost all fasteners of the system are wedges that provide connections without gaps. The system is easy to assemble and disassemble using the familiar tool, the name of which is indicated in the title.

Many large-sized elements of the slipway, as well as anchor posts, are made of aluminum alloy, which means that they are easy to carry from post to post. The necessary longitudinal rigidity of the structure is provided by steel beams, which are also fastened with wedges.

The car is installed on the Wedge Clamp system using a rolling jack with a lifting height of at least 800 mm, sequentially hanging the front and rear axle. It is better to use a scissor lift for this purpose, and ideally a single-column plunger. But it is not always necessary to hang out the car. Initially, it was said that the number of cars with minor and medium damages, which nevertheless need to be "pulled" on the slipway, has significantly increased among bodybuilders. For such work, Wedge Clamp has a completely unique set of anchor elements EZE Tie Down System, which allow you to fix the car in minutes with only a sledgehammer without hanging it. The system is striking in its simplicity. Sponges are attached to the car, and then cross beams are hammered into them with wedges. After that, a bracket, a rack, a second bracket are installed and everything is fixed with a wedge. The rack is made in such a way that it can fix cars with any clearance. To store this system, like all others, there is a convenient wall tablet Wedge Clamp - a product from the American continent - has an extremely successful mounting system frame cars. It includes unique bi-rotating clamps that allow it to adapt to any type of frame and use a significant number of parts of the standard anchor system to fasten frame cars. Thanks to this, the system turned out to be almost two times cheaper than similar systems from other manufacturers (although they can be called similar with a big stretch). In addition, a tablet for mounting system parts on the wall is included in its price.

If it is necessary to apply relatively little effort to straighten frame cars, then a simplified fastening system can be used, which allows the use of standard clamps for frame cars.

Wedge Clamp also offers the widest range of adapters for fixing vehicles with specific attachment points, such as Honda cars, BMW, Mercedes. The firm has recently released a set of universal clips that costs only 1,700 euros but allows you to secure all BMW and Mercedes models.

Power system.

A feature and advantage of Wedge Clamp is the rejection of the use of vector traction devices.

A vector rectifier, simply referred to as a vector, is most commonly used in floor-standing body straightening systems. It consists of two shoes mounted on rails, a chain, a hydraulic cylinder with an extension and a clamp. In order for the force from the cylinder to be transmitted to the car, the vector must be assembled correctly. Otherwise, the force applied to the rail shoe or anchor may become excessive and cause an accident. Safe operation of the vector is not guaranteed by its design, but depends on the experience and knowledge of the operator.

In addition, as a rule, when editing the body, it is necessary to apply force to several of its points, and a number of straightening works require multiple rearrangement of the vector. In such cases, this simple device is not productive enough. Therefore, the Canadians abandoned these devices and instead offered two types of power towers EZE Roller and Monoque. The towers develop a force of 10 tons and, unlike traditional devices of this type, have two working chains, which makes it possible to straighten two points at once with automatic equalization of the force between them. This speeds up the process and reduces the overall dressing force. If one point has already reached the desired position, the chain can be fixed at any time without removing the effort.

The main advantage of the Monoque tower is its compactness. She can work in very tight spaces. To install it, just 737 mm from the car to any obstacle is enough. With the help of a simple device, the device can be turned into crane or set the dressing force upwards.

A simple device - a pipe-beam with two rollers and brackets, which are attached to the rails with wedges, will allow you to apply a downward force to any point on the bottom of the car. At the same time, like all other accessories, it is completed with a tablet for storage on the wall.

For complex repair cases, two towers can be used together and again their force will automatically equalize.

The EZE Roller turret is simpler, lighter, more mobile thanks to spring-loaded wheels than the Monoque, and costs a whole thousand euros less. But if Monoque is attached to the rails with brackets and wedges, then another chain is used to fix the EZE Roller. It is installed so that the tower experiences only vertical loads. That's why the EZE Roller is so light and delicate.

Wedge Clamp manufactures a unique rotating measuring system for measuring coordinates of body control points. With this measuring system, it is quite easy to measure all the control points of the bottom or top of the car body. Using a small additional option will allow you to measure in three coordinates. Attempts by other firms to produce something similar, as a rule, were not successful.

In conclusion, let's return to the organization of the body section. If, as we said earlier, all or most of the posts of the body section are equipped with a rail system, then this does not mean at all that each post should have its own anchor, power and measuring systems. Simple calculations, taking into account known load factors, show that, for example, two or three anchor systems and three or four power towers are needed for five posts. Therefore, the cost of the post (assuming that there will be five of them) is reduced to 7,000 euros. Such a price may be of interest to most services, especially those who work or are going to work with insurance companies. This is especially important given the possibility fundamental change organization of the entire body repair, which entails a multiple increase in productivity by eliminating the hauls of cars between posts, reducing the time for installing a car on a slipway and increasing the speed of straightening. The number of cars being repaired, and not just idle on the site, is increasing, and therefore more money will be earned.

As one of the areas of auto repair received a special demand. This is due both to the general increase in vehicles on the roads, and to the fact that modern urban infrastructure cannot always comfortably accommodate all cars. As a result, minor traffic accidents occur, as well as simply damage to the body as a result of the fact that it is difficult for the driver to maneuver in tight parking lots in yards and shops.

The technology of car body repair implies, first of all, the identification of the degree of damage to the body. As a rule, experts distinguish three types of damage and, accordingly, three types of body work:

• minor repairs;
• average repair;
• restoration repair.

Of course, the greatest damage in car accident receives at head-on collision. However, a comprehensive inspection of the vehicle will be advisable for any type of damage, regardless of the severity of the accident.

Body repair technology involves a combination of innovative tools and materials with the direct work of the master. Even the presence of robotic equipment cannot displace human participation from work. And in some cases (the most difficult), regardless of the presence modern technology, each stage of work must be carried out exclusively by hand, since the slightest deviation from the technology threatens with serious consequences for the machine.

Auto body repair technology

The usual procedure for body repair of any vehicle is based on the following steps:

• After the car is accepted by the body repair company, the master draws up a defect list. Determined complete list required work, cost and deadline.
• The technology of car body repair is based on the most accurate restoration of the original shape of the body and all its parts. This assumes the use of a minimum layer of putty: every self-respecting specialist will try to bring the body to perfection through the use of a spotter, spot welding and so on.
• After the surface is leveled, priming is carried out. Applying a primer prevents the new paint from peeling off the putty.
• Required condition when carrying out body repairs (or) - do not damage the nearest body elements. Be sure that the part of the car that will not be subjected to the intervention of the master must be sealed with protective materials.
• Before painting the body, the specialist must once again check whether there are any defects on the surface. Even one speck of dust can spoil the impression of the work carried out. In addition, you will need to dismantle everything in the body additional elements- moldings, handles, headlights, etc.
• It must be carried out exclusively in the spray booth. The master must select the appropriate paint color so that the new area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe body after repair exactly matches the color of the factory coating. A special solvent is used to completely merge the boundaries of the two zones. Painting is carried out in several layers, then two or three layers of varnish are applied to fix final result.
• And at the end of the work, the master carries out the installation of the previously removed body elements.

As you can see, the work to restore the original shape of the body takes a lot of time. The usual period of work is from 3 days to 2 weeks.

New body repair technologies

Today, the automotive industry is developing more and more actively. In this regard, the methodology of body repair must keep pace with all the nuances in the structure of the body, which are used by modern automakers. New body repair technologies are designed to facilitate the work of specialists and at the same time simplify it and make it as cheap as possible.

For example, today we can consider such types of body repair as paintless dent removal (PDR), vacuum suction or coating bumpers with liquid rubber as the most modern types of body repair. Each of these methods is based on exclusively new methods of conducting different types body repair. All new methods come to Russian auto repair from the USA or European countries. Complementing foreign technologies, Russian specialists achieve new, improved results in the field of body repair.

Needless to say, new body repair technologies are first of all becoming available to large, reputable companies. This is explained both by the cost of the new tool and the ability to send a specialist for appropriate training.

The body is the main element of the car, providing it good work. This component has a complex design, and is periodically subjected to high loads. As a result, problems arise that require intervention. Body repair allows you to repair damage and restore the working condition of the car.

The reasons for the repair are two factors:

• technical;
• human.

The most common manifestation of the first factor is wear and tear. Most of the damage to the body receives as a result of a natural process. This component has an operational period, after which the strength indicators decrease and it becomes vulnerable. The most common cause of wear is corrosion.

Sometimes the cause of problems with the body is non-compliance with the rules for storing a car, or improper use. These actions are related to the human factor. Also included in this category are:

• design flaws made by the manufacturer;
• failures of defects that occur during the assembly of the machine;
• damage due to low-quality repairs.

The human factor includes road accidents. More than 50% of accidents are accompanied by damage to the body of the car.

General body faults:

• operational;
• constructive;
• technological.

Damage to the body includes violations of the original state of the element, from minor scratches to large dents or creases.

The organization of the technological process of work on the restoration of the car begins with diagnostics.

Diagnostics determines the presence of all faults, their features and nature. This makes it easier to choose a method of body repair. Diagnostics is performed in three stages:

1. The paintwork of the machine is inspected for defects.
2. An assessment of the geometry of the body is given - in the presence of irregularities, inspection without special equipment is sufficient.
3. A quality assessment is carried out to determine the condition of the welds and fasteners. This task requires attention and experience, since the main load is distributed to these elements.

After the faults are identified, a repair plan is drawn up.

What is body repair

Body repair is a complex of technological actions aimed at restoring the body. The basis of this process involves the elimination of damage of any nature.

There are two types of body repair:

• full - applied when repairing damage big size. Most often it is used for restoration. passenger car after the crash;
• local - used when scratches, chips and other minor damage are detected.

The technology of car body repair depends on the level of faults. At a high level using full recovery required special equipment.

External repair

This type of body restoration can be done at home. Repair of a local type does not require labor-intensive actions, and is used when eliminating minor damage. Body repairs include:

• scratches and chips;
• small dents;
• early stage of metal rust.

External body repair is carried out using:

• a standard set of tools for body repair;
• polishes;
• paints.

External repair cannot eliminate the overall damage to the elements. Additionally, airbrush tools and fiberglass processing may be required.

Overhaul

Restoration of the body in a capital way in most cases cannot be done independently. For its implementation, it is necessary to have professional equipment and special skills. This type restoration work involves dismantling the car. Its purpose is to detect all defects and small damage. When performing restoration, even minor elements are removed.

To detect hidden defects, the contact welding zones are drilled out.

Welding work is carried out upon detection of:

• parts corrosion;
• cracks in the body structure;
• deep deformation of parts.

Major overhaul is not complete without replacement damaged items designs.

Align geometry

The main tool used to restore the car body is a slipway. This tool is built with high strength, sufficient for power work. The main action in alignment is hauling. It involves the use of a system of fasteners that act on the points of the structure, under pressure on which body part takes on its original form. This task involves high level difficulties that are difficult to cope with in the absence of experience.

With the help of a slipway installation, the measurements necessary for accurate repair work are provided. Alignment of geometry is carried out in stages:

1. Fix vehicle on the slipway platform.
2. After calculating the points on the machines, a snap is attached to them.
3. Start the stacker.

After starting, the slipway and equipment automatically pull out damage in the desired shape. The equipment involves the use of a computer program that calculates required level efforts and indicator of measurement of a rack.

The advantage of the stack installation is that it does not violate the quality of the metal in the areas of faults when they are eliminated.

Dent removal

Do-it-yourself body repair of car dents is carried out in three ways:

1. With glue. Straightening or editing is performed using the Pops-a-Dent set. It includes a thermal gun, silicone glue, special rods. After applying the glue and fastening the rods, it is necessary to wait for solidification. Then carefully pull out the dents along with the rods.
2. Using a vacuum. The main special tool is a vacuum suction cup. It is attached to the surface of the dent, creating a vacuum. After that, the dent can be pulled out without risk of damaging the surface of the coating. Vacuum suction cups are a paintless way to remove dents.
3. By PDR technologies. With the help of special levers that are inserted through technological holes car, you can get to large dents and eliminate them by extrusion.

Patching and welding

If the standard local body repair did not help, patches are used. They are used to seal holes in the body of a car. The patch also allows you to repair through rust, if the diameter of the hole does not exceed 8-10 centimeters. Otherwise, the part is completely replaced.

Before fixing the patch, the edges of the hole are processed. The patch itself must have a diameter greater than the size of the damage (welded with an overlap). For its manufacture is used thin metal. A continuous seam is used for fastening. It is recommended to use semi-automatic welding machines.

Elimination of scratches and chips

Scratches and chips are removed with the help of minor body repairs. It involves the use of painting and polishing. Additionally, a primer can be applied. The surface is sanded, then a protective coating is applied. New technologies provide polishing, after which scuffs will not be visible. Cosmetic type of repair is easily performed at home.

The paint must be the color of the body finish. Otherwise, the surface of the machine will look unpresentable.

Painting and polishing

For painting in accordance with the technology of car repair, you need to use only substances designed to cover the surface of the car. In some cases, several stages of coloring are required. After body repair and painting, the surface is thoroughly washed.

The painted machine is being polished. Grinding is carried out using soft abrasives only after the paint has completely dried.

If the damage to the car body is minor, then there is no need to carry out a major restoration. In this case, local body repair will be exactly the operation that will come in handy. Many people call this type of repair even akin to prevention, because seemingly minor scratches that are successfully eliminated in the process of partial repair can further destroy the body. We learn more about this type of repair, we will study the features of its implementation.

Advantages and features of the

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It is noteworthy that the modern technology of carrying out partial repairs of the car body allows you to eliminate fresh scuffs, scratches and chips in just a few hours. In this case, it will not be necessary to carry out a complete repainting of the body or its parts, it will not be necessary to dismantle anything, thereby without violating the factory assembly. Of course, all this speaks of the great advantages of this type of body repair.

One of the most important tasks that local body repair solves is the exact selection of color. Thanks to advanced technologies it is possible to select a paint similar to any composition used in the modern automotive industry.

In addition, special compositions such as putty, enamels, varnishes and so on are actively involved in local body repair. At the same time, the components of these compositions, intended exclusively for repair, are selected in such a way that a multilayer and durable polymer structure is formed at the site of the defect. The more ideally it "grows" into the layer of the original paintwork, the better the composition is considered, which often even surpasses others in strength. useful properties conveyor paint.

Once again, we remind the reader that the difference between the local type of car repair is that it is carried out only on the part of the body with a defect, where there is a scratch or dent. The rest of the paintwork surface remains intact, which allows you to spend on this species repairs are much less time and effort.

There is also no need to carry out complex techniques and methods with this type of restoration, including the mandatory use of welding, straightening, replacement, and so on.

Do-it-yourself body repair instructions

The car body is the most expensive part of it. Often the body is called the base, skeleton, frame. Indeed, it is impossible to imagine a workable car with a weak, destroyed body. Only a durable and high-quality car frame can guarantee safe movement driver and passengers, be responsible for comfort and much more.

As a result of an accident and even minor collisions, the body still experiences enormous loads, undergoing noticeable or imperceptible physical deformation. In order to "cure" him, in fact, they are carried out various ways repair.

Today there is no shortage in the choice of services involved in body repair. However, the Russian does not always have enough funds to order services. We have to somehow get out, doing the work with our own hands, thereby reducing the cost of restoration work.

Video on how local repairs are carried out in the service

Let's say right away that local repairs will not present any special difficulties, even for a beginner. On the other hand, one must skillfully treat work, starting the process with preparatory phase– damage assessment. IN this case it is advisable to contact a specialist who will competently assess the condition of the damage and indicate what type of repair is preferable to carry out.

So, if the situation is limited to partial renovation, then the owner can get down to business on their own.

Through local repair it is possible to eliminate chips, scratches (not deeply entered into the paintwork), dents, initial traces of corrosion, etc.

Scratches and chips are best removed with a special type of pencil - auto pencils. This is done in conjunction with polishes. These stages of work do not require special skills and knowledge, they will not take much time, since you do not have to disassemble anything, but only clearly follow the procedure.

The elimination of the notch on the body will depend directly on the depth of the damage. If it is insignificant, then it will be enough to press on the dent from the wrong side. Of course, you first need to be able to provide access to the opposite side by dismantling part of the upholstery.

If the dent is of medium depth, straightening tools are used. In this case, a mallet with a rubber striker and an anvil covered with a couple of layers of soft cloth to prevent damage to the paint. Then the part is carefully processed from the inside, starting from the center of the notch, and little by little moving to the edges.

Note. Carrying out all these works, we must remember that the impact force must be correctly adjusted. Otherwise, the part can be so damaged that one can only dream of returning to its original form.

Deep dents are removed in the same way, with the only difference being that at the end it will be necessary to remove the traces of chips. For this purpose, the surface, already straightened before, is carefully treated with epoxy enamel, then sanded and painted.

Modern dent removal technology implies another effective way to eliminate dents. The surface of the metal body in the place where it is damaged is exposed to high temperatures. Then this place is sharply cooled, which leads to instant straightening. Of course, this method is the lot of professional auto repair shops, where a trained specialist monitors the heating / cooling process. Nevertheless, this work can be done at home, using a gas burner and ice water. At correct work the part will immediately stretch out, having received its original shape.

Primary traces of corrosion are eliminated for the purpose of prevention. If the situation is running, then only welding will help, but that's another story.

So, local repair of rusty zones involves the use of various transforming compounds that effectively fight corrosion. Such mixtures convert rust, have a chemical effect on it. In the future, LKP protection is applied to the treated surface.

Varieties of local body repair

As a rule, in service stations it is customary to classify local repairs by technology. The simplest technique, better than others that have proven themselves, is PDR. This technology involves work that does not include straightening or painting. PDR is recommended in cases where there is no danger of corrosion development, and the paintwork has not been damaged, although the body has lost its presentable appearance. Special suction cups, auto-pencils are popular PDR tools.

Polishes and pencils are also used if the paintwork is slightly damaged. 2-3 layers of a special composition on a metal surface - that's it, the body is like new.

Advice. great way check whether the body needs local repairs. You have to run your finger across the scratch. In the case of a distinct probing, restoration is necessary.

LR with painting is the next kind of technology. In this case, various tools are used, up to the welding machine.

You can learn more about the nuances of local repairs from video and photo materials. It will be useful to read other publications and instructions on our site for body repair.

Body damage not only spoils appearance « iron horse”, each of them becomes a potential source of corrosion and, over time, reduces the strength of the body.
For this reason, they are performed immediately after damage is detected. If you are planning to do the restoration of the car yourself - this article is for you. In it, we will consider the basics of body repair, a technique for diagnosing a car. To carry out complex work, therefore, a small bodywork will be covered in more detail: the materials and tools used, in what sequence they are performed.
Car damage inspection

Briefly about damage

Damage to the car body is conditionally divided into emergency (non-operational) and operational. Accidents occur mainly as a result of an accident. The dimensions of non-operational damage vary: from a deep dent or rupture of the body metal to surface scratch. Most often in an accident, the front part of the body is damaged, in second place is the rear part.

Vehicle damage is caused by a variety of factors. The most common cause is corrosion of the body metal. temperature fluctuations, humidity, chemical compounds, which treat roads from ice, UV radiation, crushed stone and gravel, oil products and even industrial air pollution - all these factors cause damage to the paintwork, the development of oxidative processes and the appearance of rust. Moreover, corrosion often occurs in areas of the body where it is difficult to immediately detect it: closed sinuses, pockets, welds, etc. Due to corrosion, the metal oxidizes, rust appears on the surface, the strength of body parts decreases, and the paintwork peels off.

Often, operational damage occurs as a result of loads on the body during the operation of the car: from vibrations of the engine and running gear, road irregularities, and the cargo being transported. Metal fatigue leads to deformations and cracks.

Deformation of the body of the car in the rear

Another factor in the appearance of damage is the negligence of the driver. A blow to the curb when the doors are carelessly opened, or dents due to careless exit from the garage leave marks on the paintwork.

Repair types

There are three types of car body repairs:

• Complicated bodywork, which is carried out with deep dents, metal breaks and body deformations. Such works include editing, restoration of geometry, straightening of dents of large and medium sizes. To perform these works, you need special equipment and relevant experience from the performer. If you do not have the necessary skills, entrust such body work to the masters of the service station.
• Local or minor body repairs include scratches, shallow dents and corrosive areas.
• Painting and polishing - a complex of works to restore the paintwork of the car. They are carried out after the completion of most repairs.

Small body repairs and do-it-yourself painting are within the power of an ordinary car owner, they can be done independently.

Diagnostics of the state of the body

Before performing minor body repairs with your own hands, carefully inspect the body and assess its condition. Diagnostics is carried out in several stages.

Diagnostics of the condition and damage of the machine

The first stage is an assessment of the condition of the paintwork. Carefully inspect the car for chips or scratches on the surface, also pay attention to the uniformity of color, the presence of streaks or spots. It is better to inspect a car not indoors, but in sunlight, since in such lighting surface defects are clearly manifested.

The second stage is checking the geometry of the body. Large distortions are visible even to the naked eye. To detect small deformations in car services, special equipment is used that is not available to an ordinary car enthusiast. But according to some signs, a violation of the geometry of the body is also found in a garage. First measure or visually evaluate the symmetrical gaps on each side of the body - they should be the same. Distortions are evidenced by trunk lids, hood and. The trunk and hood should open and close with the same effort on each side, and the gaps between the body and the covers should be the same on the right and left. The same applies to the right and left salon doors.

Checking the geometry of the car body

The third stage - verification welds and fasteners. These places are under increased stress during operation. Vibrations during vehicle movement cause cracks and corrosion at the welded joints, so carefully inspect the paintwork in these areas.

Body repair

If dents, chips, traces of corrosion or small cracks are found during the inspection, feel free to start car body repair with your own hands.

certain list Supplies and there are no tools for repairs, since each damage requires an individual approach. Consider the most common:

1. There are several techniques for eliminating unevenness, the most popular is leveling with polymer resin and fiberglass.
2. Before starting work, the paint and varnish coating is removed from the place of damage. To do this, use sandpaper with varying degrees grit or "grinder" with special nozzles.
3. After the defect is eliminated, the repaired surface is in most cases painted. To paint, prepare putty, primer, paint and varnish, as well as tools for working with these materials: spatulas and an airbrush.
4. In the process of minor repairs, you will need a degreaser (white spirit, acetone, alcohol) and napkins or rags to apply it.

Do-it-yourself scratch removal

Performing minor repairs

Auto body repair and painting are often done together. Therefore, the execution of the work can be conditionally divided into the following stages:

• Car preparation.
• Elimination of irregularities or corrosion.
• Painting and polishing.

Preparation

Do-it-yourself body repair begins with cleaning the surface of the car. To do this, the car is washed with a special tool and dried. This procedure will protect the work area from dust and will allow you to accurately assess the extent and nature of damage.

In order to do body repairs yourself, the paintwork is removed from the damage area to the metal. This can be done with sandpaper or a grinder with special attachments. Before starting repair work, the surface is once again cleaned of dust and degreased.

Repair work

Caused by surface irregularities or corrosion. Body repair technology differs depending on the reasons for its implementation.

Quick repair of minor damage to the body allows you to eliminate shallow dents and chips. If the paintwork of the car is not damaged, when eliminating minor irregularities, use special tools: clamps, stocks and others. These tools are multifunctional, for example, a do-it-yourself bodywork clamp will allow you to perform a number of works: pulling, straightening and straightening.

Troubleshooting vehicle body problems

For medium sized dents or through holes, you will need fiberglass and polyurethane or epoxy. A patch of the desired size is cut out of fiberglass, applied to the site of damage and resin is applied on top. The polymer hardens quickly, so it is prepared in small portions and used immediately. On top of each layer of resin impose the next patch. The procedure is repeated until the surface is leveled. After the polymer layer, the surface is sanded with sandpaper and prepared for painting.

Advice! To eliminate damage to the body, an aluminum mesh for body repair is also used. It is used in the same way as fiberglass: patches of the appropriate size are cut out and each layer is coated with a putty solution.

Do-it-yourself body repair, which was caused by corrosion, includes mandatory cleaning of rust and surface treatment with an anti-corrosion compound. The rust layer is removed with a metal brush, sandpaper, grinder or special chemical compounds.

Bodies made of aluminum have a lot of advantages: they are resistant to corrosion, lightweight and have a long service life. But the repair aluminum body often creates problems for motorists. For repairs, the same tools are used as for steel parts, but the technology for working with this soft metal has its own characteristics. In addition, aluminum parts can only be welded with argon, so in some cases it is cheaper to replace them than to repair them.

Painting and polishing

Service station workers use new technologies for body repair, in which the paintwork is not damaged. And do-it-yourself body work is often accompanied by painting and polishing the damage site. Painting that completes minor repairs to a car is usually done using a transition or "spot" method. With this method of staining, the border between old and new paintwork blurred and not conspicuous.

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If after staining there are no surface defects at the site of damage, redecorating: a car body polish is applied to a napkin and the product is rubbed in a circular motion.