DIY body repair

The body of a modern car is a complex structure that performs many important functions. Its renovation is the other side of the coin of importance and functionality. It is complex and time consuming.

Conditionally body repair can be divided into two stages. The first is the restoration of the body geometry, the elimination of dents, the replacement of irreparable elements. The second is body painting.

Particular attention should be paid to restoring the geometry and rigidity of the hidden underbody. It is these elements that are responsible for the safety and driving characteristics of the vehicle. All suspension elements are attached to it.

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It is difficult to connect body elements by electronic welding, but real. Moreover, the quality of such a connection is very low.

If the metal is not allowed to cool during welding, then the body may move, which will have to be additionally putty. Moreover, such defects cannot always be corrected with putty.

The first step is to replace the doors, then the fenders and sills are exposed. This is the only way to avoid the formation of gaps.

This often happens if one body part is painted without a smooth transition to another. Even if the paint is matched exactly to the original, the old paint on the body has a change in hue, which is associated with fading in the sun and other environmental factors.

They appear with poor-quality car putty and its insufficient drying. Usually they appear after repairs, when the car is in the sun. Usually it is necessary to re-polish the putty after that.

This is the relief of the applied paint. After painting, there is usually shagreen on the body, but it is removed by polishing. But there is one that cannot be removed by polishing. Usually the defect occurs when the paint is not applied correctly, at high temperatures in the chamber, or viscous paint.

Usually occurs if the car is not painted in a special chamber. But when painting in a dirty chamber, it also has a place to be.

Deepenings from the penetration of silicone, which had to be cut off with a special knife.

Appears if you work with a grinder at high speed or grind the same place for too long, not allowing the varnish to cool.

If the welds are poorly cleaned and primed, then rust can appear in these places, which manifests itself through the paintwork.

By doing car body repair in particular, welding work, then for welding work you need to use a semiautomatic device or argon welding. With the help of such welding, metal up to 1 mm thick is cooked and the possibility of burning through the body elements is excluded.

Body damage can be light, medium, or severe. Straightening usually does not require special skills and, using professional tools and materials, everyone will be able to do it. Only certain difficulties and the need for skills can arise during straightening work after medium to complex damage to the body.

You need to paint the car with fresh paint. The primer will help you identify irregularities and putty them with a finishing filler. It is possible to paint only after the putty and primer are completely dry.

Use a special spray gun for painting. The paint should dry in the special conditions of the camera without direct sunlight. Polishing is permissible only after the paintwork is completely dry.

Timely body repair and, if necessary, painting the car can significantly extend the life of the vehicle. After all, the body is the most expensive element of the car, so the owner must periodically inspect not only the upper and side parts of the car, but also look under the bottom and under the hood.

The sooner the car owner discovers body problems and proceeds to solve them, the cheaper it costs him to repair. The most harmless chip reveals the metal, which becomes defenseless against corrosion. And now, after a year, rust destroys the integrity of the metal element, forming a through hole.

In modern cars, manufacturers use different materials in the manufacture of body parts. The most popular materials are:

Accordingly, when operating a car, each of them has certain problems that can be classified into several groups:

Car body repair requires not only a lot of tools, special devices, but also good skills in each type of work. A rare master bodyworker can boast of high qualifications in welding, straightening, filling and painting at the same time.

All body repairs can be divided into the following types:

Eliminating minor damage to the body can be repaired not only in the workshop, but also in your garage. Especially when the owner of the car is concerned about preventing corrosive processes.

The negative impact of scratches, chips and other minor damage to the protective paint layer can be leveled with your own hands. This will require materials such as:

• sandpaper,
• putty,
• solvent 646,
• primer and paint.

The motorist needs to be patient and not rush things. Fresh damage is enough to clean from dust and dirt, and then wipe with a cloth soaked in solvent. After the surface has dried, a layer of primer is applied using a thin brush or foam pad. And after the primer has completely dried, paint is applied. If the paint is well matched, then the painted over scratch or chip will not stand out.

The appearance of traces of corrosion requires preliminary mechanical treatment. Sandpaper is suitable for this, or even better, sandblasting. The fine nozzle of a sandblasting gun allows you to clean surfaces of any surface and shape. The cleaned metal is degreased with a solvent, and then the repair area is leveled with a putty. Grinding should be done after the material has completely hardened.

It is not always possible to level the surface in one layer. Therefore, the putty can be reapplied after sanding and degreasing. As soon as the condition of the repair site satisfies the master, it remains to perform priming and painting.

Most car manufacturers treat the underside of the car with special mastics. They are able to successfully fight corrosion for more than a dozen years (see how better to process the bottom). It is important that the integrity of the protective layer is not compromised.

However, when driving on country roads, meadows and forest roads, the underbody of the vehicle can be damaged. And if you do not protect the bare metal in a timely manner, then a year later, through holes will appear in the floor of the machine. It is not difficult to repair the protective layer of the bottom, but it is not very convenient. Be sure to use goggles or protective masks to protect your eyes from abrasive and paint material.

In addition to sandpaper, solvent and primer, it is necessary to additionally purchase bitumen mastic.

The damaged areas of the bottom are cleaned of dirt and rust. After that, residues of dust and greasy stains are removed with the help of a solvent. The metal is first primed, and after drying it is treated with mastic.

In every car body there are many places where it is not possible for a motorist to get there.Among them, the most vulnerable are:

• the inner surfaces of the side members,
• niches for doors and trunk lids,
• thresholds.

To prevent the formation of foci of corrosion, you should do a preventive treatment with a protective agent such as "Movil". It is best to use a compressor and a gun with a special nozzle. The spray gun has an elongated “barrel” with a nozzle through which a protective material is sprayed inside the niche of the body element. In some cases, you can use traditional grease fittings and automotive syringes.

Before processing, thick mastic is diluted in a suitable solvent or heated in a water bath. When using protective components in cylinders, you just need to shake its contents and use the appropriate nozzle. Read more and watch a video about car anti-corrosion treatment.

New technologies are currently being used to deal with dents. They allow you to level the surface of the body element without resorting to filling and painting (see detailed material on removing dents without painting). Such restoration is possible only when the paint and varnish layer is intact. In the presence of chips and delamination in the dent, you will have to resort to traditional operations.

And so, first of all, it is necessary to try to reduce the depth and area of ​​the concave section. For this purpose, a metered force must be applied on the inside of the body element using a suitable tool. This can be a pry bar, screwdriver, hammer handle, etc. To avoid scratching the body from the inside, use rubber tips. A piece of rubber is attached to the tool with electrical tape or a piece of string.

When it is possible to even out the concavity as much as possible, you should proceed to surface cleaning, filling, priming and painting.

When a car body needs complex repairs, you will inevitably have to turn to professionals. Indeed, in addition to special skills, overhaul of the body requires specific equipment and devices.

Often, welding is not complete to solve body problems. And if you can make a patch on a spar even with a home-made welding machine, then on thin body elements, work must be done with a semiautomatic device in an environment of carbon dioxide.

Correction of the configuration of some body parts is possible if there is a slipway in the garage. The use of a hammer, sledgehammer and crowbar will not allow you to accurately restore the geometry of the body, and subsequently this will cause increased wear of tires and suspension parts.

There are a number of factors to consider before choosing a body repair method. Motorists can fix minor damage to the body with their own hands. If overhaul of the body is required, as well as when the motorist puts forward high demands on the appearance of his beloved car, it is better to turn to trusted bodywork masters.

An article about the main types of car body work - tools, work procedure, tips and tricks. At the end of the article - a video about an important secret of body repair.

Finding a problem quickly affects both the speed of its implementation and significant savings in money. The slightest scratch or harmless chip makes the body metal defenseless against corrosion, which can destroy the integrity of the surface for a year.

Fault categories:

• mechanical;
• corrosive;
• destruction of the anti-corrosion surface.

Mechanical damage occurs as a result of accidents and driving on country roads. The complexity of the repair depends on the degree of the received malfunctions. Of course, if the vehicle is not easier to sell for parts.

As a result of car accidents, the geometric parameters of the car are violated, the return of which to the original factory state is carried out by service stations, service centers and auto repair shops.Moreover, damaged elements can be replaced if they cannot be restored.

The restoration of car body elements is divided into two main categories: local (minor) and complex (major).
There are also subcategories. For example, external repairs and works of medium complexity. The first involves the application of paint and varnish coatings (LCP) and the performance of airbrushing, and in the second case, restoration work with the possibility of replacing individual parts.

Body reconstruction cannot always be done by hand, since extensive damage requires diagnostics and specialized tools.

Types of body repair:

Restoration of geometry. Returning the geometric parameters of the body to the factory ones. If necessary, parts are replaced using metal cutting and welding.

Paintwork. Body painting is carried out after repair and processing.

Selective (local) painting. Damaged or replaced parts are painted. At the same time, careful attention is paid to the shades of the paint, so that color imbalance does not arise.

Abrasive polishing. It is used if the paintwork has damage in the form of shallow scratches and non-critical defects. Abrasive pastes of various grain sizes are used. Read the article - Do-it-yourself car polishing.

Local anti-corrosion work. The affected parts are cleaned to the metal surface. For these purposes, rust converters are used.

Alignment of dents without damaging the paintwork. Removal of problem areas is carried out using the “Dellen ohne Lackieren” technology, which does not require painting. Read the article - How to fix a dent without painting.

Front and rear bumper restoration.

Restoration of thresholds. The work involves the restoration of places for the jack.

Work on the slipway. A device designed to restore the body shape after accidents.

Straightening.

Specialized equipment and adherence to process technology are the main factors in performing quality body restoration work.

In order to save time and money, non-critical damage to the surface of the vehicle body can be eliminated by hand. First of all, this is due to the prevention of corrosion.

Before starting work, you should stock up on the necessary materials:

• primer and paint;
• sandpaper;
• solvent;
• putty.

If the damage is fresh, then it will be sufficient to clean it of dirt and dust, and then wipe it with a cloth soaked in solvent. The dried surface is primed with a thin brush or foam sponge.
After the primer has dried, paint is applied - by spraying or with a brush. If the shade is correct, then the restored area will not stand out on the surface of the body.

Puttying (if necessary) is carried out in several layers. In this case, each layer is sanded and degreased. The final step is to apply a primer and paint the surface.

Manufacturers treat most car undersides with special mastics that can fight corrosion for many years. The effectiveness of mastics is reduced to zero if the integrity of the protective layer is violated.

Driving on roads of poor quality (country roads, forest roads, with potholes on asphalt surfaces, etc.) leads to damage to the vehicle bottoms. In this case, it is necessary to timely protect the exposed metal, since under the influence of corrosion in the floor of the car, additional (unwanted) sources of ventilation will appear in a year.

Restoring the protective layer of the bottom of a car can be done by hand. This is a simple process, but inconvenient. It is imperative that you have eye protection - a mask or glasses.

Materials for repair work are:

• sandpaper;
• solvent;
• primer;
• bituminous mastic.

First, dirt and rust are removed from the damaged areas of the bottom. Then a solvent is applied to remove the remaining dirt. Problem areas are primed and, after drying, are treated with mastic.

When the dent has an open character (chips, delamination), then with the right approach, you can do without the help of professionals.

First you need to level the damaged surface. Using a suitable tool (screwdriver, pry bar, hammer handle), a metered force is applied to the inside of the body part. Use rubber tips to avoid scratches.

Sanding, filling, priming and painting are performed after the work surface has been leveled as much as possible.

A car frame is, first of all, a metal that can properly serve for more than a dozen years, but it is defenseless against corrosion. There are enough hard-to-reach places inside the car, but the following are considered the most vulnerable:

• niches for doors and trunk lids;
• thresholds;
• spars.

In preventive measures, anti-corrosion agents are used - "Movil" or the like. When using thick mastic, it is necessary to dilute it with a solvent. If cans with protective components are used, then it is enough to choose a suitable nozzle.

Anti-corrosion treatment is carried out without disassembling the body parts. For its exact implementation, it is necessary to refer to the vehicle maintenance manual, which usually contains a diagram for carrying out anti-corrosion work in hidden cavities and ways of accessing them.

When the body structure is critically damaged or a complete replacement of parts is required, a major overhaul is performed. Similar procedures are required after car accidents or natural disasters.

At the same time, self-alignment of the body geometry and further repairs are impossible without specialized tools and suitable conditions. It is in such cases that an appeal to specialists is relevant.

Equipment required for body reconstruction in service centers:

• lift;
• slipway (used when restoring the geometric parameters of an automobile body using high-tech electronic measuring systems);
• welding machine;
• jack;
• spotter (for straightening);
• pneumatic tool;
• locksmith's tool;
• inventory for carrying out tin works.

Also used are racks, chains, grips, workbench, anvils and other means for carrying out repair work.

This method of removing irregularities on the surface of body elements has now gained high popularity. Such methods are to the liking of any car owner, since during the operation of the vehicle, “offensive” defects often appear on the surface of body parts. Such damage can result from the intentional or unintentional impact of hands and feet, hail, unsuccessful parking and other factors.

The main advantage of such a restoration is the high quality of the work performed.

The Soviet auto industry is not suitable for such repairs due to the soft body coating. It is better not to do such a restoration with your own hands, since it is almost impossible to get rid of dents without violating the paintwork without proper skill and the availability of the necessary tools.

For convenience, the bumper is usually removed and the composition of the element is determined.

Work progress:

• irregularities are removed by heating;
• chipped scratches are putty and sanded;
• for faults, heat sealing is used;
• the product is painted using standard methods.

There are two types of polishing - protective and abrasive. The first is to apply wax-containing components to the surface of the body, and the second is to apply abrasive pastes to the paintwork, previously cleaned from a thin layer of factory paint.
In both cases, polishing serves to eliminate minor scratches on the body elements and brings the car's appearance to the factory condition.

When carrying out straightening repairs, anvils of the corresponding configuration are used. Due to the change in the physical properties of the metal, when working with it, it is necessary to have not only special hammers, but also the correct "impact arrangement" - weak but frequent blows. If the working surface of the product has folds, then the restoration begins with them, with a movement towards the center of the defect. In this case, it is necessary to check the restored metal by touch after several blows in a row.

Vehicle body repair can be done by hand if:

• damage is not a critical level;
• the necessary inventory and means for recovery are present;
• the owner has the right skills.

When it comes to complex repairs or the car owner has excessive requirements, as well as in the absence of places for restoration (garage, adjoining territory, etc.), you should contact specialized repair centers.

Corrosion is the main enemy of a car and its owner. Rust can kill a car of any manufacturer. The first anti-corrosion treatment must be carried out in service centers. Moreover, in Russian conditions, this is mandatory even in those cases when the car has just left the factory assembly line.

With the proper approach and careful attitude, the car can serve its owner for more than a dozen years.

Video about the secret of body repair: