DIY fiberglass arches repair

In detail: do-it-yourself repair of arches with fiberglass from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

The use of fiberglass for body repair allows you to minimize the cost of car restoration. 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 localized damage to non-bearing body parts.

Body through holes 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.

The damaged surface of the body is thoroughly cleaned of paint, rust, dirt. The shape and size of the processing area depends on the nature of the damage, around which the metal is stripped to a width of 60 mm. The work site can be slightly upset inward. Due to this, the repair pad will slightly protrude above the front surface. Then the bare metal is skinned and degreased. They are treated with zinc or anticorrosive according to the instructions. A primer is applied on top.

From fiberglass, in the shape of a hole, 3 - 4 overlays 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. A resin-based adhesive is prepared.

A layer of resin is applied to the prepared surface of the body with a brush, the first, smallest piece of fiberglass is applied on top. Roll it up 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 adhere to the metal of the body, it is "nailed" with an end brush. Then the resin is applied to the first layer of fiberglass, the next piece of fiberglass is applied, which is rolled and, if necessary, "nailed". This is how all the layers are set.

Another installation method is fiberglass patches are impregnated with resin and applied to the repair site. The edges of the hole are pre-treated with adhesive. In the process of work, care should be taken that the first layer of fabric overlaps the through damage and each subsequent layer overlaps the previous one from each edge by the provided allowance (20 or 15 mm). When the resin sets and dries, the resulting surface is processed with a file and then sandpaper. If, at the end of the work, small shells, indentations, irregularities remain, then they are sealed with putty.

When repairing large holes, a hard 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:

Video (click to play).

floor mastic;
a solution of paraffin with turpentine;
polystyrene in acetone.

The applied release will allow the liner to be easily peeled from the resin once the repair is complete.

When repairing body parts with poor access from the inside (a rusted wing fragment, for example), a hard lining must not be used.Once the resin has set, it will be impossible to remove the sheet of plywood or sheet metal. Therefore, the space under the damaged area is tightly filled with newsprint, making it similar to the original shape of the surface being repaired. Upon completion of the work, the newspaper is removed.

If resin or glass cloth gets into the eyes or on exposed areas of the body, it can cause irritation, eczema of the skin. The penetration of fiberglass particles into the respiratory tract is also highly undesirable. Therefore, during repairs, it is required to use goggles, a respirator, and rubber gloves.

Resin on the skin is immediately removed with a clean cloth. Then the affected area is thoroughly washed with soap. Lubricate with a protective cream.

I have no holes outside. In general, the condition of the outer part of the arch is still good. But the inner part of the arch is worse. And so I want to cut off only the inner part of the arch with a grinder. You can retreat from the lumps by 3-4 cm. Thus, I will get access to the surface, which is now the source of constantly crawling out rust. those. just remove the remnants of the sealant. So what is next . I don't want to cook something. and there is no metal. I think I can use fiberglass and epoxy to connect the inner and outer parts of the arch back together. This will at least keep my appearance.

But here's the main question: will such rigidity be enough for the body? Is it possible in this place to change the metal to fiberglass + epoxy, or is it necessary to change the metal to metal?

Glass fabrics have one coefficient of expansion for metal, they split in winter, moisture gets in and an accelerated process of eating your car by langoliers will take place.

Fat, fatty, fat, etc. once again greasy, cut off the oxygen supply. and nothing else will save the Dorset dad from annihilation.

Fiberglass has one coefficient of expansion for metal, it will separate in winter.

Do you know this from your own experience or are you just fantasizing?

Thanks for the idea anyway. I read about plasticizers.

In the sense that Epoxy will flow. Maybe there is some way to apply it?

O! here please do not worry! ))) I've already rehearsed everything on the front wing. molded the lower part in the area of the mudguard, which has already been completely lost. Spread the resin on the metal with a brush. Apply a strip of fiberglass with one edge. grease the resin on top again and saturate the fabric. and glue the other edge of the fabric to another solid support. Then with a brush we “stretch” the already stuck edges of the piece of fabric so that the middle “hanging” part of the fabric takes the position or profile we need. We don't touch anything else. waiting for drying. Thus, we get the surface we need, which then only needs to be made thicker at the expense of other layers of fabric and resin. For 2-3 additional applications of fabric layers, a final surface with a thickness of 2-3 mm is obtained. Cut off the protruding pieces. we finally level the surface already for painting. If I don’t forget. I will show a photo of the front wing.

With plasticizers, you might think. I also puzzle over how to seal up the space.

And I have already read about this. It turns out that many resins that are packaged for auto repair already contain some kind of plasticizer. It is necessary to read carefully on the bank. maybe this information is already there.

Adhesion of epoxy to metal + fiberglass, there won't be any problems, that's for sure!

You see now . there was a hint about winter. you need to think about that too. although people with large pieces of "stucco" skate and do not seem to express problems.

In this case, I am also reassured by the fact that all this, if something happens, can be altered with hardware. Stupidly on the DV bought the rear wing. and then it's a matter of technology. But here I, as usual, have subtleties))) a 3-door body. here are 5-doors even a dime a dozen. and with 3-doors the situation is worse. So we still have to come up with a way to solve problems without a donor.

Repaired fenders and hoods on American trucks with fiberglass and polyester. They are also made of fiberglass. They have been walking for 3-4 years and nothing falls off. It is advisable to drill the edge of the metal so that the resin flows into the holes, forming the semblance of rivets and sculpt glass cloth on both sides of the metal. In specialized stores, glass mat is sold, which, when wetted with polyester, becomes soft and easy to shape. The price tag for resin and fabric there is an order of magnitude less than in car dealerships. The resin must be taken moisture resistant.

It is advisable to drill the edge of the metal

Hopefully it will be done with a coarse sandpaper. for example the 80th. And I will apply the top layer of fabric 4-5 mm further than the previous layer. Hopefully this will give me additional structural strength.

Repaired fenders and hoods on American trucks with fiberglass and polyester. They are also made of fiberglass.

Here on the agenda is a slightly different problem. joining metal and fiberglass. and their life together in the winter cold. If the whole element was made of plastic, then this question would not arise.

Therefore, I say - drill.

I don't think 10 holes will be better than 10,000 large marks.

Anyway . only practice will answer such questions.

Therefore, I say - drill.

do not fool your head, polyester resins have been used in car tuning for more than a dozen years. Nobody drills anything, ordinary matting, even not necessarily with a large skin and good adhesion of the resin to metal is ensured. The main thing after matting is to remove dust, for example, with a degreaser (not to be confused with a solvent)

No, no .. it happens that they drill. But it makes sense if the fabric is on both sides of the piece of iron. those. with these holes we directly connect the layers of tissue located on opposite sides of the piece of iron. But I plan to glue the fabric on only one side of the wing. And so I don't need holes. Just prepare the metal with a brush or sandpaper - and off you go.

Yes . regarding the plasticizer. There is nothing written on the bank on this account. But then there is an inscription that this composition is also used when repairing bumpers. It seems to me that pure resin is unlikely to be packaged for automotive needs. in this form, its applicability will be too narrow.

And so . by the way . front fender. I haven’t suggested beauty yet. but for our conversation it's even better. The black color is the work of the rust converter.

what nafig plasticizers? a polyester resin filled with glass mat or fiberglass and was designed for strength with light weight, but not for flexibility. Moreover, when repairing metal body elements, plasticity is not needed. Therefore, there is nothing on the banks. Plasticizers are used in paints and varnishes as an additive for painting soft plastics (bumpers) of modern cars in order to avoid microcracks in case of minor damage.

what nafig plasticizers?

Ordinary. In its pure form, the resin, even with glass mat, would be very fragile. I have such experience. when the resin was used in buckets. the plasticizer was added just before the resin was applied. In modern packaging for automotive needs, I'm sure this has already been taken into account. and some kind of plasticizer is already present in the can. Otherwise, people would quickly abandon this method of repair.

Well, not the point. about plasticizers this is how we are. without specifics.

Moreover, when repairing metal body elements, plasticity is not needed.

Did you read the message number 2 in this thread? Do you have YOUR experience in this regard? ... I'm talking about thermal expansion coefficients.

I also think that problems should not arise during further operation. But I'll be especially careful just in case. not a very convenient place to redo something later. ))

On my old Frontera, I pasted glass fiber and polyester resin sills. I traveled in this form for two years. Accordingly, this construction survived two winters. And frosts in those years were both 25 ° and 35 °. I did not observe any signs of peeling from the metal.

Well, not the point. about plasticizers this is how we are. without specifics.

Did you read the message number 2 in this thread? Do you have YOUR experience in this regard? ... I'm talking about thermal expansion coefficients.

Well, about experience in this area)))) I've been painting cars since 1991, and I don't even consider such questions. Expansion coefficients, as a rule, are tried to be taken into account exactly where they are not only unnecessary, but useless and meaningless. In the .. prehistoric .. times when epoxy was used, there were jambs precisely because of the big difference in expansion. But later a polyester resin was developed which is ideal for metal work. And do not forget the fact that it is this resin that is used as a binding element in car putties, and it’s a sin for them to expand with metal in different ways.

And by the way about fragility, this usually comes from laziness. Yes, yes, from laziness, put in more hardener so that it dries faster, here's the fragility, the material becomes glassy. All materials with a graduation of 2-3 percent are passed only through the scales, otherwise you will get .. glass ..

Well, some tips for beginners .. to comb ..

Glass mat (fabric) for convenience at the factory is processed with a weak adhesive that interferes with fit into the shape, especially on curved surfaces.

To get rid of it is quite simple, you throw the chopped pieces into an iron can and ignite it on gas or with a blowtorch. The glass does not burn and the glue burns out. And it is much easier to fit into the form.

Did you read the message number 2 in this thread? Do you have YOUR experience in this regard? ... I'm talking about thermal expansion coefficients.

In March 72, Dad bought a brand new vaz2101, after that there were 4 new classics, hmm gained a lot of experience. From what was available in stores to ship anticorrosive materials and rocket composites.

5th brand new 2107 in 97g, one day after the purchase I disassembled it and covered it with Pindossian “Thiokol” 100% outside, very thick, diluted only with high-quality acetone and not in half an hour but a week of daily stirring. After a year it has dried to the state of rubber, cuts like rubber, adhesion is like welded. But there is no rye on the new ones, and after 20 years it looks new, with year-round operation, Moscow-Moscow region. I will tell you a secret, after the trips, if possible, until outside minus 3g of frost, I tried to wash it or at least douse it with water. Ice formation on the body was not harmful.

Here a girl was selling a rodeo with an eaten frame, I was very much. ... ... ... Well, is it really hard to turn your tongue and say at the sink - pour over with Karcher from below, bottom and bridges.

As in the spring they stop pouring salt on the roads, I generously water all my cars from below, without the pressure of the jet and repeatedly, of two evils, I choose the least.

I bought Isuzika with a red ass, fattened everything, wiped off the fat only where I touch it during operation, rust stopped its advance, of course I renew it periodically.

I'm not too lazy to boil a bucket of shnyaga and in the fall wipe with a shnyaga with my bare hands, stroke the outside of the entire frame and bottom,

three o'clock and after that the palms are so soft, clean, the calluses are peeling off.

The world consists of organic matter and inorganic matter, and oxidative processes are constantly going on here and there - this cannot be stopped, if not separated by a partition.

Fiberglass body repair it is most often used to create various tuning of a car, such as widening the wheel arches, expanding the body, various air intakes and so on. But let's not forget that cars, whether new or old, are constantly corroded and in this article I will tell you how "Heal" body holes with fiberglass.

Metal corrosion is still a nuisance. The range of cars is constantly growing, but sometimes you cannot find spare parts. So you have to come up with various methods. Initially, it was planned to solve this problem on this car by welding, but refused because, firstly, in some places there is simply nothing to "cook", and secondly, the layer of putty will not be small, but a thick layer, as a rule, soon time will begin to crack, especially since this is the back door, which is constantly slammed. So I decided to repair fiberglass body.

The first thing every repair begins with is disassembling a car. We remove everything that can interfere, the door lock, the seal, the plastic cover of the number and so on.

Next, you need to prepare the place of repair. With the help of a well-known grinder, we clean the area of localization of rust and 10 centimeters around it. For better adhesion of materials, quality of repair and service life of your creation, it is necessary to treat the rust with phosphoric acid. This acid in the common people is called "rust converter". You can buy it absolutely in any auto parts store. What it gives: when an acid is applied to a corrosion surface, the oxide forms of iron are destroyed and converted into phosphates, while reactions with the participation of zinc and manganese take place. The processing process is quite simple, we will not dwell on it (see the manufacturer's instructions). The preparation of the metal is completed, we go further.

Creation of a "matrix"

The process of creating a matrix is a rather creative activity, sometimes you have to play very vigorously with your imagination. But not in this case. It's pretty simple. On the outside of the door we glue a regular two-layer cardboard. For a more tight fit of the cardboard to the scraps of metal, you can additionally use glue.

I draw your attention, along the edge of the door there is a non-painful bend for the sealing gum. At the stage of forming the matrix, it is necessary to take into account these points and try to get as close as possible to the shape of the part.

Before applying composite materials, the door must be removed from the vehicle and installed in a horizontal position. This will facilitate ease of use and prevent materials from sliding off their weight. So don't be lazy. We prepare the necessary materials: polyester resin will need about 200 grams, diluted in a ratio of 100: 1, maximum 2% of the catalyst by volume of the resin. (more is not better). Chop glass mat of the required size, degrease the surface and use a brush to saturate the entire surface with resin, then apply glass mat and saturate it. The number of layers depends on the density of the glass mat, I used 300 in two layers, this is quite enough. We are waiting for drying this time, depending on the air temperature. At a temperature of 20 degrees, the resin dries for about 30-50 minutes, after which the resulting fiberglass can be machined.