Page 2537 of 2643
NUBIRA/LACETTIFRONT 4–3
1–2. REPAIR PROCEDURE
1. Remove the related parts.
S Hood, radiator grill and front bumper.
S Head lamps and fender.
S Engine, radiator and related parts.
S Aircon condenser and related parts.
S Others.
Fig. 2
2. Roughly pull out and straighten the damaged area.
S Check the damage to the front wheelhouse and front
longitudinal before removing the front panel. Use the
frame straightener to roughly pull out and repair the
damaged front panel before removing the front panel.
Note : Check the fit of the door, taking care not to pull
the damaged area out more than necessary.
S Use the horizontal pinch weld clamps and attach the car
to the frame straightener at the clamping points secure-
ly.
3. Keep the body, level.
S Jack up the body, and place safety stands at the four
designated places of the frame door opening.
4. Cut and pry off the front panel.
S Center punch around the spot weld imprints.
S Use the special spot cutter to drill holes at the spot weld
nuggets on the front wheel house and longitudinal.
Note : When drilling holes be careful not to drill down to
the front wheelhouse and longitudinal themselves.
S Cut off the front panel with an air chisel, leaving the weld-
ing flanges intact.
S Level and finish the burrs from the pried off spot welds
with disc sander.
CAUTION : To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or
safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting, or grind-
ing.
Fig. 3
5. Mold damaged related parts.
S Use a hammer and dolly to mold damaged areas of the
front wheelhouse and longitudinal.
S Even out the welding flanges with a hammer and dolly.
S Fill any holes drilled by welding.
Fig. 4
6. Set the front panel.
S Grind both sides of the welding section of the front panel
with a sander to remove the paint and expose the steel
plate.
CAUTION : To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or
safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting, or grind-
ing.
S Clamp both the right and left sides with the vise grips as
shown.
S Weld the clamped sections for temporary installation.
CAUTION : To prevent eye injury and burns when
welding, wear an approved welding helmet, gloves
and safety shoes.
Page 2538 of 2643
4–4 FRONTNUBIRA/LACETTI
Fig. 5
Note : Make sure that the right and left front panels are
in line with each others.
7. Measure the front compartment diagonally.
S Measure the front compartment diagonally with a track-
ing gauge or convex rule as shown to check it for twisting
or bending.
S Temporarily assemble the fender, head lamps and hood,
then check the clearances and level differences.
Fig. 6
8. Perform the main welding.
S Spot weld the front panel as shown.
CAUTION : To prevent eye injury and burns when
welding, wear an approved welding helmet, gloves
and safety shoes.
S Perform a trial welding first, and check the weldng condi-
tion.
S Increase the number of spot by 20% for areas to be spot
welded.
Fig. 7
9. Finish the welding areas.
S Use a hammer and dolly to even out the front wheel-
house and longitudinal flanges for a close fit with the sur-
face of the front panel.
10. Apply the undercoat.
S Undercoat to the damaged areas of front wheelhouse
and longitudinal if necessary.
11. Apply the paint.
CAUTION
S Ventilate when spraying paint. Most paint contains sub-
stances that are harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Rear
the paint label before opening paint container.
S Avoid contact with skin. Wear an approved respirator,
gloves, eye protection and appropriate clothing when
painting.
S Paint is flammable. Store in a safe place, and keep it
away from sparks, flames or cigarettes.
12. Coating the anti–rust agents.
S Coating the anti–rust agents to the end of front panel
side and the door hinge areas.
Fig. 8
13. Install the related parts.
S Engine, radiator and related parts.
Page 2539 of 2643
NUBIRA/LACETTIFRONT 4–5
S Aircon condenser and related parts.
S Head lamps and fenders.
S Hood, radiator grill, and bumper.
S Others
S Install in the reverse order in which they were removed.
Note : After install the all related parts, rub in grease to
the moving parts and replenish cooling liquid, break oil,
aircon gas and others.
14. Check and adjust
S Check clearances and level differences.
S Check the hood locking and unlocking condition.
S Adjust the head lamp aim.
S Check all operation.
S Check for gas, oil and liquid leaks.
Note : Use specified check sheet for operation check
properly.
Page 2540 of 2643
4–6 FRONTNUBIRA/LACETTI
2. FRONT WHEELHOUSE
2–1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The front wheelhouse component is constructed as a
unit with the locator shockabsorber. Therefore, replace-
ment of the component affects the front wheel align-ment. When assembling it, either use a jig or follow di-
mensions on the body repair chart for positioning. It
must be welded carefully.
Fig. 9 Front Wheelhouse Welding Assembly
Page 2541 of 2643
NUBIRA/LACETTIFRONT 4–7
2–2. REPAIR PROCEDURE
1. Remove the related parts.
S Parts on passenger side of dash panel lower which are
especially flammable.
S Instrument panel, wiring harness, related parts and oth-
ers.
2. Roughly pull out and straighten the damaged area to
approximately the original shape.
S Attach the car to the frame straightener by tightening the
underbody clamps at the horizontal pinch weld points.
S Before cutting off the damaged sections, pull them out
so that they are restored to the original shape.
S Do not pull out more than necessary.
S Pull out and straighten the damaged areas of the rear
wheelhouse and dash panel lower, front filar and other
parts.
Note : Check the condition of the door and hinges.
Fig. 10
3. Remove the brace wheelhouse.
S Center punch around the spot weld imprints.
S Use the special spot cutter to drill holes at the spot weld
nuggets on the brace wheelhouse.
S Remove the MIG weld areas with a disc sander.
CAUTION : To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or
safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting, or grind-
ing.
Fig. 11
S Using a chisel, pry off the welded flange from the front
body puller and wheelhouse.
4. Peel off the undercoat and sealer.
S Heat the undercoat and sealer at the welding areas of
the wheelhouse and longitudinal with a gas torch and
peel off the undercoat and sealer with a steel spatula.
5. Cut and pry off the front wheelhouse.
S Center punch around the spot weld imprints on the longi-
tudinal and rear wheelhouse.
S Use the special spot cutter to drill holes at the spot weld
nuggets on the center punched areas.
S Cut off the front wheelhouse with an air chisel, leaving
the welding flanges intact.
S Level and finish the burrs from the pried off spot welds
with disc sander.
CAUTION : To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or
safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting, or
grindng.
Page 2542 of 2643
4–8 FRONTNUBIRA/LACETTI
Fig. 12
NOTE :
S If damage has occurred only front side, cut the damaged
section of the front wheelhouse, trim the new panel to fit
the remaining section, then butt weld both parts at the
inner ends.
6. Mold damaged related parts.
S Fill any holes drilled by welding.
S Use a hammer and dolly to mold damaged areas of the
front longitudinal, rear wheelhouse and other panels.
S Even out the welding flanges with a hammer and dolly.
7. Set the new front wheelhouse panel.
S Grind both sides of the welding section of the front, rear
wheelhouse and front longitudinal with a disc sander to
remove the paint and expose the steel plate.
CAUTION : To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or
safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting, or grind-
ing.
S Clamp to the front longitudinal with vise grips and squill
vises.
S Clamp the front panel with vise grips.
Note : Use of jigs is recommended.
S Weld the clamped sections for temporary installation.
CAUTION : To prevent eye injury and burns when
welding, wear an approved welding helmet, glovesand safety shoes.
8. Measure the front compartment diagonally.
S Measure the front compartment diagonally with a track-
ing gauge or convex rule to check it for twisting or bend-
ing.
S Temporarily assemble the fender and hood, then check
the clearances and level differences.
9. Perform the main welding.
S Weld as much as possible with the jig still mounted.
S Perform a trial welding first, and check the welding con-
dition.
S Perform the welding.
Fig. 13
CAUTION : To prevent eye injury and burns when
welding, wear an approved welding helmet, gloves
and safety shoes.
S Increase the number of spot by 20% for areas to be spot
welded.
10. Apply the sealer tape.
S Apply the sealer tape to the hinge and brace wheelhouse
matching area as shown.
Page 2543 of 2643
NUBIRA/LACETTIFRONT 4–9
Fig. 14
11. Weld the brace wheelhouse.
S Spot weld the brace wheelhouse as shown.
S Make MIG or gas welds at the door hinge areas.
Fig. 15
12. Finish the welding areas.
S Use a hammer and dolly to even out the rear wheel-
house and front longitudinal flanges for a close fit with
the surface of the front wheelhouse.
13. Apply the sealer
S Apply the sealer to the matching and overlapped sur-
face.
14. Apply the undercoat.
S Undercoat to the inside of the front, rear wheelhouse
and longitudinal.
15. Apply the paint.
CAUTION
S Ventilate when spraying paint. Most paint contains sub-
stances that are harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Read
the paint label before opening paint container.
S Avoid contact with skin. Wear an approved respirator,
gloves, eye protection and appropriate clothing when
panting.S Paint is flammable. Store in a safe place, and keep it
away from sparks, flames or cigarettes.
16. Coating the anti–rust agents.
S Coating the anti–rust agents to the end of front panel
side and the door hinge areas.
17. Install the related parts.
S Wiring harness, instrument panel and related parts.
S Parts of the passenger compartment.
S Parts to be installed when install the front panel.
S Others.
S Install in the reverse order in which they were removed..
Note : After install the all related parts, rub in grease to
the moving parts and replenish cooling liquid, break oil,
aircon gas and others.
18. Check and adjust
S Measure the front wheel alignment.
S Check clearances and level differences.
S Check the hood locking and unlocking condition.
S Adjust the head lamp aim.
S Check all operation.
S Check for gas, oil and liquid leaks.
Note : Use specified check sheet for operation check
properly.
Page 2544 of 2643
4–10 FRONTNUBIRA/LACETTI
3. FRONT LONGITUDINAL
3–1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The front longitudinal is joined to the wheelhouse and
front panel, it forms the base for the front suspension,
engine, transmission and others. Therefore, replace-ment of the component affects the front wheel align-
ment and maintains the rigidity of the front section.
When assembling it, either use a jig or follow dimen-
sions on the body repair chart for positioning. It must be
welded carefully.
Fig. 16 Front Longitudinal Welding Assembly