- Sealing welded seams.
- Applying underbody protection.
- Sticking damping matting in place.
- Filling cavities with cavity wax.
- Cavity wax (after painting).
Panel Beating
Fundamentals of panel beating
Before carrying out any sectional replacements or complete replacements of body panels, always check carefully
whether the damaged panel(s) can be rectified by panel beating.
Panel beating is usually the easiest and most economical method of repairing a damaged panel.
Examples of applications of different panel beating techniques:
Aluminium hammer and mallet.
- Advantage: Low risk of over-stretching the panel.
- Used for repairs of small dents on panels that are accessible from both sides.
- These two panel beating tools are usually used for "finishing repairs".
Fine straightening with an aluminium hammer and a universal dolly
Sliding hammer
- If the damaged panel is only accessible from the outside, use a sliding hammer to pull it back into shape. The
discs or studs needed to mount the sliding hammer are welded onto the bare surface. Dents in the panel can be
flattened out using controlled application of the sliding hammer.
Heat-treatment of panels
It is usually inevitable that some parts of the body panels show excess material as a result of mechanical strain. If
there are any areas of excess material this will cause localised instabilities due to differences in tension. These
localised instabilities can be stabilised by applying heat-treatment techniques.
NOTE: This does not apply to high-strength low alloy steel, ultra high strength steel and aluminium.
Rule: Flattening panels by heat-treatment reduces the amount of excess material by more than they were originally
stretched.
Different heat-treatment techniques.
NOTE: Different heat-treatment techniques are used depending on the amount of excess material.
Flattening using a flame.
- A welding torch is used if the material excess extends over a larger area (torch size 0.5 - 1.0 mm). Use a soft
flame.
- The surface of the metal is briefly spot-heated and then immediately cooled with a wet sponge.
- Requirement: Ability to handle a welding torch safely and knowledge of annealing colours of steel.
- Advantage: No damage to the surface of the metal.
Flattening using a flame, supported by hammer and counterhold.
NOTE: The flattening effect is increased by speeding up the heating and cooling stages.
- If the material excess is concentrated, then the flattening effect can be increased after heating by carefully
using an aluminium or wooden hammer.
- Requirement: Ability to recognise material tension by feeling the surface that is to be flattened.
Flattening using a carbon electrode.
- If panel areas are only accessible from one side, or the panel is only slightly destabilised, then the preferred
method is flattening using a carbon electrode.
- Requirement: Bare metal surface.
Lighting, Removal and Installation).
7. Remove the condenser core.
For additional information, refer to: Condenser Core - 2.7L Diesel
(412-03, Removal and Installation) /
Condenser Core - V6 3.0L Petrol (412-03 Air Conditioning, Removal and Installation) /
Condenser Core - 4.2L, Vehicles Without: Supercharger (412-03, Removal
and Installation) /
Condenser Core - 4.2L, Vehicles With: Supercharger (412-03, Removal
and Installation).
8. Remove the radiator.
For additional information, refer to: Radiator (303-03A, Removal and
Installation) /
Radiator (303-03B Engine Cooling - V6 3.0L Petrol, Removal and Installation) /
Radiator - Vehicles With: Supercharger (303-03C, Removal and
Installation) /
Radiator - Vehicles Without: Supercharger (303-03C, Removal and
Installation).
9. Remove the both hood latch panel braces.
10. Remove the cooling fan upper shroud.
11. Remove both crash sensors.
For additional information, refer to: Crash Sensor (501-20B Supplemental Restraint System, Removal and Installation).
12. Remove the both hood latches.
13. Remove the hood safety hook guide.
14. Remove both hood latch panel buffers.
15. Release and lay aside the hood latch panel wiring harness.
16. Remove the old panel.
