Structural Sectioning Procedures: General Motors

Posted on 22 March 2017

Ask I-CAR receives many technical inquiries referring to sectioning. The collision repair industry wants to know where can you section, does the OEM have a sectioning procedure, and where can I find the sectioning procedure? Most OEMs allow sectioning to outer body panels and the front and rear rails. Sectioning reinforcements is not as common, as most reinforcements are replaced at factory seams.

Parts are made from various materials including HSS, UHSS, aluminum, and carbon fiber. These parts also have complex designs to collapse or transfer collision forces in a specific manner. Introducing a sectioning joint to many of these parts will alter how the part reacts to those collision forces. For this reason, sectioning a part is only allowed if supported by vehicle maker repair information. Let’s see what General Motors (GM) says about structural sectioning.

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I-CAR 360: Chevrolet Bolt Video Now Available

Posted on 20 March 2017

The I-CAR Repairability Technical Support (RTS) team recently developed a new I-CAR 360 video on the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The video provides a 360 tour around the new Bolt EV.

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Ford On Target 2017: Volume 1 - Super Duty Frame

Posted on 20 March 2017

Ford has released the first installment of their On Target publication for 2017. One of the articles discusses the construction and repairability of the frame on the 2017 Super Duty. Ford has made the 2017 Super Duty an all-aluminum body, over a steel frame following suit of the F-150. With mixed materials, special considerations need to be taken with the frame construction. The article describes what materials the frame is comprised of, and how it is constructed. Also, what parts are available for repairing the frame after a collision. Let’s take a look at the new Super Duty frame.

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Weld-Through Primer Guidelines: Volvo

Posted on 16 March 2017

Weld-through primers are generally a zinc-based product that are applied to the mating surfaces prior to welding. Corroding zinc forms zinc oxide which protects the steel. This is called sacrificial corrosion. For a quality weld to be made it’s required that the weld-through primer be removed from the direct weld zone before welding the joint when GMA welding. Many OEMs have a position on when and how to use weld-through primer or when it shouldn’t be utilized. Let’s see what Volvo recommends and where this information can be found.

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Toyota/Lexus/Scion Glass Replacement Requirements: UPDATE

Posted on 15 March 2017

The role of the windshield is a lot more complex than simply allowing a view of the road ahead. It is considered a structural part of the vehicle as it contributes to the strength of the roof and A-pillars. The windshield helps to manage collision energy and has become an integral part of several advanced safety systems.

It is commonly asked, "What is required when replacing a windshield?" With this question in mind, we will be presenting a series of articles that highlight some of the requirements from the various OEMs. As always, it is important to read through each vehicle-specific procedure to ensure a complete, safe, and quality repair.

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I-CAR's Repairability Technical Support Portal Fields 10,000th Inquiry

Posted on 15 March 2017

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., March 13, 2017 –I-CAR launched the Repairability Technical Support™ (RTS) Portal in July 2014 to enhance the overall repair process for the collision repair inter-industry. The online portal puts the most up-to-date collision repair technical information at the fingertips of front-line technicians, shop owners, estimators, insurance specialists and field educators in one, easy-to-navigate hub.

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BMW/Mini New Repair Site

Posted on 14 March 2017

If you have used the BMW/Mini repair information website since the first of the year, you may have noticed a message. This message was stating the BMW/Mini was transitioning from WebISTA to AIR for the delivery platform to find repair information. WebISTA has been removed from the BMW site as of March 1st. Let’s check out the new AIR platform and how to navigate it.

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Locating ADAS Information: Volvo

Posted on 09 March 2017

As a collision repair technician, there is one part of a service manual that houses all of the information you would ever need…right? This is not the case with modern vehicles. You may be required to look in numerous manuals to find the information required to safely repair the vehicle.

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OEM Linking Pin: Nissan Blind Spot Warning Clarification

Posted on 08 March 2017

We recently posted a position statement from Nissan regarding bumper repairs on vehicles equipped with Blind Spot Warning System. There was some uncertainty around some of the wording, so we reached out to Nissan to get some clarification on what the statement meant. Let’s take a look at what we found out.

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Weld-Through Primer Guidelines: Volkswagen

Posted on 07 March 2017

Weld-through primers are generally a zinc-based product that are applied to the mating surfaces prior to welding. Corroding zinc forms zinc oxide which protects the steel. This is called sacrificial corrosion. For a quality weld to be made it’s required that the weld-through primer be removed from the direct weld zone before welding the joint when GMA welding. Many OEMs have a position on when and how to use weld-through primer or when it shouldn’t be utilized. Let’s see what Volkswagen recommends and where this information can be found.

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ETI Position Statement: Pre- and Post-Repair System Scanning

Posted on 07 March 2017

Equipment and Tool Institute (ETI) released their position statement today on Pre- and Post-Repair System scanning. Per their statement, ETI agrees with the stance that many vehicle makers have taken with requiring a pre- and post-repair system scanning as part of the collision repair process. Let’s see what ETI have to say.

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OEM Linking Pin: Honda Spot Welder Settings

Posted on 03 March 2017

When spot welding on a Honda vehicle, what settings should be used if the body repair manual doesn’t specify? We were recently asked this question so we escalated it up to Honda. Let’s see what they had to say.

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Weld-Through Primer Guidelines: Subaru

Posted on 28 February 2017

Weld-through primers are generally a zinc-based product that are applied to the mating surfaces prior to welding. Corroding zinc forms zinc oxide which protects the steel. This is called sacrificial corrosion. For a quality weld to be made it’s required that the weld-through primer be removed from the direct weld zone before welding the joint when GMA welding. Many OEMs have a position on when and how to use weld-through primer or when it shouldn’t be utilized. Let’s see what Subaru recommends and where this information can be found.

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OEM Linking Pin: Ford Mustang Quarter Panel Sectioning

Posted on 27 February 2017

A hot topic question that the ASK I-CAR team has been repeatedly asked, “Does Ford have an approved sectioning procedure for the outer quarter panel that does not require the removal of the roof panel?” We now have the answer!

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2016 RTS Enhancements

Posted on 24 February 2017

The collision repair industry is ever-changing. In an average year, there are over a hundred new models, face-lifts, and redesigns. With all of these changes, it can be difficult to keep up with all the makes, models, and new technologies. Luckily, I-CAR’s RTS team is dedicated to keeping track of these changes and locating where to find this new information. In 2016 we have added several features and improvements to the RTS portal to make this this ever-changing information easier to find. Let’s take a look.

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