Help With Flammable Foam

Customer satisfaction is a major contributing factor to what goes into a new vehicle. One of the biggest demands from customers is a quiet passenger compartment. There are different ways of achieving a quiet cabin, like sound deadener pads, acoustic windshields, and specifically placed speakers that cancel noise. One method that is seen on every modern vehicle is noise vibration and harshness (NVH) foam.

NVH foam fills pillars, rockers, and quarter panels. Many times, this foam is extremely flammable and needs to be removed prior to applying any heat to the area. However, getting this foam out is not always that easy. Limited access to the inside of the panels can make it nearly impossible to get foam out of certain areas.

The Chrysler Pacifica body repair manual has a procedure titled, "Polyurethane Foam Removal." This procedure covers different options for removing foam. If the methods given will not work for the repair you are performing, an option is given for either cutting or drilling a hole to gain access. The cutting method calls for cutting a U-shaped window, then folding it open to get at the foam. After the foam is removed, the hole is closed with welding or a structural adhesive patch.

The other option is to drill a one inch access hole. After the foam is removed, the bare metal should be touched up with epoxy primer, and a body plug is installed. The Polyurethane Foam Removal procedure can be found at: stellantisiop.com.


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