Structural Sectioning Procedures: Jaguar Land Rover

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 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) says about structural sectioning.

Vehicle-specific JLR Workshop manuals offer procedures for sectioning of various parts. It is important to note, that only certified JLR repair facilities will be able to access JLR repair procedures. Per the Jaguar repair manual: “Jaguar recommends that aluminum vehicle repairs be made in an Jaguar-certified aluminum repair center.”

The General Section of the Workshop manual should be your first stop. This section begins with About This Manual, which will provide information on how to use the workshop manual, symbols glossary, diagnostic trouble code index, and more. The General Information found in the Body Repairs section will provide additional information on the repair/replace decision based on which type of material is being worked on. This section will also provide the vehicle construction breakdown as well a breakdown of the various SPRs used in the repair process.

It is crucial to pay attention to the various warnings, cautions, and notes through the entire procedure. For example, per the 2017 Jaguar XJ rear side member (rear rail) sectioning procedure: “The rear side member closing panel must be sectioned at the point indicated so that the aluminium casting of the rear suspension mounting can be inspected for damage.” But as stated in the follow up note, “This procedure assumes that the rear side member closing panel section is damaged.”

An example from Land Rover is the first note from the 2017 Ranger Rover Evoque rear side member (rear rail) sectioning procedure, “The rear side member section is manufactured from RP260, with its inner reinforcement manufactured from DP600. The rear side member section is cut from the rear side member service panel, the section also includes the upper and lower side extensions.”

The type of sectioning joint used will be dependent on the specific repair procedure being referenced. Also use the vehicle-specific body repair manual to determine which type of welding is required for the repair you are performing. Failure to follow OEM procedures will sacrifice the safety and quality of the repair.

Jaguar vehicle-specific body repair manuals can be found at: www.jaguartechinfo.com
Land Rover vehicle-specific body repair manuals can be found at: www.landrovertechinfo.com

For additional JLR information, check out the following pages
Jaguar OEM Information
Land Rover OEM Information

Additional I-CAR Collision Repair News you may find helpful:

• Step-By-Step: Accessing Jaguar Repair Information
• Step-By-Step: Accessing Land Rover Repair Information

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