Print
What is the MPa of the front lower rail? What is the outer uniside made of: steel, aluminum, or composite? Can heat be used to straighten or is it cold straightening only? What are the repair limitations? These are just some of the questions that the RTS team fields on a daily basis.
As we know, today’s vehicles can be constructed from a wide variety of materials. Knowing if the OEM provides information on body construction materials and repair guidelines is a crucial step in providing a complete, safe, and quality repair. Let’s see what Subaru has to say.
After you access the body repair manual, you will be able to locate the construction material breakdown in the body repair manual (BRM) under Panel Components. This section of the body repair manual has a series of numbered illustrations of the various vehicle components. If high and ultra-high strength steel is within the illustration, those parts will be shaded. Beneath each illustration is a list of what each numbered part is called. There is also a key for each illustration that identifies the corresponding MPa. If the vehicle has aluminum panels, they are located in their own area within Panel Components.
The BRM also includes a section on material repair guidelines in the Foreward, called About High-Tensile Steel Sheets of 980 MPa Class or More. There are numerous cautions listed in this area including, “Shape correction by heating and splice welding shall not be performed for components using 980 MPa class or more higher-tensile steel; otherwise this may decrease the strength of the material.”
Subaru vehicle-specific body repair manuals can be found at: www.techinfo.subaru.com
For additional Subaru information, check out the Subaru OEM Information page.
Additional I-CAR Collision Repair News you may find helpful:
Related I-CAR Courses
Article validated in 2024