Minor car body repairs. Minor body repairs and painting

Do-it-yourself car maintenance and minor repairs. Gladky Alexey Anatolievich

Performing minor body repairs

Minor body repairs that you can do yourself include restoring the shape of body parts and repairing paintwork (including removing scratches, rust, etc.).

Restoring the shape of body parts involves performing the following operations: knocking out, straightening, tightening and stretching. The heating and rapid cooling method can also be used.

Tapping is the first restoration procedure designed to return damaged body parts to a shape close to their original shape. The essence of the procedure is to apply a force opposite to the force that caused the deformation. In other words, if the car fender is damaged by an impact from the outside, then in order to give it a shape close to the original one, you need to apply force to it from the reverse side.

The main methods used to carry out gouging are extrusion and hammering, starting with the harder parts from the boundary edge towards the center of the dent.

If the dent on a body element is extensive, but at the same time shallow, then to straighten it it may be enough to strike the top of the dent with a wooden or rubber hammer. If the dent is deep, then straightening should be done gradually, and you need to start from the edges. It is necessary to place a supporting anvil or other object of appropriate shape under the surface to be straightened at the border of the dent.

Important.

Remember that if there are more rigid sections in the deformed area (stiffening ribs, pads, racks, etc.), the drift should begin with these parts.

Sometimes deformation on the panel surface leads to the formation of sharp folds that prevent the correct geometric shape from being obtained. This complicates the situation, but does not make it hopeless: in this case, technological cuts need to be made in one way or another along the ridges of such folds. This allows you to eliminate the source of increased stress, as a result of which the metal will receive additional freedom to move, and, accordingly, to straighten.

Knockout of surfaces that are difficult to access from the reverse side (doors, racks, etc.) is carried out using special supports in the form of blades and hooks, the end of which can be inserted between the internal and external panels through the gaps or the hatch mounting window.

Helpful advice.

You can straighten a large but shallow dent on a car door using an ordinary volleyball camera. Place this chamber between the damaged surface and the door frame and inflate using a pump. As the camera inflates, it will press out a dent.

One of the most well-known straightening methods is to hammer out sheet metal using a hammer and support.

In order to prevent possible stretching of the metal, the support should be kept with a slight offset from the point of application of the hammer blow. When straightening the panel using a support and a hammer, you need to alternate blows from both tools. It is best to tap the metal from the back side of the surface, pressing the support against the front side.

Before “collecting” the metal released as a result of damage, you should first determine the boundaries of the defective area using the marks of a straightening file. Only after this can the straightening process begin.

In general, the straightening methods largely coincide with the methods used for knocking out: straightening a large dent begins from the edges and moves along the circumference to the center, and straightening a small dent begins from the middle.

Know.

When straightening, hold the hammer firmly and strike the metal with the entire plane exactly at the specified location. At the same time, do not hit with all your might: on the contrary, the blows should be weak, and you should not hit the same place several times.

You almost always need to start straightening from the most deformed place. When a rib gets into a defective area, straightening should begin from here. First of all, you should edit the stiffener rib to high quality, and only then start processing other areas. If there are several dents in close proximity to each other, it is recommended to stretch the metal between them so that one dent is formed, since it is easier to straighten one large dent than several small dents located next to each other.

Tightening consists in the fact that, using a straightening hammer with a sharp end, the metal is “collected” where it is “stretched”. And hooding is the reverse procedure to tightening, which is used less often. In this case, you need to install the anvil on the same axis with the straightening hammer. Also, to perform this operation, a wooden hammer (mallet) with a semicircular working part can be used.

A common method of body restoration is the heat and rapid cooling method. Its meaning is that a gas torch or carbon electrode of a welding machine heats the metal of the convexity on the body. Note that an oxygen-acetylene torch No. 0 is best suited for this.

As a result of heating, a small circle of metal quickly heats up red-hot, and accordingly, its ductility noticeably improves. The heated metal tends to expand, but this is prevented by the less heated metal around it, so the volume of the heated part of the metal increases due to thickening.

After the metal is heated red-hot, its heating stops and cooling begins. As is known, in this case the metal is compressed, and its volume decreases, but is held by the cold metal located around, the size and volume of which did not change. Since the metal has a temperature that does not correspond to maximum ductility, when it contracts, it absorbs a small part of the elongation of the surrounding metal. The deposition of metal can be enhanced by reducing the rate of heat propagation by creating a ring around the heated part of the metal from a wet cloth, counteracting deformation by pressing the metal with a hammer handle or a pipe near the heated point, tapping the boundaries of a point of red-hot metal, and then the hottest point itself with a mallet or straightening machine. with a hammer.

As for the paintwork, even with good care of the car body, it periodically needs minor repairs. It is recommended to check its condition and, if necessary, repair any damage at least once a year.

This is explained by the fact that over the course of a year, minor defects and damage can increase significantly in size. More precisely, almost invisible scratches, corrosion bugs and other damage almost invisible to the eye can increase 50-100 times in a year. And it turns out that an almost imperceptible corrosion spot about 1 mm in size (it’s not even a spot, but a dot) grows over the course of a year into a huge 10-centimeter “bug” (Fig. 7.5).

It is not difficult to eliminate a minor defect and touch up the affected area; the most important thing here is the pedantry and quality of execution of all procedures, and first of all this applies to operations related to preparation for painting.

First of all, it is necessary to treat the damaged area of ​​the body with fine-grained sandpaper or sandpaper (Fig. 7.6). If the paintwork is damaged down to the metal, both paint and primer must be removed. In milder cases (when only the top layer of paintwork is damaged), the primer can be left untouched.

Along the border of the affected area, the edges of the paintwork must be sanded as smoothly as possible: the border between the intact and damaged area should not be determined by touch. Then you should treat the damaged area with a soft cloth moistened with a degreasing compound: this will remove dirt, dust and grease stains from it.

After this, use adhesive tape to secure a pre-made stencil with a hole in the shape of the prepared area to the body. It should protect undamaged areas of the body from soil, enamel, etc.

If you have cleaned the damaged area down to the metal itself, then you need to cover it with a layer of primer. When doing this, take into account factors such as the temperature and drying time of the primer - this information can be found in its instructions for use. On average, at a temperature of 20 degrees, the primer dries from several hours to a day, but there are types of primer coating that can dry in 15 minutes.

Sometimes the body has to be puttied (Fig. 7.7) - the need for this operation depends on the specific case. But experts recommend avoiding the use of putty whenever possible, or at least minimizing its use. Please note that the putty should be applied in a layer of minimum thickness, since the thicker it is, the higher the likelihood of cracks appearing on it.

Depending on the type of putty used, it can dry from half an hour to 4–5 hours. In any case, it is recommended to wait some time beyond the specified drying time, especially in high humidity environments.

After the putty has dried, it must be sanded with fine-grained sandpaper or sandpaper, and then the dust that has formed from it must be washed off with water. Then the putty layer must be carefully inspected in order to immediately see possible defects and surface irregularities. If any are found, putty again - and so on until you get a smooth surface.

It is most convenient to repair minor damage to the paintwork using paint in an aerosol package. Painting with a brush leaves marks, and brush lint may remain on the paint layer.

From an aerosol can, paint should be sprayed in several layers, and each layer should dry before applying the next layer. The time required for the layer to dry is indicated on the paint packaging. It is recommended to apply at least three layers of paint - only in this case can you count on the reliability of the renewed paintwork and its durability.

When applying paint, make sure that it does not flow over the body and does not dry out, leaving characteristic “sags”. In other words, apply the paint in a thin layer, since it will be very difficult to eliminate drips later, and if they are left, they may crack or burst.

If the paintwork of the body is cracked in those places of deep metal defects, then the first thing to do is to open the defect using coarse sandpaper or sandpaper. Then you need to degrease this area and also remove dust and dirt from it. Elimination of metal defects is carried out by applying a layer of specially designed epoxy primer-putty. When it dries (the drying time is indicated on the packaging), you need to treat this area with sandpaper or sandpaper. If there are small irregularities, they should be eliminated using putty, and when it dries, treated with fine-grained sandpaper or sandpaper. A layer of paint is applied to the body surface restored in this way.

Sometimes small cracks appear on the paintwork during use of the body (they are sometimes called “spider web”). To combat them, treat the body with special polishing compounds.

If in the near future you cannot remove small rust spots, chips or scratches on the car body, then they need to be preserved to prevent further spread of corrosion. To do this, you need to rinse the affected area well, dry it and coat it with Movil or any grease. But even after conservation, you should not delay repairs, since this measure will not protect the body for a long time.

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Every car owner strives to make his car look its best. This is not surprising, because based on the appearance of the vehicle, one can draw bold conclusions about its owner. And often they will be the only true ones.

We have no doubt that you, as a caring car enthusiast, monitor and care for your car. But the fact is that even on it, over time, some defects may appear that can negatively affect the appearance.

These can be various dents, scratches, polishing imperfections. Sometimes they seem invisible, and you may not pay attention to them. But rest assured: over time they will make themselves felt in the form of major troubles. An example of this is rust.

Surely you don’t want your car to suffer from untimely repairs? In this case, you should take immediate action. In this article, we will help you choose the right methods and means for body repair and tell you how to do it yourself without spending extra money. So, minor repairs to the car body with your own hands.

Briefly about the damage

As a rule, the rear part of the body is the most susceptible to damage.


This is explained by the fact that while driving, small stones flying out from under the rear wheels hit it. Damage can also be caused by errors made during maneuvering when entering/exiting.

Before repairs, special attention must be paid to the types of damage. For example, if only the outer layer of the coating is “damaged”, to eliminate the defect you will need a polish or a special cosmetic pencil that can remove scratches. If the damage is much more serious, we ask you to follow the advice below.

Do-it-yourself minor body repairs. What will it take?

We bring to your attention a unique list of materials that will help you carry out minor body repairs yourself. So, you will need:

  • polyester or epoxy resin;
  • synthetic putty for cars;
  • fiberglass;
  • paint that matches the color of your car.

The technology we offer is based on gluing and is suitable for all types of body repairs, as well as bumpers. Moreover, bumper repair in this case will not be different from body repair technology.

Algorithm of actions for minor body repairs

  1. Remove paintwork (paint) from the surface of your car. Special brushes - metal, with an electric drive - will help to carry out this work efficiently. It will be necessary to do the stripping completely - right down to bare metal. If you are also repairing the bumper, you will need to strip it down to clean plastic.
  2. After completing the paint removal procedure, we align the body parts and also prepare it for the stage of applying a composite layer. In order to prepare the surface for the step of applying resins, it is recommended to degrease it using a solvent.
  3. The most critical stage is the application of the composite material. Before this, you need to prepare several patches cut from fiberglass. These patches will serve as a base for applying resins. If there is a fairly large dent on the body, it is recommended to make them in different sizes (from smallest to largest). Next, it’s time to prepare the resins for use. To avoid untimely drying of the composites, it is recommended to stir them in small portions.
  4. All is ready? Then you can safely apply the resulting patch to the part. To accomplish this, apply an adhesive layer of resin. Lay down fiberglass.
  5. Be sure to smooth out the glued patch using a spatula (plastic or rubber) for this purpose. Continue layering until the hole is sealed.

Advice! So that in the future you do not waste time on redoing the body repair, we recommend putting a little more composite than the seal itself. The remainder will be sanded off when you prepare your car for painting.

  1. Next is grinding the surface. Produce it using special vibration machines that allow you to change speeds.
  2. Once you have removed all excess composite material, apply car putty and once dry, gently sand it until the surface is perfect. To check the degree of “ideality”, apply a light primer coat. It will serve as a kind of indicator for you.

After you complete auto body repairs, it will need to be painted. As a rule, special equipment is required for this purpose. For example, a spray gun, a compressor. If you do not have such devices, the best solution is to contact a specialist.

Minor car repairs are always doable and quite easy if you have a good guide on hand for how to do it. We hope our article will help you improve your car, and you will be satisfied with the result of the work done yourself!

There is probably not a single car owner who has not encountered such a problem as at least once in his life. This concept includes several areas of getting rid of defects on one of the most important elements of the car.

Types of body repair

There are two types of body restoration: complete and local.

Just by the name of a complete body repair, everything becomes clear. But as far as local is concerned, everything is a little different here. involves the restoration of individual elements of the car body.

Removing dents without painting is a fairly popular method nowadays. Using this method, you can get rid of both small and medium-sized dents that could appear in any situation: dents from hands or feet, hail, contact with certain elements on the body, both while driving and while parking, and much more. . Damage of this kind can be removed easily and simply to such a state that it becomes completely invisible.

Advantages of car restoration without painting

Paintless dent removal is a new and quite popular way to repair a vehicle. This method has been well proven and therefore has many positive aspects.

  1. The car's coating does not deteriorate during repairs.
  2. Saving money. There is no need to waste time and money on buying abrasives, putty, and then selecting paint.
  3. The time spent on repairs is no more than half an hour.

Disadvantages of car restoration without painting

In addition to the positive aspects, the method without the use of paint also has its disadvantages, which many may consider quite significant.

  1. This method is not suitable for the Soviet automobile industry. The thing is that Soviet cars have a fairly soft car body coating.
  2. Removing dents without using paint is considered a very difficult method, and that is why it will be quite difficult to cope with the task without the help of specialists.

Stages of body work

Perhaps, in work related to auto body repair, more attention should be paid to the preparatory stage, because the final type of transport depends on the quality of the preparatory work.

Stage No. 1. You can get to the first stage of body work. Only those cars that have been involved in an accident and received fairly serious mechanical damage go through this stage.

Stage No. 2. This item involves leveling uneven surfaces, i.e. putty. The putty is applied to the uneven surfaces of the car body in an even layer so that the next type of work can be carried out. If the putty is applied in too large a layer, its excess can be removed using paper and a specially designed tool.

Stage No. 3. After filling, it is advisable to prime the car body. The primer must be applied to prevent corrosion from appearing on the metal parts of the car. The primer is applied immediately before applying paint to ensure that the surface of the car body is as level as possible.

There are three types of automotive primer, each of which has its own specific purpose:

  • Acidic.
  • Leveling.
  • Vapor filling.

Stage No. 4. At this stage, either occurs. It is necessary to paint a car in a special chamber or garage, where, using special equipment, otherwise called a gun, paint is applied in an even layer. The car must be painted indoors so that the fresh paint is not exposed to dust, moisture or sunlight. Painting should be done only with the help of special equipment to avoid defects and unevenness.

Stage No. 5. The final stage is considered. Polishing is necessary for the vehicle to acquire a pleasant aesthetic appearance, which in turn can greatly brighten up some shortcomings after work such as body restoration.

Body elements are also carried out in stages. Polishing is carried out so that there are no noticeable edges between the old layer of paint, which was applied at the factory, and the new one. Polishing is a rather unique tool, because it can perfectly disguise a damaged area. In addition, polishing has a distinctive feature: if this type is done well, the damaged area cannot be found without special equipment.

Painting the body, removing dents, repairing plastic body parts and much more can be done independently, without the help of experts. Repairing car body elements with your own hands will be much cheaper than repairing it at a service station, and if you know some of the nuances, then it will be much more careful.

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“Detailing” is a relatively new term, meaning: “a procedure designed to restore and improve the appearance, freshness and aroma of a car.”

There's no reason why you shouldn't decorate your car yourself, getting your hands a little dirty and devoting two to three hours to this task with lovingly completed procedures. However, every car that its owner wants to be proud of needs professional care at least once a year. If the car is used actively or in difficult conditions (exposed to dirt, dust or other factors that spoil its appearance, exposed to unpleasant odors, high humidity or mold), the cosmetic repair procedure will have to be done even more often.

A complete set of cosmetic procedures for the car:

  1. Exterior cleaning using detergents and other cleaning products specifically designed to remove contamination from resins, varnishes, tar, lubricants and other substances without damaging the polished surface.
  2. Thorough sanding followed by fine sanding and polishing to restore shine to the maximum possible extent.
  3. Cleaning and polishing of chrome and other metal parts; special attention is paid to headlights, wheel caps or their spokes and other decorative elements.
  4. Removing dirt, carbon deposits, and grease from the lower part of the car, including the exhaust system, axles and suspension.
  5. Careful touch-up of peeling or worn areas of paint and anti-corrosion treatment. If the metal is damaged, then a primer is first applied. It is better to apply several thin layers of paint than one thick one. Extensive paint damage can only be repaired by a professional.
  6. Removing and shampooing all rugs and covers.
  7. Thorough vacuuming of the entire interior; special attention is paid to pockets and crevices that a regular vacuum cleaner cannot get into.
  8. Dry cleaning that removes stains and stains from seat upholstery, walls and other surfaces covered with fabric. Their minor repairs, such as darning and gluing.
  9. Cleaning and restoration of surfaces covered with leather and materials imitating it.
  10. Cleaning and polishing of all metal parts of the interior. Their minor repairs, such as sanding out scratches and scuffs.
  11. Cleaning and polishing of all surfaces and parts made of plastic. Their minor repairs.
  12. Cleaning the interior to neutralize unwanted odors and freshen the air.

No matter how skilled you are, or how determined you are to carry out a redecoration job conscientiously, you may not be able to do it without the help of a professional - due to the lack of the appropriate equipment or the expensive substances needed to carry out such work . One possible solution is to do what is within your capabilities (for example, wash and polish the outside of the car), and then turn to professionals who will handle more complex procedures.