2018 Cobalt Front Frame Rail Sectioning Guide
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.
2018 Cobalt Front Frame Rail Sectioning Guide
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 Ford/Lincoln says about structural sectioning. Vehicle-specific Ford/Lincoln Workshop manuals offer procedures for sectioning of various parts. Many of the newer Workshop manuals include a convenient video guide beside each image in the procedure. This guide demonstrates what each of the color-coded callouts and symbols mean through the procedure.
Simply click on the video-camera icon beside the image to launch the video. The vehicle-specific body repair manual is used to determine the required type of welding and sectioning joint for the repair being performed. Failure to follow OEM procedures will sacrifice the safety and quality of the repair. Ford/Lincoln has two position statements pertaining to structural sectioning that you should be aware of.
2018 Cobalt Front Frame Rail Sectioning Guidelines
Accessing General Motors Body Repair Manual - Free. Express, Is there a sectioning procedure available for the front lower rail?